Why are we running 8" springs with our Motons?

[8mywal8]

Why are we running 8" springs with our Motons? Why would we not run 10" in the front and 9" in the back? There is plenty of room.

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

Why are we running 8" springs with our Motons? Why would we not run 10" in the front and 9" in the back? There is plenty of room.

Not if you want to lower the car as much as possible. The hose gets in the way of the seats and why add the extra weight of a longer spring? I have to run a 7" rear spring when I use over 850# rear springs to get it low enough.

 

[Viper X]

You may want to check the Eibach site as longer springs (even at the same spring rate) tend to allow more travel. This can be OK if you want your car to sit at or above stock height, most of us don't. If you lower your Viper much with longer than 8-inch springs, you will have "rubbing" issues, especially at the rear of the car.

8-inch springs are a pretty good compromise for ride, spring travel and overall handling. I have run 500 / 800 and 600 / 800, 8-inch springs on two of my "street" Vipers. Again, you just can't go too low without rubbing.

7-inch springs tend to be more aggressive. I've run 700 / 900 and 800 / 1100, 7-inch springs on Vipers and they work well too. You can lower the car a bit more with these springs as Mark says.

I run 6-inch springs on my 09 ACR as I wish to minimize travel (body roll) and maximize handling. Started with 900 / 1300 and am now at 1100 / 1500 (comp coupe stiffness). These work extremely well on the track with Moton Race Shocks (and the down force the wing and splitter make).

Dan

 

[8mywal8]

Thanks for the replies. My car is a lot lower then stock. When I jack up the front there is about a 1" space between the adjuster and the spring. I can also lower the cap at least 1". I was thinking with a longer spring it would still perform the same way but may be a little more civilized on the street. On the back the adjuster is against the spring so it's most likely fine.

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

Thanks for the replies. My car is a lot lower then stock. When I jack up the front there is about a 1" space between the adjuster and the spring. I can also lower the cap at least 1". I was thinking with a longer spring it would still perform the same way but may be a little more civilized on the street. On the back the adjuster is against the spring so it's most likely fine.

You should have a tender spring in the front then to fill the gap. If you did a longer spring the ride height would be raised by the same rate spring because they will only compress 1" per the rated weight of the spring so all else being equil the car would ride higher.

 

[ACRBruce]

You should have a tender spring in the front then to fill the gap...

What exactly do the helper springs do as mine get compressed all the way all the time anyway?

 

[Viper X]

Bruce,

Helper springs help keep the main spring in its proper position when you hit a big bump, i.e. keep it from "banging around" and messing up the threads on the body of your shock.

Helper springs also help keep the top part of the shock (which is a removable aluminum piece) in place when the main spring is shorter than the fully extended shock and you drive over a big bump at speed.

You should also likely have "coupling spacers" between the main and helper spring to keep them aligned. Just be sure they don't bind on the shock body.

Check Eibach.com for more info on main springs, spacers and helper springs.

Dan