Spring selection

[Admin]

well a 600 lb spring may support a light weight car at ride height, and ride like steel struts, a 275 spring may support ride height, and let it bottom out very easily, IMO you have to tune the spring just as you do the rebound and compression... A cross over collar allows a much lighter spring on the tender, to allow it to float like a butterfly in the first few inches of travel, and sting like a bee on the big hits... So you could throw to 600 lb springs on there and get it to sit just were you want it, but hit a bump with it, and its gonna stay sitting right there to...

[Admin]

Oh lets not forget what shock angle does to spring rate either...

[Engineer]

[trojan]

As I understand it, springs do all the "work", shocks are there as "oscillation dampeners"

[Engineer]

[fabr]

That's my point,a higher rate WILL make for a firmer ride where you do not normally want the "cushieness" of the lighter spring. and vice versa. A higher rate spring will allow for bigger jumps but at the sacrifice of plushness in the whoops. The higher rate spring may not allow full suspension travel and a lighter spring may only bottom out. No amount of shock tuning will overcome that.  I agree that they both need tuned for whatever type driving you will be doing. My question really is -why do the spring calculators not address that?

[fabr]

The F-O-A spring selector had angle as one of the inputs.

I think they all do.

[Admin]

That's my point,a higher rate WILL make for a firmer ride where you do not normally want the "cushieness" of the lighter spring. and vice versa. A higher rate spring will allow for bigger jumps but at the sacrifice of plushness in the whoops. The higher rate spring may not allow full suspension travel and a lighter spring may only bottom out. No amount of shock tuning will overcome that.  I agree that they both need tuned for whatever type driving you will be doing. My question really is -why do the spring calculators not address that?

that is the reason for dual rate spring, tripple rate springs and cross over collars...

[Admin]

Hmmmm, The crossover could only work on the top spring then.  Seems pointless if it is just for taking up space at full droop.


Ballpark I think.  Anyone find a spring and shock tuning "how to" website?

the cross over collar needs to be on top of the slider, for the main spring, thus allowing adjustment of were the main spring takes over....

[trojan]

I agree that they both need tuned for whatever type driving you will be doing. My question really is -why do the spring calculators not address that?

Springs chosen for driving, shocks tuned for springs

[Admin]

my cross over collars in at about 4" of the shock travel, dunno what that is in wheel travel, maybe 6", after that it is just like have a 275 main spring doing the work, Allbeit, it is not perfect and needs some refinement, but it works well, could work far better, I did have the opportunity to run the car a lot before the cross overs, it bottomed out very very easily... Adding the collars made the car a night and day difference in the ride quality...

[trojan]

[Admin]

I should say, that does not include ride height preload, from full droop i have about 6" before the collar will switch to the main spring....

[fabr]

I'm still concerned/intrigued with bdkw1's post. I'm really,really thinking foe what I think will make me happy is to follow his suggestion and use single rate springs. I'll need to run 2 to get the length but I think I'll like it. I plan on whoops running and small jumps. I think they will both like the same type of overall tune. I don't really care about jumping high.Just no appeal to me.I like fast and smooth.

[Admin]

fxxk i dont know, they do make progresive rate springs, but it sure seems easier in my mind to work with two seperate springs than a single progresive rate spring...