Stiffer rear springs

jhauschild · 03-15-2008, 11:10 AM

Are there stiffer springs available that wouldn't lower my car, but just stiffen it up.?

jhauschild · 03-16-2008, 07:23 PM

I was just looking at other options. Adjustable struts, not coil overs. Would this work.? Again, I want to stiffen the rear. The issue that I am having isn't with sharp bumps, but with long, dropping dips. The car seems to bottom out a bit when its weight drops into the dip, and the road rolls back up. If you can follow me. It doesn't happen very often, but it has to go.

lbridges · 03-16-2008, 10:45 PM

As far as I know, the answer to the first post is no. I believe the TRD springs have the least drop of any of the aftermarket pieces.

As to the second, you could install a set of Koni's and turn up the 'stiffness'. The success of that will depend on how long the compression force is exerted.

The only fully successful solution would be a set of coil-overs that would support OEM ride height (not all will, and no I don't know which do/which don't - this is all based on things I've read, not experienced - I'm still on stock struts/springs).

Gairloch · 03-17-2008, 04:53 AM

I'm having a really hard time understanding what you're looking for here. So you feel like the suspension is compressing too much when the road dips then rises again?

I strongly recommend that you NOT only replace the suspension on the rear. The dynamics of the car will probably get really schizophrenic if you do.

jhauschild · 03-17-2008, 03:10 PM

Ok, this is the deal. I put wheel spacers on the rear. There should be plenty of clearance. But when I drive over a long dip the tires will rub somewhere in the back. Very little though, and once in a great while, not every dip. I think I have to be on the gas too. It doesn't hit on sudden bumps like pot holes. It may be hitting one of the bolt heads that are on the inside of the fender lip. I could probably leave it be. It's very little. But It would drive me nuts. I would need very little adjustment to get rid of it....

jhauschild · 03-17-2008, 05:41 PM

Alrighty. I thought I would try to find out where the tire(s) are hitting. So I ran a bead of wax all along the inside lip of the rear wheel openings, where the tire(s) would hit if they could. While standing on the inside door sills , I jumped my 240lb ass up and down as hard as I could, rocking the poor car back and forth. Darn near blew a nut. I figured the wax would leave a mark on the tires. I did so on both sides. Nothing on the drivers side but two tiny little dots on the passenger side, about a quarter of an inch down the side wall. The dots were about .05" in diameter, to put it into perspective. So what to do? I don't want to change tires or replace the spacers with slightly thinner ones.....too pricey. Besides my funds are spent elsewhere on the car.....besides it doesn't look to be damaging anything or even leaving marks on the tires.

supunna_picta · 03-17-2008, 07:20 PM

Buy a set of 03+ OEM Spyder struts/springs. They'd be cheap and they're definitely higher than 00-02 m.y. Car would look like a roller skate but it prob wouldn't rub.

Does anyone make progressive rate springs to replace stock and would that work? More force applied the closer to the tire it gets? Oooh, or could a machine shop just mill off your current spacers to a thinner spec?

Gairloch · 03-18-2008, 05:34 AM

Getting the fenders rolled would probably be the easiest/cheapest solution.

jhauschild · 03-18-2008, 03:35 PM

The fenders are darn near rolled from factory. The lip goes into the wheel well upwards at a steep angle.
There is room on the back side of the spacers to turn off about .100", that would be more than enough. But, I need to get in contact with the manufacturer to make sure that the integrity of the spacer would remain. I have also looked into progressive rate springs. There are several manufacturers out there. I am waiting for a reply back from one in particular. I am also looking into spring rubbers. They would basically have the same effect as the progressive rate springs. A plus would be that I would have several different compounds to choose from to adjust the spring rate. Keeping them in place may require some minor fabricating if need be. I have also given the fenders a good yank. It looks like that may have pulled them out a bit. I have not driven it since, so I am not sure that it helped. To be honest with ya, as little as it hits, it may have done the trick.

jhauschild · 03-21-2008, 06:53 PM

Well, as it turns out, the progressive rate springs would not work. Manufacturer said that the springs start out softer than OEM then becoming stiffer. Special ones would have to be made.
I went with spring rubbers. The manufacturer set me up with what I would need and so forth. They will stay in place on there own. Will not lift the car from its OEM height. They basically end up acting like dampers before the spring gets compressed to the point of tire contact. The rear will have less roll as a bonus.
I'm happy again.

supunna_picta · 03-22-2008, 12:34 AM

Cool. Good follow up - I know others have been down this road and not bought rims due to rubbing, nice to know there is a potential solution.

Gairloch · 03-22-2008, 02:03 AM

Are you talking about rubber bumpers that fit into the coils?

jhauschild · 03-22-2008, 05:54 AM

Yes. They fit in the coils. They are the exact same thing used in Nascar and other race organizations. You sort of snake them around the entire spring, just the circumference worth once. They aren't really rubber URETHANE / POLYURETHANE. The application engineer I worked with was very helpful and understood my situation right off the bat. They must have bumped into this type of thing with other folks in the past.

03-15-2008, 11:10 AM	#1 (permalink)
jhauschild fabricator Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: wi, usa Posts: 252 Thanks: 20 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post iTrader Rating: (3/100% )	Stiffer rear springs Are there stiffer springs available that wouldn't lower my car, but just stiffen it up.?

03-17-2008, 03:10 PM	#5 (permalink)
jhauschild fabricator Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: wi, usa Posts: 252 Thanks: 20 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post iTrader Rating: (3/100% )	Ok, this is the deal. I put wheel spacers on the rear. There should be plenty of clearance. But when I drive over a long dip the tires will rub somewhere in the back. Very little though, and once in a great while, not every dip. I think I have to be on the gas too. It doesn't hit on sudden bumps like pot holes. It may be hitting one of the bolt heads that are on the inside of the fender lip. I could probably leave it be. It's very little. But It would drive me nuts. I would need very little adjustment to get rid of it.... Last edited by jhauschild; 03-17-2008 at 04:20 PM.. Reason: added

03-17-2008, 05:41 PM	#6 (permalink)
jhauschild fabricator Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: wi, usa Posts: 252 Thanks: 20 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post iTrader Rating: (3/100% )	Alrighty. I thought I would try to find out where the tire(s) are hitting. So I ran a bead of wax all along the inside lip of the rear wheel openings, where the tire(s) would hit if they could. While standing on the inside door sills , I jumped my 240lb ass up and down as hard as I could, rocking the poor car back and forth. Darn near blew a nut. I figured the wax would leave a mark on the tires. I did so on both sides. Nothing on the drivers side but two tiny little dots on the passenger side, about a quarter of an inch down the side wall. The dots were about .05" in diameter, to put it into perspective. So what to do? I don't want to change tires or replace the spacers with slightly thinner ones.....too pricey. Besides my funds are spent elsewhere on the car.....besides it doesn't look to be damaging anything or even leaving marks on the tires. Last edited by jhauschild; 03-17-2008 at 06:01 PM..

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03-16-2008, 07:23 PM	#2 (permalink)
jhauschild fabricator Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: wi, usa Posts: 252 Thanks: 20 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post iTrader Rating: (3/100% )	I was just looking at other options. Adjustable struts, not coil overs. Would this work.? Again, I want to stiffen the rear. The issue that I am having isn't with sharp bumps, but with long, dropping dips. The car seems to bottom out a bit when its weight drops into the dip, and the road rolls back up. If you can follow me. It doesn't happen very often, but it has to go.

03-16-2008, 10:45 PM	#3 (permalink)
lbridges No Skills Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: East Central FLA Posts: 144 Thanks: 1 Thanked 12 Times in 12 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	As far as I know, the answer to the first post is no. I believe the TRD springs have the least drop of any of the aftermarket pieces. As to the second, you could install a set of Koni's and turn up the 'stiffness'. The success of that will depend on how long the compression force is exerted. The only fully successful solution would be a set of coil-overs that would support OEM ride height (not all will, and no I don't know which do/which don't - this is all based on things I've read, not experienced - I'm still on stock struts/springs).

03-17-2008, 04:53 AM	#4 (permalink)
Gairloch Dreaming of apexes Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 5,313 Thanks: 139 Thanked 296 Times in 264 Posts Blog Entries: 4 My Google Map iTrader Rating: (7/100% )	I'm having a really hard time understanding what you're looking for here. So you feel like the suspension is compressing too much when the road dips then rises again? I strongly recommend that you NOT only replace the suspension on the rear. The dynamics of the car will probably get really schizophrenic if you do.

03-17-2008, 07:20 PM	#7 (permalink)
supunna_picta No Skills Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 222 Thanks: 2 Thanked 23 Times in 22 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Buy a set of 03+ OEM Spyder struts/springs. They'd be cheap and they're definitely higher than 00-02 m.y. Car would look like a roller skate but it prob wouldn't rub. Does anyone make progressive rate springs to replace stock and would that work? More force applied the closer to the tire it gets? Oooh, or could a machine shop just mill off your current spacers to a thinner spec?

03-18-2008, 05:34 AM	#8 (permalink)
Gairloch Dreaming of apexes Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 5,313 Thanks: 139 Thanked 296 Times in 264 Posts Blog Entries: 4 My Google Map iTrader Rating: (7/100% )	Getting the fenders rolled would probably be the easiest/cheapest solution.

03-18-2008, 03:35 PM	#9 (permalink)
jhauschild fabricator Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: wi, usa Posts: 252 Thanks: 20 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post iTrader Rating: (3/100% )	The fenders are darn near rolled from factory. The lip goes into the wheel well upwards at a steep angle. There is room on the back side of the spacers to turn off about .100", that would be more than enough. But, I need to get in contact with the manufacturer to make sure that the integrity of the spacer would remain. I have also looked into progressive rate springs. There are several manufacturers out there. I am waiting for a reply back from one in particular. I am also looking into spring rubbers. They would basically have the same effect as the progressive rate springs. A plus would be that I would have several different compounds to choose from to adjust the spring rate. Keeping them in place may require some minor fabricating if need be. I have also given the fenders a good yank. It looks like that may have pulled them out a bit. I have not driven it since, so I am not sure that it helped. To be honest with ya, as little as it hits, it may have done the trick.

03-21-2008, 06:53 PM	#10 (permalink)
jhauschild fabricator Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: wi, usa Posts: 252 Thanks: 20 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post iTrader Rating: (3/100% )	Well, as it turns out, the progressive rate springs would not work. Manufacturer said that the springs start out softer than OEM then becoming stiffer. Special ones would have to be made. I went with spring rubbers. The manufacturer set me up with what I would need and so forth. They will stay in place on there own. Will not lift the car from its OEM height. They basically end up acting like dampers before the spring gets compressed to the point of tire contact. The rear will have less roll as a bonus. I'm happy again.

03-22-2008, 12:34 AM	#11 (permalink)
supunna_picta No Skills Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 222 Thanks: 2 Thanked 23 Times in 22 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Cool. Good follow up - I know others have been down this road and not bought rims due to rubbing, nice to know there is a potential solution.

03-22-2008, 02:03 AM	#12 (permalink)
Gairloch Dreaming of apexes Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 5,313 Thanks: 139 Thanked 296 Times in 264 Posts Blog Entries: 4 My Google Map iTrader Rating: (7/100% )	Are you talking about rubber bumpers that fit into the coils?

03-22-2008, 05:54 AM	#13 (permalink)
jhauschild fabricator Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: wi, usa Posts: 252 Thanks: 20 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post iTrader Rating: (3/100% )	Yes. They fit in the coils. They are the exact same thing used in Nascar and other race organizations. You sort of snake them around the entire spring, just the circumference worth once. They aren't really rubber URETHANE / POLYURETHANE. The application engineer I worked with was very helpful and understood my situation right off the bat. They must have bumped into this type of thing with other folks in the past.