View Poll Results: Rear Lowering Spring Mounting Position

Voters
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  • Smaller Coils go on the Top

    12 54.55%
  • Smaller Coils go on the bottom

    3 13.64%
  • Doesnt matter which way it's mounted

    4 18.18%
  • Springs what are springs?

    3 13.64%
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Thread: Rear Coil Spring Question

  1. #1
    3Geez Veteran Pico's Avatar
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    Question Rear Coil Spring Question

    I was searching on rear spring info and found different answers to this question.
    When installing rear lowering springs, the tighter coils go towards the top or the bottom.
    I know on my Eibachs you install them with the tighter coils on top ( the writing on the coils is faceup) but I think on my Goldlines the tighter coils are on the bottom (with the writing faceup also)
    So which is correct?
    Tighter on top or Bottom?



  2. #2
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    Re: Rear Coil Spring Question

    It is my understanding that there is no difference either way. People argue both ways for various pseudo-scientific reasons, but a spring is a spring, and no matter the orientation, it compresses the same way.

  3. #3
    3Geez Veteran Pico's Avatar
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    Re: Rear Coil Spring Question

    BUMP for more opinions and poll added.

  4. #4
    2.0Si User ShyBoyCA6's Avatar
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    Re: Rear Coil Spring Question

    i think the smaller on the bottom would be best IMO. is this going on the hatch?

  5. #5
    3Geez Veteran Pico's Avatar
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    Re: Rear Coil Spring Question

    Quote Originally Posted by ShyBoyCA6 View Post
    i think the smaller on the bottom would be best IMO. is this going on the hatch?
    just questioning in general, I have the ones in the sedan mounted with the tighter coils on the top.
    I was just wondering since there are really no markings stating which end is top.
    So i started searching on Google and there are different answers but nothing related to the 3rd gen's.

  6. #6
    2.0Si User ShyBoyCA6's Avatar
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    Re: Rear Coil Spring Question

    Quote Originally Posted by Pico View Post
    just questioning in general, I have the ones in the sedan mounted with the tighter coils on the top.
    I was just wondering since there are really no markings stating which end is top.
    So i started searching on Google and there are different answers but nothing related to the 3rd gen's.
    oh ok well as long as it fits on both ends i dont think it should matter how they are installed. but like you said tighter coil on top.

  7. #7
    3Geez Veteran Pico's Avatar
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    Re: Rear Coil Spring Question

    So last night this spring question kept bugging me, I went to go look at my setup and noticed that I had the tighter coils at the bottom not like I thought I had it.
    So I flipped them around and my ride is alot better with the tighter coils on top.
    So IMO they cant me installed either way or with tighter coils on bottom, they have to be on top.

  8. #8
    3Geez Veteran MessyHonda's Avatar
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    Re: Rear Coil Spring Question

    yeah this is all i can find at eibach
    Note the orientation and fitment of the OE springs. Eibach springs are designed to fit the factory spring seat the same way the OE springs fit.

    1989 Honda Accord LX-i
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  9. #9
    2.0Si User ShyBoyCA6's Avatar
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    Re: Rear Coil Spring Question

    i was looking at the springs you're gonna put on the hatch. seems the tighter should be on top. i forgot what i was gonna type but it would make alot of sense
    to be on top then the bottom base.

  10. #10
    3Geez Veteran MessyHonda's Avatar
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    Re: Rear Coil Spring Question

    Quote Originally Posted by Pico View Post
    So last night this spring question kept bugging me, I went to go look at my setup and noticed that I had the tighter coils at the bottom not like I thought I had it.
    So I flipped them around and my ride is alot better with the tighter coils on top.
    So IMO they cant me installed either way or with tighter coils on bottom, they have to be on top.
    front or rear only?

    1989 Honda Accord LX-i
    B18c1 swap since 7/2011
    175whp and 132tq
    Redzone tuned

  11. #11
    3Geez Veteran Pico's Avatar
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    Re: Rear Coil Spring Question

    Quote Originally Posted by ShyBoyCA6 View Post
    i was looking at the springs you're gonna put on the hatch. seems the tighter should be on top. i forgot what i was gonna type but it would make alot of sense
    to be on top then the bottom base.
    it does make sense. I've done this before and cannot figure out why I did what I did.
    Quote Originally Posted by MessyHonda View Post
    front or rear only?
    Rear only, fronts go on one way only

  12. #12
    2.0Si User ShyBoyCA6's Avatar
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    Re: Rear Coil Spring Question

    to absorb the impact and push it back is what i think or could be wrong. hmm i gotta check out the rear suspension on the coupe to see if its correct.

    just check it and seem to have a tighter coils on the bottom then on the top
    Last edited by ShyBoyCA6; 04-04-2011 at 10:24 AM.

  13. #13
    2.0Si User mykwikcoupe's Avatar
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    Re: Rear Coil Spring Question

    isnt the coil itself cut to be flat on top and notched on the bottom to stay in the strut seat? i may be thinking of the fronts but i thought thats the way they are built. Either way I have always put the tight coils on top.

  14. #14
    3Geez Veteran Pico's Avatar
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    Re: Rear Coil Spring Question

    ^
    the fronts are made that way, the rear are pig tailed on both ends.

  15. #15
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    Re: Rear Coil Spring Question

    I haven't seen anything for car springs but on my Harley front forks with the progressive lowering springs it stated tight coil up.
    '86 Accord LXi Sedan my dependable daily driver w\318k. "Why yes I do have a 3GEEE!"

  16. #16
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    Re: Rear Coil Spring Question

    Always figgered tight to the top to clear the shock body properly, never really thought about it that much. Haven't had progressives on any of my cars in a long long time.

  17. #17

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    Re: Rear Coil Spring Question

    Installing with the closely spaced coils at the top slightly reduces unsprung weight. Since the ends are the same it doesn't really matter though.
    Mike

  18. #18

    cygnus x-1's Avatar
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    Re: Rear Coil Spring Question

    Quote Originally Posted by AZmike View Post
    Installing with the closely spaced coils at the top slightly reduces unsprung weight. Since the ends are the same it doesn't really matter though.

    Wouldn't it be the other way around? With the tighter coils at the top, most of the lower coils are going to be moving with the rest of the suspension. With the tighter coils at the bottom the rest of the spring would tend to me move less.

    But even still, compared to the rest of the un-sprung weight (wheels, brakes, suspension arms, etc.), I can't see it making much difference.

    C|

  19. #19

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    Re: Rear Coil Spring Question

    Quote Originally Posted by cygnus x-1 View Post
    Wouldn't it be the other way around? With the tighter coils at the top, most of the lower coils are going to be moving with the rest of the suspension. With the tighter coils at the bottom the rest of the spring would tend to me move less.

    But even still, compared to the rest of the un-sprung weight (wheels, brakes, suspension arms, etc.), I can't see it making much difference.

    C|
    The tighter coils don't compress much--it's almost like the tight coils are ballast and the other coils are the only spring. With this simplifying assumption in mind: tight coils down adds unsprung mass; tight coils up adds the inert mass to the sprung chassis.
    Mike

  20. #20

    cygnus x-1's Avatar
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    Re: Rear Coil Spring Question

    Quote Originally Posted by AZmike View Post
    The tighter coils don't compress much--it's almost like the tight coils are ballast and the other coils are the only spring. With this simplifying assumption in mind: tight coils down adds unsprung mass; tight coils up adds the inert mass to the sprung chassis.

    Assuming the wire diameter is constant, the tighter coils should compress sooner. The coils that are closer together have a lower spring rate than the ones that are farther apart. As a progressive spring is compressed, the tighter coils compress first until they hit each other. When that happens the rate increases because the tighter coils are essentially solid.

    The thing about un-sprung weight though, is that it will depend on how much of the mass of the spring is coil bound and how much is active. On larger hits, if more of the springs mass becomes inactive than active, it would be better to have the inactive mass (tighter coils) at the top. If the loading is such that most of the springs coils stay active, it would be better to have the tighter coils at the bottom.


    However, I still maintain that the weight of the spring is insignificant compared to the weight of the wheel and the rest of the suspension.


    C|

  21. #21

    2oodoor's Avatar
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    Re: Rear Coil Spring Question

    The factory springs are tight coils to the bottom.

  22. #22
    SEi User import racer's Avatar
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    Re: Rear Coil Spring Question

    From what I've seen and read the tighter coils go on top,not bottom.

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