[DeTomaso] Spring rates

[Will Kooiman]

My 17" tires were lighter than my 295-50-15 tires.

I didn't put them on the bathroom scale, but my biceps-o-meter could
definitely tell a difference.

Jack - I know how anal you are about weighing everything.  Have you
weighed Mag vs. 16"/17"/18" aluminum, plus the most common 15", 17", and
18" tires?  I would be interested in seeing the difference in numbers.

--
Will





On 1/21/13 4:15 PM, "JDeRyke at aol.com" <JDeRyke at aol.com> wrote:

>A few notes-
>A)- 17" wheels are aluminum thus are heavier than stock magnesium, as are
>17" tires, so you'll need heavier than stock springs to compensate & give
>at 
>least a stock quality ride.
>
>B)- you didn't say what shocks you have. Gas pressurized shocks such as
>Konis have the equivalent of 45 lbs of 'spring' from the 300+ lbs of
>internal 
>gas pressure, so add that into your figures. There are low-pressure and
>high 
>pressure gas shocks too, and I don't know all the pressures.
>
>C)- Old non-gas Konis use 4-1/2" OD springs while most newer shocks use
>3-1/2" OD springs.   Dirt track shock-springs can be 2-1/2". Lots of
>opportunity to get the wrong diameter.
>
>D)- the 'correct' spring   for street cars will not quite allow a front
>air 
>dam to touch the ground during a panic stop on dry pavement. If no air
>dam, 
>the same applies to hitting the front bump-stop rubbers. To check,
>tighten 
>a tie-wrap onto the shock rod and either drive rapidly over a bumpy road,
>or 
>do a not-quite-locked-up panic stop. Then look to see where the tie-wrap
>was pushed up to. If its against the bump-rubber, you need more spring
>(or a 
>longer shock). If its an inch or so below, a little less spring. Damping
>adjustments don't usually do more than delay the ultimate position of the
>tie-wrap. Good luck- JDeryke
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