Okay... Just gonna throw this out there, (tired of searchin'!). I've found a few posts where the stock spring rates are listed for 1st Gen Tracker 2 & 4 drs, but darn if I can find the 2nd Gen rates. Help a guy out here. I want to fit 31's and still retain some highway stability for my long distance hunt rig. I'll be dumping as much weight as I can then adding it back on with bumpers, sliders and a winch. Thinkin' about MUDCHILD's spacers and some FOA springs.

I guess nobody knows.

I believe the Grand Vitara's are around 540lbs.  OME sells a 2" lift springs and that is the rate they run and I find them a bit stiffer then an the Explorer springs at 500lbs.

Okay... Just gonna throw this out there, (tired of searchin'!). I've found a few posts where the stock spring rates are listed for 1st Gen Tracker 2 & 4 drs, but darn if I can find the 2nd Gen rates. Help a guy out here. I want to fit 31's and still retain some highway stability for my long distance hunt rig. I'll be dumping as much weight as I can then adding it back on with bumpers, sliders and a winch. Thinkin' about MUDCHILD's spacers and some FOA springs.

FWIW:  I scrounged this off internet and do not know reliability.  I do not know if this is Rinoman on ZW. 

( Data stolen from a Rhinoman post)

Vitara spring rates.

SWB front - 227mm x 83mm 452.8lbs/in
SWB rear - 250mm x 83.7mm 156.5lb/in
LWB front - 227mm x 83mm 508.7lb/in
LWB rear - 250mm x 83.4mm 173.4lb/in


Spacers and new springs??  You will get a better ride with just springs. 
 91-94 Explorer front springs, cut off the pigtail when it starts turning in and the spring will be almost 13"  (I just got a set for $50.)  Just remember if you lift much more than 2" and use strut spacers, you will start having CV issues (requires a diff drop to correct problem).  If you lift 2" and don't use strut spacers, you will have hardly any down travel.

just add these to you rig problem solved http://shop.airliftcompany.com/product/494047/60793/_/AIR_LIFT_1000%3B_COIL_SPRING_LEVELING_KIT
installed a set in the front of mine for plowing they work good.

I'm adding FOA  http://f-o-a.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=55_57&products_id=44  3" coils to all 4 corners. 3" X 16" X 200# in the rear and it looks like 600# for the front. The only one lighter is the 500#ers. I'm hoping that a fabbed steel front bumper and a winch will take some bang out of the boing. They're long, I know and I'll prolly cut 'em down. The tech guy at FOA said that shortening them WILL NOT increase the rate like I assumed. MUDCHILD made me some adapter/spacers to add to his 4.5" combo lift. I want to clear 31's.

The tech guy at FOA said that shortening them WILL NOT increase the rate like I assumed.

This is interesting - why did you assume that shortening them would increase the rate?

I've read in a lot of places, that it does, but have been unable to find anyone who can explain the reason why - it's theoretically safe to assume the spring manufacturer's tech people know what's what - but either he's wrong or a lot of other people out there are wrong 

Quote from: dustybadlands on June 22, 2012, 07:05:57 PM

The tech guy at FOA said that shortening them WILL NOT increase the rate like I assumed.

This is interesting - why did you assume that shortening them would increase the rate?

I've read in a lot of places, that it does, but have been unable to find anyone who can explain the reason why - it's theoretically safe to assume the spring manufacturer's tech people know what's what - but either he's wrong or a lot of other people out there are wrong 

Like Fordem, I am interested in this.
I can understand how shortening a leaf spring will increase its effective rate, but not coil springs.   

Interesting articles.

A coil spring is, after all, just a torsion bar. The wire is twisted as the spring is compressed. Shortening a torsion bar without changing any other dimension will obviously make it stiffer.

I do not agree.  Shortening a torsion bar without changing any other dimension will only make it shorter.  It is not possible to get an increase by only removing a portion. In the article he was talking about changing the preload, increasing it by heating and bending (which is more than just cutting shorter).  (Also I have frequently tried this with money in my wallet, and every time I remove money, it is just gone.  What is left is not stronger money, and won't buy more. )
Shortening a leaf spring only increases its effective rate, because you have reduced the leverage that can be applied to it.  It is not stronger than before.

I agree with most of the searches, that shortening increases the rate. First heard about this on this site or Zuwharrie. Mentioned it to FOA's tech and he said it just got shorter. Logic and math shows otherwise. Now I'm confused. This all started with the simple request of the spring rates for the 2nd Gen 4 doors. Haven't been on here for awhile cause I've been beatin' the crap outa my rig and building other people's. No time to surf....however, when I have ?'s, here's where to go. Looks like I'm gonna buy 3"X16"X600#ers for the front and 3"X16"X200#ers for the rear. Use MUDCHILD's 4.5" combo, steering extention and fab up my own drop brackets. Then I want to figure out how to post pics on here without using Photobucket or Flickr.

We just installed a set of 3"X14" 225lb in back of race car, and are setting at 34 1/5 to top of back wheel well.  Race car is setting on 30's so that would give you plenty of space for 31's.  We had 3x12" progressive 15-250lb springs in it and gained 3" lift with the change out.  I would think that16" springs would require raising the spring bucket, which would then requires making room for it between wheel wells.  But then last year Eric was saying he was running 20" springs on his green Tracker (if I heard him right), so not sure how it fit them under there.
We have been stashing our photo's on Picasa for posting here, plenty of free storage.  Looking forward to how you fit them, and how it looks.

Big brother and Lil' Sista

I don't want to go as big as my 1st gen, it hates the highway.The 4 door will be my long haulin huntin' rig.

Tires and lift sure change size of the vehicle.  The 2nd gen looks so much smaller.
That 1st gen. looks very capable.