How Do I Tell What My Spring Rates Are?

[Mr. iNFMS]

Upper ID : 85mm

Lower ID : 80mm

Wire D : 12mm

# of coils : 10.5

Apexi Damper Adjustables for a 32.

Cheers

Edited March 25, 2007 by Mr. iNFMS

[Sydneykid]

Upper ID : 85mm

Lower ID : 80mm

Wire D : 12mm

# of coils : 10.5

Apexi Damper Adjustables for a 32.

Cheers

160 lbs/inch (3 kg/mm). I assume they are progressive wound? If so how many coils are wound close? With that info I can work out the high rate.

cheers

[operationsideways]

Hi SK,

Could you please work out my spring rates for these KG/MM springs that I had on my car before the Whitelines and Bilsteins. They have a strange shape so I have attached pics. I am after something a little stiffer than what I currently have...

FRONT

Coil ID = 67/97mm

Wire OD = 12 mm

# of Coils = 9.125 turns

Spring rate =

REAR

Coil ID = 87/101 mm

Wire OD = 13 mm

# of Coils = 9.125 turns

Spring rate =

Cheers

[Sydneykid]

Hi SK,

Could you please work out my spring rates for these KG/MM springs that I had on my car before the Whitelines and Bilsteins. They have a strange shape so I have attached pics. I am after something a little stiffer than what I currently have...

FRONT

Coil ID = 67/97mm

Wire OD = 12 mm

# of Coils = 9.125 turns

Spring rate = 190 lbs/inch (3.4 kg/mm) on the soft rate and 550 lbs/inch (9.7 kg/mm) on the high rate

REAR

Coil ID = 87/101 mm

Wire OD = 13 mm

# of Coils = 9.125 turns

Spring rate = 180 lbs/inch (3.2 kg/mm) on the soft rate and 400 lbs/inch (7.2 kg/mm) on the high rate

Cheers

The progressive windings are close enough to ensure that they run 100% of the time on the high rate ie, the progression is only there to keep the springs trapped at full droop.

If you are looking for more roll control then stabiliser bars are the correct answer, not higher spring rates.

cheers

[operationsideways]

Hi SK,

Thanks for the info. Currently fitted I have the Whiteline springs, Bilstein shocks, Whiteline adjustable swaybars, adjustable castor rods, front/rear strut braces, front under arm brace, hicas removal bar, Whiteline pineapples and Whiteline rear camber kit fitted. The rear swaybar is set to the hardest setting and the front swaybar I have tried on soft and medium but it still doesnt feel quite right. The last alignment was pretty much to your specs, except I couldnt get enough front camber. Was looking at arms or bushes...

FRONT

Castor - +7 degrees

Camber - -1 degree

Toe - zero

REAR

Camber - -1.5 degrees

Toe - -2mm each side

I drive both on the road with street tyres and the track with Dunlop semi's. I want to be able to get around the corners on the track at high speed. Higher than what I am doing now anyway.

Would these harder KG/MM springs be OK with the valving on the group buy Bilsteins that I have or are they simply too stiff?? What are the spring rates of the Whiteline r33 springs I have in there now?? OIr what else do you recommend??

Thanks for your help.

The progressive windings are close enough to ensure that they run 100% of the time on the high rate ie, the progression is only there to keep the springs trapped at full droop.

If you are looking for more roll control then stabiliser bars are the correct answer, not higher spring rates.

cheers

[Sydneykid]

Hi SK,

Thanks for the info. Currently fitted I have the Whiteline springs, Bilstein shocks, Whiteline adjustable swaybars, adjustable castor rods, front/rear strut braces, front under arm brace, hicas removal bar, Whiteline pineapples and Whiteline rear camber kit fitted. The rear swaybar is set to the hardest setting and the front swaybar I have tried on soft and medium but it still doesnt feel quite right. The last alignment was pretty much to your specs, except I couldnt get enough front camber. Was looking at arms or bushes...

FRONT

Castor - +7 degrees

Camber - -1 degree

Toe - zero

REAR

Camber - -1.5 degrees

Toe - -2mm each side

I drive both on the road with street tyres and the track with Dunlop semi's. I want to be able to get around the corners on the track at high speed. Higher than what I am doing now anyway.

Would these harder KG/MM springs be OK with the valving on the group buy Bilsteins that I have or are they simply too stiff?? What are the spring rates of the Whiteline r33 springs I have in there now?? OIr what else do you recommend??

Thanks for your help.

This thread is really for spring rate calcs, so let's take this to PM.

cheers

[Simonster]

Hi Gary,

These are rear springs using "on the car "method

Lower OD 88mm Upper OD 88.75mm

Thickness 11.1mm

Turns 8.75

Regards

Simon

[exXU1]

Hi Gary,

Please if you dont mind do some calc's on these and offer your opinion on the shocks.

King springs MDL - KDFL - 116

13mm dia

100mm id top

66 mm id btm

8.5 coils

Want to suit drag - wondering if stiff enough?

Hasemi M Sport Shocks- HPS 3201F - unable to find any specs on - single - double - any good??

[Dj laBBy]

Hey SK.

Could you check these out for me.

They are kings on a 31.

front

173mm OD

180mm OD

15mm wire

6 coils

Rear

113 mm OD

113mm OD

12mm wire

9 coils

The standard rear are same dia, but about 10.5mm or so wire and 11coils.

The height are good for the kings, but too hard in the rear and i've only basic monroe gas.

Fronts are GAB 4way adjustable as the front were a little soft, so went with a better dampening rate.

Reason i think they are too hard is they don't squat enough. (drag/daily street)

Thanks mate

[Greg]

SK, can you please calculate the rates for my progressive Apexi springs. Measurements taken with springs on car under load)

Front:

Thickness of wire: 13mm

Number of coils: 9.5 (approx 4 used up due to progressive rate - SEE PICS)

OD of coils: 10cm to 13cm (floor to roof direction)

Rear:

Thickness of wire: 14mm

Number of coils: 10.1 (approx 3 used up due to progressive rate - SEE PICS)

OD of coils: 13cm constant

My ride is a bit harsh, could be due to bump stops though (I have already trimmed the first groove off (~2cm). I'm using bilstein shocks front and rear.

Thanks very much

Edited May 3, 2007 by Greg

[shnaped_second]

Hey SK,

Posting on behalf of a mate,

Lower OD = 90mm

Upper OD = 85mm

Wire OD = 12mm

11 coils

The top six coils are close together, there is almost no gap, see picture

http://www.nissansilvia.com/forums/index.p...howtopic=232464

whereas the bottom 5 are about 25mm apart - my mechanic says the bottom coils would provide travel but the top coils wouldn't. They are Black in colour and HKS

thanks

Brad

[nisskid]

hey some bloke on ns.com wants to know the spring rate, these are his details:

I made the measurements with the spring still on the shock...

Lower OD: 90mm

Upper OD: 85mm

Wire OD: 12mm

# of coils: 11

The top 6 are close together, almost touching, whereas the bottom 5 are about 25mm apart (this is when the car is hoisted and the wheel is hanging - the spring isn't stressed)... my mechanic reckons I'd only get travel from the bottom coils which are spaced. They are black in colour and have a HKS logo.

[XQZIT]

Hey, Can u please calculate my spring rates?

Figures as follows..

FRONT

155mm inner diameter

14mm wire diameter

3.8-3.9 coils

REAR

125 outer diameter

10.75 coils

13mm wire diameter

5 Sacraficial coils

Thanks Steve

[shnaped_second]

hey some bloke on ns.com wants to know the spring rate, these are his details:

i posted spazzo's details above you

[nisskid]

haha c**t. lol he just PM'd me and asked if i could post up this in that thread, i didnt even look into it.

[Sydneykid]

Hi Gary,

These are rear springs using "on the car "method

Lower OD 88mm Upper OD 88.75mm

Thickness 11.1mm

Turns 8.75

Regards

Simon

260 lbs /inch (4.6 kg/mm)

cheers

[Sydneykid]

Hi Gary,

Please if you dont mind do some calc's on these and offer your opinion on the shocks.

King springs MDL - KDFL - 116

13mm dia

100mm id top

66 mm id btm

8.5 coils

Want to suit drag - wondering if stiff enough?

Hasemi M Sport Shocks- HPS 3201F - unable to find any specs on - single - double - any good??

270 lbs per inch (4.8 kg/mm). Bit too high a rate for drag racing, around 200 lbs/inch (3.6 kg/mm) is my usual choice. The standard springs would be better.

Hasemi........Nissan works driver from way back.......they used to use Bilsteins........but not a recognisable part number.

Doesn't matter any way, drag shocks need to be unique. Not much bump valving in the rear for rapid squat on launch. With lots of rebound valving to hold the squat. The front is the reverse, not much rebound valving for rapid droop on launch, with lots of bump valving to hold the nose up.

cheers

[Sydneykid]

Hey SK.

Could you check these out for me.

They are kings on a 31.

front

173mm OD

180mm OD

15mm wire

6 coils

Rear

113 mm OD

113mm OD

12mm wire

9 coils

The standard rear are same dia, but about 10.5mm or so wire and 11coils.

The height are good for the kings, but too hard in the rear and i've only basic monroe gas.

Fronts are GAB 4way adjustable as the front were a little soft, so went with a better dampening rate.

Reason i think they are too hard is they don't squat enough. (drag/daily street)

Thanks mate

Front = 165 lbs/inch (3kg/mm)

Rear = 82 lbs/inch (1.5kg/mm)

Note that R31's are not comparable with R32/33/34's, they have much different movement and leverage ratios. So the "effective" spring rates (at the tyres) are different. The springs rates are not too bad for road use, and are OK for drag use. So any problems that you are experiencing are more due to the poor shocks that you are currently using.

If you are serious about the drag racing, you need some properly valved shocks. Refer to the thread above.

This thread is for spring rate calculations, I have cleared my inbox a little, so if you want to carry on this discussion lets take it to PM's.

cheers

[Sydneykid]

SK, can you please calculate the rates for my progressive Apexi springs. Measurements taken with springs on car under load)

Front:

Thickness of wire: 13mm

Number of coils: 9.5 (approx 4 used up due to progressive rate - SEE PICS)

OD of coils: 10cm to 13cm (floor to roof direction)

Soft rate is 200 lbs/inch (3.5 kg/mm)

High rate is 420 lbs/inch (7.5 kg/mm)

As you can see from the pictures, the "soft" rate is only used to take up space (keep the springs legally trapped at full droop). Hence it is running on the high rate almost all of the time.

Rear:

Thickness of wire: 14mm

Number of coils: 10.1 (approx 3 used up due to progressive rate - SEE PICS)

OD of coils: 13cm constant

Soft rate is 170 lbs/inch (3 kg/mm)

High rate is 270 lbs/inch (4.8 kg/mm)

As with the front, the "soft" rate is only used to take up space (keep the springs legally trapped at full droop). Hence it is running on the high rate almost all of the time.

My ride is a bit harsh, could be due to bump stops though (I have already trimmed the first groove off (~2cm). I'm using bilstein shocks front and rear.

Thanks very much

Any wonder the ride is "a bit harsh".

cheers

[Sydneykid]

Hey SK,

Posting on behalf of a mate,

Lower OD = 90mm

Upper OD = 85mm

Wire OD = 12mm

11 coils

The top six coils are close together, there is almost no gap, see picture

http://www.nissansilvia.com/forums/index.p...howtopic=232464

whereas the bottom 5 are about 25mm apart - my mechanic says the bottom coils would provide travel but the top coils wouldn't. They are Black in colour and HKS

thanks

Brad

The soft rate is ~290lbs/inch

The high rate is ~ 870 lbs/inch (15.6 kg/mm) :laughing-smiley-014: :laughing-smiley-014: :laughing-smiley-014:

As you can see from the pictures, the "soft" rate is only used to take up space (keep the springs legally trapped at full droop). Hence it is running on the high rate almost all of the time.

cheers