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Re: Spring Rates Posted by Kevin K [Email]  (#374) [Profile/Gallery]
(more from Kevin K) on Thu, 21 Feb 2002 00:06:39
In Reply to: Spring Rates, GeoffC, Wed, 20 Feb 2002 20:52:33 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
Good project. Here's some stuff I 've posted:
Posted by Kevin K on March 29, 2000 at 23:25:57: (rev'd 6-01)
General:
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Early 80's saabs seemed to ride around with a load in their pants ....rear down. This may explain why...
Based on my spec book thru M90, front springs, 81-85 all had same rate, but 3 diff free heights were used ... 14.7, 15.0, and 15.3 inches. I suspect tallest was for turbo, shortest for 200 lb lighter basic car. Wire dia was .57" .
For M86-90 the shortest previous spring became the 'tallest' of the new 3 offerings. This would be for the turbo, and would drop the front about 3/4" at wheel well, if at the same front weight. The other 2 springs had same free height, 14.7 inch, but smaller wire dias. They were .57, .56, and .55 inch. Stiffness changed 7% with each step.
All fronts are listed at 8.25 total number of coils, with 6.75 active as installed. All rears were listed at 9 total number of coils, with 7.5 active, and all about the same size (12.3" long) and stiffness. Rear wire size is .59" . Rears were color coded for left and right sides. All coils were black. Short, stiff 'sport chassis' springs are listed separatly.
Sport Chassis:
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Also listed for a 'Sport Chassis' is a short, stiff front spring, 11.8 inch free height, .62 wire, and 5 coils active out of 6.5 total. I calculated that these would be about 80% stiffer than the rest. That is a huge difference, where most aftermarket street performance springs are around 20-30% higher in rate. The rears are like the stock ones above, except 22% stiffer due to .62" wire size. For both front and rear pairs, 2 tolerance groups existed, designated by either a gold or silver painted ring around the black coil.
SPG and Special Order
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From my collection of saab publications, the SPG was intro'd in 85 with sway bars and 'softer' shocks to keep comfort up. In 86 all turbos got the bars, and in 87 the 'S' also got bars and the SPG was finally lowered and reshocked.
The 85 accessories cataloge listed thick wired springs and shocks for off road-racing use only. Pic shows 7.7 coils total, and it looked like a front spring. Sway bars were listed separatly. Bilsteins were yellow with black gators, and blue 'stencil' label.
The 86 accessories cataloge had the same offerings, as the 'Roadholding Kit' of springs and shocks for 'competition drivers ... not on public roads'.
The 88 acc's cat again lists the 'Roadholding Kit', noting 'it lowers the car 20mm in front and 10mm in the rear, giving it a lower profile and improved roadhandling'. Gone were race use only references, and the pic is similar to the 85 pic, but it looks like the wire dia is much smaller.
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It APPEARS stiff SPG and 'Roadholding' springs are the same, based on BB input. Both have the silver or gold paint marks.
posted by 67.208.17...
, Thu, 21 Feb 2002 00:06:39 <-- Viewing This Message
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