coil replacement?

[69-GT]

I am planning on putting some 'meatier' tires on my GT, and was wondering what the easiest/cheapest/safest way was to go about lifting the rear about an inch. I have stock 1.9 coils right now. Could i put some spacers between the coil and the bottom cup(on rear-end) or does another Opel have larger springs? Any other i deas? from some other car? anything helps. Thanks

[jeff denton]

Use the "search", enter "Taurus" or "Tempo", I don't recall which. I use one of them on one side, an Opel "Sportwagon" spring on the other. It's all in the forums.

[baz]

remember that taking the back up will have an effect on the handling so be ready for some changes (and not good changes) as you come to the first corner

[jeff denton]

One inch might "unsquare" the axle a bit unless the panhard bar is adjusted a bit longer. The control rods will be at a bit more angle up forward, but this probably not a bad thing, it will cause a bit of rear roll oversteer in a hard corner. The stiffer springs from a sportwagon or Taurus will certainly firm up the ride, too.
edit: not Taurus, but Tempo. From the front.

[baz]

jeff i had 1" over size springs in the back of my gt for 1 trip around the block ,then back to my garage and back to the standard height for me it rolled to much and felt sooooooo bad , i aim for a neutral car i dont want them to do what my mustang used to and turn around when they want not when i want

[bosco]

Maybe just NEW springs would raise it enough for you. Most rear coils have "relaxed" a bit over the years and alot of cars seem to have that nose-up look to them. I put a sport spring on the front to lower my car and didn't even have to do anything to the rear coils as they apparently lowered themselves over time.

[GTJIM]

GTs are pretty tall standard - most people want to lower them!
Perhaps you just need standard spec. refreshed springs.
Be careful with wheels/tires that are too big as well since GTs are very light and have adverse responses to increases in unsprung weight - looking good is secondary to going good IMHO.
There have been intensive studies that show the original 165R80 x 13 tyres give excellent ride and road holding - about 195R55 X 15 tyres are VERY good modern replacements for improved handling and little degradation in ride quality. Wheeling up for 'looks' is only part of the formula. Don't want it to look like a poor wee pregnant roller skate and handle like a whale!

[opelnut10]

Raising the rearend will make for an ill handling situation, It will throw the suspension out of tolerance and make for a real handful as far as handling goes. If you want a foward rake to the car lower the front, while this is will not make the car handle as good as being level it is not as bad as raising the rear. The best handling cars are cars with almost neutral steer, low center of gravity and wide track. That's why road racers, circle track racers and rally racers spent money to try and get those features in their cars.

[69-GT]

Thanks for all the input, its just that my gt has a flare kit and would like some wide and not necissarily tall, but well rounded tire. lowering the front would do nothing for me. i have a set 0f 16x10 wheels for the rear, and 16x7.5 for the front.

[69-GT]

Hey Jeff Denton what year taurus are you talkjing about? any one in general?

[namba209 (R.I.P.)]

Phil, go to www.tirerack.com and check out their tire dimension calculator. Then you can get tires that fit your wheels and still maintain the height and speedo of a standard GT look. But you will probably end up with the front tires rubbing in the wheel well. HTH.

[RallyBob]

Try Kadett rear springs. They have the correct top and bottom fitment (since the Kadett and GT chassis are basically one in the same), but are taller. I've seen Kadett rear springs inadvertantly installed in a GT and they definitely lift the rear end up.

You will need to create an adjustable panhard bar or the rear axle will sit laterally askew in the car. In fact it will make the car 'rear steer' if not corrected.

Bob

[jeff denton]

I just went and dug through the junk pile and found four struts marked "Tempo" in that yellow "boneyard ink". So it is tempo, not taurus, dang Fords confuse me sometimes... I don't know what year, if it mattered they should have been marked, wouldn't ya think?
Anyway I found the springs that come off them work nicely in a GT, good and stiff, have to be cut down some to fit of course.
One inch of raise doesn't sound like a lot but yes, it would have to affect rear steer. But what do I know? I've never raised one, just hacked the heck out of springs and buckets and control arms and panhard bars and all the mounts and all the bushings and even what areas of the frame get in the way of slamming one as low as legally possible and still be able to get around a corner under throttle...

[69-GT]

does anyone have any kadett coils they wouldn't mind parint with? I could really use em. Thanks