What spring pads for ground control rear springs?

[wheelieking]

I'm nearly done rebuilding both front and rear subframes with the Ground Control coil over kit including the rear spring with height adjustor.  This pic from a from a different thread demonstrates my questions though.  What "spring pad" should I use for the height adjuster to body interface, and given that the springs are ground flat, I need some kind of lower spring pad that is flat for the spring side, but has the protruding bump on the trailing arm side.  I'm kinda annoyed this isn't included in the kit... 

 

 

 

 

[irdave]

I, too, thought a pad should come with the kit- already paying the money so just charge me another 20 or 50 for a flat pad...

 

I'm trying to remember if I just ran mine without, and then it was too low, so I went with something.  If you have them I'd start with the 1 dot pads to try and keep the coil around the metal.  My new car is so different...

 

Oh, and I pulled the bump stop in the middle of the spring- I was constantly on it and the GC kit comes with bump rubbers on the shocks.

[wheelieking]

Thanks irdave.  Yeah I have new 1 dot top and bottom pads, but rather than flat pads, they a shaped to accept the coil spring (photo) and the inside diameter of the raise part is to big for the inside of the springs.  I've googled around a ton, and haven't seen or read about anything obvious.  I was just thinking i wouldn't want metal on metal contact on either the trailing arm or the body.  I'm a little less worried about the top, because the adjustable height collar fits super snug against the body and the spring rides in the adjuster, but I may just have to modify the bottom pads by hand.   And yeah, I pulled the OE bump stops out.  

 

[M3M3]

pretty sure mine came with top and bottom spring pads.  they are the same part.   there should be nothing  between the adjuster and car.  below pic is correct install.

 

also notice the spring alignment.  it is straight down, not angled back.  i moved the lower perch on the trailing arm forward about an inch.  need to do this on lowered cars.  while i was doing this i flattened the "bump".

 

 

 

 

 

 

before and after flattening the bump

 

Edited September 4, 2019 by mlytle

[irdave]

10 hours ago, wheelieking said:

Thanks irdave.  Yeah I have new 1 dot top and bottom pads, but rather than flat pads, they a shaped to accept the coil spring (photo) and the inside diameter of the raise part is to big for the inside of the springs.  I've googled around a ton, and haven't seen or read about anything obvious.  I was just thinking i wouldn't want metal on metal contact on either the trailing arm or the body.  I'm a little less worried about the top, because the adjustable height collar fits super snug against the body and the spring rides in the adjuster, but I may just have to modify the bottom pads by hand.   And yeah, I pulled the OE bump stops out.  

 

 

Sure bud- I know how they are- I was just trying to remember what I did on the tii to make it work- as that car is gone now.  I really might have used nothing.

 

What Marshal did is a sweet answer.

[jedi420]

I need the bottom pad too. Did it make a difference? 

[wheelieking]

19 hours ago, jedi420 said:

I need the bottom pad too. Did it make a difference? 

I didn't try it without the bottom pad so I'm not sure if it makes a different or not. I also didn't flatten that factory locating bump either.  I basically just didn't want metal on metal squeaks to materialize there since I already have full poly bushings everywhere.  Seems great so far.  Also, I'm pretty sure I have 350# springs which are great on smooth tarmac corners, but not super nice on the shitty roads around Seattle that haven't been repaired since they were shelled in WWII. ? I just got it back on the road in October, so I'm looking forward to some curvy backroads drives this summer. 

[visionaut]

I run the poor-man's rear Spring Adjusters from All-Star Performance with IE's 350# Race Springs - and I use isolator pads top and bottom. I think it'd be too harsh/NVH and noisy (the unpleasant variety) with them bare. Even our best curvy roads here will have spots where the isolators will nicely help smooth things out.

 

I sourced my upper spring isolators from Energysuspension.com.  They're Hyper-flex polyurethane universal parts - I just matched up what they offered for ~5" springs. They have un-ramped coil spring isolators with an inner lip and no outer lip :  Part# 9.6101 with 3/8" thick base, and Part# 9.6120 with a 5/8" thick base.  One might work for you if you can't get the dual-lipped type isolators like Marshall showed..

 

For the lower ends, I'm using a wrap-on/tie-around style isolators on the springs that I can align with the 'bumps. Energy Suspension sells 10" poly sleeves that might fit if your springs have larger diameter 'wire'.  I do like Marshall's idea to move the lower perches forward to help alignment. Hmm..

 

HTH,

Tom

[Doug Riparetti]

I use clear hose the same diameter of the spring and shoved it on.

Edited April 17, 2020 by Doug Riparetti

[roadhog0]

I'm running heater hose on my car (not a GC setup). Works great!

[Rob H002]

Thank you all! I have some good ideas now.