got this from Jonas of CHB months ago and i'm sure some of the CHB members here have read it:
Spring rates are basically determined by "pounds per inch". Say a spring is listed at 300 lbs. This means it takes 300 pounds of force to compress the spring 1 inch. Then there's linear and progressive rate springs. Progressive rate springs are nice and comfortable for the street car because as the car turns-in, the spring will compress easily (say 200 lbs per inch), and then get stiffer as it compresses more (say 400 lbs per inch at max). A linear rate is what racecars like because there's no guessing and weird progression feel. I don't want to be in the middle of a corner and all of the sudden my springs get harder. I want full compression rate right now.
The ideal spring rates depend on the weight of the car, what you're doing with it, and how stiff you like it. Assuming you have a 2000 Si model, a popular spring combo is 350 front, 400 rear. Lots of people also like to have the higher rate spring in the front. The Civic will understeer ... period. This is safe, but it's also slow on the track. Ways to help bring the car to a more neutral level is to install the higher rate springs in the rear, remove or reduce the size of the front anti roll bar, and add big anti roll bars in the rear. Again, it's all about what you want and what you feel safe in.
People that typically complain about a bouncy ride, are people with unmatched springs and shocks. Say the KYB adjustable shocks can handle a 350 pound spring. If you put a 500 pound spring on them, you're asking for trouble. The shock "dampens" the spring compression (bump) and rebound, therefore they are referred to as dampers. When the wheel hits a bump, the spring will compress and then rebound. You ideally want a "fast bump" and a "slow rebound" so the tire to follow the countours of the pavement without leaving the surface. So, if the shock can't handle the spring rate, you're overheating your shocks and the ride quality suffers.
Not sure what all the hype is about pillow ball mounts, but they're not necessary for our cars and they do nothing from what I can tell. Different shock body material is a cost vs. need thing. You don't need aluminum shocks unless you're building a full on racecar and need every single ounce of weight savings. This whole thing about rusting steel shocks is crap. Factory shocks are steel, Koni's are steel, TrueChoice shocks are steel, Tokico's are steel....see where I'm going? I just don't buy into all the hype about all the overseas suspension manufactures. As far as I'm concerned, you're wasting your money twice. First, they cost way too much. Second, when you blow a damper, who's going to repair it? You have to ship it overseas and wait 4 months for a replacement. If you have teo grand to spend on suspension, TrueChoice and Advanced Design are every bit as good (if not better) and won't screw you on repairs or service.
anyone want to make this a sticky? 8)
Spring rates are basically determined by "pounds per inch". Say a spring is listed at 300 lbs. This means it takes 300 pounds of force to compress the spring 1 inch. Then there's linear and progressive rate springs. Progressive rate springs are nice and comfortable for the street car because as the car turns-in, the spring will compress easily (say 200 lbs per inch), and then get stiffer as it compresses more (say 400 lbs per inch at max). A linear rate is what racecars like because there's no guessing and weird progression feel. I don't want to be in the middle of a corner and all of the sudden my springs get harder. I want full compression rate right now.
The ideal spring rates depend on the weight of the car, what you're doing with it, and how stiff you like it. Assuming you have a 2000 Si model, a popular spring combo is 350 front, 400 rear. Lots of people also like to have the higher rate spring in the front. The Civic will understeer ... period. This is safe, but it's also slow on the track. Ways to help bring the car to a more neutral level is to install the higher rate springs in the rear, remove or reduce the size of the front anti roll bar, and add big anti roll bars in the rear. Again, it's all about what you want and what you feel safe in.
People that typically complain about a bouncy ride, are people with unmatched springs and shocks. Say the KYB adjustable shocks can handle a 350 pound spring. If you put a 500 pound spring on them, you're asking for trouble. The shock "dampens" the spring compression (bump) and rebound, therefore they are referred to as dampers. When the wheel hits a bump, the spring will compress and then rebound. You ideally want a "fast bump" and a "slow rebound" so the tire to follow the countours of the pavement without leaving the surface. So, if the shock can't handle the spring rate, you're overheating your shocks and the ride quality suffers.
Not sure what all the hype is about pillow ball mounts, but they're not necessary for our cars and they do nothing from what I can tell. Different shock body material is a cost vs. need thing. You don't need aluminum shocks unless you're building a full on racecar and need every single ounce of weight savings. This whole thing about rusting steel shocks is crap. Factory shocks are steel, Koni's are steel, TrueChoice shocks are steel, Tokico's are steel....see where I'm going? I just don't buy into all the hype about all the overseas suspension manufactures. As far as I'm concerned, you're wasting your money twice. First, they cost way too much. Second, when you blow a damper, who's going to repair it? You have to ship it overseas and wait 4 months for a replacement. If you have teo grand to spend on suspension, TrueChoice and Advanced Design are every bit as good (if not better) and won't screw you on repairs or service.
anyone want to make this a sticky? 8)
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