Moving the lower perch will affect ride height, corner weight, etc.. even if the spring is loose at full shock droop. Therefore, tender springs are used to 'take up the slack'. Alternatively, the shock could be modified to limit droop travel and always keep the spring under pressure, but tender springs are easy and don't require opening the damper.

 

Just to clarify. You guys are using helper springs. Not tender springs. Tender springs have a significant rate to them and they are used for more than just keeping the springs in place.


Robinson - if you have more droop travel available than the spring length - helper springs help to keep things in place.



I don't use any upper perches on mine. I just set the springs in place in the top hats with my hands when it comes down from the jack. There is enough spring pressure there to keep them from moving when all 4 tires are on the ground - even when rolling.


I might pick up the GC top hats to save some weight. But money just isn't appearing out of nowhere right now...

 

Another tender spring question: what is the proper location (if there is one) for a tender spring, above or below the main spring?

I've seen both and can think of benefits for either method.

 

oh, right.

 

then you will have a higher ride height

 

I don't know what's "proper", but I put mine below the main spring so that the isolator/spacer between springs would be held in place by the shock body rather than just the tension of the springs when the car is jacked up.

 

I asked Lex at Moton, and he said to put it on the bottom, as the shock body will keep it lined up, even without a spacer/couple/whatever it is called.

My old KW shocks had it on the top,

 

There are a couple companies that make a spring locator (I guess also called isolators?) that fit into the OEM upper mount.

James Yom

 

Touche' I've seen both called both, but you are correct - the ones pictured are roughly 25lb/in.

I think you could get away without running any helpers if you run with no rear bar. I ran with mine, so they were pretty much required.

 

My buddy and I debated this when I installed mine, and I ended up putting them below for the same reason PossumK stated.