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Rear Spring Rates vs. Effective Rates
Last Updated: 11/22/2010

An effective spring rate is the value when taking into consideration the placement, construction, and type of the sprung materials.

Torsion bar diameter is expressed as the effective diameter.  Hollow bars will always be advertised with their effective rate which may not be the actual O.D.

If using coil-over springs and T-bars, simply add the effective rates together to find the overall effective rate.

If you know the rate you are trying to achieve by adding coil-overs (such as the Koni 3012) to an existing T-bar , you can calculate the necessary spring needed.

Here's the equation: x = desired overall effective rate, y = T-bar effective rate:  "(x - y)/.56 = linear coil-over spring rate" or "<desired effective rate> less <effective T-bar rate> divided by 56% equals linear coil-over spring rate"

EXAMPLE:    OEM 23.5mm T-bar = 126#, desired overall rear effective rate = 400#

(400 - 126)/.56 = 489 this means you'll need a 500# coil-over spring to achieve the 400# effective rate.

Using the chart below, it may be easier to just subtract the T-bar rate from the desired rate, then match to up to the coil spring weight.

924/944/968 Rear Coil Over

 

924/944/968 Torsion Bar

Coil Spring Rate (mm)

Effective Rate (lbs/in)

 

Torsion Bar Diameter (mm) 

Effective Rate (lbs/in)

200

112

 

18.5

48

225

127

 

19

54

250

141

 

23.5

126

275

155

 

24.5

149

300

169

 

25.5

175

325

183

 

26

189

350

197

 

27

220

375

211

 

28

254

400

225

 

28.5

273

425

239

 

29

292

450

253

 

30

335

475

267

 

31

382

500

281

 

32

434

525

295

 

33

490

550

309

 

34

553

575

323

 

 

 

600

337

 

 

 

625

352

 

 

 

650

366

 

 

 

675

380

 

 

 

700

394

 

 

 

725

408

 

 

 

750

422

 

 

 

775

436

 

 

 

800

450

 

 

 

825

464

 

 

 

850

478

 

 

 

875

492

 

 

 

900

506

 

 

 

925

520

 

 

 

950

534

 

 

 

975

548

 

 

 

1000

562

 

 

 

NOTE:  When purchasing "hollow" or "tubular" torsion bars, they are normally listed using the effective diameter so you don't have to do the math.  The actual Outside Diameter (OD) will be slightly more.  Here is a list of the most commonly available Hollow Torsion Bars and their actual OD's:

Hollow vs Solid Torsion Bars

Hollow - actual OD (mm)

Solid - effective OD (mm)

27.6

26

28.5

27

29.4

28

30.2

29

31

30

Stock Sizes

Size (mm)

Year/Model

Notes

23.5

924S, 944, 944S

includes M474

23.5

951 86-88

includes M474

24

944S2

includes M474

24.5

924S, 944, 944S (all thru '86)

with M030 or M637

25.5

924S, 944, 944S, 944S2 (all from '87)

with M030 or M031

25.5

951S 88, 951 89, 968



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