Not sure going to a 12" spring is the right answer. It is the right direction to get rid of the spacer, and help, but you may have to go a little higher spring rate to avoid the bottoming out. A longer spring will allow more travel, but then the shock might bottom out before the spring binds, unless the spring rate is increased.

 

I had 10"-140# springs in it. Ride was just too stiff. The ride is way better with the 115# springs. The bottoming is not bad and only occurs rarely on a good hard bump. At ride height, the 10"-140 had a compressed height of
5-3/4". The 10"-115 has compressed height of 5-1/4". There is just less than 1300# on the rear axle. It would be interesting to know the coil bind height of these springs. It seems that the 10" spring is just not capable of providing more than about 2-1/2" of compression before coil bind. It would be possible to get 12" springs on the shocks, and this would get me more compression before coil bind. I think.

 

Just talked with QA1 tech support. He suggested a new spring they have out. a 12" high travel spring. Hope that works, I'm getting tired of buying springs.

 

What makes sense is to have sufficient suspension travel to avoid bottoming of the suspension.. Of course this works against getting the cars real low for looks. You nailed it by getting a longer spring and if you raised you ride height a bit to allow for suspension travel it would help more..

Sam

 

I have 4" of suspension compression before anything bottoms out except the coilovers. The coilovers are spring binding at about 2-1/2" of compression. I may have to raise the ride height just a bit to compensate for more travel with the 12" spring.

 

Is there nothing between the 115 lb. spring, and the 140 lb. spring? I'd probably go to the 12", but I'd go the next weight up, if it's not too much higher than you have now.

 

Is there nothing between the 115 lb. spring, and the 140 lb. spring? I'd probably go to the 12", but I'd go the next weight up, if it's not too much higher than you have now.
They have a 110 and a 125# 12" spring. I kind of figured to use the 110#. How come you think I ought to go stiffer?

 

Give Viking Suspension a call. They are a spinoff of QA1 and have a lifetime guarantee on their springs. Made in the USA.

Coil Springs | 12 Inch | Spring Steel

 

I just realized that I had never posted my fix for this problem. I like to see results posted on threads. Called QA1. They recommended a new high travel spring. They were very helpful. I ended up getting 140# 12" springs. It was a struggle getting 12" springs on a shock meant for 10" springs. I ended up with an arrangement of 2 ratchet straps with the shock in a vice. A little scary, but I got it. I have put several hundred miles on it since. It now rides the best it ever has.

 

Thanks for giving us the results. It's always nice to see that a guy worked out his problems. It could also help the next guy that comes along with a problem.


454 RATTLER

 

For future reference, changing the spring length would be ok on a coil over. It would allow you to lower the adjuster without changing rate or spring length.
The long travel springs are made with less coils and a different wire size. Keep an eye on your ride heights because springs will settle a little bit and lose free height. They will change rate however. That's mechanically built in.

 

You did mean to say they will NOT change rate didn't you? I think that's what the guarantee is for?

 

Yes. Thank you for the correction.