Coilover spring rates

[jeffrosie6]

Lookinng to get BC coilovers.

What's the ideal spring rates I should look for considering the dismal state of our roads.

Currently the car is on RS*R coilovers but the bottom height adjusters are so tight, I can't get them undone. 

[Ivacerk]

Let me know if you’d be looking to sell your coilovers 

[jeffrosie6]

11 minutes ago, Ivacerk said:

Let me know if you’d be looking to sell your coilovers 

I probably will once I get the BC's

[jeffrosie6]

Been looking around and will probably go 10 front and 8 rear.

Does that sound about right? 

What spring rates are you'll running? 

[Ivacerk]

Deppends what you plan to use the car for , just fast road setup or ocasional tracking , i know 9kg are quite soft , tein comes in 8/9kg and everyone complains that they’re way too soft , never tried myself but if to choose i’d go with 14/12 or 12/10

[Jgtcracer]

6 hours ago, jeffrosie6 said:

Lookinng to get BC coilovers.

What's the ideal spring rates I should look for considering the dismal state of our roads.

Currently the car is on RS*R coilovers but the bottom height adjusters are so tight, I can't get them undone. 

Are you looking to get new coil overs because the perches are seized? If you’re really struggling, give them to a mechanic or local engineering firm who should be able to sort that…..

[jeffrosie6]

That's a good idea. No local firms that I know, will need to check, and all depends on their hourly rate. The front 2 are seized. Not yet checked the rear..

[Jon Dee]

Have you tried freeing them up with a hammer and pin punch ?

Here are some 2008 ISF spring rates that I dredged up from the internet a while ago when I was looking to change coilovers....

[RichGS11]

I'm at 20/14 but the ride is not for most people, it does however make my car so planted its phenomenal on the road handling wise, you just have to have a strong stomach 😂

[jeffrosie6]

7 hours ago, Jon Dee said:

Have you tried freeing them up with a hammer and pin punch ?

Here are some 2008 ISF spring rates that I dredged up from the internet a while ago when I was looking to change coilovers....

Tks Jon for all that info 👌

Tried various ways to free it but no luck. Given more time, I probably would free it, but I just don't have the time these days...

[jeffrosie6]

Rich, 20/14 may be good for handling, but not on these pothole infested roads and the repairs are just as bad with the potholes emerging within months. 

 

I'm gonna go with the default UK suggested springs of 10/8 and if if find it too soft, I'll move the front springs to the rear and get  set of 12's for the front so it will be 12/10.

[Jgtcracer]

On 4/21/2024 at 11:49 PM, jeffrosie6 said:

That's a good idea. No local firms that I know, will need to check, and all depends on their hourly rate. The front 2 are seized. Not yet checked the rear..

Sorry for only replying now but wouldn’t expect a good mechanic to struggle, particularly if you took them off the car in advance.  Having the right tools and a strong vice makes all the difference.  From experience galvanic corrosion could be the issue but isn’t something some penetrating fluid couldn’t sort….

[jeffrosie6]

Not a problem buddy. That's exactly what I've been doing. Heat and penetrating fluid. Using a 50/50 mix of diesel & aviation hydraulic fluid as that's what I've read that the RAF mechanics used to use to good effect. Got them more or less freed. Fingers crossed the rears are good.

[Jgtcracer]

On 4/25/2024 at 10:48 PM, jeffrosie6 said:

Not a problem buddy. That's exactly what I've been doing. Heat and penetrating fluid. Using a 50/50 mix of diesel & aviation hydraulic fluid as that's what I've read that the RAF mechanics used to use to good effect. Got them more or less freed. Fingers crossed the rears are good.

That’s brilliant, are you going try a different spring rate on the RSR coilovers then?

[jeffrosie6]

The RS*R coilover spring rates are 12kg front and 9kg rear. So already on the stiffer side. They have been pretty good considering the roads here, so guessing I'll stick to the same springs, especially as I'll never track the car.

[Cactus]

Isf is a stiff car to begin with. Imo, there is only a fine margin between less stiff and more stiff  with the different spring rates. I am on kwv3 and on hindsight, I should have gone for something stiffer like hks hypermax to optimise the drive.

 

[4969_LXS]

When my OEM 08 suspension fails, I'll be looking to get the HKS Hipermax, or stick with OEM 2008 spec springs but paired with 2013-2014 dampers. Main problem with the ISF is that it's undersprung and overdamped