Ground Control with which shocks?

I'm looking at getting GC coilovers to lower my car probably 1.5". I was wondering if I should keep my stock shocks or get new ones. I know I saw that they don't last very long, making it seem like it'd be worthless to get them, but that would also mean mine have been shot for a while, being 6 years old. I'd also like to keep the amount of money I spend to a minimum since I'm planning on dropping a bunch on audio, security, wheels, and exhaust system as well.

You will want new ones for sure. Especially if you want to be able to launch half decently. Using soft shocks with hard springs will also cause damage to the shocks and they will have to be replaced eventually anyway. Depending how hard the springs are and what not, it may get to the point where you bend arms, not in two days or anything but over time. As well, you increase your ease of bending a rim. It is important to get new shocks, but if you let your stock ones wear out first then get new ones you should be okay.

Are the Tokico Illuminas the best match for the GC?

I think 95 GSXracer would say so, as he runs them. He has explained suspension several times on this board, give search a try -- i bet you will find them. He explains his opinion on spring rates front and rear as well as a lot of other helpful aspects of choosing suspension components.

I read his big post on all that. So basically I'm looking at probably 450 front, 350 rear spring ratios (if I read that correctly)? And it seems as if I'd have to get the upper mounts? More money I don't really have to spend.

I'm still kind of lost on this stuff...

I read his big post on all that. So basically I'm looking at probably 450 front, 350 rear spring ratios (if I read that correctly)?

Yes, if you use the car the way I do. Some people go up to 700 pounds or more for autox, while 600/500 seems fairly common for it as well. But you wont run those springs on tokicos. ;) 450/350 is good for a mostly street car, and is pushing the limits of the tockicos.


And it seems as if I'd have to get the upper mounts? More money I don't really have to spend.

The mounts are only 100 per end. The fronts are the only ones that are REQUIRED if you want to cheap out. But I'd rather spend the rear 100 for the sake of do it right, do it once. But the fronts are required in my most humble opinion.

I got out of it all for 1050 at the time. These days it may make more sense to spend a little more and do something like Tiens. Though I'm not completely sold on them, but I'd like to get some firsthand experience with them. Odds are I would spend 500 more and just do JICs if I ever upgraded, setup by RRE. Some good info on their page if I remember correctly.

So which shock would you suggest? (sorry but not sure exactly what the Tiens are)

This is basically just a daily driving setup, no intended racing, so the 450/350 is ideal? Or should I lower that and run on the Tokicos.

You could drop to 450/300 if you dont plan to race or take corners hard, the rear shocks will last longer.

The tiens are a shock/coilover combo, what some poeple refer to as "true" coilovers. I think its around 1200, everyone has a boner for them, but I dont know what spring rates are available. In your case you could most likely go with the "stock" setup though.

Suspension is all about money. There is no magic way out of it. Since you dont seem to need a specific spring rate, you could spend less money on regular 1.5" shocks like Eibach sportlines and tocikos if you dont need to adjust height, but I'm not sure if the front upper mounts are compatible. If not, you'll be riding on the front bumpstops like everyone else :) Be sure to cut them at least. But if you arent pushing the car hard in the corners, you may not care anyway. That would drop it down to 600 bucks or so...

I would look at how much money you have/want to spend, and how much suspension you really need. Its a pretty important decision, once that you hopefully only make once. :)

Yeah, all I'm interested in doing is dropping the car probably 1.5 inches, 2 at max.

What would be included in that "600 bucks or so..." ?

But it seems like I could just go with the GC coil overs, get the upper mounts, and get the Illuminas and go 450/300 and I should be ok?

What would be included in that "600 bucks or so..." ?

Springs and shocks.

But it seems like I could just go with the GC coil overs, get the upper mounts, and get the Illuminas and go 450/300 and I should be ok?


Absolutely. Its a well proven setup.

Forgot to ask, where should I look for the upper mounts? Thanks for the help, too.

Ground Control offers them, you can order them with the coilovers.

Just checked their site and found them, only thing is it says 95-99 DSM Front Upper Mount (requires 1' longer front spring). Same thing for the rear. 1' longer??

Still have no idea about that 1' longer spring deal.

But how would this work? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7952054397&category=33590&sspagename=WDVW

It's "These are brand new in the box a set of 4 ( 2 front BU3532 Shocks and 2 rear BU3534 ) TOKICO ILLUMINA 5 WAY EXTERNALLY ADJUSTABLE struts / shocks and 4 High Performance Lowering springs with a 1.5 inch drop." for $440 + $15 shipping.

Pleae use the EDIT function next time so you don't double on posts, it is a lot easier to read otherwise...just write
"EDIT-->"
Please will get it.

Just checked their site and found them, only thing is it says 95-99 DSM Front Upper Mount (requires 1' longer front spring). Same thing for the rear. 1' longer??


The mount moves the shock up one inch, thats the whole point of it, more travel (and longer shock life). Move the mounting point up one inch, and you need one inch more on the spring. Not exactly rocket science. If you call ground control they will explain it all to you. There will come a time when you have to put the keyboard down and actually call them anyway ;)

If it actually said 1" I would have realized that, but it said 1', which is 1 foot. I kind of figured it was a type, but figured I'd make sure, haha.

Can't magically make a spring grow 1" either, so this is somewhat confusing me. The spring is going to be part of the coilover that I order from them..is it not? I could just have my information all mixed, explaining my confusiong. Heh, sorry if I do.

You can buy the standard diameter eibach race springs that ground control uses in many lenghts. It would typically be 6 inches. With the upper mounts they will recomend 7" springs. Again, they would gladly explain all this to you when you call :)

I can order right online you know :-P

But I thought the springs on the coilovers were all I needed? Didn't know I'd have to go and buy springs too.

They come with the kit! You choose rate and length!

Only expensive setups like tein and JIC are one piece coilovers.

YOU buy springs and shocks seperately and put them together to make coilovers.

Yeah, I thought they came with the kit. It's just that some people start talking about one thing and immediately switch to something else and when it's read it means something totally different than what they meant.

Only problem I see is if I order online I can only choose the rate, not the length. I'll have to get in touch with them to check all that out tonight.

Like I said, call the cocksuckers. I have done this before you know. ;)

:werd: