I'm buying the D2 RS coilovers but not sure what spring rate. I want to lower my car but I mainly want it to handle well, I plan on going to auto x events in future but I need the car to be bearable driving through Philadelphia as well because I go to the city alot. The standard spring rate is 8k/6k I'm wondering if this would suite my needs and or if I should get stiffer on the back because I tend to ride with a full car sometimes and I like an *** happy ride anyway. Would 8k/10k b a good setup?

 

The 8f/10r will definitely help you handle around corners and wherever you plan on taking it. It's a setup a lot of people go with, however, if you will be having passengers often, or if you have a sensitive bottom, there may be complaints about the harshness of the ride.

By riding with a full car, do you mean passengers or cargo? If passengers, and your passengers are just friends/acquaintances, I'd say let 'em deal with it. If your passengers will be family, parents, children, etc. I may consider 8k if their comfort is a primary concern, which it seems like it may be based on your mention of it. If your mention of a full car just implies carrying cargo, etc. then I think you'll be happy with the 10k rears.

 

My full car is passengers- sometimes my parents and little sister most of the time my friends who are all car people so I'm thinking harshness isn't a concern. As long as its not going to feel like their organs are falling to the ground right ?

 

Not unless you really nail a pothole. It'll be a bit more rough, but shouldn't be unbearable. Have you checked in the regional forums to see if there's anyone in NJ/NY with a similar setup that would be willing to give you a ride?

 

I run 8k/6k f/r on my car, with a full load of passengers the springs can't keep the suspension off the bump stops. With just me, the ride is fine. I'd venture to say that you'd wanna go w/ 8k/8k minimum. 9k/9k might be better if you run a full load of passengers semi regularly. Yeah, the ride ~might~ be a little stiff, but it's "comfortable" compared to constantly bouncing off the bump stops.

The thing you gotta remember is, when you add people to the car the car gets heavier, which counters the stiffness of the springs a bit. So, what's "comfortable" when empty may be completely useless with a full load, and conversely, what's ridiculously stiff while empty, may be acceptable with a full load of passengers.

After running through some calculations on another site ( http://www.ridetech.com/info/spring-rate-calculator/ ), 10k springs on the rear will center the rear suspension with a 3 to 4 passengers + driver in the car, assuming an average weight of 200lbs per person. Having the suspension travel centered will give the best ride comfort. This information is also based on tech specs for BC Racing BR style coil-overs, which is what I use.

So, if I were to tweak my current suspension, I'd swap the springs for 9k/9k, mainly because it would be the best balance between handling (while empty) and comfort w/ passengers.

 

Interesting, this is very useful info for me -- the BC BR's don't alter suspension travel based on ride height so even if I was to keep mine close to stock height (my plan), the 8/6 springs that it comes with by default would still have me riding on bumpstops with passengers

 

I already told vendor 8k/10k. Thanks guys for the info. I hope I didn't make a mistake only doing 8 in front

 

i have 8kF and 7k Rear on a sportback. I think 8k all around is probably the best. If you don't like it, you can always buy swift springs at different rates.

 

Does the rear still ride on the bump stops with passengers with your 7k rears?

 

I went Swift 8k F 8k R and with factory sways the car is pretty flat through the corners and almost neutral with the slightest tendency to oversteer. I can induce a little oversteer with my right foot when I want to.

With both my neighbors in the back seat (car's not slammed. About a 1.5" drop all around) I have no issues rubbing or bottoming out.

Hope that helps some of you guys make a decision.

 

im going to get 9k front 10k rear for autox. Want to have more oversteer happening.

 

Only with a full car and big bump.. but i think this is also because i did not go with higher quality swift springs and because I have to adjust the dampening to be a little harder. with the sportback you have to either cut a hole in the sheetmetal to run an extender thru or take off the coilover to adjust the dampening. In the sedan you already have a whole at the top for the extender.

 

Perfect thanks guys!
As I am on the street only, some safe understeer for pleebs like me is in order, so 8/7 it is

 

I think I'm gonna do either 8/10 F/R or 10/12 F/R gotta talk to fortuneauto technician first

 

im installing my coils tomorrow, i went with 8/10 ill let u know how it is.