XRAY - Model racing cars

I've recently started paying a lot more attention to my car's suspension.

In working on the rear end of my car (FK04) last night I noticed something I hadn't noticed before, but I'm thinking is EXTREMELY important. I'd like some feedback on what I'm about to describe.

While adjusting the rear downstops I noticed that the gap between the top of the spring and the adjusting ring was visibly different between the two shocks. I checked and found both shocks to be of equal length at full extension. I then measured the upward travel of the suspension arms (with downstop settings equal) from full down to where the springs would just begin to load. I measured about 2.5 mm difference there. That seems like a lot. I took the spings out and measured them, finding a bit over 1 mm difference.

Out of curiosity I measured a pair of Xray white springs (the only Xray springs I have) and found them to be exactly the same length.

These are another brands springs BTW. I know.....this is BAD.......VERY bad. They're cheap and I'm getting what I'm paying for.

Lately I've come to notice that my car tended to push in fast, right-hand sweepers and on slower right-hand turns on exit/on throttle. The shorter spring/longer upward travel spring was rear/left. Essentially, the car was actling like it was tweaked.

I suspect that the push/tweak I've been experiencing (and a general feel of inconsistency in handling) is due to the difference in spring length ( I also suspect a difference in strength but can't measure that) and the resulting degree of upward suspension travel before the shorter/weaker spring actually loads. I suspect this is causing a difference in speed/degree of weight transfer side-to side and this causes more push to one side than the other.

I checked the other brands springs in my kit and found none of them match in length (to varying degrees).

Is my diagnosis correct? Is the measureable (and considerable) difference in these springs a contibuting factor to my handling issue and for the reasons I suspect?

There's a lesson learned here. The difference in these springs cannot be good no matter what the effect they may have on the car's handling. I'm convinced that springs with greater consistency will offer a noticable benefit. They have to. So next order to Stormer will include springs.

Meanwhile, I'd sure like to know if I diagnosed this situation correctly, so anything any of you maniacs can offer on the subject will be most welcome and of great interest to me.

thanx

</chaz>

The different lengths will definitely cause problems under acceleration and braking as one side will become un-sprung before the other, which will cause a similar effect to unequal droop.