front coil overs 450# spring rate did little to lower front end.

[BriHorse]

Just installed Viking front coil overs on my car and front fender sits at 26.75 inches above ground on stock size tire at the lowest thread height adjustment. Anyone else use 450# springs on their coil overs to try to lower their car? Looks like I will need to order 350# springs.

 

[T-CHRGD]

Please talk to someone with experience with coil overs. If you go with springs that are too soft, you could bottom out the coil overs or coil bind the springs - then you end up breaking things.

 

[scot w.]

What does Viking say?

 

[BriHorse]

I only installed one side. I am going to install the other side on Thursday and see if that makes a difference.

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[mike_stahl2000]

How did you end up making out on this? Did you switch to 350# springs? I just installed the same think with double adjustable, it dropped the car, but damn those springs are tight.

 

[1KWIKSIX]

Just installed Viking front coil overs on my car and front fender sits at 26.75 inches above ground on stock size tire at the lowest thread height adjustment. Anyone else use 450# springs on their coil overs to try to lower their car? Looks like I will need to order 350# springs.

I've got some QA1 350# springs that I'd be willing to swap you straight up for the Viking 450# springs. Same size / style spring so will fit either.
LMK if you're interested.

thx

dave

 

[novaderrik]

don't coil overs have an adjustable ride height?

and damn, these cars use soft springs: the stock replacement IROC springs i put in my Camaro a couple of months ago have a 750 lb rating...

 

[scot w.]

For what it's worth, Ridetech coil overs for the Turbo Regal have a 800 lb rate if you have stock OEM A-arms and 700 lb spring rate if you have the RideTech "Tru-Turn" A-arms and the difference is because Ridetech moved the shock mounts which requires less rate... 350 sounds pretty low comparing it to the basic weight of the front end of those cars.

 

[mike_stahl2000]

I just put in UMI tubular upper and lower front control arms with extended upper ball joints, tubular lower and double adjustable uppers on the rear with Viking double adjustable coilovers on all 4 corners. I have 150# springs on the rear which are perfect and 450# springs on the front and the front rides like a lowered civic. Bounces instead of a fluid like float with the bumps. My intention was to have it almost feel like stock and be able to tune the shock for aggression when needed. I put the ride hight at 1" below stock. Also have umi front and rear sway bar set. I asked for 350# for the front, but both PST and Viking said definitely 450#. The car it's self is all stock full bodied car A/C and all. Do springs need some time to break in?

 

[scot w.]

I just put in UMI tubular upper and lower front control arms with extended upper ball joints, tubular lower and double adjustable uppers on the rear with Viking double adjustable coilovers on all 4 corners. I have 150# springs on the rear which are perfect and 450# springs on the front and the front rides like a lowered civic. Bounces instead of a fluid like float with the bumps. My intention was to have it almost feel like stock and be able to tune the shock for aggression when needed. I put the ride hight at 1" below stock. Also have umi front and rear sway bar set. I asked for 350# for the front, but both PST and Viking said definitely 450#. The car it's self is all stock full bodied car A/C and all. Do springs need some time to break in?

Curious, If PST & Viking both say definitely 450# springs, what is their explanation to why the car bounces like a lowered Civic?

We have done extensive testing the corner weights of several Turbo Regal's including our own GNS test car and if a car basically weighs 3,500 lbs like most GN's or Turbo Regals do (give or take a few lbs) and have front corner weights of 976 -979, a 450# spring is going to have a hard time supporting each 900+ end ...

 

[ravege]

You modify spring height to affect ride height, not spring rate. Some coilovers have a threaded shock body on which the lower spring perch mounts. Spin it up or down to raise/lower ride height in fine increments, or change out spring (say 10" to 8") to raise/lower by larger margins, *not* the same size spring with a different rate. By lowering the rate below what the car requires, yes you can lower it, but you start to approach spring bind and make the ride feel even more boat like than it does already. You might be able to control some of the spring bounciness if the shocks are adjustable, but that's a band aid solution.

 

[novaderrik]

out of curiousity: what are the stock spring rates in a TR? the springs in my T Type look damn near as beefy as the 750# IROC spec Moog springs i put in my Camaro..

 

[mike_stahl2000]

They are 10" springs 450# front, rear are 12" springs 150#, the shock bodies are threaded as well. I have the car set at 1" below stock. Rear feels great but front is super tight. The shocks are double adjustable. I have low settings on all of them. It was basically a start out setting. 2C-6R on front and 1C-3R on rear. I will play with it more Friday and see what happens.

 

[mike_stahl2000]

Just a update, emailed Viking, explained to them the issue. They said it's as easy as just lowering the settings on the shocks. So decreased the fronts to 0-2 and rides perfect. I knew you could custom set the shocks, but in no way did I ever think that it would be that dramatic of a difference. Thanks for everyone's input.