P5 Ground Control Issues!!

[RAAZ227]

i have used ground control on my previous hondas and no problems at all!! when i put them on my P5 everytime i would brake you would here a clinking/clunking noise. i figured out that mazda opted for plastic bearings as they call it. i called ground control and they said it the springs poping! they told me to greese it up (water proof greese) and i did and the problem went right away. but as soon as it rains the problem comes right back. also the car tracks funny at high speed (70-up mph) does anyone know any kind of fix for the problem. they are at the point where the there is no more "bearing" i am about to go out and get new ones from the dealer. or is there a better fix for the problem??????? (bushing kit...it seems it needs a cnc machined bushing) unless it's not together right. but i'm sure it is!!

please help! (can't stand the noise)

 

[RAAZ227]

i'll differ on that!! i have been using ground control for years. ground control is acually a quality coilover compared to skunk, and those cheap apc type company's. ground control has been in this industry way before honda tuning was even big on the west coast. they are constently use in road racing and autocrossing. now JIC, awsome quality and performance. but those systems are really designed for racing aplications. the true way for a steet racer...is just springs and nice shocks.


p.s. they havn't suckered me either-it's more of a mazda problem!!

 

[RAAZ227]

hey...you are intitled to your opinion. i guess you might have had a issue with them. the answer why it is cheaper is because you are NOT getting a COMPLETE suspention system...is a sleeve, colar, top hat and spring. with the higher quality (JIC, Tanabe, Tien) you are paying for the high quality valved shock, camber corection perch and more. and also i wouldn't call myself a young tuner...been tuning a long time!

it all good, i hear what your saying!

rob

 

[DooMer_MP3]

You could try selling the GCs and get some SPOOL lowering springs. Ask spoolinmp3, he sells them from his shop, they are made down in Miami by some small company and offer a 2" drop. Spoolinmp3 has tried many of the different springs available for the Protege and found these to give the best ride, drop and no noise! They are also only $199. Some people are starting to buy them and have had nothing but good things to say.

As soon as my tax refund comes, I'm using part of it for some SPOOL lowering springs.

Chris

Chris

 

[RAAZ227]

koo..thanks for the info! i'm gonna stay with gc.. but my real question is.. bushing kits..because mazda went for plastic bearings below the top hat on the front shock...very cheap design. is there any bushing kits that anyone knows of?? to make the suspension a lot tighter??

thanks
rob

 

[xoom xoom]

Most Ground Control kits are under $300 for hondas/acuras and less then $400 for almost every applaction. Of course they are not going to be as good as $1200 Tein's or $1700 JIC Magic's. If you want adjustable coil-over kits your only too options are the ground control and skunk2.

 

[jmauld]

Check out this site: http://www.advance-design.com/

It is the shock division of groundcontrol.

Their products were designed with grassroot racers in mind. Which explains the low price of the threaded coilover kits, and why you can order them to "your" specs. Keeping in mind that these are intended for racers, they are not going to have provisions to keep the kits "quite". If you want them quite, then order the helper springs to keep the large springs from rattling when jolted around.

They know what they're doing....

 

[slamprotege5]

It seems like you have the cheap coilover POP. I have skunk2 and I have the POP. Especially turning the wheel after the car has sat for awhile. I have used silicone lube spray, and pretty much anything else I could try, but no luck. I dont have the money for the high dollar coilovers, so I will go with SPOOL springs

 

[RAAZ227]

nobody seems to understand.....it's not the coil over problem. it's mazdas' CHEAP idea to use plastic bearings in the upper perch.. needs a bushing set....thats what i need!

 

[MP5Raycer]

all I got to say to all of you is .. CANT FIX IT ..... EIBACH IT no one can produce a better ride and better spring then the Eibach Pro Kit

 

[mp3boy1984]

you guys need to stop telling him what to buy. I mean jesus the poor guy just wants an answer to his question. But no everybody has to put in there 2 cents, oh buy this, or oh get that instead. For the love of god, someone has got to know the answer to the question. I mean i am sure it will help out a lot of people with ground controls, it will probably help me in the near future as i want to get gc's.

 

[FuNwaGoN]

Just in response to MP5Racer. The springs in the ground controls are Eibachs. Have to agree about everyones opinions. I mean it is obvious this guy has made up his mind and is just looking for help on his setup. Everyone can't have the same setup so we all need to work together and help. Since we can't all afford the JICS or Teins. Well thats my opinion. And for my offering on help. you could possibly have a set CNC'd for you at a local shop . I mean just give them the mazda ones and have them make billet copies. Problem solved. May not be cheap but may be worth it in the long run anyway no matter what suspension you use.

 

[RAAZ227]

the thing with JIC and Tiens is that they are designed for racing. you can destroy the valving in the shocks by hitting pot holes etc. i had tanabes on my civic at one time and they were ruined. i had them tuned when i installed them and a couple months later the 2 fronts were gone. ground control with the proper shocks and camber kit are a great setup for the street. they ride nice and handle beautifully when you need them too. my p5 handles so flat in high speed turns. it's a wagon on rails. on ramps at 80 mph are no prob. JIC and Tiens would be my choice if i were to road race and not daily drive it. with the bushing issuse i can have the cnc done be my shop. but i'm not sure if that is the right material. maybe polyurathane. any complete upper bushing kit would be a plus.


thanx,
rob

 

[KzA]

I had an accident which caused me to need a front axle and some suspension components replaced..every since then..If I turn my wheels all the way to one side in the morning,I get that popping sound..What is it? I am going to get GC's soon, so will they just make it worse? If I want to get a set of these cnc machined bushings where should I go?

 

[RAAZ227]

the poping sound is from the plastic bearing that mazda uses. if it is not properly seated, when you tighting the top hat bolt or let the car down it will squash the bearing causing spring play in the upper mount. not sure if that is the problem of your car....sounds like the power steering rack. it the problem exists when it is cold it's because the power steering fluid hasn't warmed up yet. somthing might be outa wack. might wanna check up on that..

 

[RAAZ227]

also the cnc work is custom....you have to find a shop that can do it for you....pricey also


rob

 

[Antoine]

you guys need to stop telling him what to buy. I mean jesus the poor guy just wants an answer to his question. But no everybody has to put in there 2 cents, oh buy this, or oh get that instead. For the love of god, someone has got to know the answer to the question. I mean i am sure it will help out a lot of people with ground controls, it will probably help me in the near future as i want to get gc's.

The man has a point...not to go off topic...everyones welcome to voice opinions but you guys should also provide your input if you have some to share (that's related to the thread topic).

Carry on...

 

[MP3_PR5]

a little input... I have GC's on my MP3 and I love them. The only problem I've had with them is when it's cold out you hear a kind of metal on metal scratching noise. Which is an annoying noise but it seems to go away after driving a bit. I will say there are those times it doesn't seem to go away and when that happens I've just been spraying a little bit of STP Lubricant at the top and bottom of the assembly. It's been working ok for me! BTW you could also go out and buy some white lithium grease and apply to all the contact points and that should work even better. The only reason I haven't done that yet is because the STP seems to be working ok for me, just have to reapply every now and then! Anyway, just an FYI... and I know it's not what you were asking for with the cheap bushings Mazda provided but maybe it will help.

 

[RAAZ227]

thanks for the info....i accually have tried using the white lithium greese and cv joint greese. everything work just fine untill aftre a couple of rain falls and it comes right back.

 

[mp3boy1984]

MP3_PR5 do you have any pics of your mp3 dropped all the way, i am getting GC's in a couple of weeks and was curious as to how my car will look when dropped all the way.