spring preload ?

[abunai888]

i can tune my suspension (xyz ss) to hard/soft settings,height settings and how much the spring can be compresed the dealer said me it can be between 0,5 - 1 cm from the position that spring can be rotated by hand.

since every coilover is different i was just wonder how spring preload effect the handling in front and rear axles ?
and how people set it.

 

[DedeSIR]

I set mine with no preload, just enought to hold the spring
in place. Otherwise you are changing the spring rate and end
up with something inconsistent.

I think the goal of those suspension is to be able
to set the ride hight you want without messing with
the preload/spring rate.

Correct me somebody if I'm wrong.

 

[Dino-Spumoni]

This is an adjustment that most people don't use or mess with. Just set it so the spring can be rotated with some tension.

 

[MeisterR]

Linear rate springs shouldn't have the spring rate changes with pre-load.
What the pre-load does is it affect the corner weight of the car.
"Dual Perch" suspension are great as you can adjust the corner weight of the car independent of the ride height.

Older style "Single Perch" Coilovers can also have corner weight adjusted, but since the ride height are link with the spring pre-load, it most of the time the car will look very odd as each corner will sit at a different height.

If you are not sure what you are messing with, I advice more customers to just leave the spring pre-load and just make sure the springs do not have up and down movement while sitting in its perch.
I find this give the "smoothest" weight transfer as the springs are not under any force during movements.

If you want a slightly stiffer handling, you can preload the springs 5mm or so all around... this just put weight into the springs and make the car slightly stiffer.

Of course, these are just "blind" adjustments... the proper way to do this require a scale.

Hope that helps.

 

[Bon87]

Oh, I was planning on putting some preload into my coilover springs, as I want a firmer ride...

 

[MeisterR]

Oh, I was planning on putting some preload into my coilover springs, as I want a firmer ride...

Throw 5mm on and see how it feels first.

remember, pre-load only changes the weigh of the springs at stationary weight... (ie. Not Moving)

Once you put enough weight onto the springs to cause movement, it will still move at the springs rate (ie. 8kg/mm)

It is a bit hard to explain, you just have to adjust it and see how you like it.

Pretty much the same as any adjustable suspension, you should adjust it to what you like, not what other people tells you to.

 

[Bon87]

I'm gonna do 10mm i reckon. I will let you know how I get on.