Carbon-Composite Bellows Springs

from Hyperco

(available soon)

Lightweight:  For example - 2.25" ID, 6" length 1.1 pounds! Approximately 33% the weight of steel, Approximately 50%-60% weight of titanium, depending on spring rate & deflection requirements

No shock binding:  Coil springs want to bend in an arc when compressed placing the shock in bending thus increasing friction / stiction forces, bellows do not.  Quicker damper response means more “grip” between the tire and track.  Reduced wear of damper seals and shaft increases damper life.

No increase in rate:  Coil springs also want to unwind when compressed and when constrained, the rate increases.

Tunable & Configurable for Rate and Travel: Adding elements in “series” increases deflection and reduces rate while stacking an element in parallel with another increases rate and maintains the same deflection.  No need to carry more springs!

Bump-Stop Action:  Inherent in deflection between linear range and total deflection.

At first this system may seem to be expensive.  However, consider that one can have 10 or more different rates from one set of bellows and the cost becomes quite reasonable.  Shock Shop has long maintained that shock adjustability is over-sold, over-rated and completely misunderstood by all who naively think they need it.  Adjustable shocks are most often unknowingly used to cripple one corner or one end of a car to achieve handling.  The better approach  would be to use a relatively simple but properly tuned shock and use the fundamental tuning available from multiple spring rates to achieve handling, as well as better performance, all for less cost than that of multiple adjustable shocks!

How does it work?  An 'N' bellows washer is used at each end of a spring assembly.  Pairs of 'F' & 'L' bellows washers are used to make up the stack.  The washer rates and number of each washer pair determine the overall length and rate.  Washers are offered as 'N', 'F' and 'L' in the following rates:

For example, placing 14 14,000#/in washers in series in a stack will create a spring rate of 1000#/in.