Rear spring rates

Gfhug · Post by **Gfhug** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 4:06 pm

Do we have a final solution for the rear springs as I hope to order complete shock/spring sets in two or three weeks time and it would be nice to be certain about whether it's safe to order them?

Seeing comments on another thread about badly made shocks are any supplied in reliable quality?

Thanks
Geoff

Simonpfhc · Post by **Simonpfhc** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 4:43 pm

Hi Geoff,

Not really got any closure on this. There are a handful of people (on this thread) who definitely have these slightly stiffer springs. We really need someone to fit these springs and check the ride height.

Having said that, SNG have confirmed that they have not changed supplier and have sold "hundreds" of these, so if the ride height is higher, it may only be by a tiny amount??

Of course I now need to go and check my recently purchased Boge shocks too to check of they are made straight!

Cheers.

Gfhug · Post by **Gfhug** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 5:24 pm

Thanks Simon. Looks necessary to ask the suppliers to check the boge shocks including the combined shocks/springs before they ship them

adam · Post by **adam** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 6:18 pm

Hi it would be kind if you called the paint on the dust shrouds and shocks a transit primer. better to buy them, paint yourself and put them together. I will post pics soon and give ride height comparison between old and new.

Adam

abowie · Post by **abowie** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 10:14 pm

Simonpfhc wrote: We really need someone to fit these springs and check the ride height.

The difference on my 3.8 OTS was about 4cm. I have refitted the original rear shocks.

Post by **mgcjag** » Sat Feb 28, 2015 9:43 am

Andrew.....when u first said not to buy SNG springs u said that your car sat 3in too high?...

.I think that for anyone now looking at rear ride hight they must give a measurement and quote there tyre size and model.....its no good measuring from the wheel arches as these could have been re made......so ideally fron tha IRS bottom plate lowest point of curved lip to the ground Steve

S2 2+2......Vrederstien sprint classice 185HR15(32psi)....7.25in
SNG springs/boge unit fitted 3years ago

abowie · Post by **abowie** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 2:54 am

The initial 3" estimate was made from a picture of my car that I took after installing the IRS. It had no fuel spare wheel or interior in the car although I have a lot of pictures of the car as I've rebuilt it and I got confused at what state the car was. At the time of the post I didn't have the car as it was at the trimmers.

4cm though is the measured difference between the SNG springs and the old springs after the car was fully assembled and had been driven. So 3" is wrong; 4cm is what I actually ended up measuring though.

Sorry for the confusion. I stick to my guns though; the springs marked with yellow/blue paint from SNG are not right for my 3.8 OTS.

Post by **mgcjag** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 2:07 pm

Hi All........A friends S2 ots.....believed original shocks/springs...Dunlop SP 32psi....7.5in rear ride height....bottom of IRS lip...to floor

iani · Post by **iani** » Sat Apr 04, 2015 5:18 pm

S2 2+2 Pirelli Cinturato 185VR15 32 psi, Boge shocks & SNGB Springs give 7.5" from IRS lip to floor. The ride height looks even front to rear.

Ian

Simonpfhc · Post by **Simonpfhc** » Sat Apr 04, 2015 6:13 pm

Thanks for your feedback Ian. It's good to hear that someone has had good results with the SNGB springs ;-)

I wonder if the springs suit the 2+2 better due to the heavier tub? I'm just about to check weights........

Cheers.

and.nox · Post by **and.nox** » Mon May 04, 2015 2:00 am

I've read with interest this thread and noted there's no discussion regarding S3's. I've got a coupe that was sagging in the rear, measuring 175 mm clearance as opposed to the 200mm required. I just received 4 new springs (part no. C32062) from Barratts and have fitted them. Ride height hasn't changed - still about 25mm too low. Shocks are new Boges from Barratts and all bushes on wishbones appear good. the new springs had a free length of about 250mm, as opposed to the old ones which were 258mm. The new ones where a heavier wire and had less coils so I figured that, despite the new ones being slightly shorter, they may still result in a higher ride height. No such luck!!

My question is, are these new springs made in different lengths or with different ratings. My new ones have yellow and green paint marks on them.

MarekH · Post by **MarekH** » Mon May 04, 2015 6:40 am

Dear Andrew,

You'll also need to check and adjust the front ride height.
I doubt that the suppliers have any idea "what the numbers are".

kind regards
Marek

and.nox · Post by **and.nox** » Mon May 04, 2015 7:07 am

Marek,

Front ride height is per spec. Rear ride height measurements taken with full tank of fuel, correct tyre pressures and 70 profile tyres.

I s'pose the other option is to try and get some coil spring spacers in polyurethane to lift it the required amount. Gaz adjustable shocks seem ridiculously expensive

MarekH · Post by **MarekH** » Mon May 04, 2015 7:22 am

Any spacers you put in will have to be machined from something rigid like steel. Polyurethane is a completely unsuitable material to support that sort of pressure.

PM me your email address and I'll send you a sample picture of some that I have in the garage.

kind regards
Marek

Post by **mgcjag** » Mon May 04, 2015 8:06 am

Hi Andrew....SNG Battatts have a metal spacer to fit on top of there springs, I know becaus a friends S3 was a bit low and we fitted them.....as far as i am aware there is no set height for the rear suspension, but most cars i have measured come inbetween 180 and 200....Steve

MarekH · Post by **MarekH** » Mon May 04, 2015 9:03 am

Dear Steve,

The correct ride height is in the s3 manual.

The s3 is a slightly heavier car and so the same ride height as a s1 would be achieved with slightly stronger springs. Using the wrong springs or old springs is why you'd need a spacer.

kind regards
Marek

paydase · Post by **paydase** » Mon May 04, 2015 11:45 am

Yes but...

Putting a spacer may allow recovering the correct car's height but not provide the suitable resistance if the car is heavier.

The right approach would be indeed to look for stronger springs.

Post by **mgcjag** » Mon May 04, 2015 12:11 pm

Hi Marek......yes u are correct the ride height for the S3 is in the manual section 64.25.12 should be 20.08+- .64cm (7.90in +- .25in)....cannot find a reference for S1 or S2 rear ride height......Not sure what profile of tyre was used on S3 for these measurements. But it does state a full tank of fuel On my friends S3 we fitted new springs and boge shocks from Barratts....we did not measure the ride height but my friend wanted a bit more as he used the car in London with all the speed bumps so we fitted the spacer to increase it..Steve

PeterCrespin · Post by **PeterCrespin** » Mon May 04, 2015 1:05 pm

MarekH wrote:Polyurethane is a completely unsuitable material to support that sort of pressure.

Depends. Jaguar used something like polyurethane for the bottom spring pan spacers on the Series XJ models at the front. Having one huge spring per side and at the heavy end, these spacers are stacked to adjust ride height and take more load than the little ones on the IRS. They could be nylon as the bunch I have are that colour, but they are definitely softer than Delrin I've machined on a lathe.

But yes, alloy makes most sense on coil-overs.

Alty Ian · Post by **Alty Ian** » Mon May 04, 2015 8:44 pm

Andy

I fitted new springs and steel spacers to my S3 2+2 last year as its ride height was 170mm and the exhaust constantly grounded on speed bumps, when I took them off the springs were exactly the same spec and length as the old ones, so fitted the spacers and the ride height was then 225mm, actually too high but it has settled down over the last year a bit, it never hits speed bumps anymore :D See the thread below page 3 for more details.

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Rear spring rates

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