do shox spring get softer with age

[frank-oi]

yeah thats what i wanted to no. cause the spring that ive got on my bike and the moment seems to have gotten softer , but just in the last few months. but the spring i had before that( 800 one my current is 700) never go the stitest bit softer. and i try not to make a habbit of ajusting the spring preload collar so it's not that.
in other words do springs just get softer over time.




cheers, frank

 

[LordNikon]

Yes they do...

The metal in a spring is treated in such a way that it goes very very hard. This is what makes it spring back to it's original position.

Over time, the bending and moving of the metal alters the molecular structure so that it becomes "used" to moving. Therefore it becomes softer.

My guess is that you're previous spring would have gotten softer, just not so much.

 

[frank-oi]

yeah thats what i thought was the case but i thought there also could have bin something else going on there.

 

[Commander Dilsnikk]

i take it the treating process that LordNikon mentioned guards against work hardening aswell...

just a thought to consider

 

[bazza]

your getting fatter and therefore the rear shocks sinks more than what it used to? me dont know??

 

[frank-oi]

yes me gettin fatter.

i guess that why i went from the 800 to the 700.good call all the same

 

[LordNikon]

It's actually the opposite commander...

To guard against work hardening you need to heat the metal then cool it slowly. But to make a spring you do the opposite, heat the metal until it's red hot and then cool it very quickly (eg. dump it in water), which hardens the metal so that it doesn't bend as easily.

This process is gradually undone by constant movement.

:wink:

 

[Commander Dilsnikk]

It's actually the opposite commander...

To guard against work hardening you need to heat the metal then cool it slowly. But to make a spring you do the opposite, heat the metal until it's red hot and then cool it very quickly (eg. dump it in water), which hardens the metal so that it doesn't bend as easily.

This process is gradually undone by constant movement.

:wink:

i thought that would be the treatment...
that's why i couldn't (and still can't) work out how (if at all) springs are guarded against work hardening because i would think (with my rudimentary knowledge of bio-chemistry) that work hardening would be a major element to be considered by spring manufacturers...