RE: Handling Information for Series I Alpine

From: Jarrid Gross (Yorba Linda, CA) (GROSS(at)unit.com)
Date: Wed Apr 29 1998 - 14:42:00 CDT


Biull Lewis wrote,

>Jarrid
> I know this thread went out about a year ago, but from what I
>understand, the early series springs have a higher spring rate than the
>later series cars, so that changing the springs may not help. Unless
>cutting them down is what makes the difference, and then couldn't you
just
>lop a half coil off the stock series I and II springs?

A coil spring is a wound torsion bar, where the diameter of the bar,
and its length effect its spring rate. Longer torsion bars have more
twist with a given force, so as length goes up, rate goes down in
a linear fashion.
More coils is more length, so more coils means lower spring rate.
Cut a coil, and you will reduce ride height, but increase the spring
rate.

True, the earlier springs have a higher rate than the later springs, but
the later suspensions have a slightly different pivot point, so it all
comes
out in the wash.

Tigers had to contend with more front end weight, and thus had a higher
spring rate.

Cutting a stock spring will yeild only a small increase in spring rate,
which may not be enough to make a big difference in body roll.

Stock alpines ran about 175 lbs/in, perhaps a tiger would be around
225 lbs/in. Cuting down a stock tiger spring would yeild a net 250
lbs/in
with a lowered ride height, this sounds about right for a good street
compromise.

Currently, there are available springs for the tiger at about 335 lbs/in
rate.
This is just about right for a good full race alpine setup, but a tad
much
for a driver, and taking a coil out to reduce the ride height
of the spring will yield about a 10% increase yet (11 coils to 10 =
10%).

The stock shocks wont provide enough damping for much more
mass/rate, so count on going to adjustable shocks too.

Jarrid Gross



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