randywhite30

I just got in the Gforce spring rate gage and now I have questions.

At the bottom its measuring in N/CM and and the chart I found http://site.petitrc.com/setup/kyosho...Bore/Chart.pdf has them in lbs/in

When I measure my rear "Yellow" bigbore spring I get 3.65 n/cm. Does anyone have a good chart to go off of that tells me what Kyosho big bore springs should be?

Socket

iTrader: (61)

http://www.numberfactory.com/nf_torque.html

randywhite30

Thanks I did find that but I'm wondering if the scale is really off or the chart I'm looking at.

I measured a Yellow set of springs and according to this chart and scale my Yellow springs are really gold springs, and my white springs are really red springs. Either I have something really wrong or Kyosho's QC is a little on the poor side.

Kraig

iTrader: (81)

You do understand that that chart could be wrong too right.

randywhite30

If you would of read my post fully I did ask the question and posted a link to the chart I was using. If you have a chart that you know is correct, please post it.

JsK

iTrader: (10)

Nope that's just X gear springs, if you notice on the chart there is a column for theoretical and for measured rate. The measured rate is almost always lower.

Kraig

iTrader: (81)

I did read your statement and I focused on the item in bold. When I read that, I interpreted it as being the chart is right and you or the QC at Kyosho was wrong. Hence my comment.

Anyway, I don't know how the test was performed or when was the last time the components that were used to measure were calibrated. Looking at a chart, to me, it leaves me with to many variables that are unknown.

If I had one of those gauges, I would worry more about how my car/truck worked on the track with a set of springs. Then I would measure the spring and establish a baseline. As time goes on, if my car/truck started doing silly things on the track I would throw them on the gauge and see if they changed. If they didn't then I know it is something else.

I have yet to find anything directly from Kyosho where they have posted their values.

Socket

iTrader: (61)

You'll soon learn that the Avid springs are the best on the market. They test completely true to their marking.

30Tooth

iTrader: (1)

They don't "should be" a particular rate, whatever your measurements are the important is how they stack against your other springs. Rate fluctuations between batches are a given, if using the X-gear springs (or any other set of springs), maintaining the separation between spring colors/whatever the manufacturer choose to differentiate spring rates is what is to be taken into account, for example pink being softer than yellow even if pink has a 2N.cm or a 3N.cm rate. Likewise, you don't think I really need a X N.cm spring, you look at the rate table and choose the next color depending on what you believe to be adequate. Now if two springs of the same advertised rate have a different actual rate it would be an issue, other than that not really

Gayosaka

Kyosho never gives hard numbers for their springs. So the charts you find online are questionable about their accuracy, as it is most probably some guy findings on his garage, using a ruler and a kitchen balance.

Even more questionable are the multibrand charts. I really doubt that the same man used the same hardware to test all the Durango, TL, AE, Kyosho, whatever springs!

The RC world needs somebody with pro grade machines to measure and compare all of the current springs. Until that, we need to stick with a brand to have a fair choice of springs. You should definitly trust your own findings on the GForce tool rather than some chart on Petit RC

13Maschine

iTrader: (1)

hey randy, I'm considering a spring gauge purchase myself, how do you like it so far, now that you have had some time?

13Maschine

iTrader: (1)

Thanks in advance!

jjl1

iTrader: (2)

Socket, how do you know?

jjl1

iTrader: (2)

There is a lot of discussion lately on the TLR SCTE 3.0 thread about springs because the 3.0 kit has some suspension issues. So I purchased a Trackstar spring rate gage from HobbyKing. First off, I did not realize that the meter only read N-cm. This is a pain because all the springs I have are either spec'd in gf-mm or lb-in. No big deal just convert N-cm to what I need. Unfortunately the conversion factors did not get anywhere close to the actual spring rate. One example: 7.2 N-cm converts to about 0.7 lb-in. The spring is actually about 3 lb-in. I have not figured out if the meter is actually reading something other than N-cm or if the conversions factors are wrong or if the meter is defective. The conversion factors are probably correct as both the gf-mm and lb-in conversion yield similar results. I am sure someone else out there has tried this meter but I haven't found him/her yet. It would be nice to compare notes.
As it is I think I will see if I can exchange this meter.

vwduud

iTrader: (48)

Before buying a G Force spring rate gauge, I used my drill press and a digital scale. The extra step of getting the drill press plate at the correct height, based on the uncompressed spring length was the only tedious part. It certainly demonstrates the inconsistencies in spring manufacturing. Seldom, if ever, was a pair of springs, of the same rate, the same length. And while it would be nice if the achieved measurements matched that of the "labeled" or "charted" measurements, I was more interested in the relative differences from one spring to another, as at the time, I was comparing and using different manufacturer's springs (Kyosho and Tekno springs on a Tekno vehicle).

Also found it interesting that going from 1 spring rate up to the next, there was NO difference on a set of one manufacturer's springs. They measured the same. Was nice to know, so as not to expect a change in performance going between those 2 sets of springs.

Lastly, you could make measurements at multiple intervals if you wanted to see if a spring exhibited non-linear spring rates, due to coil cancelation. I was taking measurements at 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5" compressions, mostly coming back with the same spring rate at these positions. When measuring a thicker wired spring, with more/closer coils, on occasion their spring rate would slightly increase at the 1.5" compression range, due to the closer coils cancelling out.

The G Force gauge is neat, but limited in its abilities. Especially for 1/8th scale springs.