Spring Pre-Load: Help me understand the physics.

GSS138

It does make it a little softer. As I put in my first post.

Scenario 1: No Preload
400 lb corner weight on 400 lb spring

Scenario 2: 1/4" preload
400 Lb corner weight - 100Lb preload on a 400 Lb spring.

To determine spring compression in scenario 2, you have to subtract the preload value from the corner weight. The corner is effectively now only 300 lbs instead of 400. The first 100 lbs is bound up in the spring already, so any compression beyond that will behave similarly as if the corner weighed 300 lbs instead of 400-at least in the low speed range. In the high speed travel situation you can pretty much throw the preload out the window.

The net/effective result of this scenario is a little bit of a progressive feel. As mentioned earlier, Just about every OEM suspension out there does this in order to give the car a smoother ride and handle some of the low speed compression better.

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