I realize that some coilovers come w/ helper springs. I was just wondering what they were for? I can see that the Tein Ha's have helper springs, but all of their other coilovers don't.

 

Its to help for a softer ride and to keep the coil up so when you hit bumps it doesnt do that shitty cling sound of spring to metal.

 

How come they don't use it in some of the higher model coilovers? I don't think the Tein RE/RA or the top Zeal models don't have the helper springs.

 

because the HA's when they dont have pressure on them they call all the way out. the above models have preload adjustment and such so that when the tire comes off the gound the shock doesnt move very much at all. No need to hlep keep the sping in place and with the higher sping rates in the higher models there would be no point in attempting to achive a softer ride.

 

Can you post a Photo of the "Helper Springs" ?

I have never heard of them but perhaps I know them by a different name??? Just curious

 

Coilovers w/ Helper Springs (little springs under bigger springs):


For race set-ups you need high spring rates, and with higher spring rates, you need a shorter spring to keep the ride height stock or close to stock. So what you have is a short spring and heavy spring rates that will severely reduce suspension travel due to height of the spring and the reduce deflection of the spring cuz its so tight... resulting in a VERY bumpy ride on any road less than perfect.

Helper springs and Progressive springs are designed to allow for a decent ride on the street by allowing more height for suspension travel. The helper springs are softer than the main springs, which allow them to compress and compensate for the suspension travel lost cuz of the heavy spring rate. Progressive springs are basically heavy springs with helper springs built in.

As far as I know, helper springs are not intended to reduce noise or "to hold the main spring up."

 

the helper spring will do nothing for a softer ride, they are fully compressed when the car is at rest under its own wieght.

they basically keep the springs from rattling around when the coilover is not under load. for instance when you are making a sharp left hand turn and all the load is shifted to the right front wheel/coilover, the left side springs will not be compressed very much and they can rattle around on the perches.

by having a helper spring put load on the underside of the main spring, it will keep it from moving around when it is not compressed.

btw: the tein ra's do have them and they do not have shock travel adjustment. alot of misinformation in this thread.

 

So the helper spring just eliminates a sound issue? Does it affect the performance at all?

 

helper springs do NOT give a softer ride
have a look at one when the car is off jacks, it's fully compressed
it only comes into play when the main short spring is compressed and the helper will hold it in place

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Type-Rizzle &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">So the helper spring just eliminates a sound issue? Does it affect the performance at all?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Re-read what everyone just said. It isn't just a sound issue.

 

The Cliffs Notes:
The helper spring keeps the primary spring from unseating during suspension decompression / unloaded suspension states.

An Anecdote:
Ever go over a road with lots of rises and dips? At the peak of each rising section, the car's momentum will continue to be upwards in direction, but the road will be entering a decline. The car's still going up, and the suspension will extend itself to keep the wheels on the road. At higher speeds, the unloading of the suspension becomes more dramatic, and you get that 'lofty' feeling.

One of the problems with 'coilover springs' that use an adjustable spring perch is that when the suspension becomes unloaded at those moments, the spring can unseat from the perch. That's not a good thing. Helper springs are often used as a solution to the problem of design.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chris N &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Re-read what everyone just said. It isn't just a sound issue.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Well everyone seems have a different opinion. Some say they are there to provide a comfortable ride and some disagree. It seems to me that the most logical purpose of helper springs is to keep the main spring in position when it's compressed. It may also reduce some minor rattling although I've never experienced any rattling in the past before.


Modified by Type-Rizzle at 8:37 PM 8/24/2003

 

Oh my.... quite a few misinformation floating around here.

Helper springs are used on coilovers with no preload adjustment.

For coilovers without preload adjustment, when you corner hard enough and do a 3-wheeler around a turn, the wheel that gets picked up in the air would experience full suspension droop (full extension). The main spring would then separate from the perch and move around. When that wheel comes in contact with the ground again, the misaligned spring and perch might cause damage to the shocks or other suspension components. Helper springs are used to line up the main spring and perch when the suspension experiences full droop.

For our car, helper springs are usually used on the rear suspension, because those are the wheels that get picked up most often in hard turns.

 

Wai with the $bling$ answer

 

well wususp guys i got a set of brand new helper springs for sale if yo9u want it. lol. im me if you want. i got a set of brand new teins helper springs.

 

So since the Tein SS, Flex, RA/RE don't have helper springs, do they all have preload adjustment? What about the Zeal B2's? How do you know if they have them or not? It didn't say anything about them on the Zeal or Tein website.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Type-Rizzle &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">How come they don't use it in some of the higher model coilovers? I don't think the Tein RE/RA or the top Zeal models don't have the helper springs. </TD></TR></TABLE>

my TEIN Ra's had them.. yeh the purpose is when u go in and out of drive ways.. your wheel sometimes get off the ground and they make that nasty "PING" sound..

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Type-Rizzle &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">So since the Tein SS, Flex, RA/RE don't have helper springs, do they all have preload adjustment? What about the Zeal B2's? How do you know if they have them or not? It didn't say anything about them on the Zeal or Tein website.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Tein RA and RE have same internal structure. But for the shell, RE has preload adjustment. You can tell if the damper has preload adjustment by just looking at it. The ones that have it has 2 sets of threads, one for the spring perch, and one for the overall shock length. Take a look at the pics of Tein RA and RE and you would see the difference.

For dampers with no preload adjustment and no helper springs, you can use a longer main spring (~10") and don't lower the car too much so that the spring won't separate from the perch as easily.