Quote:
Originally Posted by bfrank1972
I'd be interested to see that as well. Also plot transition from spring to bump stop (I imagine it's fairly abrupt). You make a good point about it though, especially if our cars are very "bump stop active". I was kind of joking about custom bump stops before, but maybe something like that (tuned for transition from different spring rates, and suspension travel) would be beneficial?
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Remember that although the bump stop is made from specific compression rate "foam" that the shape of the bump stop also determines how it compresses under load. By moulding in those wider and narrower sections the bump stop will have a progressive rate even though the foam has a fixed compression rate. The narrower parts will compress first and resist compression less until they "bottom out" against the wider sections which will then progressively stiffen up the spring rate. The driver will not be aware of the bump stop effect unless the spring is compressed rapidly, then you'll feel the jolt just as in the old days when bump stops were small and constant rate, just buffers to prevent metal to metal contact and damage.
What we're being told now is that properly designed bump stops actually augment the road springs. This means you need to ensure your coilover supplier also supplies properly designed bump stops, not just shorter or stiffer springs. Also, the shock needs to be able to handle the bump stop compression (jounce) and decompression (rebound) characteristics in conjunction with the spring rate loads.