spring rates???

[King Luis]

can some one define what spring rates for our cars should be around. i'm talking about coil overs and GC more specifically... what weights should i be looking around to have a smooth ride but also able to autox the car and not have to worry about bottoming out or breaking my back over bumps.
i hear 550lb and 400lb but what exactly does it mean?

[Victell]

Re: spring rates???

can some one define what spring rates for our cars should be around. i'm talking about coil overs and GC more specifically... what weights should i be looking around to have a smooth ride but also able to autox the car and not have to worry about bottoming out or breaking my back over bumps.
i hear 550lb and 400lb but what exactly does it mean?

For your use you'd either want progressive springs or sport springs with lots of sway bar. Call GC, Turner, etc and see what they recommend.

[Mystikal]

No such thing as a smooth ride with GC's. They're linear springs, a whole different beast that anything you've felt before.

That said, go with 375/475 at the softest if you want to slam it, although I've gotten away with 300's on the front for a long time now (though I can't tuck the tire too much without severe travel issues). Those are in pound/inch, which you can figure out the meaning of if you think hard enough. :P

[rwh11385]

ie stage III

[King Luis]

coil overs...not lowering springs.....i'm thinking about 400 and 475 or something like that.....just need to find out a shop that i can buy them for cheap.

[IS]

GC has the cheapest "coil overs," although the rears aren't really coil overs at all. ($400)

Also, with 400/475#, youll experience some understeer. You will NOT experience a smooth ride with linear 400# springs. Minus the lack of adjustability, you will have a MUCH better dual purpose car if you go with progressive (variable spring rate) lowering springs.

Coil overs with enough rate to substantially reduce body roll only belong on the track.

[xLibelle]

Here's a different question about rates.

Does anyone know about what a good suspension balance for our cars would be?
for example, related to spring rates, what would the front and rear wheel rates be for a tuned suspension?

I know that the front springs would be pretty close to the actual rate but rear springs have to be higher to make up for their location on the arm making for something like 400/350 (f/r).

best way i could think of finding proper numbers is to follow those that have tried, tested and tuned theirs through experience.... so who knows some numbers?

i guess this discussion touches on general car suspension design and it will vary between car usages (street, autox, race, etc.) but i have never seen real numbers - only people talking about which company to go with.

[permit]

400F/350R? No, you want the opposite, something like 375F/475R (those are the springs I have, GC; just for reference, they're considered to be on the soft end for aftermarket suspensions). Be a badass and do 500F/650R like IL Duce so you can slam the shit out of your car.

I was looking at a catalog a couple months ago that had springs rates upwards of 1500lbs/in. That would kill you.

[formula driver]

I use 450F/650R ground controls. I havent tracked my car or auto crossed it yet, just daily street driven. Its very stiff and its not exactly comfortable but my car handles like its on rails. Very little body roll. If you want something comfortable dont get GC's.

[xLibelle]

dammit... getting it mixed up. yes, sitting in technical classes too long today.

i was thinking wheel rates when i meant springs in that sentence. anyway, like i said, looking for wheel rates for a balanced f/r suspension

[Beau B]

Its very stiff and its not exactly comfortable but my car handles like its on rails. Very little body roll. If you want something comfortable dont get GC's.

I have 450fr/550rr, most people think you want about a 100 lb difference from front to back.

Beau

[xLibelle]

... dont get GC's.

exactly what i was trying to avoid.

i am looking to redesign the rear system specifically and some sort of values to work from are good.

[asubimmer]

exactly what i was trying to avoid.

i am looking to redesign the rear system specifically and some sort of values to work from are good.

so you are going to toss the rear trailing arms?!?!

[xLibelle]

most people think you want about a 100 lb difference from front to back.

of course this will varry based on the car's use (street, race)
anyone know the f/r weight balance? maybe theres a way to calculate these things?

[A_325i]

i have a quick question...on my eibach springs they say 29/99 what does that mean?