Springs - Polaris 2003 Pro X Service Manual

STEERING / FRONT SUSPENSION

Springs

Two types of springs are employed in Polaris suspen-
sions, coil springs and torsion springs. Following is some
of the terminology used when referring to coil springs.
S Free length - the length of a coil spring with no load ap-
plied to the spring.
S Installed length - the length of the spring between the
spring retainers. If the installed length of the spring is
less than the free length, it will be pre-loaded.
NOTE: All springs must have pre--load or damage to the
retainers and shock may occur.
S Spring rate - the amount of force required to compress a coil spring one inch. For example, if 100 pounds
of force is required to compress a spring 1 inch, the spring rate would be 100 #/in.
S Straight rate spring - the spring requires the same amount of force to compress the last one inch of travel
as the first one inch of travel. For example, if a 100 #/in. spring requires 100 pounds of force to compress
it one inch, 300 pounds of force would compress it three inches, 400 pounds of force would compress it three
inches, and so on. Thus if you had a 5 inch 100#/in spring, the amount of force to fully compress this spring
would be 500 lbs of force.
S Progressively wound spring - the rate of the spring increases as it is compressed. For example, a 100/200
#/in. rate spring requires 100 pounds of force to compress the first one inch, but requires 200 additional
pounds to compress the last one inch. For example if you had a 9 inch 100/200 #/in spring the required force
to fully compress this spring would be 1000 lbs of force
S Dual Rate Springs - When a bump is encountered by the suspension, the force of the bump compresses
the spring. If the force were 450 pounds, a 100 #/in. spring would compress 4.5 inches. A 150 #/in. spring
would only compress 3 inches. If the suspension had 4 inches of spring travel the 100 #/in. spring would
bottom out, while the 150 #/in. spring would have one inch of travel remaining.
6.8
Coil
Spring
Length
Installed
Length with
no load to
the spring