Ever wonder how your car's coil springs are made? Invest 44 seconds

General Discussion
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Simple cylindrical springs can be easily hot wound. Cold wound springs allow more features to be designed into the springs. Double pigtails, variable rates, camber and more.

Strut cars have springs wound in a bit of a bananna shape to compensate for the bending forces from the car’s weight. Applying more force on the outside lowers the strut friction and makes a smoother ride. The bottom of the spring must be “clocked” in the correct position to do this.

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I find it kinda mind-boggling to ponder all the painstaking trial and error that has had to go into metallurgy; hardening techniques, alloys etc.
Makes my head hurt.

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I just want to know how much trial and error went into the 1st in tank fuel pump…you know, electric spark, almost empty gas tank with lots of vapor still in it… Hold my Beer!! :bomb: :boom: :ghost:

BTW: That was more of a joke then anything, I don’t need an answer… lol

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lol … I was headache free after watching the first vdo about spring manufacturing, seemed pretty straightforward, although not easy to make the manufacturing equipment. But at least theoretically, seems doable. I make my own smaller springs sometimes, for garden tools etc, and use a similar mandrel technique. Then Mustangman added a bunch of other variables that must be considered to make vehicle suspension springs , headache starting … lol .

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Ah, the simple spring turns out to be not so simple after all. I recall not too long ago, working with a team of mechanical engineers trying to figure out the best design for a compression spring- have you considered compression fatigue? Not just cycle related but sitting under fractional compression for years… For grins, I found this vid to give a small peek behind the curtain…I suggest a prophylactic dose of an analgesic prior to watching :grinning:

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And that is why I never did good in school, I would either have to get up and smack that guy for talking like that or I would have falling asleep before he finished his 1st sentence… :grimacing:

I will try to watch it later… lol

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Another couple of things: that type of coil springs work like torsion springs, by twisting, not by bending. Also, those adjusters on a motorcycle’s rear shocks change ride height, they don’t make the springs stiffer. That’s built into the springs.

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