Want front coilovers. What rate???

[five0h2go]

I'm looking to raise the front of my 86 a tad. Right now it's a bit too low with the eibach sportlines that r on the car now. (Spearco, crossmember brace, 3 inch exhaust all r vulnerable since it sits so low). The rate seems fine with the sportlines but i would like to raise the front about a half inch. I'm liking the maximum motorsports coilover kit but i'm not sure what the spring rate is on the sportlines. Any info is appreciated. Here's a picture of the car just before i bought it. (Sorry it's not for sale. Just didn't get to take pics of my own yet!)


Thanks in advance.

[CP86SVO]

I have the Maximum Motorsport Coil-over kit in my car as well. From what I can recall, the Eibach Sportlines are about 660 lb per inch and lower the car about 2 inches. I have 10 inch long, 350 lb/inch Eibach 2.5 inch coil over springs at present. The front suspension in stiff, but not harsh with the coil overs. I believe that the motion ratio for the front springs is roughly 1:4; wheel rate is about 1/4th the spring rate. IOW, a 660 lb per inch stock location spring is equivalent to a 165 lb per inch coil over. However, in reality, it seems to be almost a 1:2 ratio is about right. So, if you would like to maintain approximately the same ride/handling characteristics as you have now, somewhere in the neighborhood of a 300 lb per inch spring, plus or minus 25 lb per inch, would be close. You have to watch out if you go much higher in spring rate, either with a coil over or stock location spring, as the stock Koni SVO strut may not have enough dampening. Also, to install a coil over on a stock SVO strut, you must grind down the upper "packing" nut so the coil over sleeve can slip over the strut.

HTH WS

[five0h2go]

Thanks CP86SVO. That's just the info i was looking for. Probably going to try the 300 lb/inch springs so i think the stock koni's will work. They seem to be fine with the sportlines. Not ready to do the sn95 swap yet for the Koni DA'S. What shocks are you running with the 350 lb/inch springs?

Again, thanks much.

[CP86SVO]

I'm running a pair of SVO Koni's that I had rebuilt and revalved at Truechoice. The struts are revalved to Koni Yellow (Sport) single adjustable specs. They also turned down the packing nut for me at the same time, so that the coil over sleeve would fit easily over the strut. Truechoice claimed that the struts would be adequate for up to a 500 lb per inch coil over spring, which I don't doubt. I'm changing the front spring rate to 400 lb per inch soon. The last time I did an open track event, even the 350 lb per inch springs didn't seem enough.

HTH WS