View Full Version : Fitting helper springs to my Gaz GHA coilovers
My plan is to fit helper springs as the car gets jacked up so often, reseats with a clang and it's chewing into the top spring platform
I've also got air a few times now and its fricking scary landing it and hearing the springs snap back in to place!
Rears look fine, looks like there's plenty of room (2.5 inch gap from platform to spring when fully open), however do I have enough room on the front to fit some?!
http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/HelperSpringMeasurements.JPG
Iaiainelelaialaliilelaiela is a tard.
/thread.
As discussed elsewhere, the compressed helper spring and platform equates to approx 20mm extra thickness, so by the time I've wound the platform down 20mm there'll be loads of room.
/thread lol
Pistol Pete
07-06-12, 08:44 PM
Is that your front shock? How is there a gap between the spring and the platform? Or have you wound it down??
I have thought about some using some lockwire to keep the spring and top cup together.
Longer main spring, cut print win.
Yes my front shock. It's wound down to the desired ride height, that picture is taken with it jacked up under the front chassis leg so is at 'full droop'.
Stuart surely fitting a longer spring will have the same effect as winding up the spring platform, gaining me about an inch of rideheight!
Pistol Pete
07-06-12, 08:56 PM
So you are holding the spring up? lol sorry, being thick!!!
Oh! Yeah the spring is held up tight in it's upper platform. Just resting it on the tape measure.
No anti-gravity goings on here lol
Pistol Pete
07-06-12, 09:02 PM
lol was thinking to myself...how is that spring being held!!!
I too see this as an issue. More so on the rears though. When dropping it back down a tap with the rubber mallet sees the spring back in its cup.
The front of my car leaves the black stuff when driving more than the rear, its the clang when I'm driving I absolutely hate.
The cheapest I've found are pairs including the middle platforms for £30 a pair but they only come in 3" open length, with my current rear rideheight they'll only JUST keep the spring in place. Why are things never easy lol
deanwilko
07-06-12, 09:47 PM
Iain try valley spring just down the road from me there very good and can make you what ever you need, pretty cheap also contact number 01246451981
Cool will give them a call, reckon they'd do the platforms too?
You'll need couple of them plastic cups thats fit between helper and main spring as well
I've got a couple here that you can have at pvs if you want?
deanwilko
07-06-12, 09:54 PM
Cool will give them a call, reckon they'd do the platforms too?
yeh if you go down and describe what you want they should, never had a problem with them not making what i needed
Know what ID they are Mieran? I think the kit I'm gonna buy for the fronts comes with some.
Been discussing alternatives for the rear with MK999, might end up strapping the beam up to limit the droop to achieve the same thing.
yeh if you go down and describe what you want they should, never had a problem with them not making what i needed
Got some rough prices from when you've been there? I think the problem I'm having now is working out what I want, being indecisive sucks lol
Actually I've just remembered that I've got helper springs, you can have them as well lol
No idea on ID but worth a try?
deanwilko
07-06-12, 09:59 PM
Got some rough prices from when you've been there? I think the problem I'm having now is working out what I want, being indecisive sucks lol
two front coilover springs for a dc2 teg think was 9" length 300lbs charged 30quid, made within 3 days.
Pistol Pete
07-06-12, 10:01 PM
So whats to stop fixing the spring and the cup??
As for strapping the beam, sounds like a good idea. Pics if you go ahead with it. Might carry out the same mod.
Actually I've just remembered that I've got helper springs, you can have them as well lol
No idea on ID but worth a try?
Cool if you want them out the way I'll happily take them off you for some trial fitting/mocking up! Thanks very much. I'm meeting you to collect some polycarbs aren't I?
Dean good price, might be worth giving them a shout then!
Pete I guess nothing if you find a suitable way to attach them. I take way too many pics so there'll be some don't worry lol
scott.parker
07-06-12, 10:46 PM
Didn't Martin kelson, or Benn put beam/shock straps on there's? its an old rally thing iirc?
As for fronts, how the hell you getting air??? they should be fine with no helpers dude, if not then set the dampers stiffer so they don't drop! lol
Heard the spring clang when I hit a big kerb at Cadwell the other week. And I occasionally get all fours off a hump back bridge around some of my favourite country lanes lol
Cool if you want them out the way I'll happily take them off you for some trial fitting/mocking up! Thanks very much. I'm meeting you to collect some polycarbs aren't I?
Yeah, I'll bring them too and give them to you then.
Didn't Martin kelson, or Benn put beam/shock straps on there's? its an old rally thing iirc?
As for fronts, how the hell you getting air??? they should be fine with no helpers dude, if not then set the dampers stiffer so they don't drop! lol
Dave did when he built Brett's Nova, now owned by Matt.
My springs just used to fall out... lollollollol
I think them springs are too short. You need to fit longer ones.
I think them springs are too short. You need to fit longer ones.
Explain!? 1 inch longer spring running at the same rideheight is still going to have the same gap when at full droop, and be an inch closer to touching the tyre!
The gap at full droop is not the issue. With short springs the coils will become bound very quickly, i.e. the spring becomes effectively solid, which will result in some very odd handling! Even on a tracy car hitting kerbs etc can cause this. With adjustable platforms you are far better off using a longer spring and winding the lower pan down lower, most are actually designed to work near the bottom of the thread, the spring length itself should be used for major ride adjustment and fine tuned with the pan adjuster.
Interesting, not heard that before.
Regarding the length of spring on the front, I think they're 7" open length. I could possibly get away with an 8" but any longer and the platform or spring starts to interfere with the wheel and tyre. This is why they're short.
Surely spring poundage and available shock travel also affects whether the spring will or indeed can become coilbound.
The poundage and travel will have a bearing on it, but if the spring can become coil bound before all the travel on the shock is used you have a problem. If the tyres are rubbing on the platform something is not right with your setup, maybe too much neg camber. I had a set of Bilstein coil overs that had been slotted to allow camber adjustment, but done badly and you not adjust out the negative, so the tyres rubbed on the platforms. I fitted camber adjusting bolts and that sorted things. What offset are you running on the wheels?
I was running an 8" spring which cleared ET46-49 wheels with 195 tyres. Swapped to a 7" when I increased the poundage but now I'm now running ET46-49 but with a 6mm spacer. Camber is unchanged on the strut bottom although I will be using camber bolts at some point in the future.
I think it'll hit the bumpstops before going coilbound and there's no sign of them compressing too far (you'd see marks in the powdercoating surely?). I just want to stop them dislocating!
Explain!? 1 inch longer spring running at the same rideheight is still going to have the same gap when at full droop, and be an inch closer to touching the tyre!
Have i lost my head here, but fitting longer springs means the dampers got less travel so that gap that you currently have will be taken up by the now extra length of the spring :confused:
Have i lost my head here, but fitting longer springs means the dampers got less travel so that gap that you currently have will be taken up by the now extra length of the spring :confused:
Yeah, smashing on a longer spring without making any other changes will stop the spring dislocating. It's also the same as raising the lower platform an inch, increasing the rideheight an inch!
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