What Coilover Springs Should I Get?

[Rob Turbo 3]

I recently bought some (don't laugh) raceline coilovers for my 306 but it seems the springs are too soft for the weight of the turbo engine, they are nearly fully compressed with the weight of the car on them. I don't know the lb-age of the springs, although could probably find out by asking the seller, but basically, what springs should I get to cope with the weight?

 

Also, should the helper springs be fully compressed with the weight of the car? I'm guessing they should because they don't exactly look like they could support that much weight!

 

Thanks,

Rob

[Batfink 201]

I bought in a few of these for some customers and quite frankly they are inadequately sprung and go coilbound so easily they are dangerous. Every model car I have heard these fitted to suffers from the same issue.

The helper spring is just to keep everthing in place when the car is raised off the ground.

The best coilover springs I have used are the Eibach ERS range (I think thats the name)

[Rob Turbo 3]

Where might I find some of these springs, and how much are they likely to set me back?

 

Thanks,

Rob

[Grahamrally 0]

Assuming they are the standard 2 1/4" coilover spring then use something in the region of 180lb springs. The bilstein tarmac dampers use 220lb, the gravel ones 180 and max you should be using for race use is around the 300lb mark really tbh. But everyone has their own way of doing things.

 

Graham

[Batfink 201]

Rob they are not cheap which defeats your choice of coilover unit somewhat.

[Rob Turbo 3]

Where am I likely to find ANY coilover springs that will support the weight of the car then? I need to do something, it's shockingly bad to drive!

[mikeyd 13]

rally design! they have a good range of rates and lengths

but you need to measure the free length of your existing springs first

[Rob Turbo 3]

Thanks for that, I'll get the car jacked up tomorrow after work and get the tape measure out.

 

Are the sizes I.D. or O.D.? and will say 180-200lb springs be ok with the weight of an xu10 turbo engine etc.

 

Many thanks for your replies,

Rob

[taylorspug 7]

From my experience, im finding 175lb too soft for my GTI6 engined 205, so im going for something around the 220lb mark instead.

[Rob Turbo 3]

I've been out and taken some measurements, the cups that the springs sit over are a tad under 60mm, like about 59.8mm, so the springs must have to be 60mm, the O.D. of the springs is 84mm, this is important because the springs sit inside a cup at the top, and they are 6.5" long when they're loose.

 

The closest I can find on rally design is 60mm (I'm assuming this is I.D.), 7" long, and the softest rating is 250lb, so it looks like that's what I'm gonna have to get, either that or chuck these in the bin and buy some new, better quality coilovers!

 

Before I go ordering anything, does anyone have any 2 1/4" springs that they could measure the O.D. (In mm if poss) so I can work out if the 60mm springs are going to fit?

 

Thanks,

Rob

[James_R 3]

As graham says think you want to be looking in the 300lbs area, my s16 ran 400lbs springs and they dropped about 1"-1.5" when lowered off the jack

[bobob 0]

Try demon tweeks for springs. They have quite a big range, and not too expensive

[Rob Turbo 3]

I think rally design have some suitable springs, I just need to know the O.D. of 2.25" springs so I can work out if the 60mm springs are deffinitely the ones I need.

 

Thanks,

Rob

[SPGTi 2]

The O.D will vary depending on the spring rating and length as the wire thickness will be different. I have some 7" 250lb springs here that have inside diameter of 58mm and OD of 77.8mm (they are for sale by the way, about 100miles of use, £25 the pair)

 

Steve

[James_R 3]

Think need for speed where the cheapest on the net, otherwise Gaz want £9 a spring from memory if you ring them.

 

It's the I.D which counts not the OD?? or have I missed something?

[welshpug 1,626]

try Merlin Motorsport, they do Eibach and Faulkner springs.

[Rob Turbo 3]

Just been and done some more measuring and my springs are 11mm thick, so with an O.D. of 84mm, that makes them 62mm I.D., so that's about 2.5" I.D.

 

@SPGTi: The I.D. of those springs is too small, but thanks anyway.

 

@James_R: It usually is the I.D. that counts, but the top of the springs on my coilovers fit into a cup type thing, so if the springs are bigger than 84mm O.D. then they won't fit into the cup and the walls are too thin to machine anything off.

 

I think my options are:

 

1: Go for 60mm I.D., 300lb, 7" long springs and hope they are less than 84mm O.D., if they are thinner I can just make a spacer to hold them central in the cup.

 

Or,

 

2: Chuck the cheap sh!tty things in the bin and get saving for some decent ones.

 

Thanks for the help,

Rob

[Rippthrough 98]

3. Return them as unsuitable.

[Rob Turbo 3]

It just hit me the other day, the O.D. doesn't matter, I can just put the helper springs at the top of the strut, as long as the I.D. is over 60mm!

 

I won 2 pairs of 2.5" springs on ebay earlier in the week, one pair of eibach springs, unknown rate, and a pair of unknown make, 425lb, I've heard nothing from the seller though so I'm not getting my hopes up about them actually being delivered (haven't paid yet, I'm waiting for the total price for combined postage)