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| Coilover springs and spring rate (Page 3/3) |
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sdgdf
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FEB 21, 03:26 PM
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| quote | Originally posted by fieroguru:
With your kit or my kit it doesn't really matter. My sleeves are 4 3/4" tall, but when customers ask for springs stiffer than 350lb/in, then I cut the unthreaded portion of the sleeve off the bottom to increase the lower range.
Part of the service for anyone that buys my coilovers is we review the specific details of your application, what you are looking for from the kit, and I help guide you down a path to the spring rate that will work well for your specific setup and goals. This takes time and is more expensive, but avoids many of the issues you are having right now.
If you want to fix your car fast:
400 lb/in - buy a 10" spring
350 lb/in - buy a 12" spring
300 lb/in - buy a 12" spring
250 lb/in - buy a 12" spring
Adding a section of exhaust tubing to raise the sleeve also works. |
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Thanks, this sounds like the plan, I've found springs on summit that fit the bill, aiming for 250-300 lb/in in back with a 12" spring. The exhaust tubing acting as a spacer sounds good too to get the right fit.
I'm aiming for 350-400 in front, the car won't handle right with 300 lb/in in back and the stock front springs? The factory setup and your personal setup the front has a higher spring rate? Seems like a good idea to maintain that? In the moog catalog I found some springs I really like, moog-2278. I think you mentioned in a thread (like this: https://www.fiero.nl/forum/...m2/HTML/139057.html, can't find the exact thread right now) that moog 6556 would work on a Fiero, and the 2278 is similar but 3" shorter and 435 lb/in.
So 435 front 300 rear. No cutting springs. Have to modify the front bump stops because this drops the 88 front by 2"? Then with the adjusters in the back I can get the back lowered the same as the front and level.
Either that or just go 250 lb/in in back and keep the front stock.[This message has been edited by sdgdf (edited 02-21-2023).]
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Raydar
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FEB 21, 04:42 PM
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I've gotta ask... What do you plan on doing with your car? Just a fun driver? Or are you going to autocross or track it?
I don't know that I would go with the high spring rates, unless you really need to.
My car has a conglomeration of stuff, with nothing that stiff.
The V8 car has 86 GT front springs in the front, cut by 1.25 coils, and 88 front springs in the rear, cut by one coil. It rides fine, and handles fine with Monroe shocks and struts. Has poly everywhere.
The 88 coupe has Guru's coilovers in the rear - also on Monroes (pain in the azz to convert Monroe's, but it's what I had) and stock springs in the front, also cut by one coil. Also has poly everywhere, except the trailing links (by design.)
If I ever track anything, it'll be the coupe, after I swap it. If it needs to be stiffer, I'll deal with it later.
Paul was quite helpful with me. Took the time to answer a bunch of "rookie" questions that I had. Hard to beat all that experience.
Also, keep in mind that he's done a bunch of work to his car, over the years, to make those stiff springs play nicely with everything else. It's far from stock, even ignoring the LS.
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sdgdf
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FEB 21, 06:10 PM
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| quote | Originally posted by Raydar:
I've gotta ask... What do you plan on doing with your car? Just a fun driver? Or are you going to autocross or track it?
I don't know that I would go with the high spring rates, unless you really need to.
My car has a conglomeration of stuff, with nothing that stiff.
The V8 car has 86 GT front springs in the front, cut by 1.25 coils, and 88 front springs in the rear, cut by one coil. It rides fine, and handles fine with Monroe shocks and struts. Has poly everywhere.
The 88 coupe has Guru's coilovers in the rear - also on Monroes (pain in the azz to convert Monroe's, but it's what I had) and stock springs in the front, also cut by one coil. Also has poly everywhere, except the trailing links (by design.)
If I ever track anything, it'll be the coupe, after I swap it. If it needs to be stiffer, I'll deal with it later.
Paul was quite helpful with me. Took the time to answer a bunch of "rookie" questions that I had. Hard to beat all that experience.
Also, keep in mind that he's done a bunch of work to his car, over the years, to make those stiff springs play nicely with everything else. It's far from stock, even ignoring the LS. |
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Mountain driving, autox, hpde at road atlanta, it’s not going to be a daily driver so I expect it to ride rough, poly might squeak a bit and my pads might make noise and dust. Fieroguru runs 575/400 springs which is too much for me. 435/300 might be alright. The other front springs I found in the moog catalog are like 375 so I could do 375/300 or 375/250. I want it to handle well and in a thread I found using the search someone said they felt too much body roll with stock’ish kinda spring rates.
Surprised today when I went by the shop and they were able to fit my wheels/tires without them hitting the spring perches. 255s on 8.75” wide wheels. So I might not even need coilovers? Still want to move forward, but maybe go with fierogurus stage 3 kit? Need something for the front springs to balance with the back too if I do that.[This message has been edited by sdgdf (edited 02-21-2023).]
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fieroguru
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FEB 21, 08:03 PM
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| quote | Originally posted by sdgdf:
Fieroguru runs 575/400 springs which is too much for me.
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Just for the record, after I upgraded to the addco sway bars front/rear I switched back to stock 88 front springs with 3/4 coil removed and 250 lb/in rear coilovers and started to experiment with bump springs vs. bump stops. I want close to stock ride for about 1" of travel then let it firm up substantially when the lateral loads increase.
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sdgdf
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FEB 21, 10:40 PM
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| quote | Originally posted by fieroguru:
Just for the record, after I upgraded to the addco sway bars front/rear I switched back to stock 88 front springs with 3/4 coil removed and 250 lb/in rear coilovers and started to experiment with bump springs vs. bump stops. I want close to stock ride for about 1" of travel then let it firm up substantially when the lateral loads increase.
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Sounds good! And the next step to all this, getting good stiff handling and retaining driveability. I just had a lot of work done on the car so I’m in the stage where I’m trying to wrap this part up, springs can finish this up as it is. 200s for spring rate might be ok. I don’t mind how the car handles stock.
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sdgdf
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FEB 23, 06:35 PM
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Here’s how it looks so far:
Sticks out a little but I don’t mind to fit this much tire under it. Somehow the 255s fit without hitting the struts without coilovers. The 33mm offset?
And I need to lower the front.[This message has been edited by sdgdf (edited 02-23-2023).]
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sdgdf
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FEB 23, 07:40 PM
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Tire pictures:
They’re real sticky/soft tires. Almost look like slicks, not much tread.
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fredtoast
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JUN 09, 07:07 PM
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Just starting my research on suspension upgrades for my new Fiero. Planned on spending hours digging through dozens of threads. This is the first one on the list. when you search "coilovers" in this forum.
Now I know I can go back to looking at wheels and boobies and just get in touch with Guru when I am ready to buy.
I am loving this place.[This message has been edited by fredtoast (edited 06-09-2023).]
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Raydar
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JUN 12, 05:39 PM
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| quote | Originally posted by fredtoast:
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Now I know I can go back to looking at wheels and boobies and just get in touch with Guru when I am ready to buy.
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Sounds like a plan, on all counts. 
All kidding aside, Guru has some nice stuff. All top shelf.
If you want to do tubular front control arms, or an LS4, check out Gary Pickardt, in addition.
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