Originally Posted by
kc_nitro_rc
If I change springs then I'll test them to see if the manufacturer was close when they spec'd them.
I'm sure the mfg's specs on the springs are fine. But the way they rate them is different between mfg's. Let me be more blunt:
The only thing the manufactures ratings are good for is figuring out which spring is stiffer or softer in their product offering. Associated truck rear greens are rated at 1.9 ICRC. Losi big bore rears in red are rated at 2.6 and they measure SOFTER when mounted on the same vehicle and checked for wheel rate.
The whole reason I started reading this thread, and doing these measurements, is I wanted to convert from the AE springs to big bores, but I couldn't figure out what the equivalents are, and I didn't trust the spring charts. Turns out I had good reason to be skeptical.
In an ideal world we can measure things, put them into cookie cutter formulas and model an expected result.
If you look at the article I linked, they are doing exactly that.
I think Fred is trying to tell us not to do that but to 'bench test'.
Fred and I have discussed this extensively, he and I do not disagree. The method I am advocating is
in addition to what Fred has suggested. It is imperative that you preform Fred's method after you do it my way to ground truth that your calcs are right. I read this thread in its entirety before it occurred to me there was a way to measure and catalog what Fred is suggesting.
Being I'm totally left brained and analytical I'm always searching for a mathematical equation.
I farm for a living, but I'm trained as an accountant. To me, farming with living things is simply an extension of cost accounting. I take this "management by numbers" very seriously in both work and play - you should see my home theater.
This is an interesting thread!
Indeed.