Which way up?
21 August 2005, 07:39 PM
#1
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Which way up?
WRX01
Do the front springs sit with the coils tighter to the top (ie less gap between coils), or tighter to the bottom ?
Thanks
Do the front springs sit with the coils tighter to the top (ie less gap between coils), or tighter to the bottom ?
Thanks
happy now? 
22 August 2005, 09:52 AM
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Providing a) the springs are the same diameter top and bottom with no differences between the way the spring end sits in the strut seat and the top mount seat. And b) you're just talking about a progressive wound spring, ie coils closer together at one end than the other. Then:
Theoretically shouldn't make any difference. The spring will still compress the same for a given load whichever way up it is. Won't even matter if one side is different from the other.
There may be a tiny, tiny advantage to reducing unsprung weight by running the open coils at the bottom but this will be negligible and not noticeable on the road.
Theoretically shouldn't make any difference. The spring will still compress the same for a given load whichever way up it is. Won't even matter if one side is different from the other.
There may be a tiny, tiny advantage to reducing unsprung weight by running the open coils at the bottom but this will be negligible and not noticeable on the road.
22 August 2005, 12:55 PM
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Thankyou too.
I have spoken to the guy who fitted my springs and he says they are not upside down. The spring will only fit on one way due to the fact that it is smaller in diameter at one end , so it will only fit one way in the cup.
But the closer coils are at the top, and there is a mark on the paint on the first two coils showing were they touch, and hence my noise.
Basically my springs are ****.
I have spoken to the guy who fitted my springs and he says they are not upside down. The spring will only fit on one way due to the fact that it is smaller in diameter at one end , so it will only fit one way in the cup.
But the closer coils are at the top, and there is a mark on the paint on the first two coils showing were they touch, and hence my noise.
Basically my springs are ****.
31 August 2005, 06:57 PM
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It is supposed to be tighter coils at the bottom as far as I know. Less vertical element to the spring there so more give. With the springs further apart at the top there is more vertical resistance and so the spring is stiffer. Hence variable rate springs, the more it compresses the stiffer it gets. Shouldn't make too much difference really it just means the whole spring has to move if they are the wrong way up. I THINK??
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01 September 2005, 09:26 AM
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> there is a mark on the paint on the first two coils showing were they touch
Don't worry about this at all. That's how progressive springs are designed to work. When you first load them the softer part of the spring works first, giving you a compliant ride at normal speeds. Then as the loading increases the softer part of the spring goes "coil bound" (ie the two adjacent coils touch), and the load is transferred to the stiffer part of the spring which gives you stiffer springing when you are pressing on.
As to which way up they go..... Imagine you have an egg (soft bit of the spring), a tin of beans (hard bit of spring) and a plate. Put the egg on the table, put the tin of beans on top and press down on them both with the plate. Which one crumples first the egg or the tin of beans? Now put the tin of beans down first, the egg on top and press down with the plate again. Does the tin of beans crumple first this time? Nope still the egg.
So it makes no odds which way up they are the soft bit of spring still works first, then the hard bit. Only difference is that with the soft bit at the top as finnie says "just means the whole spring has to move if they are the wrong way up." Which is another way of saying the upsprung weight is higher as I did earlier but this is a tiny effect and not noticeable on the road.
Don't worry about this at all. That's how progressive springs are designed to work. When you first load them the softer part of the spring works first, giving you a compliant ride at normal speeds. Then as the loading increases the softer part of the spring goes "coil bound" (ie the two adjacent coils touch), and the load is transferred to the stiffer part of the spring which gives you stiffer springing when you are pressing on.
As to which way up they go..... Imagine you have an egg (soft bit of the spring), a tin of beans (hard bit of spring) and a plate. Put the egg on the table, put the tin of beans on top and press down on them both with the plate. Which one crumples first the egg or the tin of beans? Now put the tin of beans down first, the egg on top and press down with the plate again. Does the tin of beans crumple first this time? Nope still the egg.
So it makes no odds which way up they are the soft bit of spring still works first, then the hard bit. Only difference is that with the soft bit at the top as finnie says "just means the whole spring has to move if they are the wrong way up." Which is another way of saying the upsprung weight is higher as I did earlier but this is a tiny effect and not noticeable on the road.