[DeTomaso] Spring rates
Charles Engles
cengles at cox.net
Wed Jan 23 20:31:20 EST 2013
Dear Bill,
You wrote:
"I am quite amazed at the spring rates being used on cars which are
reported to be very nice riding on the street.
BTW, my car, with 200/350 springs rides like a heavy duty truck."
You've hit upon a Pantera phenomenon, I think. When I changed my
first Pantera from stock to heavier springs, I thought I would be cautious
and scale it back a bit from the recommendations of PPC. After the Konis
and springs, it felt like a new car. The ride was fine, but pleasantly
firmer than stock.
Then several years later, I changed the suspension on my second
Pantera. I was confident enough to go a bit higher than the recommendations
of PPC. After the new Konis and springs, the second Pantera rode and
handled as well as the first one. I much prefer the suspension upgrade to
the stock suspension.
It is interesting that a large number of Pantera owners find no
detriment to the ride comfort with multiples of stock spring rates. I don't
think that we're all deluding ourselves. I would say the phenomenon is
there. I *think* that it is there due some excellent design characteristics
of the suspension which obviously tolerates a wide range of higher spring
rates without a wide range of unhappy owners and drivers. FWIW.
Warmest regards, Chuck Engles
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