The Bean
Very Active Member
The strength of a spring (spring rate) is measured in newton per cm (or pounds per inch, if you for some reason use the imperial system). I'm going to use grams per cm (g/cm) because nobody knows newtons (1N ≈ 100 grams, depending on where on earth you are).
Let's say, for example, my RC has 10cm long springs with a spring ratio of 250 g/cm. I'm constantly getting chassis slap (not really, but in the example) because my springs aren't stiff enough, and preload doesn't help. I'm too lazy and cheap to get new ones. I decide I'll stretch my springs to 12cm long.
What would happen?
I hope somebody understands what I'm saying, but this shouldn't be a problem if you have a basic understanding of physics.
Let's say, for example, my RC has 10cm long springs with a spring ratio of 250 g/cm. I'm constantly getting chassis slap (not really, but in the example) because my springs aren't stiff enough, and preload doesn't help. I'm too lazy and cheap to get new ones. I decide I'll stretch my springs to 12cm long.
What would happen?
- Does the spring ratio stay the same? If that's the case, that would mean preload has more effect, because preload pre-loads (compresses) your springs
- 10cm --> 12cm , still with 250g/cm would mean there is an extra 2cm (500g) to be compressed by the preload.
- Does the spring ratio get higher?
- 10cm --> 12cm , 250g/cm --> 400g/cm would mean that the effect of 1 gets increased.
- Does the spring ratio get lower?
- 10cm --> 12cm , 250g/cm --> 150g/cm would mean that the effect of 1 gets reduced.
I hope somebody understands what I'm saying, but this shouldn't be a problem if you have a basic understanding of physics.