I've already read the Competition FAQ.. but it skips ahead a bit for me.

Specifically, I'm looking for an explanation of Spring Rates, and Dampening, and how those numbers translate to actual performance.
Example:
In other words a spring rate of "500" means the car will act "XXX" on the road.
You know, and UBER-Noob thread....

Does it exist?

Thanks.

 

How Stuff Works

Car Bible

Read those to get some basic knowledge first, then you can ask better questions. There are plenty of gurus here that can help you out then.

 

A spring rate of "500" means it with compress 1" when you put 500lbs on it.

 

Read "How to make your car handle" by Fred Puhn (http://www.amazon.com/How-Make-Your-.../dp/0912656468) It's an old book but its good.

 

Springs are also measured in N/mm (newtons/millimeter) usually when dealing with metric sized springs. Springs come in both flavors, metric is generally preferred by manufactures because the US is the only country in the world that doesn't use it as standard and most countries mandate metric as the official weights and measures. It is not the favored choice on this forum however because most of the participants are US. You can convert as follows:

1 N/mm = 5.706 lb/in
1 lb/in = 0.1753 N/mm

So a 500lb/in spring is the same as a 87.65 N/mm spring but since there is no such thing you round it to 90 N/mm. Springs are normally available in 10 N/mm increments; 50-60-70-80 and so on. On the track I use 120F/110R N/mm or 684/627 lb/in springs. I plan to bump that up to 150/140 or 855/798 lb/in when I go full race next year.

FWIW 1 N/mm = 1 kN/m

Ain't metric grand?

 

The higher the number the faster your car goes.

 

 

What would you consider a good "range" of springs rates for Street/Daily Driver/Occasional Track car?
My goal is to improve handling, but maintain the stock "feel," or even perhaps make the ride smoother. Possible?

And can I achieve this "ideal" setup with a low-end coilover suspension, such as the Tein Flex?
Or, If I go the Shocks/Springs route instead, would anyone recommend Eibach Pro/Stock , or perhaps Eibach PRo/Koni Yellow?

 

Somewhere in the 70-90 N/mm rage, I suggest 70R/80F or 80R/90F. I've used 70/90 and it was pretty good but a little soft in the rear.

 

If you're looking to put stiffer springs in, why would you expect the ride to become "smoother"?