Ok here is the deal. I am in the market for a coilover suspension however thats not what this is about. Looking at all the different options I found I have no clue what is a good spring rate and what rates are good for what kind of driving/set up.

I have a 95 EG. I am looking at a coilover kit with a 12k/6k spring rate. Now looking at others there is anything from 8k/6k to 12k/10k. I know that the lower the spring rate the softer the ride. What I am looking for is a stiff suspension that is good for the street. I am thinking around 10k/8k but still not really sure how to apply these numbers to real life.

Any help would be great.

 

PS please don't turn this into a this kit is better than that. I already have a huge list of kits to choose from that fit my budget nicely.

 

I daily drive on 400/400 rates (7k). Personally, I don't think most people would be comfortable with much of a stiffer rate, at least not on these crappy LA roads I drive on. However, for the most part, they feel really good to me, once I got the car high enough to stay off the bumpstops (I really lowered it the first time, tucking tire). It is stiff enough to occasionally launch me out of the seat on some of the bad overpass transitions though.

That said, I'm going to be moving up to 600 lbs/in (10.7k) rates soon, but I'm a glutton for punishment.

For the street, of those values you've listed, 8k/6k sounds the best. Anything stiffer in the back will start to make rear seat passengers hate you, and depending on your tolerance, could very well make you hate your daily commute. I don't see a reason to want stiffer in the front either. If those rates still give you too much body roll, for a street car, then just start adding swaybar until you're happy.

 

i got 380 fronts 430 rears so far its not bad.
im going to upgrade the fronts its a tad too soft.

 

Well first off my back seat is not longer accessable by people since the seats are fixed (no sliders). Also the roads around me are fairly good and I avoid any really bad roads like the plague. I think I may go with one of the 10k/6k ones I found. The one with 12k in the front sounds a bit much but with the hatch all the weight it up front so a little stiffer spring in the front would be nice. Thanks for the help.

 

I'm running 425F/350F (~7.5F/~6R) in a hatch, so I'd really recommend the 8k/6k. It's plenty stiff and this is getting to the edge of what I think is comfortable. The only way I'd consider changing mine is to bring the back up a little. I sure as hell would stay away from 12k/10k (~670F/~550R) for street driving though. But hey that's me.

 

Id say thats about right. 8K 6K is decent for the street, any stiffer no matter how strong your damping is is going to have to hitting your head. Also 12K 6K may make your car feel dissconnected front to back. I had 450f 250r and it felt like I was driving the two front wheels and the rear just followed the car around. Keep your rates closer to each other front to back and your car will feel much more connected. I sitched to 350f 250r and it mad a huge difference. And a lot more comfortable.

 

Firstly, a lot of factors go into determining ride quality, in addition to spring rates, even though the rates you choose will play the largest role. Damping and your wheel/tire choice also will affect ride quality to a degree. And because ride quality is so subjective, there is no formula or set method of determining what is going to be comfortable and uncomfortable for you or anyone.

A "good" spring rate for the street is exactly what the factory provided, since the rates and damping were chosen for a car designed to operate efficiently and comfortably during normal street driving. Obviously you want a little bit more than that, but you're choices are all over the place.

As an example, I drove my GSR with stock suspension, our 8k/6k P1's, 10k/8k P2's, and 12k/10k P3's, and while the P3's were OK for street and highway driving in my opinion, I could definitely see them being too much for many out there. I could also see the 8k/6k's being too much for some as well, because if you think about it, that is a big jump up from stock, so while it seems relatively mild, its pretty aggressive when compared to stock. But generally speaking, 10k/8k seems to be where many will draw the line.

Then thing is, when you start looking at rates like these, you should be doing so for the performance aspect, and with the understanding that as the rates get stiffer, the ride quality will get worse. You cannot have the best of both words, but there are compromises. Some coilovers will compromise more for ride quality, and some less, but the basic premise behind coilovers remains the same: to enhance performance.

If you are looking for something for a street car, those rates might be overkill.

 

i got f 13k, r 9k daily in the oc

 

i got 12k,10k as my daily and love it