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softer springs will it soften my ride??

cefiro
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cefiro Experienced

cefiro

Posted
Posted

I want to know if I change my springs to something a little bit softer will the harshness of my ride improve or is that mostly dependant on the shocks. I have JIC in there at the moment but I dont know what the spring rate is in them.

I dont know if I should buy a whole new suspension, or just change the springs to somehting softer????

I just dont seem to get any travel in the car.

Cheers

totoro Collaborator

totoro

Posted
Posted

do you have an adjustable coilover suspension? i know its obvious but try putting it on the softest settings... i got JIC coilovers as well but cos it came with the car and its got no model number on it i just turned the knob max to one side and the other and tried to feel the difference...

either way coilovers are generally uncomfortable on normal roads so if you do lot of travelling maybe you should look at getting normal suspension for everyday driving...

cefiro Experienced

cefiro

Posted
  • Author
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nup only hieght adjustment, I had tein in my 32 but they were nothing like this, I just wanted to see if a lesser spring rate would soften the ride and increase the travel. Its rather ridiculous at the moment the hardness of the ride. cant hit bumps, pot holes or anything without a massive thud.

blind_elk Grand Master

blind_elk

Posted
Posted

Softer springs will help, but the valving of the shocks (how they handle bump and rebound) will also affect the ride.

I just put lowered springs in my R30, and because the shaft of the shock now sits further into the shocker body, it has totally changed the ride characteristics (quite harsh now). Same when I lowered the 32 on standard shocks.

Sydneykid Grand Master

Sydneykid

Posted
Posted
Softer springs will help, but the valving of the shocks (how they handle bump and rebound) will also affect the ride.

I just put lowered springs in my R30, and because the shaft of the shock now sits further into the shocker body, it has totally changed the ride characteristics (quite harsh now). Same when I lowered the 32 on standard shocks.

The shock doesn't care whereabouts in its travel it sits, the valving is the same. The usual problems are;

Did you trim the bump stops?

If you left them the standard thickness then (if it is lowered too much) it will be slamming into the bump stops.

How much travel does it have?

How do you tell how much travel it has? The best method is to place a cable tie tightly on the shock shaft, quick drive around then check where the cable tie is pushed up to.

What are the rates of the springs you put in?

There is a thread on this section where I show you how to measure up your springs, post the dimensions and I will work out your spring rate for you.

;)

Sydneykid Grand Master

Sydneykid

Posted
Posted
nup only hieght adjustment, I had tein in my 32 but they were nothing like this, I just wanted to see if a lesser spring rate would soften the ride and increase the travel. Its rather ridiculous at the moment the hardness of the ride. cant hit bumps, pot holes or anything without a massive thud.

More than 50% of the harshness in Jap coil over kits is due to their rediculously high spring rates. Most times when I have changed (or recommended a change in) spring rates, the guys report good/satisfactory results. A common trick is to put the rear springs in the front and buy some softer (around 200 lbs per inch) rear springs. That's a cheap fix at under $200 if you do the labour yourself.

If you want to know what the current spring rates are, pop over to the thread in this section (How do I know what my spring rates are?).

;)

blind_elk Grand Master

blind_elk

Posted
Posted
The shock doesn't care whereabouts in its travel it sits, the valving is the same. The usual problems are;

Did you trim the bump stops?

If you left them the standard thickness then (if it is lowered too much) it will be slamming into the bump stops.  

How much travel does it have?

How do you tell how much travel it has?  The best method is to place a cable tie tightly on the shock shaft, quick drive around then check where the cable tie is pushed up to.

That's OK if you have X-ray vision to see through the rubber boots. (Do I really need them?)
What are the rates of the springs you put in?

There is a thread on this section where I show you how to measure up your springs, post the dimensions and I will work out your spring rate for you.

:D

They are Pedders HD lowered springs. I originally had their "standard height" HD springs. I was going to post on your thread, but when I measured them up, I found that both sets would be identical (same wire diameter, same coil diameter, same active coils, just wound to less free length).

That being the case, why is the ride, on a relatively smooth main road, so much harsher - it can't possibly be sitting on the bump-stops.

cefiro Experienced

cefiro

Posted
  • Author
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Ok well measure the springs only on the front

OD. 80mm

thickness. 11mm

no of turns. 8

This doesnt seems to be too bad as compared to others on the thread where you were measuring rates.

I also did the cable tie trick and found that the travel is only about half way up the shaft. Normal???

Sydneykid Grand Master

Sydneykid

Posted
Posted
That's OK if you have X-ray vision to see through the rubber boots. (Do I really need them?)

They are Pedders HD lowered springs. I originally had their "standard height" HD springs. I was going to post on your thread, but when I measured them up, I found that both sets would be identical (same wire diameter, same coil diameter, same active coils, just wound to less free length).

That being the case, why is the ride, on a relatively smooth main road, so much harsher - it can't possibly be sitting on the bump-stops.

I usually just push the rubber boot up, slip the cable tie on, pull it tight and go for a drive, hit some of my regulars pot holes (always plenty around my area). Then slip the boot up again and see where the cable tie has been pushed to.

The rubber boots keep dirt out and stop the seals (on the top of the shocks) from wearing out from the grit.

It has been my experience that 9 out of 10 times (when fitting lowered coils) I have to trim the bump stops. If that wasn't done it is highly likely that some premature bump stop contact is occuring.

I would always take it back to Pedders if I wasn't happy and ask them.:(

blind_elk Grand Master

blind_elk

Posted
Posted

Solved half the problem - the springs were in UPSIDE DOWN. They are wound tighter at one end, and that end has to be the top. So, pulled the out, flipped them - feels a bit better now. I've got the cable tie on there, will check it later.

  • 3 weeks later...

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