For a car owner, how their car sounds as it picks up speed, its horsepower, and how it looks on the outside are all factors that hold great importance. However, the car's acceleration and appearance may not be of much use if the wheels are not in the driver's control or providing traction. This is where the suspension system comes in.
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A suspension system might not be necessary if roads all over the world were perfectly flat even where no potholes existed. However, as this is not the case, your vehicle will experience conditions that can impact handling.
When that car hits a bump, it bounces up and falls back down, which means the wheel moves vertically upwards. Without something to hold the wheel into place, all of this energy impacts the frame, which also moves upwards. Without the suspension, the tires can lose contact with the road, letting the car bounce upward and slam back onto the road with the same force.
The importance of shocks and suspension systems is hidden within this logic. They absorb this energy and allow the car to ride on bumpy roads undisturbed by all the hurdles.
The importance of shocks and suspension systems goes beyond maintaining a smooth ride and improving handling. Every vehicle is built with either shock absorbers or struts. The shocks or struts reduce the spring movement once the vehicle begins to experience bumps in the road.
Suspension maintenance is essential as it can prevent our car from absorbing all the negative effects of bumps in the road. We can also experience a much smoother ride and wheel handling. Moreover, a great suspension system can increase the longevity and reliability of our vehicles as it prevents other components from getting damaged over time.
Why do people get suspension upgrades? You may wonder why car owners want to know more about the types of car suspension systems and are always looking out for signs of worn-out shocks and suspension. It is because a suspension system can greatly impact vehicle handling and comfort. Here's how;
Comfortable Driving
Shock absorbers and struts allow you to drive comfortably without experiencing a lot of vibrations and sound as your car navigates the bumps and indents in the road. A well-maintained suspension also allows for less noise and vibration as vehicle speeds increase.
1. Tire Grip
The springs in the suspension system support most of of the vehicle's mass. This is called the sprung mass, while the part of the car that lies below the springs is called the unsprung mass (usually the car's wheels, brakes, and anything else attached to the wheels).
It is important to keep the unsprung mass as low as possible to maintain a comfortable driving experience. The greater the mass the wheels have to support, the more force they may exert as they drive over the bumps. Over time, this force impacts the tires’ grip and can cause premature or irregular wear.
With better suspension systems, traction is increased, allowing the tires to maintain their performance.
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Body Roll
The body roll is one of the biggest warning signs of worn-out shocks, struts, and other suspension components. If your car is leaning to the side (much more than normal) when you make a sharp turn, it may be time for a suspension upgrade.
The more body roll a vehicle experiences, the greater the rollover chance during sharper turns. This can be dangerous for drivers.
Here are some of the important components of a suspension system;
Shock absorbers are primarily responsible for controlling a vehicle's spring and suspension movement. The faster a vehicle moves, the greater the speed of the suspension and the more energy a shock absorber has to deal with. This is offset by the resistance that reduces the effects on the car.
Great quality shock absorbers can prevent;
Struts perform the same function as shock absorbers. They are used in most modern cars with independent suspension systems, mostly in front-wheel drive vehicles.
Struts perform the shock absorber function and provide structure to the vehicle's suspension system. Struts can also support the spring and maintain the position of the tires. Suspension maintenance can be optimized with struts as they provide greater stability to the suspension and allow for better handling.
Choosing the right struts and shocks for your vehicle may require you to speak to a professional who can analyze the condition of your car and use their experience to provide the right suggestion.
Here are some other parts of the suspension system;
1. Springs
The springs are one of the most important parts, as discussed earlier. These absorb the brunt of the impact once the car hits an uneven surface and help prevent damage to the car. The coils in the spring expand and compress as the car hits a pothole, absorbing the dip so that you don't feel a difference.
2. Wheels
The wheels are also integral to the system as they maintain contact with the ground. The better the alignment of the wheels with the suspension system, the better the vehicle's performance.
3. Steering
The steering is what allows you to control the car. Although it isn't a part of the suspension, it is the one component most affected once the suspension system fails. The steering essentially works with the suspension system to be able to control the movement of the tires.
Control Arms, Bearings, and Bushings
The control arms are at the heart of the suspension system. They connect all of the different parts together. The bearings and bushings are required to connect these arms to components of the suspension system and enable smooth movement between those parts.
4. Frame
This supports the mass of the vehicle and holds the suspension components in place.
Here are some of the different types of suspension systems;
Conventional suspension systems have existed for decades and are still among the world's most reliable and durable systems. They include;
Independent suspension systems allow all four wheels of the car to move independently of one another. This limits vibrations and also disallows one wheel to affect the others.
A recent introduction in the world of suspension systems, this technology uses air-filled rubber bags or air springs to hold up the car's mass. This feature is usually found in many modern cars, such as SUVs, luxury vehicles, and other commercial vehicles that have been recently introduced to the market.
Air suspension systems allow for an even smoother ride, reduced vibration, increased handling, less fuel consumption, and fewer negative effects on the tires!
Shock absorbers, struts and a car's suspension system dampen the vibrations that result from bumps in the road. They allow a driver to ride over those bumps more smoothly and increase their ability to handle the car.
Once you begin to drive that car on the road, you will encounter bumps that can impact your vehicle. These bumps create vibrations that flow through the car. The suspension system can essentially absorb these vibrations and save the car and its occupants from the impact.
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The first point of contact after the tires is the springs. As the car moves over a bump, the springs absorb that energy. The energy eventually travels through the spring and is dampened by the shock. This dampening allows the car to avoid impact and reduces spring oscillation.
With the help of the joints, the springs and shocks can move together and minimize vertical movement of the car. In short, the suspension can prevent the tires from lifting off the road, thus giving you a smoother drive.
As mentioned earlier, the shocks or struts can absorb the impact of the bumps on the car and convert the energy into thermal energy, which is released through the car's frame. This is achieved through tiny ports inside the shock or strut that allow fluid within the shock to pass through. The fluid eventually slows down the piston's movement and slows down the springs and the suspension system.
Eventually, this reduced movement prevents the car and the suspension system from getting damaged or receiving more impact from the bump. Without the shocks or struts, the car may lose control due to vertical movement and the entire impact of the bumps on the road.
The better the condition of the suspension system, the easier it is for the shocks to absorb the impact with bumps. This prevents steering misalignment and weakened suspension systems. Over time, it maintains the control a driver has on the car.
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Here are some signs of worn out shocks and suspension;
Most suspension problems present themselves in small signs that should be attended to as soon as possible. This includes;
Here are some of the common signs of worn out shocks and suspension that should encourage you to visit your car mechanic;
All of these are signs that your suspension system might be worn out and that you may need to get your car checked by a professional.
A car's suspension system wears over time. This can affect the tires, how the car drives, and how much control you have over the vehicle? Soon, it can get dangerous as the car rolls over to the side when you make sharp turns or bounces into the air when you hit a bump.
It is important to get your car inspected for suspension issues regularly. One of the best tips for maintaining your vehicle's suspension is to watch for any unusual problems and take it to the mechanic once you notice.
So your bike has an air shock but, you’re wanting to get one of those sweet coil shocks for better sensitivity and performance. You know you can easily adjust your air shocks sag with a shock pump, but wait! These coil shocks don't have an air valve. Alright, I'll just buy a coil spring but what the heck!? There are a hundred different options and I don’t know what these numbers mean.
In this blog, we're going to show you how to choose the right coil spring for your mountain bike's new rear shock.
The first number is the spring rate. This means that it requires 450 pounds of force to compress it one inch from a preset position. The preset position varies between manufacturers. The second number is the free stroke of the spring, meaning you can compress the spring 2.37” before it has coil bind. Coil bind is when the spring bottoms out on itself, and it cannot be compressed any further. This is bad and you want to avoid this because you might start blowing up other parts from a super abrupt and harsh bottom out.
Some spring manufacturers label their free stroke as the maximum shock stroke size that it can be used with. For example, this Cane Creek spring is labeled "55mm." This means the max recommended rear shock stroke size you can use with this spring is 55mm. Yes, this might seem pretty confusing but most spring manufacturers have a chart on their website letting you know which spring to use with your size coil shock.
Now, let's jump back to the first number - the spring rate.
Rear Shock spring rates typically come in 50-pound increments, but some springs, like the Fox SLS spring, come in 25-pound increments. A very common misconception is that spring rate is directly correlated with your body weight - this is not true. If you're 175 pounds, there is typically not a spring rate that you can use and swap between different bikes.
Spring rate is directly correlated with a combination of your body weight and your bike's suspension design.
Leverage ratio is the ratio of rear-wheel travel to shock stroke. Now let's say, as an example, that your frame has a 2.5:1 leverage ratio. For every 2.5mm that your rear wheel travels, your shock compresses 1mm. Different suspension designs have different leverage rations meaning you will most likely not be able to use the same spring rate between different bikes.
The first number, which is the spring rate, is going to be matched to your body weight and your bike's suspension design. That second number is going to be matched to the size of shock your bike uses.
Also, this number isn’t really ever stamped on a spring but different brands of springs have different inner diameters. Your spring inner diameter needs to match your shock body's outer diameter where the spring sits. If you have a Fox Shock, a Fox spring will directly onto it. However, if you like to use an MRP Spring on your Fox Shock, MRP makes spring adapters to make their spring's inner diameter smaller and fit on a Fox Shock. Without these adapters, a larger spring will be super loose and rattle around on the shock. The same rule applies to some other combinations of springs and shocks. However, not all springs can be adapted to all shocks. Double-check to see if the spring you’d like to use can be adapted to your shock.
So to get started with your spring selection, first find which spring will fit your brand of shock and the size of shock the bike uses as this is easier to find. Then you’ll find the proper spring weight for your bodyweight and suspension design.
1. Call The Company That Makes Your Bike
Do you have a Devinci Spartan, and want to put a coil shock on it? Simply start by calling Devinci to see if some guys around the shop are running a coil shock on the same bike you have. If they are, they likely have already experimented with spring rates and could probably give you a pretty good inkling as to which spring rate you should use. Some companies will even have a spring rate chart that they can share with you for some models of their bikes. Most smaller bike companies that are owned and operated by riders will make this a pretty easy task. If, however, you have a bike from a larger company like Trek or Giant, it may be a little tougher to get this information directly from the source.
Alternatively, you could call a bike shop that sells the same brand of bike you own to see if anyone in the shop has the same bike and is running a coil shock. They can let you know what spring rate they have landed on for their body weight. At the very least, this will be a good start to finding the right spring rate for your MTB rear shock.
Overall, this will take the guessing game out of your search because somebody who has actually ridden the same bike as you with a coil shock set up has already figured out which spring rate gets them that sweet spot of proper sag and stiffness.
In this example, I’ve entered my weight while geared-up along with the shock stroke and frame travel from a Devinci Troy. The calculator recommends a spring rate of 488. However, there is no such thing as a 488-pound spring rate, so you will have to take this number and apply it to springs that are available in the real world. You will now need to decide which model of spring you’d like to use so that you can accurately round up or down to match that 25- or 50-pound increment that your spring is available in. A select number of spring models, like the Fox SLS, come in 25-pound spring increments. However, most springs only come in 50-pound increments.
We always recommend starting with the cheapest steel spring compatible with your shock. Spring calculators are really only able to give you a rough idea of where to start, and there is no guarantee that the first spring you start with is going to be the perfect, long-term spring rate for you. It doesn’t feel great when your $130+ Fox SLS or progressive spring turns out to be the wrong spring rate and you instantly need to purchase a different one. So to start, we will only be comparing the numbers to 50-pound spring increments.
In this example. I would personally be considering both a 450 and 500-pound spring rate to start with. I know 450 would be slightly softer, and 500 would be more firm. I would have likely started with a 500-pound spring to start as I would much rather have a bike that is slightly too stiff than super mushy and soft. We intentionally set up this calculator to run slightly too firm to avoid potentially experiencing a very soft and mushy bike on your first ride. When I actually installed some springs and measured sag, the 450-pound spring sits at exactly 30% sag, so the calculator did run slightly high. However, I don’t think a 500-pound spring would have felt so bad that it would have ruined my ride, but a 400-pound spring would have felt like I was riding through molasses.
Let’s do one more example. If I punch in the information from my previous bike, a Kona Process 153, it recommends a 422-pound spring rate. I chose to try a 425-pound Fox SLS spring which actually landed me right at my target sag of 30%. So the calculator did work out excellent on the first try with this example, but this is not very common and you should not expect yours to calculate your spring rate perfectly like this.
3. Search The Forums
Just like method number one, you’re basically trying to find a real human being who has experimented with a coil shock set up on the same bike you own. Typically, this method is sort of a pain in the butt because forums can be super confusing with information coming from all sorts of people from all over the place who may or may not have a good technical understanding of bikes.
Whether you create a new thread asking for help or search through tons of preexisting threads, you’re certain to find a decent amount of information. This information, however, may or may not be accurate. We’ve seen customers have good look with this method who did not want to put their trust in to the calculator and couldn’t find good information from their bike company so we figured we’d list this an option.
Alright, you're done with the stupid computer, you’ve picked which spring rate you’d like to start with, now it's time to install this bad boy on your bike.
Please note that it is very common to see people check their shock sag standing in a riding position. But, we prefer to do this sitting on the saddle as this creates a more consistent reading since standing can create some inconsistencies, and it's much easier to do by yourself.
Please keep in mind that sag is not the “end all, be all” to determine wrong or right, but your frame's recommended sag is a good place to start. Recommended sag generally ranges from 25-35%, but 30% sag is a common amount. In the end, your personal riding style will dictate or how soft or stiff you run your suspension. Using sag as a reference is a pretty good way to keep track of things.
If you have less than your ideal sag, the spring you chose is likely too stiff but, many bikes these days are designed around an air shock. As a result, your new linear coil shock might require a stiffer spring so you aren’t constantly blowing through travel. Give the bike a ride on a trail you ride often to see if you can reach the bottom out or not and pay attention to feel if the rear end feels too stiff. If the rear end is stiff and you cant reach bottom-out, then you’ll need to go down a spring rate. Don’t worry, you can keep that spring for bike park days when you're hitting bigger stuff for more bottom-out resistance or sell it pretty quick.
Now, if you have more than ideal sag, you can make some small adjustments with the springs preload adjuster. Most likely, however, the spring is too soft. The amount of preload you add to spring does not change its rate. This simply stiffens the initial part of the stroke and will result in just a little less sag. Plain and simple, you cannot fix an improper spring rate by adding tons of preload. More preload will not make your shock bottom out less, it only stiffens the initial part of the stroke.
On average, you can only add about 5mm of preload and Fox/Marzocchi recommends only adding one full turn of spring load to their springs. If the spring is just way to soft or waaaay to stiff, then you’re going to need to use your best judgment of what to do since its obvious something was off. Go back and check to see if you entered the information correctly into the calculator being sure that your weight is in pounds or kilograms as intended, wheel travel is in inches or millimeters as intended, etc.
One more tidbit of information. Let's say you have a 500-pound spring, and you find you’re right around your target sag but your bottoming out way too much. Well, you can get a progressive spring which are currently made by Cane Creek and MRP. This means a 500 pound MRP Progressive spring is rated at 475 pounds at 25% of the stroke, rated at 600 pounds at 75% off the stroke. This means you’ll have a spring that’s nice and soft off the top of the stroke, but supportive at the bottom of the stroke with more bottom out resistance.
If you’d like to learn more about this, we have a whole video about progressive springs.
Last but not least, some bikes just aren’t designed to use a coil shock. There might be some give and take with your coil shocks setup. You might need to run a spring that’s a little too soft off the top so you aren’t bottoming out all of the time but hey, thats just a possible side effect of going coil.
Are you interested in learning more about high tension springs? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!