“Why I Switched Springs — And What I Learned About Dual-Rate vs. Linear Setups”
Let me tell you about the time I finally got serious about dialling in my suspension. I’d just done my third track day of the season, and while my car wasn’t bad, it felt off. The grip was there, but mid-corner bumps unsettled the car more than they should have, and my confidence took a hit. I figured it was time to rethink my setup, and the first thing on the chopping block? My springs.
Now, before this, I’d been running a pretty common coilover kit with linear springs, simple, predictable, and decent for the money. Every inch of compression took the same amount of force. In theory, that’s great: you always know how the car will react. And honestly, for pure track use, it made sense. The handling was consistent, turn after turn, lap after lap.
But here’s the thing: I also daily the car. And over time, that track-focused setup started to wear me down. Every pothole felt like a personal insult. Expansion joints? Bone-jarring. The same precision that made me feel planted on a smooth circuit turned into a nuisance on broken pavement.
I first heard about duel rate springs from a mate who was running a crazy built Civic, which could throw us both through a tight corner whist staying planted at insane speeds. Continuing up the road like many driving experiences in Sydney, the road surface made us regret our tax dollars, but what surprised me, is that the harshness I was expecting over those bumps, weren't coming through the chassis like I was expecting.
Later fitting a set to our 2021 Blue Mustang GT they have been excellent upgrade paired with the magnetic shocks. From experience of both spring types on multiple performance vehicles, this is our view:
Linear springs They don’t change, they don’t surprise you. If you need 1000 Newtons of force to compress them 10mm, that’s what it’ll always take. They’re great for feedback, and once you dial them in, you know exactly how the car’s going to behave. Perfect for the track, especially when conditions are predictable.
Dual-rate springs, on the other hand, are a little more nuanced. They start soft, so your car can absorb the little stuff—bumps, cracks, uneven road. But once that soft section coils up, the stiffer portion takes over. It’s like the car has a second personality that only shows up when you’re really pushing it. But once you push it, there is no more roll in the chassis, its almost like fitting upgraded sway bars. Once you hit the second rate, there is no more compression.
At first, it was weird. The transition between rates wasn’t seamless, and I had to mess with damping settings to get everything to play nice. But once it was dialled? Game changer.
The car felt supple on the street—way more liveable. But when I leaned into a corner or hit the brakes hard, it firmed up just where I needed it. It wasn’t quite as razor-sharp as my linear setup, but for a dual-purpose car? It felt right.
So here’s my take:
-
If you’re chasing lap times and every tenth matters, stick with linear springs. Predictability wins.
-
If your car needs to do it all—daily driver Monday to Friday, Old Pac runs or track days on the weekend—dual-rate springs might be your answer.
Neither one is “better,” just better for your goals.
