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Drop Spring Specs: FD3S

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Old 08-16-04, 04:07 AM
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Drop Spring Specs: FD3S

Title has been made simple for search purposes.

I wanted to do a real simple listing here of information I've quickly gathered from manufacturers of springs for the FD. I noticed a couple recent threads, maybe old, who knows I am new. I'm going to be wording this very simple so it is not an advertisement. We do not sell these products. I do however know of places that do. People had concerns about racing beat springs, etc... I've listed and converted specs to standard from metric as my materials are often in metric.

Racing Beat: $208.00 retail
260F, 220R lbs/in
0.75"F, 1.5"R

RS*R Down Springs: $269.00
349F, 261R
0.8"F, 0.6"R

RS*R race springs: $289.00 retail
447F, 391R;
0.4"F, 0.4"R

Espelir ASD spring: $230.00 retail
392F, 313R
1.4"F, 1.4" Rear

From what it looks like RS*R Race would probably suit the active FD autoxer the best. Minimal drop, good suspension travel and the highest of all spring rates. The average street and track person might opt for the Down Spring as it's drop is marginal but still has a good rate to it. The Espelir ASD appears to be for the "baller" bling bling type who would prefer a more drastic lowering to compliment his aero or wheel setups. Obviously because it is the shortest spring, it's spring rate must increase to avoid certain issues like coil bind, etc... Now I'm not sure if that means the ride quality will be sacrificed.

The other spec I do not have is whether or not all of these are linear. I have seen a set of espelirs that for a FF car were linear front for good turn in, but progressive in the rear for good set in as well as ride.

Specs for Eibach and H&R I'm sure are in the archives somewhere. Since I'm new it will take me time to read thru topic searches. I'm sure one of you may have resources for these brands and maybe a few others. I figured we could list them very simply in the same format.

Brand, Model: Retail Price
FSpring, RSpring
FDrop, RDrop

Basic thoughts/hypothesis of how this would relate/compare to the other springs listed. Or better yet, YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE with various ones. We already have seen a lot of feedback from Racing Beat turned H&R users. How about some others.

Have any of you gone from Racing Beat to another. I'm hoping to keep this to OE Style springs, not sleeve coilover/height adjustable systems.

i.e. It is understood that Koni has a slightly variable adjustment perch for the FD. If you ever want to go even lower or play with CG this is a good way. Hence, you may get the Race Spring which lowers only slightly, but with the Yellows may allow you to adjust this even lower if desired.

All statements made are from basic thoughts and assumptions I've made based on the specifications shown above. These views are not the Views of Endless, they are mine as a normal regular person who drives a car.
Old 08-16-04, 11:12 AM
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Great info!
Old 08-18-04, 12:03 PM
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Anyone else have info on H&R or Eibach spring rates? They are progressive so please be specific in explaining the range of the spring rates.
Old 08-18-04, 12:08 PM
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Originally Posted by Endless Work
Anyone else have info on H&R or Eibach spring rates? They are progressive so please be specific in explaining the range of the spring rates.
The Eibachs are linear for the FD3S. Spring rate for them is 350F and 255R.
Old 08-18-04, 12:11 PM
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My dad just installed the RB Springs on his FD. They sure dropped the thing, once they fix the ABS sensor they knocked off I'll take it for a spin and see how it feels. Lets see if the Tokiko shocks made a difference.
Old 08-18-04, 12:13 PM
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Great, thanks Mahjik.

So Eibach Pro Kit is similar to RSR Down springs. How much do they lower?
Old 08-18-04, 12:19 PM
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Originally Posted by Endless Work
Great, thanks Mahjik.

So Eibach Pro Kit is similar to RSR Down springs. How much do they lower?
They are about 1.25" in the front, and probably .5" in the rear.
Old 08-19-04, 03:23 AM
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Perfect. Any other springs?
Old 08-19-04, 08:52 AM
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Tein S-Tech Springs
Spring rates: 436F 324R
Drop: About 1.5" all around
Old 08-19-04, 09:09 AM
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Yes, I'd like to know the spring rate of the H&Rs (I have those with stock Showa R1 shocks).
Old 08-19-04, 09:15 AM
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stock is:

263 fr
195 rear

Tein HA/Flex coilovers spring rate is

566 fr
422 rear

RS*R -- earlier Tein HA

432 fr
378 r

howard coleman
Old 08-19-04, 05:01 PM
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The H&R Sport springs are linear. They are stiffer than Racing Beat. They lower front and rear 1.25". I had rubbing issues in hard cornering with the Racing Beat springs, and that was solved by installing the H&R Sports. The ride isn't noticably rougher. I haven't seen spring rates published for them.
Old 08-20-04, 11:19 AM
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hmm, i'll call HR and see if they will tell me.
Old 08-20-04, 12:25 PM
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Question

Originally Posted by Endless Work
hmm, i'll call HR and see if they will tell me.
Peter Farrell says they're linear also, but no spring rate is mentioned. Funny, I've always thought the H&Rs were progressively rated ??

http://www.pfsupercars.com/mods/rx7/mods_hr_springs.htm

Last edited by SleepR1; 08-20-04 at 12:28 PM.
Old 08-20-04, 03:17 PM
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Originally Posted by SleepR1
Peter Farrell says they're linear also, but no spring rate is mentioned. Funny, I've always thought the H&Rs were progressively rated ??

http://www.pfsupercars.com/mods/rx7/mods_hr_springs.htm

Mind if I ask whats teh difference?
Old 08-20-04, 04:51 PM
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Originally Posted by Mahjik
Tein S-Tech Springs
Spring rates: 436F 324R
Drop: About 1.5" all around
Thats a pretty good/stiff spring rate with quite the drop! Are they linear or progressive? Id like to see a comparison of these and the H&Rs.
Old 08-20-04, 05:11 PM
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I'm not sure of the validity of the following so take it that way.

I read a "dissertation" by a spring manufacturer (he was an engineer) where he basically sneered at the term "progressive" coil spring. He said unless the "lower rate" coils bind (firm contact to the next coil) the spring will keep the lower rate all the time.

It was a very good article, and sorry, don't remember which magazine it was in. Went into all kinds of detail on effects of diameter, wire diameter, metal quality, etc.
Old 08-20-04, 11:03 PM
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Originally Posted by Fatman0203
Mind if I ask whats teh difference?
Progressively rated is where the spring has a soft initial spring rate, but gets stiffer as the spring compresses. Linear rated springs have the same spring rate as compression increases. This is the way I understand it, but others may be able to articulate this more fluently?
Old 08-20-04, 11:07 PM
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Originally Posted by David Beale
I'm not sure of the validity of the following so take it that way.

I read a "dissertation" by a spring manufacturer (he was an engineer) where he basically sneered at the term "progressive" coil spring. He said unless the "lower rate" coils bind (firm contact to the next coil) the spring will keep the lower rate all the time.

It was a very good article, and sorry, don't remember which magazine it was in. Went into all kinds of detail on effects of diameter, wire diameter, metal quality, etc.
how dare you forget what magazine!
Old 08-21-04, 10:36 AM
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Originally Posted by Mazdabation
Thats a pretty good/stiff spring rate with quite the drop! Are they linear or progressive? Id like to see a comparison of these and the H&Rs.
To my knowledge, the only springs for the FD which might be progressive are the H&R's (and even that is in question at the moment).
Old 08-23-04, 07:24 AM
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Originally Posted by SleepR1
Progressively rated is where the spring has a soft initial spring rate, but gets stiffer as the spring compresses. Linear rated springs have the same spring rate as compression increases. This is the way I understand it, but others may be able to articulate this more fluently?
That's the most fluent way I know to describe it...

A linear spring is rated tp support so many pounds of weight per inch of compression. A 450 pound spring means the spring requires 450 pounds of weight to compress one inch. 675 pounds would compress the spring 1.5 inches, 900 pounds would compress it 2 inches etc.

A progressive spring responds with a rising rate as it's compressed. It may take 450 pounds to compress it one inch and then 1000 pounds to compress 2 inches and then 1600 to compress 3 inches etc. It's very, very tough to say anything about a progressive spring unless you have a spring rater to chart exactly how much force that spring gives for each amount of displacement. You could very easily make the progressive spring essentially linear over most of the displacement until nearly coil bound or you could make it progressive over the entire range. For this reason you won't find a progressive spring described simply as a XXX pound spring. That description just doesn't apply because the spring reacts with more resistance the more it is compressed and that rate of resistance vs. displacement can be all over the place.
Old 08-23-04, 09:27 AM
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Originally Posted by Mazdabation
Thats a pretty good/stiff spring rate with quite the drop! Are they linear or progressive? Id like to see a comparison of these and the H&Rs.
They're linear.
Old 08-23-04, 12:03 PM
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Originally Posted by Mahjik
To my knowledge, the only springs for the FD which might be progressive are the H&R's (and even that is in question at the moment).
Seems like i may have changed my mind. I was going to go with H&R before but i may go with Tein now instead........linear, low drop, and a hard spring rate!
Old 08-23-04, 12:17 PM
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Originally Posted by Mazdabation
Seems like i may have changed my mind. I was going to go with H&R before but i may go with Tein now instead........linear, low drop, and a hard spring rate!
Depending on your tire size, you might need to roll the front fenders. Just make sure to get an aligment done after the installation.
Old 08-23-04, 12:57 PM
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Originally Posted by howard coleman
stock is:

263 fr
195 rear

howard coleman

Wasn't the spring rates from the 94 models softer than the 93 ones? Also are all the spring rates the same from the base,touring, and R2? The main change was shock stiffness correct?


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