Spring rate is the amount of load that it takes to deflect the spring a
given amount.
With automotive coil compression springs like the front ones on a
roadster,the rate is specified in force divided by spring displacement (eg
pounds per inch or equivalent units). Rate on these types of springs is
usually defined and measured between two heights, the first being with a
small amount of compression and the second somewhere before the coils start
to bind against each other. The rate compressing and the rate extending
are essentially the same.
With all other things being as equal as possible the more turns the lower
the rate and the larger the wire diameter the higher the rate. The
material in coil springs is mostly in torsion when there is a load.
Stan
============
At 03:15 PM 9/8/02 EDT, Tomet9@aol.com wrote:
>Hi list,
>
> Recently a list member mentioned that cutting a stock front coil by one
>coil would in fact lower the car by 1 inch and that it would also increase
>the spring rate substantially.
> I am by no means a physics expert and therefore confused as to this
issue.
>Can someone explain why merely cutting a spring shorter increases the spring
>rate? Are we talking about the rebounding rate of spring?
>
> Tom Prather 69/2.0
>
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