Just installed my GC's over the long weekend. Installed them onto my tokico Illuminas. 500f/350r springs. I have 2 questions for you guys.

1. Should I expect the springs to settle after some time. I ask because I have the springs all the way down and the front is sitting at 13" and the rear at 13.5. It seems that if I wanted to I could raise the car 3-4 inches. Obviuosly I dont want to do that.

2. I noticed the car is now a little tail happy. Im running a RB front hollow bar, stock rear bar and have the shocks set at 3front. and 2 rear. Im thinking removing the rear bar should be the 1st thing I do but want your guys opinion 1st.

Thanks!
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Stiffen up the rear.

No, they won't settle. Maybe you should get some shorter springs. I thought 13" was a good point for suspension geometry.

 

I dont quite mind the ride height, but the car looks like its seriuosly raked and it seems like there would be no pint to having them adjustable. If I went all the way up it looks like the car would be higher than stock. I was thinking that once I got it all together I would have to raise the car some.
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Here's a couple pics.
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you sure you installed the sleeves right side up? that sounds very strange. were your sleeves designed for the illuminas?

and they will settle a bit,mine did. both sets 375/250 and 550/325. not enough to make a difference in what you are describing though. 13" minimum tells me you have a problem there

 

holy ****. those lower perches are supposed to come off. the sleeves will slide down over the ring that is left.

 

have a look at this page for how it's done. http://www.villacorte.com/miata/gc_coilover/ at least with KYB-AGX's. I'd imagine the Illuminas are the same or they shouldn't be used with the Ground Controls you have.

 

Im not really sure what you mean. The instructions didnt say anything about having to remove them.
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I see what you mean. Anyone know if thats what im supposed to do with the tokicos?
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lol...you have to take off the illumina perches. There is a lip on the bottom of the shock body for the GC perch to sit. Good job reading the directions.

 

Hmm, just did a quick google and came up with this from Keith at FM:

The biggest problem with the Illumina version of the Ground Controls is that they sit on top of the non-removable standard perches, so you have a little less adjustment range with a given spring than with the Koni or AGX version.

Non-removavble sounds like time for the Dremel to me. As long as the inside of the sleeves have a step in them like the AGX version I had.

 

Making the rear stiffer will only make his tail happy problem worse. I'd first try a wider spread between the front and the rear shocks. Try full stiff on the front and full soft on the rear. After that I'd look at the rear sway. Then alignment.

 

oops.

 

GC can eat a dick. I think your ride height is fine.

 

Looks like the easiest solution would be to ditch the Illuminas...

My setup's pretty neutral at 700/325, so 500/350 being tailhappy isn't shocking The good news is that GC springs are readily swappable with another springrate.

 

Little less?

 

Full soft in rear, full stiff in front...wait, that just came ou t way wrong.
My GC/Eibach's settled about 1/2"

 

From what I have seen everyone that uses the Illuminas and GC's has not removed anything from the shock. I just got off the phone with GC and they said that with the 500lb springs they dont make them any shorter than 6". Im ok with the front ride height. The back springs I have are 7" which is why my rear is jacked. So they are sending me 6" 300lb springs to replace them. Can someone school me on top hats that lower ride height. I only ask because I just want the adjustability.
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you could probably keep the 7" rear springs but replace the hats with NB hats. would drop the rear 1/2" or so.

 

best solution yet. the illuminas are highly rated by self-proclaimed suspension gurus. I'd keep them if only because I trust the people who claim they're good.