Spring rate on coilovers

[Rusty]

What is the car to be used for? No point arguing over ride comfort or auto cross rates if it's a track day car...

OE S2 rates are 200lbs front and rear. S2 KWs run 60 & 70N/mm. Track cars run 500lb+ springs. The dampers and roll bars also determined ride quality so should be chosen alongside spring rates. Damper length is also important for stiffer and lower cars...

[frostyflax17]

Raising car 2-3" depending on angle adjustment limits. Rally off road and daily driven in winter.

[Rusty]

Sorry, was talking about the OP's use.

If you're raising the suspension, you could always drop the subframe an inch to offset it a little and keep the geometry better. I posted a spreadsheet in the DIY coilover post that enable you to look at the effect of rideheight and spring rate for different length springs.

[Error404]

bilsteins do not have damping modification as konis do.

Exactly, so they would need to be revalved to make any changes to the damping ratio.
To be fair it is impossible to adjust konis accurately without a shock dyno as the adjustment curve is not linear and its very unlikely that any pair of shocks follow the same curve. As Andy says comfort is subjective anyway, but my point is that unless you get your shocks set up correctly to match the spring rates, the ride and handling will be always be compromised to an extent.

Have a read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damping_ratio

[A80Avant]

i think you are right in wanting to have things done properly, but IMO we are yet again over elaborating things.

Of course choosing to go for coilovers means you have thought of things through to some extent, and i dont exlude myself, id like to take things a bit less seriously and believe i am not far off.
If i can match what the stock car has from factory and like what bilstein shocks offer in addition, then taking it slightly stiffer (which i want), would not make a HUGE difference in how the car behaves. If i was putting the car into the track and doing it for racing, id definitely take dyno approach and redoing the shocks as well. But its not the case, so i got there with a couple of extra pairs of shocks which i hope once i resell, it wont be that expensive overall. My approach is guesswork but most people i think have similar approach and not the extended science behind it.

[Error404]

you don't need to guess when KW have already done all the hard work for you?

all of the above reasoning was why I aborted the DIY coilover route and went with KWs, ......and they are cheaper........ and made of stainless.
It was a no brainer for me. The ride is better than H&Rs with Konis and handling is in another league.

but back to the OP's question, I would go with 50n front and 60n rear springs, but also spent an extra couple hundred quid getting the shocks dyno'd to match.

[A80Avant]

i have been in KW, and for me they are horrible.