To calculate the amount of spring rate you will need on order to meet your working loads, simply
divide the load you will be applying on your spring by the distance you expect your spring to travel or compress under that load
.
How do I know what size coil spring I need?
- Measure the spring wire diameter, preferably to 3 decimal places for accuracy using calipers.
- Measure the outside diameter of the coils. …
- Measure the length in its free condition (uncompressed).
- Count the number of coils. …
- Note the winding direction of the coils.
How do I choose a coil 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 does 8K spring rate mean?
When someone says “8K” they are shortening the metric measurement of the spring rate; in this case
8 kg/mm
. What this means is that if you apply 8 kilograms of weight to the top of the spring it will compress 1mm. If you apply another 8 kilograms (16kg total) of weight it will compress another 1mm.
Is a higher spring rate stiffer?
The higher the spring rate, the stiffer the spring
. Most springs are fairly linear, which means you would get the same Spring Rate from the equation no matter which distances you would use, 20% and 80% as shown above, or 40% and 90%, or 10% and 30%.
How do you spec a spring?
- Inside or Outside Diameter.
- If spring works on a rod, give size of same, as spring must not bind when wound up to its limit of travel.
- Free length and number of coils. …
- Right or Left Hand Wound.
- Wire Size. …
- Material, Kind and Grade.
Does spring rate affect ride height?
The spring rate and ride height
depends on the vehicle's weight
. For example, if you have a lever ratio: 1.5, load at spring: 300kg and use 10k springs or 6k springs. The difference in ride height will be 30mm. Even if the lever ratio was 1.0, the difference will be 20mm.
Are shorter springs stiffer?
If you take 2 springs of different lengths,
the shorter one is not necessarily stiffer
as it may have different wire diameter and/or coil size (bigger coils take up more wire for a given spring length). It might help clarify things if you think of any spring, coil or otherwise as a leaf spring.
How much weight can a spring hold?
The maximum load that a standard variable spring can support is
50,000 lbs
. The maximum load that a standard constant spring can support is 90,000 lbs.
Are all coil springs the same size?
Coil springs are rated by free length, compressed length, outside diameter, coil count, and wire size. Most import passenger vehicles use coil springs because of their size and versatility.
Most are linear, but coil springs can be progressively wound so that as the load increases, the spring rate also increases
.
How do you calculate the number of active coils in a spring?
Extension spring's coils are all active. To determine the number of active coils in an extension spring, you
divide the body length (length of spring without the hooks), by the wire diameter, and subtract one coil
.
What spring rate is best for comfort?
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.
What spring rate do I need dirt bike?
Right out of the box your spring rates are usually set for someone of average size — this typically means
75 to 80 kilos or 165 to 176 pounds
. If you are lighter or heavier, that spring rate won't perform as well for you. Next, determine your static sag and laden sag.
Which is better soft or stiff suspension?
The purpose of a suspension is to keep your tires on the ground. A softer suspension will offer more mechanical grip as it will do a better job of keeping the tires on the ground vs a stiff suspension when it comes to depressions, bumps, and surface irregularities in the road.
How does spring rate affect ride?
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.
Do coilovers ride better than springs?
Coilovers are a great alternative to a lowering spring set up
because they allow you to adjust your ride height and come in many setups, from daily use to full track rated. Unlike lowering springs, you are not stuck with a single and stiffness.
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.
Should front springs be stiffer than rear?
On very high-grip tracks, it's usually beneficial to stiffen the front, even more than the rear
. It just makes the car easier to drive, and faster. Softer Front Springs: The car has more steering, especially in the middle part and the exit of the corner.
What is stiffness of a spring?
For an elastic body with a single degree of freedom (DOF) (for example, stretching or compression of a rod), the stiffness is defined as. where, is the force on the body. is the displacement produced by the force along the same degree of freedom (for instance,
the change in length of a stretched spring
)
How do I make my coil springs softer?
Heating the spring will only soften the metal not give you a softer spring,the only way to achieve a softer spring within the same overall dimensions is to
use a smaller gauge wire
.
How are springs sized?
To measure, place your calipers on the full length of the spring.
Wire diameter is found by placing your calipers on the wire in the center of your spring
. Total coil count is defined as each full rotation and the remainder of the last coil.
What is spring free length?
The free length of a spring is
the actual length of a spring when no force is being applied to it
(it is not being deflected).
What is spring rate?
Spring rate refers to
the amount of weight that is needed to compress a spring one inch
. If the rate of the spring is linear, its rate is not affected by the load that is put on the spring. For example, say you have a 200 lb. per inch spring – it will compress 1” when a 200 lb.
What is a dual rate coil spring?
Dual Rate Coil-Over Springs
The Dual Rate UHT Spring combines a relatively low initial spring rate, designed to absorb minor undulations and increase grip with a precise transition point and transition range to a secondary higher spring rate to improve roll control during cornering.
What is preload on a spring?
Preload is
a measurement of how much a spring is compressed at full extension of the shock
. Thread the upper spring adjuster down until it just touches the spring, you are now at 0′′ of preload. Every inch you thread it down from there is 1′′ of preload.
How does spring preload affect handling?
Preloading does not change spring rate but preload does change the force to start moving the shock and
high preload dramatically reduces shock performance over smaller bumps and makes for a more harsh ride and worse traction
.
