180 lbs Progressive Springs... Heads Up or Down, Sorry, Stupid Question Time Again Options

[dbledsoe]

I'm installing Bilstein shocks (rear) on my 914 Buick V6 conversion. I bought 180 lbs progressive springs from PP (which were actually shipped from GPR). My question is, does it make a difference how the progressively wound coils of the spring are positioned i.e., close spaced coils should be at the top, or should they be at the bottom?

I apologize for what is probably a very basic question, but doing a search turned up nothing (that I could find to address the question) and I don't have any experience with progressively wound springs.

More photos tomorrow on my slowly advancing Buick V6 into P914 project (this is/was my first 914 [I have two of them now] and my first engine conversion... other than putting a Volvo B1800 engine in a Sunbeam Alpine 28 years ago... and yes I still have it but that was a lot simpler... or maybe I was less hesitant).


Thanks for your help!

Don

[SirAndy]

QUOTE (Thorshammer @ Jun 22 2005, 08:01 PM)

but in my experience with suspension

i beg to differ ...

thousands of miles on my dirt bikes and now 2 events with my car have shown the same results ....

AX at marina, springs with close spaced coils at the bottom, front of the car was too stiff, sway bar on full soft so i had no bar adjust left, car wouldn't turn in. lots of understeer.
i had to unhook the front bar to get it to turn and then the rear was lose.

AX at alameda, *only* change i made was to turn the springs upside/down. front sway bar hooked up again on full soft, just as at the previous AX.
now i have oversteer from the get-go, car turns in great, rear is mucho lose.
now i can dial in more front bar to get the rear planted better.

in effect, turning the springs upside/down made the rear STIFFER.

which is *exactly* the effect i have seen for many, many years on mine and other dirt bikes using progressive springs ...

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wink.gif) Andy