AdiSRI
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Registered: 1st May 02
Location: Berkshire
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Currently my FK highsport coilovers seem a bit soft with quite a lot of bodyroll and i have been reccomended stiffer springs.
Can anyone reccomend a spring poundage to me that might be better as there are lots available.
The current springs are
180mm in length and 60N/mm (350lbs/inch
available changed springs are 170mm long (1cm shorter)and available in
405lbs/inch (70N/mm)
460lbs/inch (80N/mm)
520lbs/inch (90N/mm)
579lbs/inch (100N/mm)
695lbs/inch (120N/mm)
Any ideas???
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TOMAS
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Registered: 7th Aug 02
Location: Nottinghamshire
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Woah what engine are you running again? Are you 100% sure your current front springs are 350lb as I very much doubt they can be if your saying things are soft?
As you prob know im running 300lb springs and although I have still only got my 1.2 16V engine in ATM things are VERY stiff upfront (so to speak LOL)! Seems strange, are you sure that the bodyroll isnt from the rear end?
What rears are you using?
If things are soft the only answer is to uprate the springs, its pot luck trial and error but as I say 350lb is pretty damn hard to begin with... Watch you dont go for too high a poundage otherwise the dampers will start to react badly (bounce)...
Youve baffled me!
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AdiSRI
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Registered: 1st May 02
Location: Berkshire
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right car engine is a X14XE, and its stiff but not very stiff if u get m8.
what im being told there is information i have been given by my FK Coilovers supplier so im trusting that it is right, but i dont know for sure.
The rear springs are the Std ones on the ?Highsports, but they dont make any different rear ones...
Ill have a good drive later and see if i can tell where its rolling.
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TOMAS
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Registered: 7th Aug 02
Location: Nottinghamshire
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Well to give you an idea Spax fit 265lb on their coilover RSX kits which is suited to cover the whole 1.0-1.6 Corsa range. Ive spoken quite a bit to the technical guru's at Spax about what setup would be suited to a Valver engine as mines on the way and they said try a 300lb or even a 320lb spring. I really do doubt that FK would supply 350lb springs as std - could you imagine a 1.0 12V with 350lb springs... it would crack the chassis!
How local to Nottingham are you? Best bet would be to go for a spin in my car with me although its a 5door I cant see there being that much difference...
And honestly speak to the serious valver tuners on MIG and they will tell you that 350lb is seriously hard for a corsa with a Valver let alone a 1.4...
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AdiSRI
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Registered: 1st May 02
Location: Berkshire
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These are all the springs that are available for the FK highsports, so the only other one the standard ones could be are the 50N/mm ones...
80/20
100/70
100/80
100/90
120/60
120/80
140/50
140/60
140/70
140/80
140/90
170/70
170/80
170/90
170/100
170/120
180/50
180/60
200/30
200/50
200/60
250/60
250/70
Also what difference will it make going to shorter springs?
The car will be lower at the same height on the coilover shaft, but anything else?
Im in berkshire, near reading so notingham is a fair trek away.
A mate local bought the same kit for his tigra and it seems much stiffer i just dunno, maybe if i can get the springs code off it then i can email FK and ask...
[Edited on 28-09-2004 by AdiSRI]
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AdiSRI
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Registered: 1st May 02
Location: Berkshire
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Going by FK's list the softest ones they make in the correct length are 50N/mm, 290lbs....
maybe its them that are standard?
Also others like siberia say there cars are very hard, seems like just mine that isnt.
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TOMAS
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Registered: 7th Aug 02
Location: Nottinghamshire
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Bit of a ball ache but if you want to know for sure whip the springs off, go looking through the yellow pages under spring manufacturers and give some a call to see if they have a rate tester as i'd imagine most would and they would only charge a couple of quid to check...
Shorter/longer does ne make any difference but you need to get the correct length for your dampers however if you have helper springs too you have to take them into account. Its just to make sure that you dont dislocate the spring when you jack the car or jump it (if that ever happens lol).
Other than that ive got no more advice im affraid...  
Ohh and you got pressure in your tyres yey?
[Edited on 28-09-2004 by TOMAS]
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AdiSRI
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Registered: 1st May 02
Location: Berkshire
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Well im told the current spring is 180mm long, would fitting a 1cm shorter one cause any trouble that you can imagine?
Just been out and had a look my springs are FK 1865, and the front seems stiff (can barely move it) but the back end can be moved eassily putting weight on the back....
So maybe you are right and its the back thats the problem and need some custom springs made up stiffer...
Tyre pressures were ok last time i chacked, ill have a look tho.
[Edited on 28-09-2004 by AdiSRI]
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TOMAS
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Registered: 7th Aug 02
Location: Nottinghamshire
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Same as mine, can hardly get the front to compress putting weight on it but the rear - if I sit on the boot edge it will virtually bottom out. Be very carefull about running hard rear springs as they can give you some nasty suprises and arse end happy moments (which arent fun in a corsa). There is nothing wrong with a soft spring, generally for performance you SHOULD run the softest you can get away with. Is there excessive bodyroll i.e more than std (if thats poss lol)? Are your shocks bottoming out a lot over bumps (riding the bumpstops)?
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AdiSRI
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Registered: 1st May 02
Location: Berkshire
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Thats a question, im not sure i have any bumpstops in there...
The fronts certainly dont bottom out but the rears could be...
Looking on the FK site it shows these and says :-
These bump Stops are necessary for cars which have separate shocks and springs at the rear axle. This bump stop is fitted underneath the minibloc spring and avoids also destruction of the shock on bad roads.It is is also made of weather-, oil- and fuel-resistant long lasting rubber.
Its not more bodyroll than std but it feels more to me than i had even with my apex -40mm kit.
If i drive the car a bit or over speedbumps then the rear wheels hit the inside of the metal even withput rear passengers, with 3 passengers it rubs virtually all the time.
Also when i corner the wheel on the outside of the corner often rubs on the plastic arch as the car tilts so that side compresses such that the tyre touchs the plastic.
Im guessing harder springs will stop this but i dont know what it would do to the handling. Should i just pursue getting a bigger ARB or try removing the bar entirely?
[Edited on 28-09-2004 by AdiSRI]
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TOMAS
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Location: Nottinghamshire
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Ahh if youve not got any bumpstops that would explain. Without bumpstops you should theoretically have much more suspension travel which is why you get so much scrub and possibly why you get so much bodyroll... Jack it up and take a look. Do you get a metal 'bang' when you say drive over a smallish pothole/sunken drain?
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AdiSRI
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Registered: 1st May 02
Location: Berkshire
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i dunno if i would describe it as a bang, if the shocks came with bumpstops on them then it shud have them but otherwise it wont as it was fitted at a garage.
Also i edited the post above, dunno if u know anything about those type of stops??
I wouldnt say i get a metal bang really but then again i dont really know what sorta noise that is, one of those where u need a go in my car !
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TOMAS
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Registered: 7th Aug 02
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Trust you'd know the noise cos normal perople would be thinking fuck me your cars going to fall to pieces! Those bumpstops would suite the rear springs on a corsa but normally you fit the rear bumpstops on top of the dampers body/around the piston rod...
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AdiSRI
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Registered: 1st May 02
Location: Berkshire
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So u think i should have a look and see if i have any?
How would i be able to tell? Will i be able to see it sat on the ground?
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TOMAS
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Registered: 7th Aug 02
Location: Nottinghamshire
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Best to jack it up... they will be like big rubber cotton reel shaped things which should sit on top of the damper body.
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Joff
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Registered: 17th Oct 00
Location: Cambridgeshire
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Without reading above for spring poundage rates, the FK spring (coilover) part number is made up of the poundage and a couple of other measurements - I think one is the unsprung height.
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AdiSRI
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Registered: 1st May 02
Location: Berkshire
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thanks Joff mine r FK 1865's wud that make then 180mm long and either 50/60 N/mm??
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Ian
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Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
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Surely you only need higher poundage springs if the axle weight is higher?
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AdiSRI
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Registered: 1st May 02
Location: Berkshire
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i prob dont need higher poundage springs at all, just the amount of bodyroll i get undermines my confidence when cornering, it just feels wrong!
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Siberia
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Registered: 9th Oct 03
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strange strange strange.... i only had a mate up there and we were pushing the car down to see how stiff it was.....
ya can barely move mine especially in the rear.....
his golf gti was like a whale boucing around(still prefer it though )
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AdiSRI
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Registered: 1st May 02
Location: Berkshire
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my rear is ell soft, open the tailgate and you can move the car loads with one hand.
The front is hard to move mind.
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