When a performance enthusiast is considering a suspension for a dual-purpose vehicle, he or she often looks at the spring rates to help determine if a suspension will be a good fit. However, there are many other factors that influence the performance and usability of a suspension system.
Our first criteria is to use our vehicle models to determine the application’s target natural frequencies. The natural frequency is essentially the relationship between the vehicle’s sprung mass and the spring rate. If the application has a high natural frequency (high spring rate), the ride will feel very firm with minimal body roll, however the ride quality can suffer. Our tuning philosophy is to have a relatively higher natural frequency for dedicated sports cars like the Toyota 86 or Honda S2000, and a bit lower for a more practical enthusiasts’ vehicle such as a Subaru WRX to better suite passenger’s needs. In either case we always strive for a ride quality that would be described as “firm” but never “harsh”.