This was posted in a thread from last fall:

'00 springs:
Front 3.9 kgf/mm (218 lb/in)
Rear 5.2 kgf/mm (291 lb/in)

'00 swaybars
Front 26.5 x 4.5
Rear 27.2 x 4.5

'00 steering ratio - 13.8:1

'00 tire sidewall heights
Front 205 x 55 = 112.75mm
Rear 225 x 50 = 112.5mm

-----------------------

'04 springs
Front 4.16 kgf/mm (233 lb/in) 6.7% stiffer
Rear 4.68 kgf/mm (262 lb/in) 10% softer

'04 swaybars
Front 26.5 x 4.5 Same
Rear 25.4 x 4.5 Softer

'04 steering ratio - 14.9:1 Larger

'04 tire sidewall heights
Front 215 x 45 = 96.75mm Shorter
Rear 245 x 40 = 98mm Shorter


I just bought some used 2004 springs, and wanted to get confirmation as to which are the front and which are the rear. I measured the wire diameter with a dial caliper, and I measured my MY00 springs which are on the car. I didn't check to see if the # of active coils were the same in the MY00 as the MY04. The diameters are as follows:

Front 00- .455"
Rear 00-- .490"

MY04 Front?--.476"
MY04 Rear?-.486"

Could anyone with a MY04 and a dial caliper check this out for me? You can easily get at the springs by jacking up one side of the car. It looks to me as though just putting the .486 springs on the front of my car will help rid the car of a little of the tail-happiness of the car without changing bars or other parameters. What do the experts think?

BTW, for those who say that the 04 is softened, it doesn't appear to be due to the spring rates. Unless my guess is wrong about which are the front and which are the rear springs, it appears that the spring rates are a bit up. Maybe the shocks are softer? I haven't driven an 04...

 

One thing you forgot is the difference in dampening rates of the dampers between 00 and 04....im sure they are both different as well..

 

Another thing - from what I can tell, the 6.7% and 10% figures are in comparison to '02-'03 spring rates, which are different from '00-'01 rates. Therefore, there's even the possibility that '04 springs are stiffer in front. I've never seen actual '02-'03 spring rates published, so I can't tell.

 

Some time ago I bought a set of 02' front springs to substitute my MY 00 fronts , and I was under the impression that the rate was 4.2 kg/mm compared to 3.9 kg/mm . During the installation I tested both springs using my own weight and I can say that the 02' is way stiffer than the 00' spring , much more than the 0.3 kg/mm difference implies . So I'm too questioning the info posted about the 02' rates .

 

TTT. Still looking for a MY04 owner to measure the diameter of the wire of the coil springs. TIA.

 

Just for clarification

00-01 Front sway bar: 28.2mm x 4.5
02-03 Front sway bar: 26.5 mm x 4.5

02-03 reduced the stiffness of the front swaybar in favor of stiffer springs.

 

Actually the 2000 and 2001 front roll bar is 28.2 x 5.0t not 4.5t

 

Sorry if Im over simplifying jthings, buit arent the springs height almost the same? Try see which one compresses more/is looser - thats your lower spring rate, most likely the THINNER coils = lower spring rate...unless its thinner AND shorter. but most likely, thinner coils = lower?

 

Good info, just wanted to say thanks.