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Thread: Spring Rates

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    Mechanic flick5848's Avatar

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    Spring Rates

    I currently have 200llb 9 inch and the front is very low and firm but I haven't driven it yet. What length and rate are people using ?

    MK2 escort
    XE engine
    Gaz coilovers (Short)

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    Re: Spring Rates

    a lot depends on personal preferences and what your using the car for, in the (track based) circles i move in 200 would be considered soft as hell rates of 400-600 are common.

    for road use 200 will be firm but nothing spectacularly hard back in the day (when tyres were skinny) the common road spring poundages we sold were 145/175/195

    most x/f cars had 145, with some on 175 and a few 195.

    pinto powered cars were usually 175, or 195 with a few 145s, the standard spring rate was 115 from memory

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    Re: Spring Rates

    Mk1 Escort road car, originally crossflow, then Pinto since around 1996/7. Always ran it on 175's (with Bilstein inserts) and stuck with them when converting to coilovers.

    Getting older now and don't drive like I used to so considering a slightly softer set-up and may seek to achieve this through softer inserts since the Bilsteins are rock solid as well as having been on the car 27 years.
    Last edited by RS2OOO; 28-09-2020 at 09:27.

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    Mechanic flick5848's Avatar

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    Re: Spring Rates

    Quote Originally Posted by Graham View Post
    a lot depends on personal preferences and what your using the car for, in the (track based) circles i move in 200 would be considered soft as hell rates of 400-600 are common.

    for road use 200 will be firm but nothing spectacularly hard back in the day (when tyres were skinny) the common road spring poundages we sold were 145/175/195

    most x/f cars had 145, with some on 175 and a few 195.

    pinto powered cars were usually 175, or 195 with a few 145s, the standard spring rate was 115 from memory

    Car is for the road and I want it comfortable but fun on the track if I decided to do a track day. It sits on 13" steels with 60 profile tyres.

    I thinks the length may be too short (9") as there is very little movement before it feels solid.

    Whats your thoughts on length as i am approaching the top of the thread and its still quite low.

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    Re: Spring Rates

    Quote Originally Posted by RS2OOO View Post
    Mk1 Escort road car, originally crossflow, then Pinto since around 1996/7. Always ran it on 175's (with Bilstein inserts) and stuck with them when converting to coilovers.

    Getting older now and don't drive like I used to so considering a slightly softer set-up and may seek to achieve this through softer inserts since the Bilsteins are rock solid as well as having been on the car 27 years.
    What do you have on the rear?

    I wasn't happy with the rear multi leaves on my MK2. Just polybushed (Polysport) the anti tramp bars and fitted new 146ib single leaf springs with Polysport bushes this weekend. My old ones seemed very weak and I think they are long overdue a change. probably 40 years old if originals.

    Took off a set of Gp1 Bilstiens, that are old, very firm/harsh ride on the road.

    I ordered new adjustable Gaz shocks, but there is a massive backlog on them. MST have now amended my order to adjustable AVO shocks, but they are also on a delay.

    Thought I'd give you a heads up on the shocks, just in case you are thinking of swapping them out.

    Even though I've gone for 146ib springs, I'm hoping that new shocks set at a softer rebound will improve the ride. Also hoping that Polysport (yellows) are not too hard a bush compound. Knowing my luck, this set up will end up firmer than what I already have...
    Last edited by dt36; 28-09-2020 at 10:30.

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    Racer Decade Plus User Forest_rallying's Avatar

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    Re: Spring Rates

    Quote Originally Posted by flick5848 View Post
    I currently have 200llb 9 inch and the front is very low and firm but I haven't driven it yet. What length and rate are people using ?

    MK2 escort
    XE engine
    Gaz coilovers (Short)
    Leave well alone until you have got everything else sorted out, you'll probably find it's okay and to your liking. Are the springs measuring 9 inch compressed or is it the free length?

    Graham has listed all the spring rates from yesteryear and are still used to this day on some Rally Cars to great success.

    I was once told by someone in the know 35 years ago that when a Bilstein damper goes rock hard with little movement the shocker's getting knackered.

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    Spanner Monkey

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    Spring Rates

    Quote Originally Posted by dt36 View Post
    What do you have on the rear?

    I wasn't happy with the rear multi leaves on my MK2. Just polybushed (Polysport) the anti tramp bars and fitted new 146ib single leaf springs with Polysport bushes this weekend. My old ones seemed very weak and I think they are long overdue a change. probably 40 years old if originals.

    Took off a set of Gp1 Bilstiens, that are old, very firm/harsh ride on the road.

    I ordered new adjustable Gaz shocks, but there is a massive backlog on them. MST have now amended my order to adjustable AVO shocks, but they are also on a delay.

    Thought I'd give you a heads up on the shocks, just in case you are thinking of swapping them out.

    Even though I've gone for 146ib springs, I'm hoping that new shocks set at a softer rebound will improve the ride. Also hoping that Polysport (yellows) are not too hard a bush compound. Knowing my luck, this set up will end up firmer than what I already have...
    Thanks for the info.

    Fortunately no rush to change the inserts as I've just started the car's 3rd restoration so have the best part of a year to sort it.

    Running single leaves on the rear with Spax adjustable shocks set to 8/10 on the road and 1/10 on the strip. Fitted them in 1997. Can't remember the poundage but 146Ib definitely rings a bell. Not decided what I'm doing with the rear beyond a Watts linkage.

    Up to now I've always used standard Ford bushes front and rear. Last forever on the leaf springs but TCA bushes need changing every 18 months to 2 years.

    Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

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    World Champion Decade Plus User alladdin's Avatar

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    Re: Spring Rates

    i tried spax more than once - took them strait off as seemed solid with no damping action. i like the gp1 billies to be honest.

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    Re: Spring Rates

    Quote Originally Posted by flick5848 View Post
    I currently have 200llb 9 inch and the front is very low and firm but I haven't driven it yet. What length and rate are people using ?

    MK2 escort
    XE engine
    Gaz coilovers (Short)
    If you are using the std ARB then go a bit softer (175 / 12") ; if you have thinner ARB then stay with the 200 springs but also get 12" free length items.

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    Spanner Monkey

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    Re: Spring Rates

    Bilstien adjustable coilovers, with 300 Faulkner springs, if I remember right, 11". Mainly track but when I do drive on the road its not that bad.
    The car is pretty low but if I need it lower I would need 10 or maybe 9's, so Id say the height is right but as mentioned, you need to try first, poundage it's a very personal choice.

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    Spanner Monkey

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    Spring Rates

    Quote Originally Posted by RS2OOO View Post
    Mk1 Escort road car, originally crossflow, then Pinto since around 1996/7. Always ran it on 175's (with Bilstein inserts) and stuck with them when converting to coilovers.

    Getting older now and don't drive like I used to so considering a slightly softer set-up and may seek to achieve this through softer inserts since the Bilsteins are rock solid as well as having been on the car 27 years.
    Correction... Found the receipt for the front 2/14 springs today and they are 200lb, not 175 as quoted.

    According to the receipt I paid £64 for the entire 2/4" conversion kit including cups, abutment rings, threaded tube and the actual springs from rally design back in the day.

    I find the front end too stiff but on looking at spring rates for 2 1/4s it seems mine are at the softer end of the range.

    The bilstein inserts weren't rock solid like I quoted either, whipped them out today and they're quite easy to compress, and in perfect working condition. Bought them in 1995 and I couldn't see any reason to change them.

    Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk
    Last edited by RS2OOO; 13-10-2020 at 19:48.

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    Mechanic lowscorts's Avatar

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    Re: Spring Rates

    Faulkners should be able to supply springs in all rates esp being generic 2 1/4"
    https://dfaulknersprings.com/

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