ground control spring adjusters

[5thhorsemann]

Have any of you shopped the GC spring adjusters for a 73 240Z lately? If so where did you find the best price on em? I just want to buy the sleeves and spring collars, will have the springs custom wound locally. Found a set on ebay with springs for $377, so I think I should be able to get them without the springs for around $200. Any advice appriciated, Thanks.

Edited November 6, 2010 by 5thhorsemann

[jmortensen]

When you have the GC adjusters you can run any 2.5" ID spring. They typically run $50-$75 per spring, and you can get lengths of 8, 10, or 12 inch and weights by 25 lb increments. I can't imagine that you would need a custom spring to get what you wanted. Just run the regular old 2.5 ID springs and save yourself the hassle and expense of having springs wound.

http://www.ground-control-store.com/products/category.php/CA=50

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Carrera-Coil-Over-Springs-25-ID,171.html

http://www.maximummotorsports.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=22_109_210

You can get the coilover sleeves from circle track suppliers like AFCO and Coleman Racing and maybe save a little cash. IIRC the Z has a 2" strut tube, so you want the threaded tube with a 2.040" ID. Double check me on that, I bought mine from GC in the mid 90's...

[5thhorsemann]

I am going to have the springs made to length at 275 pound rate, then I will install them over the stock tubes with new struts and ballance the chassi on level surface with wheel scales. I have the struts and springs lined up, but still need the GC adjuster assemblies, fistey?

[jmortensen]

I'm not sure what "fistey" means. 275 in/lb 2.5" ID springs are availble from Hyperco, Eibach and Carrera among others. When you run coilovers, you have a threaded adjuster which allows for corner weighting. You don't need anything extra to do the job. Am I missing something about what you're trying to do?

[5thhorsemann]

I checked out your links, thanks, helpful stuff. But I'm still not finding a really great price on the adjuster hardware itself. Thats what I'm trying to do. I just sold a 1966 olds f85 to a friend of mine who works in a spring shop. He owes me a favor and is going to hook me up on the springs and struts. The f85 was a fun car but it handled like a WWII destroyer. Now I have the 240Z and want it to sit a bit higher than stock and still handel on curves. The last owner has the car sitting perfect, 3/4" higher front and 1/2" higher in the back. The problem is that the springs he used are soft and he put those aluminum cam shims in the springs to get the car to sit right. I want to get the car to sit just like it sits now and be properly adjusted mechanically. If I change wheels and tires in the future, I want to be able to mechanically adjust the car to the new tire profile without taking the suspension apart a second time. So to sum it up, what I want is to buy the adjuster hardware, and pay as close to nothing for it as posible."Fistey" means understand, fistey?

Edited November 7, 2010 by 5thhorsemann

[240ZGL]

You do know that raising a cars CG (center of gravity) will provide you with a sharp decrease in handling. Even it you put 275lb or even 375lb springs in it. You wrote "I have the 240Z and want it to sit a bit higher than stock and still handel on curves ". You would be going in the wrong direction for that to happen. Most owners will lower the car because it makes it handle better. Oh, buy the way You always get what you pay for. Just my 2 cents.

[5thhorsemann]

Yes, I realize that the car will handel better closer to the ground, yes I realize that it was a mistake replacing the tires with the same tires the last owner had on the car.

If you ever drove a 1966 olds f85 you would realize that the 240z handels scarry good in comparason. The car must be made to misbehave in corners now. The problem is, the springs that are on the car now are soft and allow the tires to rub in hard corners, bumps and dips. Also, the roads in Maryland are crappy, that doesn't make lowering that appealing to me. Nor do I like that slammed look.

The adjusters are the answer to the problem, If at some point I get rid of the 14" rims and go with a bigger diameter, more tire choices become available. At that time I can drop the body, lower the C of G and do the whole job in a few hours. Still not geting any good sources for the GC adjusters without the springs.

[jmortensen]

Ground Control is one of probably hundreds of companies that make or sell those parts. I would suggest searching for "coilovers" if you're trying to locate them with google. You could also get a catalog from www.colemanracing.com and there are several different options listed. I see one listed in last year's catalog for $42 per corner. You might also try ebay. You'll have to do some homework though.

The Z was sprung so softly that it suffers from pretty horrible body roll. When the body rolls, you lose neg camber, which makes the car handle worse. If you could control the camber better than stock and have the car 1/2" or 3/4" higher than stock, I think it's a fair bet to say that you could get the car to handle better despite the slightly higher cg. Stiffer springs will do that.

[Steve Parmley]

Would your tire rubbing be solved by bending up the fender lips? I had 245s from the previous owner and the stock spring perch was cutting the inside sidewall.

[5thhorsemann]

No, the tires reach outside the body limits. I would like to stay away from molesting the body if at all possable. For this part of the world the car is too clean to be cutting fenders.

[70 Cam Guy]

How wide are the tires? What size are they?

What shocks were you thinking of using? 250 lb/in is said to be the practical limit for Illumina's. It will probably deal with a 275 but even Illumina's are not really 'cheap'.

I used sleeves and adjusters from Coleman racing. Jon's memory serves him well, I believe stock 240 strut tubes are 50 or 51 mm OD. If you're not planning on removing the factory lower spring perch, you may need to cut the sleeves shorter. Of course, it depends on the length of the sleeve.

[5thhorsemann]

P245/60R14. Tested the old springs yesterday at 150 lb/in roughly. The lower perches will be removed to accomodate the sleeves. installing all new urethane bushings throughout front and rear, and new sway bars as well. My buddy is trying to convince me to replace the springs and struts and let her eat, but I think I should go with the adjusters while I'm in there. Any thoughts?