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spring rates

11K views 14 replies 6 participants last post by  H2Bcivic  
#1 · (Edited)
I really plainly dont understand spring rates to put it simple. Yet my needs are a spring rate that would derive a confortable drive and offer the best handling. The car is mainly daily driven. But maybe once in a blue moon ill take it autoxing so i want it to have supreme handling still.

8k/8k (450/450)
450 front, 500 rear
450 front 550 rear
10k/10k(550/550)

car is a 2000 civic ex coupe i maybe wrong but i think stock spring rates are 165 front 80 rear

Some coilovers Ive looked at that i can order them with custom rates come with 10k 6k if i dont order custom spring rates. How do you think 10k 6k would be in PA were theirs tons of pot holes, road uneven, and steep hills pretty much everywhere

Hell i can also get maybe ground controls and koni yellows but again it would be better if the spring and the shock was revalved to handle the spring rate you know?

Thus i dunno should i rock stock coilover specs of the one im looking at of 10k 6k or look to getting it revalved with a custom spring rate. Which i could also do with the koni/gc setup too


any help would be appreciated

Edit- BTW I currently have a front and rear Strut bar if thats any relevance?
 
#2 ·
The quality of the ride with stiffer spring rates will greatly depend on the shocks you run. Koni yellows are a great choice for running stiffer springs as they can handle anything up to ~500lbs or so. 450f/400-450r would be good starting point for an autox/street setup and wouldn't be horrible on PA roads. Once you try that you can then change the spring rates to whatever you want if you don't like it
 
#4 ·
It is really hard to compare spring rates without knowing the shock/damper that goes with it. I'm running PIC coilovers that are 10k/8k (560lb/450lb) and they are very smooth on good roads, but you definately feel it when you get onto bad roads. However when running a coilover, you get a shock/damper that is valved specifically for that spring rate and application.

I'd recommend something like an 8k/6k setup (450lb/340lb) for a daily driver if you are going with a coilover. If you are doing a separate shock/spring setup, then you would probably want to go lower like 400/300 or 350/280, etc.

If you auto-x only occassionally, don't get stiffer springs in the rear. The rear springs really have a large impact on ride quality/comfort.
 
#6 ·
I know that its driver based meaning we all have our own personal opinions on confort but so far ive heard from people to get one of the following spring rates or these rates are the ones they use:

8k/8k (450/450)
450 front, 500 rear
450 front 550 rear
10k/10k(550/550)
350 / 400
240/240
450f/400r
10k/8k (560lb/450lb)
8k/6k setup (450lb/340lb)
400/300
350/280

wow now im really confused looool


Now im thinking this way hell i can get koni's with gc and pretty much set it to any setting i like...i can get then with bump stops, top hats etc. For 1080

or

I can get coilovers revalved with a custom spring rate and the shock revalved for like 800-1k

Now i dunno which i should do lol...plus spring rate to choose...Yes i read kommon_sense post but now if i can get a coilover revalved for my needs whats the point to get a spring shock combo and do a lower spring rate
 
#7 ·
The advantage of going w/konis + ground controls is that it is easier to change spring rates, but of course valving isn't matched to the spring, so ride quality may vary.

If you go with a coilover, you really can't change the spring rate because the shock was valved specifically for that rate.

Trust me, you don't want more than 10k/8k on the street. It simply isn't safe. The suspension is so stiff that it overworks the tires and causes the car to skate in harsh conditions. A little rain, and the car skates. A little ice, it skates.... Hit a bad bump/dip in the road, and it skips...

Call up www.picperformance.com and talk to Jim/Al. They will probably recommend 8k/6k for the needs that you describe.
 
#9 ·
what common sense said it the truth. i will like to add. if you know how to properly tune coilovers sleeves they are by far the best setup. why? you can tune the coilover to each setting if know how to. it's very simple if you have 12kg/F & 10kg/R spring rates w/tokico illumina. they are 5 setting right. so your spring are stiff but adjusting the rebound can help. so in truth on the street, adjust the 2 front and the 2 rear the same so the equation come out to 5/Fx5/R=25 setting.
 
#10 ·
now here's the reason why ground control w/koni wins hands down.(or coiloves sleeves n adjustable shocks tuned) very simple. well maybe not. if you're into suspension like me. lol. now if you're into autoxing/road coursing/canyon racing. the numbers of curves dictates everything. you can tune them also indepent.(very, very hard to do) but if you can (bless your patience, lol) here's the equation. 5/F-Lx5/F-Rx5/R-Lx5/R-R=625 setting. i will make a thread soon w/pics on this. how to tune coilovers
 
#11 ·
Im debating AMR enginneering coilovers
Its basically a full through customized coilover system based on the user (myself's) use/needs

its a tad cheaper then koni/gc
yet if you search up reviews all of them are 100%

They ask you questions like what use will u use your car daily/track or what not...what height will the car be lowered to..road conditions

etc and so forth so that they help you choose a spring rate and REVALVE the shock to fit that spring rate so that at the end the ride is smooth and handles well...

basically they help you decide...explain everything and make everything custom for your application
 
#12 ·
i would take the time and learn a little more before you go and buy them. i mean hey if that blows your hair back, go for it. as for me it took me a while what i wanted for my suspension. so to me my setup is custom by me not by someone else that say hey these are the one for you. in his day and agewe let other ppl do the thinking for us when we should be doing the thinking and deciding for ourself. good luck with you choice.
 
#13 · (Edited)
suspension is nothing you wanna rush man..figure out what you are gonna use it for. how much your gonna use it on a track and stuff... im currently running koni yellows (amazing shock) with progress h swap springs.. i dont remember the exact spring rate but they are stifff...my car handles amazingly
 
#15 ·
i figured out my suspension all by myself... hah i guess remo helped a little..