FS 150 lb rear springs for Ground Control Options

[sgarnett]

I have two 5.5"x11"x150 lb/in "pigtail" rear springs for a Groung Control setup. They are a little too long for my Global West setup, which rides higher than GC.

They were on my car for less than ten hours and never left the garage. They are Suspension Spring Specialist springs, which come bare, so I sprayed a quick rattle can coat of clear laquer on them for corrosion protection before installation. There are probably a few light scratches here and there in the laquer from trial fitting, but there's no rust.

$100 shipped in the continental USA, $90 plus shipping outside the continental USA.

Heck, if there's another warm dry day before these sell I may even spray a bonus second coat of laquer (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[trackbird]

Sean. I just might want those. Do you still have the GC adjusters or did you sell/use them?

[sgarnett]

Sean. I just might want those. Do you still have the GC adjusters or did you sell/use them?

I never had a Ground Control setup. I'm switching from ~100 lb rear springs on Global West spring jacks to 150 lb. Prior to ordering, I made some rushed, awkward "measurements" with the car on the ground (not even on ramps), but apparently they weren't very accurate, and I ordered the wrong springs.

[trackbird]

Ok, to fine tune my question after that explanation.

Are these the same length that everyone is using with the GC kit? Or are they just "close". I plan to gather up a GC rear kit soon, but I may want some options for springs (so I'm interested in these).

[sgarnett]

Well, now that I think about it I'm not sure what people use with Ground Control. Here's my stackup (in addition to the spring):

Upper spring isolator: 7/8"
Global West spring jack: 1 3/4" at lowest setting
Tapered spring shims on lower perch: 5/32" at centerline

The result is about 27 3/8" at the fenders after bouncing the suspension a little in the garage but before driving it to settle it.

I think the Ground Control jacks probably go down to around 1 1/8" or less. That's allowing 5/8" for the center column of the perch, 1/4" at most for the adaptor, and 1/4" for the single adjuster nut.

My axle was apparently built on a Monday. With the suspension loaded (ie NOT drooping) one perch was about 6* off from being pointed at the upper perch and the other was about 4* off. I had 4* tapered shims made to improve the alignment ( a 6* shim would have been too thick, so I'm living with the remaining 2* side-to-side difference). They are sandwiched between the spring jacks and the stock lower perch, and are about 1/16" thick at the front and 1/4" thick at the rear.

So, just switching to Ground Control should drop the car about 3/4" further, to around 26 5/8". It will probably even go a little lower once the car is driven for a few weeks and everything settles in.

However, that is with the adjusters bottomed out.

Replacing the upper spring isolator with heater hose would drop it another 3/4", more or less, which should provide plenty of adjustment.

[trackbird]

Can you mail me a pic?

trackbird (at) columbus.rr.com

[sgarnett]

I'll take some pics of the springs tomorrow evening when I get home. I didn't take any while they were on the car.

[sgarnett]

Tapered spring shims on lower perch: 3/32" at centerline

That should read 5/32", halfway between 1/16" at the thin end and 1/4" at the thick end.

[trackbird]

I just got a set of GC perches lined up, so I think I'm going to want these too. Send me pics when you get time.

Thanks!

[sgarnett]

I just got a set of GC perches lined up

You might want to ask the seller to confirm my estimates for the rear GC jack.

I know the center column of the stock lower perch is 0.650" tall (above the stock spring platform). The GC adaptor rests on that column. It's a steel (I think) tube that fits inside both the perch column and the threaded aluminum tube. There's a divider (which I assumed was 1/4" at most). All of the aluminum spring nuts I've looked at were around 1/4" thick. I'm also assuming the Ground Control threaded tube is threaded all the way to the bottom.

I'd ask for the measurement from the bottom of the divider (NOT the bottom of the stub that fits in the perch column) to the top of the nut at the lowest setting, and add 0.650" to that.

[trackbird]

I had the rear GC stuff on my 3rd gen. They wind down against the perch (plus 1/8") and are about 1/4" thick. So, I should be 3/8ths or so (maybe 7/16) above the perch. If that will let me get to about 26" (as low as I'd ever go), I'll be fine.

[ESPCamaro]

I've used both and you the GW rear perch and the GC perch. If Sean was to high with the GW setup you should be fine with the GC stuff....

The Global West perches are nice, but they are definately higher than the GC stuff.

[sgarnett]

I had the rear GC stuff on my 3rd gen. They wind down against the perch (plus 1/8") and are about 1/4" thick. So, I should be 3/8ths or so (maybe 7/16) above the perch. If that will let me get to about 26" (as low as I'd ever go), I'll be fine.

OK, that's about 1/8" lower than I estimated, which would put you at about 26 1/2" with the upper isolator but before driving it to settle it. Replacing the isolators with heater hose should get you down to 25 3/4" before settling.

[pics have been sent]

[sgarnett]

The Global West perches are nice, but they are definately higher than the GC stuff.

Unfortunately, the GC perches aren't really an option for me. To fix my Monday morning axle, I'd have to cut down the center column, which would weaken it, and then weld in the GC adaptor at an angle.

[trackbird]

You've got a PM.

[sgarnett]

sale pending