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Stiff shocks and soft springs equals worse ride than stiff shocks and ...

Author: Adelaide

Jun. 05, 2025

10 0

Tags: Automobiles & Motorcycles

Stiff shocks and soft springs equals worse ride than stiff shocks and ...

ShinnyGroove (Forum Supporter) said:

The question is maybe too broad and simple, but generally the job of the springs is to control the car's chassis position with stiffness, and the job of the shocks is to control the speed that the springs compress and decompress with damping. So in a semantic sense shocks really don't have "stiffness" because their stiffness is constantly changing depending on how fast they're moving.  Shocks also have different damping under compression than they do under rebound by design.

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When springs are under-damped they tend to oscillate up and down.  When they're overdamped the dampers work against the springs trying to do their job in a somewhat unpredictable manner. There is a mathematically correct amount of damping that corresponds to a spring's stiffness for it to be critically damped, which requires the least amount of time for the system to "settle" after being perturbed by a bump.  Usage conditions and driver preferences vary so adjustable shocks are a thing, but as a general rule the further you get from the ideal mathematical match between spring and shock the less predictable the car will be. 

The springs should be matched to the car's chassis geometry and the amount of grip in the tires. The shocks should be matched to the springs. IMO too often people try to address spring rate problems by adjusting dampers, but it's the wrong approach.  good for minor tweaking but it can only get you so far.

I also think your assumption that stiff springs and shocks always handle better is off. If you define handling as the act of controlling the motion of the chassis over uneven ground surfaces, the suspension that best complies to the ground conditions will be best at maintaining tire contact and controlling the car.  In theory you want the most compliant suspension possible without the car riding on the bump stops in hard corners. 

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Learn how to calculate the optimum spring rate for your vehicle as well as how stiffer or softer springs affect performance in various driving conditions.

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