How do I choose suspension spring rate?
When attempting to determine the correct spring rate for a car, the trick is to set the ride height so the chassis rests in the shocks’ sweet spot within this small 3- to 4-inch window. A solid-axle rear suspension, on the other hand, is a bit more forgiving.
What is a good spring rate for coilovers?
With a typical street car, you’re looking for the weight of the vehicle to compress the springs 25- to 30-percent. For drag cars, you will typically want between 30- and 35-percent of the spring to compress.
Is higher spring rate better?
You might think the higher spring rate would react faster, but in reality, the lower spring rate will contact the ground first, and thus allows for more grip. With a lower spring rate, the force pressing the tire down remains higher longer relative to the amount of travel it has, so it contacts the ground much sooner.
Is a higher spring rate stiffer?
Spring Rate refers to the amount of weight it takes to compress a spring a certain distance. The higher the spring rate, the stiffer the spring. Some springs are non-linear, which typically means the spring gets stiffer the more you compress it.
What makes a spring stiffer?
The amount of coils on a spring also determines the stiffness of a spring. The less coils you have, the stiffer your spring will be. In the case of a torsion spring, less coils give you more torque but less travel. In the case of a compression spring, it is based on the pitch in between its coils.
Does spring rate affect ride quality?
The advantage of a progressive spring is that it can provide a variable ride quality-softer when the suspension is at a normal ride height, and stiffer as the spring is compressed, such as when the suspension is being pushed hard through a corner.
How can I make my coil spring stronger?
If you make the wire diameter larger, you will make the spring stronger and if you make it smaller, you will make it weaker. This is because, by making the wire diameter larger, you are also making the spring’s coils tighter which reduces the spring index.
Will heating a spring weaken it?
Heat treating affects the strength, but not the modulus of elasticity, so does not affect the spring rate. Stretching the spring affects the length, and would allow more travel, but does not change the spring rate.
What do stiffer springs do?
Stiff springs prevent it from lowering or raising much, keeping the aerodynamics efficient. Finally, race cars tend to drive on… you guessed it, race tracks. Generally, these are smooth surfaces that allow for stiffer setups.
