Spring travel/distance

Spring travel is key for setting the dynamic rake in the car. In this example we have a front spring travel of 20 mm, and a rear spring travel of 40 mm.

When the car reaches high speed and the springs compress to the end of their travel (on the packers, bump stops, or rubbers), it means that in a high-speed scenario we lose 20 mm of rake due to spring travel distance.

There is no exact target for this setting. What it does is give you rotation at lower speeds, but as speed increases, a longer travel on the rear shifts the balance rearward. If your car feels well balanced in low and mid-speed

corners but becomes oversteery and nervous in fast sections, having greater spring travel on the rear can help calm the car.

A shorter travel on the front can also add stability, as the car will not dive as much under braking.

If you run long front spring travel, the car will dive more, creating a bigger rake value under braking. For example, with 40 mm of front spring travel, heavy braking could produce a dynamic rake of around 70 mm. This is an extreme case, as rear travel would also compress under braking, but it gives an idea of how spring travel affects rake under acceleration and braking.

On the mechanical grip level, short travel introduces stiffness on the front axle. This also creates some understeer. If the car quickly lands on its bump stops, the tires have to take up more load through load transfer. The rubber deforms, and grip effectiveness is reduced.