Coil spring color code

[1990new]

I'm putting new rear shocks on a 92 festiva for a friend. We pulled the rear spring / shock assemblies from a junk yard festiva so we can have everything cleaned up with new shocks and boots and also use the springs from the junk yard car. Never though about the color codes on the springs before so I decided to weight the two spring. The one that we pulled from the left side had a blue paint code on it but I didn't see any color code on the right one. I weighed the springs and the one with the blue code weighed about 4 ounces more than the one with no code. Don't really see any other difference in the springs.
Iirc I remember seeing one in the past which had a pink color code.

Can anyone tell me the meaning of the color codes on the Festiva springs.

[WmWatt]

Google search on "colour code on Festiva springs" hope it helps....

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwilmqLPu4rmAhVBT98KHf5gCi0QFjAAegQIAxAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dasma.com%2FPDF%2FPublications%2FTechDataSheets%2FCommercialResidential%2FTDS171.pdf&usg=AOvVaw3yf0yTpqCeWiKUL1hDAztQ

[1990new]

Google search on "colour code on Festiva springs" hope it helps....
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...CeWiKUL1hDAztQ

Checked that out William.. but those codes seem to refer to garage door springs.

I measured the two rear springs and found that the one with the blue paint that was on the left was 9.29 mm and the one on the right that I could not find any paint on which weighed 4 ounces less, is 9.18 mm

Makes me wonder if Kia put the heftier spring on the drivers side.

[WmWatt]

Sorry about that.

[1990new]

Sorry about that.

No problem... I have a garage door that could use new springs so the info was good to know.

[Rick the Quick]

sounds like an acceptable manufacturers tolerance between the two.

[1990new]

sounds like an acceptable manufacturers tolerance between the two.

True, but there must be a reason for coding the springs with colors during the build of the car at the factory.
I'm using the springs from one car to rebuild struts with new struts and new strut bearings to be installed on another car (both 5 speed) and both have AC.
I will install the heavier and thicker spring on the same side that it was on in the junk yard car (left side) just in case it should make a difference.
I'm surprised this hasn't come up before somewhere in all the threads about suspension.

[WmWatt]

Got it! The car has been optimized for racing on a circular track.

[1990new]

Got it! The car has been optimized for racing on a circular track.

Maybe so... but since the heavy spring is on the left, that would mean it was done for Australia where they run clockwise.

[F3BZ]

there is an old post buried here that i made that gives the color splotch and its corresponding coil wire diameter. this info was taken from ford parts lists. you can use a simple formula to get the mathematical lbs/in the spring is rated at. from what i recall they ranged from .389 to .401 inches wire diameter.
you are correct as far as mixing of the springs from the factory. i.e. a front drivers side spring on an ATX car would be heavier than the pass side. i might have included this in the list as well. generally it follows logically that springs from a stripper L will be the lightest and those from a loaded GL the heaviest but given the small difference between the heaviest and lightest it's probably not a lot of noticeable real world difference in performance.

[1990new]

there is an old post buried here that i made that gives the color splotch and its corresponding coil wire diameter. this info was taken from ford parts lists. you can use a simple formula to get the mathematical lbs/in the spring is rated at. from what i recall they ranged from .389 to .401 inches wire diameter.
you are correct as far as mixing of the springs from the factory. i.e. a front drivers side spring on an ATX car would be heavier than the pass side. i might have included this in the list as well. generally it follows logically that springs from a stripper L will be the lightest and those from a loaded GL the heaviest but given the small difference between the heaviest and lightest it's probably not a lot of noticeable real world difference in performance.

Searched for the old post but didn't find it. But I found this site that has a spring rate calculator.

https://www.thespringstore.com/spring-rate-calculator.html

[F3BZ]

i knew i wasn't imagining it. here it is. way back from 2007. as i re-read it i see it only applies to 90-93. i am sure i would've looked for 88/89 colors but they apparently weren't listed in the microfiches those years. also, never did understand why there were 3 colors for the same .401 coil unless there was a different coil count/height between the 3.

https://fordfestiva.com/forums/forum...7-spring-rates

[1990new]

i knew i wasn't imagining it. here it is. way back from 2007. as i re-read it i see it only applies to 90-93. i am sure i would've looked for 88/89 colors but they apparently weren't listed in the microfiches those years. also, never did understand why there were 3 colors for the same .401 coil unless there was a different coil count/height between the 3.

https://fordfestiva.com/forums/forum...7-spring-rates

Thanks... I printed it out and put it in my Festiva Shop Manual