MontanaKid

Sup?! Anyone have the factory spring rates specs for a 85gsl-se or any other 1st gen???

85rotarypower

The stock rates are 120lb/in front and 95lb/in rear I think.

MontanaKid

cool. thanks man. apreciate it.

RacerX7fb

http://www.mazdatrix.com/h4579-85.htm

danielson

for some reason that seems really soft to me. i had 250 up front and 180 in the rear on my teg, unless im measuring wrong.

MontanaKid

I like the mazdatrix link, theres some good stuff on there. I'm looking for a nice stiff set up, not to stiff of course. I've got a comp engineering 8 point cage(stiffener) , and I'm actually putting a 5 litre in the 80 gs. The 12a has had it after over 100K miles, and I've got the parts laying around for a swap. I found a complete suspension set, lsd ,brakes, struts,spindles, everthing, off a 85 gsl-se at a salvage yard so I'm putting all that on there. I've got to lighten the front end up as much as I can: no ac, battery in rear, manual brakes, stuff like that. It will still have about 100lbs on the 12a so i'd like to compensate for it as much as possible. It's also gonna get two inch fender flares(sheet metal, real flares) on the rear with 15x9's and one in. flares on the front so 15x8's will fit more comfortably. that's the plan anyway. Any suggestion regarding springs, swaybars or anything else are most needed and welcomed. thanks.

85rotarypower

On the front you might consider the Respeed big brake kit and coil over kit with 300lb springs and in the rear some 175lb springs from mazdatrix. Go with tokico illumina shocks all around and remove the rear sway bar or go to a RB sway bar on the front and rear. Another consideration would be a strut tower brace on the front and 3 link/panhard bar conversion on the rear. That should give you the best possible handling and compensate for the heavier front end well.

I have a spread sheet made up to calculate spring rate based on coil size and number of active coils, but I can't upload it unfortunately. Its really quite accurate. I got the equations from a spring manufacturer.

rotarygod

iTrader: (1)

Remember leverage is everything. The 1st and 2nd gens had Macpherson struts up front. This puts the struts out very far which gives them lots of leverage. The 3rd gens had dual a-arms and their struts weren't mounted out as far. Consequently their spring rates were much higher. They had to be. I suspect your Integra had struts that were mounted a little farther inboard than Macpherson struts which would explain this perfectly.

MontanaKid

hey cool. Yeah both strut towers were gonna get braces, I was thinking 300lb/in on the front also, it's gonna take me sticking everything on and getting it up on some scales for a starting point. One question though, I like the 3 link Idea and I could easily do it, but why the panhard bar, is there bind in the watts set up with the crank being off to the side of the rearend? Obviously there might be some interaction between the two. It could be relocted to the rear with a center crank arm, the panhard would be a little more convenient though, behind the axle, I think. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to get a 50/50 distribution or dang close to it. Also what's your take on urethane bushing for the rear links, as far as bind goes. I've heard they're great while others claim they bind because they are to stiff. The rubber bushings I got from the gsl-se look almost new.

MontanaKid

Nice!!

rotarygod

iTrader: (1)

A watts linkage can work just fine and is theoretically (that being the key word) better than a panhard bar. BUT it needs to be equal length. The 1st gen's in not by any stretch of the imagination. It would be much easier to convert it to a good panhard setup. The 3 link/panhard is an awesome combo on this car. Check out G-Force Engineering. Jim Susko makes what is arguably the nicest suspension setup for the 1st gen. His own car with a track setup on the struts and springs and using autocross compound tires could pull 1.3 G's on a skidpad.

danielson

could be, im still in the beginner level of suspension knowledge as i would call it. my brothers FB suspension is really stiff (rides like a skate board) and its stock i think, its much harder then his s5.

85rotarypower

G-Force Engineering is the company that makes a nice 3 link and panhard bar setup for the 1st gen. I couldn't think of the name earlier. Its not hard to make a 1st gen handle real well. Coil overs on the front with 300lb springs and the 3 link and panhard on the back with 175lb springs will net you a very capable car with good tires. I'd say it could easily do .9g's on a skidpad. Get some power behind that and you could be beating corvettes on the track.

speedturn

iTrader: (1)

The problem with the Watts linkage is that the rear roll center is way too high (the center pivot point on the axle housing is the rear roll center.) Stock is about 12" high.

The panhard bar can be set much lower, putting the rear roll center at a much better height (about 6" high.)