Just wondering how the non Sydney fellas get the springs custom wound to suit the car? I ask this as i'm having abit of difficulty in getting springs matched to specific heights...
Originally i wanted a pair of 3.6kg/mm (200lb) linear rate rear springs to suit the rear of an AE86 running approx 2.5" inches lower than stock. When i got the package i was surprised to find that the coil was 230mm free height. I have not fitted this but i'm expecting this to have the car sitting with most of the rear wheel inside the guard. - Might not even be able to remove the car jack. A low 6kg setup has 240mm free height. Running the rear 40mm lower than simons drift setup might not be a good way to start .. hence didnt bother fitting em.
After the crap feeling of spending money and to not have the rite springs i tried to contract the manufacturer to get me a spring to match the ride height of a 240mm free height 6kg spring but wound in 4kg. I was then told that this would be hard they would have to have a sample spring to make calculations from. I write this with no negative assertions made to any spring manufacturer.
As bad as it sounds .. i came up 2.5" lower as i'm running some lovells coils which are *supposed to be* 2.5" lower and also having seen mr20v old car in pics with 2.5" lower 6kg springs. I guess this method of highly scientific ride height evaluation does not work all the time.
So the question is.. how does one get custom springs made (with a good degree of precision) if they are not in NSW ?
Or does anyone know how to get a liner rate 4kg spring made with similar ride height to match a 6kg 240mm free height spring.
The maths is fairly simple as long as you know all the variables. If you can tell the manufacturer how much weight each spring will be supporting, wich is in my opinion the hardest part. Then you need to give them
The compressed height, ie how long the spring has to be at the ride height you want so you'll have to pull out your springs set the axle where you want it then measure the distance between the spring seats.
The spring rate
the free length
and it would be a good idea to give them a solid height requirement so that you can make sure you don't end up with coil bind before you hit the bump stops
From this info any decent spring works should be able to design a spring to do what you need, as long as the math works. Obviously they aren't going to be able to make you a 1KG/mm spring with a free hieight 10 mm more than the compressed height that will also have 200mm difference between compressed and solid heights.
As to who to get to do the springs outside of Sydney I can't really help you except to tell you to speak to some until you find a spring manufacturere who knows how to do the maths to make the spring you want.
Mon, 13 September 2004 04:55
