coil spring markings

[backyardbill]

The front coil springs on my 1980 Spider have paint stripes down the length of the coils: one white, one blue, and one yellow. Anyone know what the means?

[So Cal Mark]

they were made in Sweden?

[Foster48x]

Not my pic but do they look like this? From what I've found the color codes are used by the manufacturer to identify the springs characteristics and on some vehicles the side of the vehicle the spring belongs on.

[joelbert2k]

You know your going to catch hell for your equations don't you?
The one with the red marking doesn't look shorter to me.

Joel

[Foster48x]

You know your going to catch hell for your equations don't you?
The one with the red marking doesn't look shorter to me.

Joel

Iol. It's not my pic. I know the guy who made looks like he got it backwards.

[backyardbill]

Here is the photo of my front coil springs:

http://www.glocktech.net/fiat/restorati ... t%2010.htm

[ventura ace]

My workshop manuals explain how Fiat had a method of marking the springs to indicate the spring rate. The springs are compressed to a specified force, and the spring should have a certain length at that particular force load. If the length is longer than the specified length they are marked with one color splotch (green, I think), and if they are shorter than the specified length, they are marked with a different color splotch (yellow, I think). You should always have matching colors, so that the suspension action is the same on both sides of the car.

Alvon

[backyardbill]

Thanks for the info Ventura.