How do you tel what rear springs you have? |
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How do you tel what rear springs you have? |
Tdskip |
Dec 13 2018, 10:06 PM
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#1
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 3,678 Joined: 1-December 17 From: soCal Member No.: 21,666 Region Association: None |
Time to educate myself on the rear suspension, it seems that the rear springs and shocks have quite a bit of options. Also seems that rear springs are the way to lower the car (seems obvious when I type that) and will have a big impact on ride stiffness.
Is there a way to tell what spring you have, maybe starting with ride height? Are the springs unique colors (common on Alfa’s) to make identification easier? Thanks! |
Dave_Darling |
Dec 13 2018, 11:46 PM
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#2
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914 Idiot Group: Members Posts: 14,981 Joined: 9-January 03 From: Silicon Valley / Kailua-Kona Member No.: 121 Region Association: Northern California |
Stock springs would have paint dots on them denoting spring rate. They were all in the ~50 lb/in range.
Aftermarket springs may have letters and numbers painted or printed on them. That's about it, though. The best way to tell what you have is to pull them off the car and measure them. Compress the spring by some amount of inches, measure how much weight it took to do that. Or put so much weight on the spring and measure how far it compresses. --DD |
Tdskip |
Dec 14 2018, 07:04 AM
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#3
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 3,678 Joined: 1-December 17 From: soCal Member No.: 21,666 Region Association: None |
Stock springs would have paint dots on them denoting spring rate. They were all in the ~50 lb/in range. Aftermarket springs may have letters and numbers painted or printed on them. That's about it, though. The best way to tell what you have is to pull them off the car and measure them. Compress the spring by some amount of inches, measure how much weight it took to do that. Or put so much weight on the spring and measure how far it compresses. --DD Thanks, as always, Dave, I am asking because on this particular ‘74 the rear suspension seems much harsher than the other cars. Not sure if it is shocks or springs but needed the spring tutorial to start figuring it out. |
mepstein |
Dec 14 2018, 07:34 AM
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#4
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914-6 GT in waiting Group: Members Posts: 19,223 Joined: 19-September 09 From: Landenberg, PA/Wilmington, DE Member No.: 10,825 Region Association: MidAtlantic Region |
Stock springs would have paint dots on them denoting spring rate. They were all in the ~50 lb/in range. Aftermarket springs may have letters and numbers painted or printed on them. That's about it, though. The best way to tell what you have is to pull them off the car and measure them. Compress the spring by some amount of inches, measure how much weight it took to do that. Or put so much weight on the spring and measure how far it compresses. --DD Thanks, as always, Dave, I am asking because on this particular ‘74 the rear suspension seems much harsher than the other cars. Not sure if it is shocks or springs but needed the spring tutorial to start figuring it out. I've never purchased a 914 (20 of them) where the rear shocks and springs were any good. It could be yours are just worn out no matter what the spring rate is. |
Tdskip |
Dec 14 2018, 08:03 AM
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#5
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 3,678 Joined: 1-December 17 From: soCal Member No.: 21,666 Region Association: None |
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barefoot |
Dec 14 2018, 08:41 AM
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#6
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,268 Joined: 19-March 13 From: Charleston SC Member No.: 15,673 Region Association: South East States |
Easier way:
Calculate the spring rate from a few dimensions you can make, then use the link: https://www.acxesspring.com/english/compres...lculations.html I measured my spare set (assembled), so free length is a guess, but spring rate not affected. Wire diameter = .387" Coil OD = 4.1" Number of coils = 10 Free length = 15 That yielded a rate of 62 Lb/inch |
dr914@autoatlanta.com |
Dec 14 2018, 09:36 AM
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#7
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914 Guru Group: Members Posts: 7,811 Joined: 3-January 07 From: atlanta georgia Member No.: 7,418 Region Association: None |
vw porsche designed the 914 and 914-6 springs for optimal handling and we like to use the factory spring rates for every day driving. The six and four springs are the same height but the six springs coils are thicker.
The way to lower the car is with a bilstein or koni shock with an adjustable spring plate. That way you are keeping the factory balance but lowering the car correctly and not compromising the ride quality. Important to match front and rear shocks/struts as well so Bilstein front Bilstein rear. So important was it that we kept the factory handling that we had made original 914-4 and 914-6 rear springs, duplicates of original NOS factory parts we had here Time to educate myself on the rear suspension, it seems that the rear springs and shocks have quite a bit of options. Also seems that rear springs are the way to lower the car (seems obvious when I type that) and will have a big impact on ride stiffness. Is there a way to tell what spring you have, maybe starting with ride height? Are the springs unique colors (common on Alfa’s) to make identification easier? Thanks! |
914Toy |
Dec 14 2018, 10:03 AM
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#8
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 715 Joined: 12-November 17 From: Laguna beach Member No.: 21,596 Region Association: Southern California |
What is the factory rear spring rate for the 914-6?
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914forme |
Dec 14 2018, 01:58 PM
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#9
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Times a wastin', get wrenchin'! Group: Members Posts: 3,896 Joined: 24-July 04 From: Dayton, Ohio Member No.: 2,388 Region Association: None |
Easier way: Calculate the spring rate from a few dimensions you can make, then use the link: https://www.acxesspring.com/english/compres...lculations.html (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) The only real answer here with out removing the spring and placing it in a press with a weight plate, and compressing the spring. |
Dave_Darling |
Dec 14 2018, 07:22 PM
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#10
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914 Idiot Group: Members Posts: 14,981 Joined: 9-January 03 From: Silicon Valley / Kailua-Kona Member No.: 121 Region Association: Northern California |
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Mark Henry |
Jan 15 2019, 06:37 PM
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#11
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that's what I do! Group: Members Posts: 20,065 Joined: 27-December 02 From: Port Hope, Ontario Member No.: 26 Region Association: Canada |
Easier way: Calculate the spring rate from a few dimensions you can make, then use the link: https://www.acxesspring.com/english/compres...lculations.html I measured my spare set (assembled), so free length is a guess, but spring rate not affected. Wire diameter = .387" Coil OD = 4.1" Number of coils = 10 Free length = 15 That yielded a rate of 62 Lb/inch I just used the calculator for my set of unknown springs and a set of Weltmeister SP100 100 lbs springs. Specs unknown springs from the late 80's/early 90's bought at AA IIRC. Wire diameter = .475" Coil OD = 4.125" Number active of coils = 9 Free length = 12.5" = 160 lbs (159.5) Specs Weltmeister SP100 (100 lbs), springs are about 4 years old. Wire diameter = .425" Coil OD = 4.250" Number active of coils = 7 Free length = 15" = 120 lbs (119.64 lbs) So either the calculator is wrong or Weltmeister SP100 advertised as 100 lbs are actually 120 lbs springs. My unknown springs 160 lbs sounds about right. |
ConeDodger |
Jan 15 2019, 09:24 PM
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#12
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Apex killer! Group: Members Posts: 23,553 Joined: 31-December 04 From: Tahoe Area Member No.: 3,380 Region Association: Northern California |
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Mikey914 |
Jan 16 2019, 12:17 AM
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#13
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The rubber man Group: Members Posts: 12,638 Joined: 27-December 04 From: Hillsboro, OR Member No.: 3,348 Region Association: None |
Yes we have. Another GB that is pending. This is one of the items that I had started in process that is now done. These will be coming online this month.
Look for more Group Buys soon (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) |
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