At 11:37 AM 6/19/98 -0700, you wrote:
>Derek:
>
>you are too kind for words.

:-)

>My understanding may (or may not) be
>sophisticated, but it is wrong.  Pre-loading changes something, but
apparently
>not the spring rate.  There is no question, though, that my suspension is
>firmer with donuts than it was without, but only in the initial travel of
>suspension.  So, if spring rate did not change, what did?  The effect is more
>than just raising the van.

Possibly this effect might not be proved out in double-blind, scientific,
tests. What I mean is, I cannot see any engineering reason why it would be
so, except possibly that you now have slightly reduced range of spring
travel due to the shock remaining the same.

>Fred sent me a flow chart charting the differences spring rate and rebound,
>but I am still confused.   I think Jim davis may have hit on something, too,
>in p-mail to me....and that is that the spacer compresses the initial softer
>spring travel in the progressive rate rear springs, and hence this has the
>effect of changing the spring rate in the initial travel.

I am not sure I see why the spacer would compress the initial softer spring
travel. If Jim said this, I do not yet see how it could be so.

>Anyway, sorry for the groping and misuse of termonology.  But keeping the
>objective is sight, the issue is what do the spacers do that firms up the
>suspension if they do not change spring rate?

I believe there is a possibility the spacers may not actually firm anything
up at all.

>steve
>
>Derek Drew wrote:
>
>> There might be a problem with some of the substance of this post. That is,
>> is may be a faulty assumption that the spring is more compressed merely by
>> putting shims over it. Putting shims/doughnuts over it raises the vehicle,
>> but does not compress the spring more than the spring would be compressed
>> without those doughnuts.
>>
>> The only way to make the spring more compressed would be to increase the
>> weight of the van. As Steven's understanding (and writing style!) is
>> generally sophisticated, I think we need this whole thing reposted, but
>> eliminating the concept that the doughnuts alter the spring rate. I don't
>> know why in the case of motorcycles shims under the spring change the
>> spring rate, but likely this effect does not apply to Syncro.
>>
>> At 12:48 AM 6/18/98 -0700, you wrote:
>
_____________________________________________________
Derek Drew                           New York, NY & Washington DC
ConsumerSearch
drew@interport.net
212-580-6486 (W)
212-580-4459; 202-966-0938 (H)