Does this look right?

Buy a set new springs, throw away the spacers, should not be there.

Cheapest and easiest, set new springs from Superformance, UK for GT4. Uprated, give a nice firm ride.

 

Yes those are not right. Who knows what someone was thinking when they put them on there
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Hi Nielsk ,i confirm , originally no spacer in gt4 front or rear shocks,i think probably someone put the spacer because of saddled springs.
I suggest to put new springs of right lenght

 

I can imagine what a car driving along with such shocks & springs would look like upon hitting a bump or pothole... something like a Mexican Jumping Bean, mostly in the rear.

Time for new front springs!

Cheers,
Rich

 

Someone may also have added them because they thought ---- incorrectly ---- that this was a good approach to either change the front end ride height or to stiffen the front suspension. It is not.

That is a knucklehead modification and does not belong on the car.

Dump the spacers, and measure those springs to see if they are still in spec --- if they are not, replace them with new / correct springs. My guess is that they are no longer in spec.

 

Those must be non-stock front springs (or non-stock Konis) -- with that much total spacer added it would raise the front end of the coachwork by ~3" (due to the magnification of the geometry) with the stock springs and shocks.

 

I think Steve may be right about those shocks. The extra stem length does not look like the stock units. They appear to be incorrect substitutes for the OE units ? I don't know for sure. Anyone else have OE units for comparison ?
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These front springs are wrong, they have to many coils (windings). More coils=weaker spring. the installer had to compensate with the spacers.

 

^ I'm afraid none of that is correct.

First off, all 4 of those springs have the name number coils / turns (approx. 10-11). Perhaps the fronts look more packed because of the extra compression, but they are not.

And, the # coils does not necessarily dictate stiffness by the comparison you suggest --- other factors matter. And, actually, given 2 springs made with the same material, section diameter & modulus, and coil diameter....... the greater the # coils = the stiffer spring.

.

 

Think again.

 

Then I would say the spacers were added simply as a cheap and easy way to try to stiffen up the front suspension --- logical if you believe the car was "driven spiritedly" by the previous owner, as he may have found the stock setup was too mushy for that style of use.

The proper way to do this, of course, would have been to use different springs with the desired characteristics.

If the springs still meet the factory specs (and they have not been permanently deformed or fatigued from over-stressing), and the shocks are correct, you should have no issues simply taking out the spacers and being right back to OE configuration ----- assuming that is what you wish to do.

 

You are correct for small deflections, but it changes over longer extension / compression.

 

There are variables in the coil construction which dictate the firmness and weight capacity. Same spring length and coil size can be different.

 

Adding spacers will not make the suspension stiffer. They change the compressed height and preload of the spring on the shock, but with the car on it's wheels the height of the spring will be the same with or without the spacers, provided the weight of the front of the car is enough to overcome the preload on the spring.
Only the ride height is changed by the spacers and if the ride height was correct with these springs and spacers. it will be too low when the spacers are removed.
Spring rate is proportional to nr of coils, a spring with 10 active coils will be 10% softer than a spring with 9 active coils all other things being equal.
Some springs are wound with some coils closer together, they will bind if the spring is compressed more and make for a progressive spring that gets harder when compressed, but this is not the case here.