Spring

A spring is object that stores energy when compressed or extended. In FSAE, a coil spring is most commonly used in the suspension as part of the shock or coilover. There are other forms of spring besides coil such as leaf springs and torsion bars. All springs have a k-constant which determines the stiffness of the spring. The dynamics of springs will change a car's dynamics in roll, heave and pitch.

Choosing the Correct Spring

When deciding what spring rate your car should run some factors to consider include the effect on aero, drivability, and mechanical grip.

Effect on Aero

Because the spring determine the stiffness of the suspension, they determine how much and often a vehicle's ride height will change while driving. A car with stiffer springs has less ride height variation. This allows the car to be run closer to the ground as there is a reduce risk of scraping. Running closer to the ground without scraping is extremely beneficial to the floor and downforce of an FSAE car.

Springs are also a factor in the roll of a car; stiffer springs creates less roll. Therefore, with a sensitive aero package may benefit from less roll.