As Terry said, those numbers sound like a sport/street rate. As far as I know, the rate is a gross measurement of the amount of force required to compress the spring a given distance. Thus, a 100lb/in spring will take 100 pounds force to compress 1 inch. The same spring with a coil removed will take more force to compress 1 inch, since the force is felt equally by all the coils and (if they are identical) will compress each coil the same amount. So if you had a 5-coil 100 lb/in spring and you cut a coil then the rate would be now 125 lb/in. Hence why cutting coils increases rate.
The reason the higher rate springs you buy are shorter is that since the weight of your car is the same before and after spring install, the force available to compress the spring is the same. Thus the new stiffer springs need to be shorter so that the ride height is not increased. -Jon >===== Original Message From [EMAIL PROTECTED] ===== >150 lb/in does seem very light, but then again, you have to consider how >"long" the spring is, because this is 150 lb per LINEAR INCH. Since this is >a stock spring, it is longer than an ERS spring. I don't know how you >measure the "linear" part in "linear inch", but it is agreeable no matter >how you measure it, the ERS has a smaller value for "linear inch" than a >full length spring. > >So bottom line is to be sure that you take into account the entire spring. > >Hope this helps, > >Mikhal >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Mikhal el Arculli" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2002 1:12 PM >Subject: Re: Spring Rates for the AE-82 Whiteline kit. > > >> 150 lb/in does seem very light, but then again, you have to consider how >> "long" the spring is, because this is 150 lb per LINEAR INCH. Since this >is >> a stock spring, it is longer than an ERS spring. I don't know how you >> measure the "linear" part in "linear inch", but it is agreeable no matter >> how you measure it, the ERS has a smaller value for "linear inch" than a >> full length spring. >> >> So bottom line is to be sure that you take into account the entire spring. >> >> Hope this helps, >> >> Mikhal >> >> >> >From: "Matt" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> >To: "Toyota Mods" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> >Subject: Spring Rates for the AE-82 Whiteline kit. >> >Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2002 04:50:07 -0700 >> > >> >I emailed Whiteline to ask them what their spring rates were for the >> >AE-82 kit. I got a reply saying that the fronts are 150 lbs/in >> >progressive rate and the rears were 100 lbs/in linear rate. It seems >> >like these numbers are a little small. Aren't you autocrossers (Carl, >> >Mikhail) using 300 lbs/in springs? >> > >> >Thanks >> >Matt >> >> >> _________________________________________________________________ >> Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at >http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp. >> >> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ >> Don't know where to turn to start modifying your Toyota? Try this: >> http://www.cyberauto.com/. Cyberspace Automotive has fantastic upgrade >> lists for most Toyotas and a friendly & knowledgeable staff! :-) >> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ >> > >+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ >Don't know where to turn to start modifying your Toyota? Try this: >http://www.cyberauto.com/. Cyberspace Automotive has fantastic upgrade >lists for most Toyotas and a friendly & knowledgeable staff! :-) >+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Don't know where to turn to start modifying your Toyota? Try this: http://www.cyberauto.com/. Cyberspace Automotive has fantastic upgrade lists for most Toyotas and a friendly & knowledgeable staff! :-) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
