RE: spring question

["Aaron Ness" <aaron@makuta.com>]

How does a spring get stiffer if you cut it shorter?  F=k*x, where F is the
force exerted on the spring, k is the spring constant, and x is the
displacement, or the amount it compresses under the given load F.  The
spring constant is a function of the metal and its heat treat and geometry.
By cutting a coil you aren't altering the heat treat (hopefully), and you
aren't altering the geometry in a manner that affects the spring constant,
AFAIK.  This means that a given force will result in the same displacement
as it did before.

A stiffer spring is represented by a higher value for k, which means the
same input force would result in less displacement than before.

Or is there a problem in my reasoning?

Aaron
'87 528e
'82 Scirocco
'70 Beetle


> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-scirocco-l@scirocco.org
> [mailto:owner-scirocco-l@scirocco.org]On Behalf Of Dan Bubb
> Sent: Wednesday, June 06, 2001 1:26 PM
> To: Chris Jung
> Cc: scirocco-l@scirocco.org
> Subject: Re: spring question
>
>
> Cutting the coils will stiffen the spring. On my 84 I cut
> both front and
> rear coils, but the front a little more to get rid of the power boat
> nose up attitude. As a result the fronts got MORE stiffer than the
> rears, the car understeered like a pig  and I needed to
> install a larger
> rear sway bar to rebalance the handling.
> Dan
>
> Chris Jung wrote:
> >
> > I would like to lower my '83 Scirocco Wolfsburg after
> > I put on some 15" wheels and am wondering what my
> > options are.  I've noticed that most people buy
> > lowered springs for their VW products.  What happens
> > if you cut a coil or two from the stock springs?  Does
> > the suspension get too soft or too stiff?  I was a
> > Mustang 5 litre driver at one point in time, and I got
> > a reasonable result from cutting the coils and I'm
> > wondering if the same can be done for a 'rocco.
> >
> > Chris J.
> > '83 Scirocco GT Wolfsburg Ed.
> >
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