Spring rates in race trim.

[Steven_K]

Hi guys, I'm looking for some ideal spring rates for race trim clio.

750club 182 offers 800lb and 400lb .... Is that optimum ?

I'm keen to know people's thoughts

Cheers
Steven

 

[imprezaworks]

@JohnnyE

 

[Steven_K]

400 seems to be the standard tears ... Not got anywhere with the fronts just yet ??

 

[Martin.]

400lbs is quite soft for a race spring!!

My springs are 456lb and 475lb, front and rear respectively. They were only 'track' spec.

For a race spring I'd expect you'd want 500+.

AST race spec springs are 627-687lbs.

 

[Johnc172]

400lb Front and 450lb Rears for mine - but are too soft on track when running slicks. I don;t race either, just track days

 

[Ph1 Tom]

IIRC I was told the cup racers were 500F/1000R

 

[pingpong]

Mk2 Clio cup was (NM - Lb/In) Front 80 - 456, Rear 130 - 741
Mk3 Clip cup was (NM - Lb/In) Front 95 - 542, Rear 130 - 741

... according to my past notes. I'd personally run softer all round and a stiffer rear ARB, maybe no front ARB. Time will tell.

 

[Capitanlento]

clio cup racer ( 182 ) in italy has 180 nm/mm or 180kg/cm at the front and 80nm/mm or 80kg/cm at the rear

 

[Capitanlento]

i had 140N/mm at hte front and coaxial spring at the rear 70n/mm

 

[Steven_K]

So the up shot of this was I followed Sonny172cup threads and have gone for a 500 front and 400 rear ... Losing an 1" off the rear spring in the process.
Hopeful should have them fitted for Monday at Brands

 

[-D4N-]

I've got AST Sportline II's with 80nm (457lbs/mm) on the front and 110nm (628lbs/mm) on the rear.

The car is fully stripped with a fully 6 point cage.

 

[sonny172cup]

So the up shot of this was I followed Sonny172cup threads and have gone for a 500 front and 400 rear ... Losing an 1" off the rear spring in the process.
Hopeful should have them fitted for Monday at Brands

just seen this... depends on how hevey the car is and what tyres you run, half those figures mentioned was if running slicks, believe you are running msa 1a/b list spec tyres.

I was running 400lb rear and 350lb fronts (always stiffer at the rear) now im well over 500lb all round, with stiffer one sat rear to aid turn in.

 

[Steven_K]

just seen this... depends on how hevey the car is and what tyres you run, half those figures mentioned was if running slicks, believe you are running msa 1a/b list spec tyres.

I was running 400lb rear and 350lb fronts (always stiffer at the rear) now im well over 500lb all round, with stiffer one sat rear to aid turn in.

Hi Sonny,
Meant to message to say thanks for the threads lol!
There was zero help from Spax and not many openly provided info ... Ended up at Merlins door with the spring sizes you provided and ran it at brands on Monday and it was spot on!
Ideally i need to be an 1" shorter on the front as I'm now at the bottom of the coilover thread ... Lowest to go .. So next out is the helper spring.
Thanks for the help

 

[sonny172cup]

So your running the Spax coilovers all round?

Nothing wrong with running shorter springs, 7" should be fine up front and I run 9" on the rear... i would run 450lbs all round for your application. HOWEVER, be advised that your shocks will be on or just over the valve limit.

 

[sonny172cup]

The Merlin (Faulkner) springs are pretty good value for money, so it wont hurt to play about. I still ran helper springs all round fyi.

I no longer run that set up, im on ASTs with custom spring rates now.

 

[ben_1990]

Don't know if this is a daft question but why do people run harder on the back

 

[Ian_s]

It moves the lateral load transfer distribution towards the rear of the car thus decreasing mechanical grip at that end of the car and increasing it at the other.

I.e. it decreases understeer/helps turn in.

Similar to running a stiffer rear anti roll bar.