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Thread: Another GC thread

  1. #1
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    Another GC thread

    Alright fellas,
    I am planning on ordering new Ground Control coilovers in the next couple of days ( monday) and still have a couple of questions even after searching.

    So, I have a 323i. A bit on the lighter side of a normal 323. I have billy sport shocks and 28mm/22mm sways.

    The questions I have for you are what spring rate should I go with? I have been thinking 400f/350r. I want to make sure that my shocks can handle it. Has anybody had experience with a 323 on coilovers?

    I would also like to know the length of springs i should go with. 7 inches seem to be the most popular but some say go lower on the front due to e21's "lifted" front end.

    My ultimate goal is to have practically no under steer. I hate that. As for ground clearance, i would like the car to level and have the abilitly to slam the car, yet keepit managable for the street.

    On my convertible, I have billy sports and h&R's and it is to soft for me. So, The stiffer side would be much better for the 323. I do not have camber plates yet but take in count for the future.

    Thanks for the help!
    -Rick

  2. #2
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    rick are your rear billys the adjustable ones with the different hieth perches? if so stick with the 7" in the back and in the front i probly wouldnt go much shorter than 6" but its up to you. both front and rear on my car are 7" springs and i dont see the benfit of going with a shorter spring, as its not going to be the srping that will limit your lowering its your shock.

  3. #3
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    what shocks do you have?

  4. #4
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    I'd like to race either of you in my e30 (straight line) just for shits and giggles, wanna go for it?

    1990 325is with some mods....

    PM me

  5. #5
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    ill do it when my turbo is fixed, i have the car torn apart again for new charge pipes TB and BOV

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rickysbmw320i View Post
    what shocks do you have?
    billy sports

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rickysbmw320i View Post
    Alright fellas,


    My ultimate goal is to have practically no under steer. I hate that. As for ground clearance, i would like the car to level and have the abilitly to slam the car, yet keepit managable for the street.

    -Rick
    For less understeer you want more rear stiffness, either springs or stabilizer bar.

    You can also post up on grmotorsports.com in the forums, you'll get all kinds of good information there too (lots of auto-x and road race guys...).

  8. #8
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    Alright, After some more research and talking to DJ, I think I am going to go with 400lb in the front and 450lb in the rear. This would give me more oversteer and minimal understeer. Oversteer is not as bad (infact i like it). Also as for the hieght of the springs, I am going to stick with 7'' all the way around. So hopefully I have some time monday to order up everything.

    -Rick
    Last edited by Rickysbmw320i; 10-04-2008 at 07:42 PM.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by EFreak View Post
    I'd like to race either of you in my e30 (straight line) just for shits and giggles, wanna go for it?

    1990 325is with some mods....

    PM me
    I will let you know when i go to the strip. I can tell you now, unless you have some engine mods, it would be a waste of my time. I DD an e30 and it cant even walk as fast as the 323.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rickysbmw320i View Post
    I will let you know when i go to the strip. I can tell you now, unless you have some engine mods, it would be a waste of my time. I DD an e30 and it cant even walk as fast as the 323.

    what ya think rick... your 323 vs an e30 m3? id say your 323

  11. #11
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    Hmmm interesting... From what i had heard, you don't wanna go with stiffer springs in the back cuz you'll get crazy oversteer. Unless you remove your rear sway bar or something... but i don't see any point in that. Why did you guys decide that 450 in the back would be good? I was thinking of going with 450f/375r on mine (with the stock 320iS sway bars for now, and if i upgrade them in the future, they'll be proportional to the stock ones)

    Such high spring rate would be good for drifting, but not so much for track/auto-x/street.

    BTW, I should point out that on E30/E36 cars, the rear springs are in a different position (closer to the fulcrum/pivot point) so they need to be much higher rates to be equivalent to coil-over-shock springs. The point is, don't compare rear springs or front/rear ratios on an E21 with those on an E30/E36. Just in case anyone was confused about that.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by todor View Post
    Hmmm interesting... From what i had heard, you don't wanna go with stiffer springs in the back cuz you'll get crazy oversteer. Unless you remove your rear sway bar or something... but i don't see any point in that. Why did you guys decide that 450 in the back would be good? I was thinking of going with 450f/375r on mine (with the stock 320iS sway bars for now, and if i upgrade them in the future, they'll be proportional to the stock ones)

    Such high spring rate would be good for drifting, but not so much for track/auto-x/street.

    BTW, I should point out that on E30/E36 cars, the rear springs are in a different position (closer to the fulcrum/pivot point) so they need to be much higher rates to be equivalent to coil-over-shock springs. The point is, don't compare rear springs or front/rear ratios on an E21 with those on an E30/E36. Just in case anyone was confused about that.
    no hes not comparing the e21 to the e30 but i know why you said that cuz when i looked into springs i compared them. as for the springs, if he is unhappy with them he can always switch them so he has 450 front 400 rear. i am currently running 350F/300R and my rear is very soft, so im ganna switch the springs are see how the car feels. plus rick and i both love oversteer, im used to driving a 76 porsche 911 with has a good amount of over steer and i love it. so we will see.

  13. #13
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    Im not saying I want oversteer. But in the case of traction loss, i would rather have my rear tires give before my front tires.

  14. #14
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    I am running Eibach springs/GC Coilovers/Bilstein sports. I have to see what the fronts are, but in the rear it is part # 0700.250.0400

    If I'm correct the way Eibach states there springs, this would be 400 LB springs. So, that's what I'm running in the rear. The Bilsteins have been send back to Bilsten for special valving. This car has been set up as a track/driving school car, but is still very manageable on the street.

  15. #15
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    I went with 400f/350r with billie sports. I also have 205 tires the back and 195's on the front. Granted this is only on the 320i, so with the extra weight you should probably be in good shape. Like Scott says, I think the upper limit is 400 on the stock valved billie sports, might work for a while, but will probably wear out quickly.

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by BoomerDJ View Post
    ill do it when my turbo is fixed, i have the car torn apart again for new charge pipes TB and BOV
    Sweet! I always wanted to turbo my old e21, Id love to check it out and go for a quick run, I'll PM you my #.

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rickysbmw320i View Post
    I will let you know when i go to the strip. I can tell you now, unless you have some engine mods, it would be a waste of my time. I DD an e30 and it cant even walk as fast as the 323.
    Do you still have that vert?

    I have a couple things done, mostly weight reduction and some powetrain stuff. I'm just curious, I've never seen a 323i running before let alone a modded one so I'd like to see how quick they are

    I'll PM you my number as well, if you get bored call me up and we can go, Im just in Belmont.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rickysbmw320i View Post
    My ultimate goal is to have practically no under steer.
    A stock 320i has practically no understeer included free with every purchase. 6cyls FTL.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by EFreak View Post
    Do you still have that vert?

    I have a couple things done, mostly weight reduction and some powetrain stuff. I'm just curious, I've never seen a 323i running before let alone a modded one so I'd like to see how quick they are

    I'll PM you my number as well, if you get bored call me up and we can go, Im just in Belmont.
    ricks 323 is stoopid fast, it will blow your mind

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by BoomerDJ View Post
    ricks 323 is stoopid fast, it will blow your mind

    Sweet! Give me a call soon!

  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by Layne View Post
    A stock 320i has practically no understeer included free with every purchase. 6cyls FTL.
    I know that, but when you lower and stiffen a car, you have to think of these things. Out of all people, i thought you would understand.

  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rickysbmw320i View Post
    I know that, but when you lower and stiffen a car, you have to think of these things. Out of all people, i thought you would understand.
    Of course I understand, just ragging on you for making it sound like you did something to your car that made it worse than stock. And yeah, 4cyls totally handle better.

  23. #23
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    So, I ordered them last night and got them today! That is by far the fastest I ever seen anything shipped.


  24. #24
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    Nice! So what rates did you end up going with? I see they're all 7" tall and one of the pairs is 450lb... is that the rear?

    Well the good thing is if you went with a heavier spring in the back and your car oversteers too much, you can always swap them front to back.

  25. #25
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