Spring Rate 101 by Roland Graef.

Suspension customers shopping for aftermarket springs will sometimes resort to shopping for springs by spring rate. While the rate of the spring is a measure of spring performance, it is not the only influence of vehicle performance and handling, especially when the chassis is lowered. There are many factors that come into play when it comes to suspension tuning. When does a higher rate spring feel softer than a lower rate spring and a lower rate feel harder than higher rate spring? These differences occur when you lower the chassis and the bumpstop is trimmed or not trimmed. The bumpstop acts like a small progressive spring (see Micro Cellular Jounce Bumper). A lower rate spring that lowers the ride height of the chassis with no bumpstop trimming, making the bumpstop more active, would feel about as stiff as a higher rate lowering spring with the bumpstop trimmed, making the bumpstop less active. Also, the amount of ride height lowering also affects suspension rate. Since there is no standard for quoting spring rates, most manufactures just quote numbers without any regard for spring function and spring rate ramping. (Spring rate ramping is the difference in ride feel between springs of different shapes with the same spring rates under suspension compression.) The only way to truly compare spring rates is by using working spring rate numbers. When a manufacture quotes a spring rate, lets say a progressive such as 80#, 150#, 225#, and the stock rate is a liner 135#, the new spring looks super progressive. It seems to start off softer than stock and gets progressively stiffer as needed. But what these rates don€™t tell you, is that the chassis is already sitting at the 170# rate at loaded height, making the working rate actually 170# to 225#. The lower spring rate range below 170# is the dead or inactive spring coils, which do nothing but give the spring tension at full rebound. Note this does not take into consideration bumpstop engagement of a chassis ride height on lowering springs. Above, is only one example of why using the working spring rate is more accurate when making comparisons. It is important to have already driven on a different rate than stock to feel the difference to start comparing. There are many other factors that influence suspension rate that include but are not limited to, shock dampening values, tires, bushings, and of course the most important -personal driving style. So, just to go shopping for springs by spring rates without considering the other variables will not give you a clear picture. Roland Graef H&R Springs

Spring Rate 101 by H&R Springs

Spring Rate 101 by Roland Graef.

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