HELP w/Spring Rates?

[WANNAB]

I tried to ask this question in another part of this forum but....it (this site) wouldn't let me. So, here is goes.

An old friend called, he has some coilovers for me and asked what spring rate I wanted. Well IDK.

These are adj "perches" and the shock is separate. So I need help choosing the rates.

The car has a welded diff, strut bars and a few other pieces. swaybars are coming soon.

Any help is appreciated!

[Ath_S14]

If comfort isn't an option and you wanna to put the car on the track...basically if this isn't your DD, put 12kg-Front and 10kg-Rear (or is it vice versa???).

If it is your daily and you a ride that wont chatter your teeth out...rock 8-F/6-R or 9-F/7-R

(Please correct me if I have those spring rates backwards)...

[FlatWoodsMonster]

If comfort isn't an option and you wanna to put the car on the track...basically if this isn't your DD, put 12kg-Front and 10kg-Rear (or is it vice versa???).

If it is your daily and you a ride that wont chatter your teeth out...rock 8-F/6-R or 9-F/7-R

(Please correct me if I have those spring rates backwards)...

12k damn thats a bit high. The xs engineering time attack r32 uses 8k front and 6k rear. http://www.jasonsiu.net/shoots/xsr32.jpg

[down_shift]

try some 8/6k

[andrew]

whats a good spring rate for a drift car? idc about the comfort, ill be using it as my DD for a bit, but then all tracked out.

thread jack? sorry if it is...

[ThatS13Guy]

^^ hot r32 ^^ :)

[BigJack]

i know megan racing tracks have a 12/10k spring rate but most of the ones u see out r 8/6k. ive seen a purple set of coilovers i think they are called D2 and when u order them u can get these spring rates:
Custom spring rates (3.5, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 18, and 22 kg/mm)
idk if they r in the same units cuz if it is 22 would be like using a solid bar as coilovers.

[WANNAB]

This is a track car, trailered to and from. Comfort is not an issue. Performance is paramount! It is also Drift only so I'm looking for a drift set-up.

[andrew]

i know megan racing tracks have a 12/10k spring rate but most of the ones u see out r 8/6k. ive seen a purple set of coilovers i think they are called D2 and when u order them u can get these spring rates:
Custom spring rates (3.5, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 18, and 22 kg/mm)
idk if they r in the same units cuz if it is 22 would be like using a solid bar as coilovers.
im looking into getting megan racing tracks.:)

[down_shift]

dont get retadered rates like 10/12k. you need some give back there for grip. go with some 8/6ks.

Go with the streets not the tracks. From what I understand the valving is set to the lower street spring rates and doesnt match the tracks.

[FlatWoodsMonster]

dont get retadered rates like 10/12k. you need some give back there for grip. go with some 8/6ks.

Go with the streets not the tracks. From what I understand the valving is set to the lower street spring rates and doesnt match the tracks.

thanx you, ppl need to see that stiffer is not always better. ppl see high ass numbers like 45k/90k and assume that the higher number is the better.

[andrew]

thanx you ppl need to see that stiffer is not always better.
thats what she said;)

[Lone_Wolf]

thanx you ppl need to see that stiffer is not always better.

what are you trying to say?

[FlatWoodsMonster]

what are you trying to say?

edit I need to put a , in there.

[Photonic]

8 and 6 are very widely used. It has been agreed that this is the best balance for the car, pretty much every entry level coilover system used 8's and 6's as do many of the high end ones. I think JIC is odd as it uses 7 and 5 and thats not a bad option either...

Stock spring rates on the s13 are 2.5 and 2.3 i believe. And just..if you didint know. Spring rate = KG per MM, How many KG it takes to compress the spring one millimeter

[FlatWoodsMonster]

8 and 6 are very widely used. It has been agreed that this is the best balance for the car, pretty much every entry level coilover system used 8's and 6's as do many of the high end ones. I think JIC is odd as it uses 7 and 5 and thats not a bad option either...

Stock spring rates on the s13 are 2.5 and 2.3 i believe. And just..if you didint know. Spring rate = KG per MM, How many KG it takes to compress the spring one millimeter

na they are 8/6. Not sure about the TAR's though.

[Ath_S14]

I was under the impression from his post that his coilovers were height adjustable only...

If that is the case...wouldn't you want to use stiffer springs to compensate for the dampening/rebound in the strut?

[FlatWoodsMonster]

I was under the impression from his post that his coilovers were height adjustable only...

If that is the case...wouldn't you want to use stiffer springs to compensate for the dampening/rebound in the strut?

but if the shock is stiff and the spring is stiff then it just make everything really bouncy. idk fuck it I only know one person with non adjustable shocks and his car is bouncy as fuck.

[Ath_S14]

If the strut is soft and gives alot and you add squishy springs...you get body roll like one of the IS300s at Triple Threat this past weekend.

I assume that since these are true 'coilovers' no just the sleeve garbage....then the strut should have a decent rebound. Depending on the shock...(for example) KYB Gas Shocks are just merely an OE replacement compresses and rebounds fairly quickly...(banging on bump stops). Turn up the dampeing on an adjustable strut...I.E. KYB AGX, it takes more force to compress and the rebound is a lttle more controlled and doesn't bounce you right back up...

It depends on your driving style in the end...learn on the softer ones and just gradually go up...

8/6 or 9/7 would be great entry-level setup. Pro competition level runs abnormal spring rates...

I think the Blitz R34 runs like 10.5/11.3 or something weird like that.

[down_shift]

a lot of pros runs softer than you'd think.

[Ath_S14]

a lot of pros runs softer than you'd think.

I'm sure they do...again, I believe it all depends on on the driver's style and what he can handle.

[Photonic]

Um.."I only know one person with non adjustable shocks and they are bouncy as fuck".

Actually...Adjustable shocks are a BAD idea usually. Did you know formula 1 cars use non adjustable shocks? thats because theres only one perfect damping curve for a given spring and once its right its right..adjusting a shock to change the cars balance is always a bad idea thats what springs and sway bars are for, shocks are to be matched to the spring and the spring is to change the balance. its a marketing ploy so you will buy brand x's coilover. zomg! 30 way adjustability.

"But if the damping IS Wrong isnt it good to have adjustability ? " In theory..if the adjuster knobs on your coilovers worked as advertised..but they dont =D, unless you have a real high end setup ..like with Koni's..or Bilstein or ohlen or some 3000$ JDM coilover that isnt entry level shit. They have been proven to be inconsistant, and the relationship between Compression and rebound adjustment is highly disproportional

But who here is a pro and who actually cares. I dont, but theres some food for thought.

[Ath_S14]

...Did you know formula 1 cars use non adjustable shocks? ...

Not true...

They are adjustable, just not a "wide-range," unlike most road cars. Hell, the suspension on an F1 car is nothing like any kind of conventional race car.

[Photonic]

My bad , SOME formula 1 cars =D. I stole that little tid bit from Dennis Grants site. He has spent much time as a shock engineer for race teams and has won several auto-x championships.

I mean yeah..Stock cars with little other options ..you can use the 30 bajillion adjustability to balance the car but with entry level coilovers its always a win loose situation..The more you tune it to your preference..the further out of whack it is for the ideal curve with that particular spring..and the less efficient the suspension becomes. Most of us are also riding on more rubber which = more grip than stock..and when a car "feels" right to the average driver..and it has more grip than stock..its easy to think your suspension is BETTER than stock when in fact its less efficient. A set of Soft springs and konis' or even KYB's AGX's and a set of thick sway bars can be just as good as entry level coilovers if not better. Its ALL in the shock when it comes to coilovers. A spring is a spring..You can buy whatever spring rates you WANT an 8k spring is an 8k spring no matter where you get it from ,and buy a good shock to go with it.

[WANNAB]

My bad , SOME formula 1 cars =D. I stole that little tid bit from Dennis Grants site. He has spent much time as a shock engineer for race teams and has won several auto-x championships.

Its ALL in the shock when it comes to coilovers. A spring is a spring..You can buy whatever spring rates you WANT an 8k spring is an 8k spring no matter where you get it from ,and buy a good shock to go with it.

OK OK OK These ARE sleeve type coilovers and I will put good shocks/struts with them. (not sure which yet) I am getting them for next to nothing. These "sleeves" and 8/6 springs + good shocks/struts have got to be better than my stock set up.

[Photonic]

get Koni Yellows

go to www.nissanroadracing.com (http://www.nissanroadracing.com) and speak with Veilside180sx, he will hook you up with konis that will meet your needs, and he can get u camber plates and custom strut housings also.

[WANNAB]

get Koni Yellows

go to www.nissanroadracing.com (http://www.nissanroadracing.com) and speak with Veilside180sx, he will hook you up with konis that will meet your needs, and he can get u camber plates and custom strut housings also.


Thanks, I'll contact him.

[Photonic]

What car is this for btw? If its an s13 you will need the custom strut housings if you want the whole strut...or you can just get inserts for the stock strut housings like what PDM has but most of the road racers dont do that for some reason...and I am not sure why...

[motormouth759]

I have tracks and if you get them for get driving on the street.

[andrew]

I have tracks and if you get them for get driving on the street.
why? just completly horrible driving experience or what? explain por favor:wave:

[Cameron.]

i have 10/6's weird i know.

[Photonic]

And..how do you like those? How much power are you putting down in the rear?

[andrew]

And..how do you like those? How much power are you putting down in the rear?
stock sohc

[Cameron.]

And..how do you like those? How much power are you putting down in the rear?

they ride good. but right now stock motor. soon RB25 tho. so about low 400's.

[Photonic]

Im sure the spring rates will be fine then. You will need alot of understeer bias to counter all that power...

Does it perform well as it is ??

[Cameron.]

performs well in what aspects? it rides awesome, and handles great.

[Photonic]

Just wondering how the understeer is...since s13's are naturaly understeer biased cars ..that much of a spring up front seems like it would well...adversely effect the grip of the car. do you have a large rear swaybar or something?

[Cameron.]

it gets sideways easily from testing it on turns on back roads, and weel see come next event. havent track tested it yet. but my red car is running on tokico blues and Skunk2 springs and i have never got a bit of understeer out of it.

[Photonic]

Odd...=D

[Cameron.]

yea. i mean only time i feel understeer is when im going really fast through the turns and if i go down a steep hill and try to turn back real fast ill feel it. but for drifting i dont worry about it. i dont do a lot of fast grip driving.