Help / Coil spring gear heads

[Skyetone]

here is the thread http://www.rockymountainextreme.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3774&perpage=15&pagenumber=1

Basically it starts as how do you tell how stiff a coil spring will be? How can you tell if it is going to ride stiff or soft?
I know a lot of people throw in bronko coils into things and they kick ass... why? Is it the thickness of the actual material that makes the coil the spring rating? Or is it the way it's wound? What is a progressive rate coil? How do you tell if you have one? Coils are cool, the latest trend. I wanna know how to tell one from the other...

 

[crimsonride]

Originally posted by Skyetone
here is the thread http://www.rockymountainextreme.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3774&perpage=15&pagenumber=1

Basically it starts as how do you tell how stiff a coil spring will be? How can you tell if it is going to ride stiff or soft?
I know a lot of people throw in bronko coils into things and they kick ass... why? Is it the thickness of the actual material that makes the coil the spring rating? Or is it the way it's wound? What is a progressive rate coil? How do you tell if you have one? Coils are cool, the latest trend. I wanna know how to tell one from the other...

Progressive rate coils have two different rates to them. This is accomplished with a varying the pitch or helix angle within the spring. Part of the spring is wound at say one wind per 2" and a shorter softer wind at say one wind per 1". In other words The lower the rate of the wind of the spring the lower the stiffness of it will be. Progressive rate springs have two parts, a stiff part for handling the large amounts of travel, for dips and speedbumps and full use of the suspension and a softer section for smooth street driving to smooth out the small bumps.
I really don't know how to tell if a spring will ride rough or soft since every one has a different feel for what's rough and what's soft. Just make sure the GVW is close to what the spring is intended for. Larger diameter springs are a softer ride than smaller diameter springs of the same diameter of material. Obviously the smaller diameter of the wound material the softer the spring (and more prone to sagging).
That's about all I know.

 

[Skyetone]

so in a nutshell, if a coils is wound in an open style wind (lots of space between the coils) then it is going to ride cushy. If it is wound tight it rides rough. If the coil is wound "loose" is there much difference in thickness of the actual spring that woulkd make it ride smoother / rougher? Like if I had two coils say 24inches tall. Same basic pattern in the winding. But say one is from a rear of a truck and one is from the rear of an suv. would there be a noticable difference in the material??

Thanx for the input...

 

[crimsonride]

Originally posted by Skyetone
so in a nutshell, if a coils is wound in an open style wind (lots of space between the coils) then it is going to ride cushy. If it is wound tight it rides rough.

If you're speaking in terms of diameter of the wind, yes. If you're speaking of the rate of the winds, no, then it would be just the opposite. Comparing two 24" springs of the same diameter and thickness of material, one with more winds. The spring with more winds will be softer. Diameter wise, we'll compare the fronts and rears of a TJ. The rear is a much wider diameter and a softer spring rate(it's also due to a thinner material).

If the coil is wound "loose" is there much difference in thickness of the actual spring that woulkd make it ride smoother / rougher? Like if I had two coils say 24inches tall. Same basic pattern in the winding. But say one is from a rear of a truck and one is from the rear of an suv. would there be a noticable difference in the material??

Well, I've never seen the rear of a truck with coils but I think I know what you're getting at, and yes, there would be a noticeable difference in thickness. Just compare the fronts and rears of TJ's again and you'll see what I mean. The thickness of the material does make a significant difference.

 

[Skyetone]

cool thanx. archive it