Tampa Racing - Part 1: Why I Ask About Spring Rates, Car Weight, and Down Forces On A Car

Originally Posted by senor honda
This is related to adjustable coilovers and shocks.......and "K" usually stands for Kilogram.
1 kilograms = 2.2 pounds

http://www.metric-conversions.org/co...sion-chart.pdf

or

converting kilograms and pounds
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Original question:

Quote:
hey Senor Honda, I know your the guy to go to for suspension sfuff and I just have a question.
I have a 92 civic si and am planning on getting skunk2 coilovers with skunk2 shocks
the spring rates for the coilovers are 8k in the front and 6k in the back .
so my question is ... do you think this would be too stiff for a daily driver ?? Thanks

Bob's request for more information:
Quote:
Originally Posted by senor honda
1.Tell me what the stock spring rates are, please.
1.1Does "k" mean "Kilogram"?
2.Tell me the total weight of the car, please.
3.Tell me what forces you will have pushing down on the car that require 6k and 8k spring rates to keep the car from bottoming out, please.-Bob

Requestor's reply:
Quote:
1. I dont know the stock spring rates
2. I would say around 2300
3. Dont understand the question
Bob's answer/reply:
Since most spring rates are quoted in hundreds of pounds instead of kilograms, I went to the Skunk2 site. I could find springs listed in hundreds of pounds, but not kilograms. Maybe people who say they have those "6K" and "8K" springs could tell us the spring rates and educate us.

Generally a spring's purpose is to support the weight of a car and keep it from bottoming out. Stock springs were engineered/designed to support the weight of a car, so I believe spring rates close to stock, do what they were designed to do if a car is street driven. I believe heavier shocks and lighter wheels keep the tires in contact with the road longer during bumps and depressions.

In a racing application such as a banked turn, the car will "weigh" more than stock as it is pushed down into the banking by cornering forces, so heavier springs than stock are needed to keep the car from bottoming out.

In a racing application such as a car getting airborn, the car will "weigh"
more when it lands, as it is pushed down itoward the pavement by an "increase" in gravity, so heavier springs than stock are needed to keep the car from bottoming out.-Bob