Comprehensive Yeti-compatible OEM spring list

[fyrstormer]

I was doing some research on spring options for my new Yeti, and I figured I might as well write up a list of all the options while I was at it. Apologies if this has been posted before; feel free to integrate it into another thread if it makes sense to do so.

Okay, here are the spring options for the Yeti:

Front (14mm x 54mm):
AX30226 - 2.64 lbs/in (red)
AX30227 - 3.40 lbs/in (white)
AX30228 - 3.85 lbs/in (green)
AX30229 - 4.33 lbs/in (yellow) - YETI/EXO FRONT STOCK
AX30230 - 4.95 lbs/in (blue)
AX30803 - EXO front swaybar kit (soft, medium, firm)

Rear (14mm x 90mm):
AX31153 - 0.90 lbs/in (black)
AX31154 - 1.01 lbs/in (purple)
AX31155 - 1.14 lbs/in (orange) - YETI REAR STOCK
AX30213 - 1.32 lbs/in (red)
AX30214 - 1.71 lbs/in (white)
AX30215 - 2.25 lbs/in (green)
AX30216 - 2.78 lbs/in (yellow)
AX30217 - 3.01 lbs/in (blue)
AX31058 - Yeti rear swaybar kit (soft, medium, firm)

EXO/Wraith/AX10/XR10 Springs (14mm x 70mm) - these *might* work on either the front or the rear of the Yeti, but preload adjustments will be limited due to being too long for the front shocks and too short for the rear shocks:
AX30223 - 1.04 lbs/in (black) - softer than Yeti front spring options
AX30224 - 1.43 lbs/in (purple) - softer than Yeti front spring options
AX30225 - 1.75 lbs/in (orange) - softer than Yeti front spring options
AX30218 - 2.07 lbs/in (red) - softer than Yeti front spring options - WRAITH/AX10/XR10 STOCK
AX30219 - 2.47 lbs/in (white) - softer than Yeti front spring options
AX30220 - 2.85 lbs/in (green) - fits between AX30226-AX30227 (front) or AX30216-AX30217 (rear)
AX30221 - 3.27 lbs/in (yellow) - firmer than Yeti rear spring options - EXO REAR STOCK
AX30222 - 3.55 lbs/in (blue) - firmer than Yeti rear spring options

- - -

So, there's one stiffer spring option for the Yeti's front suspension, and a whole bunch for the rear.

[hobbez84]

A lot of guys (myself included) are running the 14x70mm shocks up front for front heavy Yeti setups.

[DenisLM]

yes, 14x70mm supposed to be standard on Yeti.
14x54mm only for lowered setups.

[cmbscx10]

hobbez84 & DenisLM,
Which spring weight on the list did you guys end up using for the 14x70?

[ninja turtle]

I'm using the blue 70s up front.

[fyrstormer]

Originally Posted by DenisLM

yes, 14x70mm supposed to be standard on Yeti.
14x54mm only for lowered setups.

My kit manual clearly states the stock front spring is 14mm x 54mm x 4.33lbs/in, i.e. the "Yellow 54". This agrees with what the Axial website lists as stock for both the RTR and the kit, and what actually came in my kit-box. The 70mm springs are not listed anywhere in the Yeti's "option parts" list on the Axial website, but I included them in this list because they're the right diameter. Good to know I'm not the only person who noticed they would kinda-sorta fit, but it doesn't look like any of them are suitable for "front-heavy Yeti" builds, only builds that require an even softer front suspension than the Yeti already has.

Originally Posted by ninja turtle

I'm using the blue 70s up front.

Perhaps a dumb question, but why would you use the "Blue 70" springs on a "front-heavy Yeti" when they're softer than the stock front springs? The only springs firmer than stock are the "Blue 54" springs.

- - -

I realize I sound argumentative in this post and I apologize. I'm more confused than anything else, because according to the numbers it genuinely doesn't make sense unless there's some important fact I'm missing.

[ninja turtle]

They are not softer, they are stiffer by quite a bit. I can actually use the spring adjusters. With the 70s in the same space as the 50s it's much stiffer. These springs are progressive and the spring rate goes up as you compress them.

[MonsterPower]

We run the 70s for the extra preload adjustment. If you go through the builds most people run "Blue70s".

[MonsterPower]

Has anyone ACTUALLY ran the exo front sway bar yet? I seen one build install it but never any updates. I could REALLY use it.

[fyrstormer]

Originally Posted by MonsterPower

Has anyone ACTUALLY ran the exo front sway bar yet? I seen one build install it but never any updates. I could REALLY use it.

I have the EXO front swaybar installed. It definitely makes the on-road handling more neutral. I'm not done tuning my suspension yet.

[fyrstormer]

Originally Posted by ninja turtle

They are not softer, they are stiffer by quite a bit. I can actually use the spring adjusters. With the 70s in the same space as the 50s it's much stiffer. These springs are progressive and the spring rate goes up as you compress them.

Um...all of the pictures show linear-rate springs. Progressive springs have coils that are spaced more closely together at one end compared to the other, or at both ends compared to the middle. Axial's pictures all show springs with coils that are evenly-spaced.

I can believe the longer spring makes it easier to dial-in a bunch of preload, and I definitely understand the advantage of that. But unless Axial's specs are wrong, the spring-rate on the "Blue 70" spring is significantly lower than the "Blue 54" spring, and that means once the vehicle puts enough force on the springs to overcome the preload setting, the "Blue 70" springs will be much squishier throughout the suspension's range of travel.

[Rockwolf]

Spoken as a completely ignorant bystander, because all I KNOW about springs, rates and shocks wouldn't fill a monopoly thimble, it seems to me, for lack of technical or scientific rational, that there must be something to the "70 blue" that just works better.

Of course that is assuming that the info your receiving is actual, not just guys that run them cuz someone else said they are better. I do believe that happens around here quite a bit with this brand or that manufacturer. Times where people spread the pros or cons of a part or brand, that they hear is better/worse without really finding out the trueness of the statements themselves. And once you buy something under the belief that it is better, we all tend to proliferate its greatness without always doing our due diligence.

That said, I doubt that is what is happening with Ninja Turtle, as I have seen a few vids of him thrashing his yeti from heights that would make lesser men tremble. I would tend to take him at his word here, when he says they are better, feel stiffer, even if his terminology isn't spot on.

But personally with what you have stated about spring rates/pounds, I would love to hear another knowledgable spring guy jump in here to explain how or why these seem to work better when they are rated softer.

[Adams]

I would think that lengthening the spring would make the characteristics so different that you can't compare spring rates directly.
That's just me thinking tho, and I could be completely wrong.
Having said that, I was really surprised after building my kit with 45 wt shock oil f/r, after searching the forums for a good start point. Taking it for a drive, there didn't seem to be any rear suspension movement, just bounce.
So I went down to 30 wt rear, I liked it better. So I tried 10 wt rear. Much better.
I was able to test her in the dirt and some jumps last night and I like it.
My next step is the blue spring in the front, or a softer spring in the rear with 15 or 20 wt oil in the rear.
This is IMO, and I'm no expert, but wow this yeti is a fun rig

[hobbez84]

Personally, I went with the longer springs since I had to turn down the collar all the way to the bottom with the 54mm springs, and I was not satisfied with the ride height. I got the 70mm idea from another post here made by one of the Axial Team Drivers.

I found that while you're going down in spring rate, the blue 3.55 was sufficient for keeping my Yeti's front end up, and you gain the ability to further tune the ride height on my Yeti.

[fyrstormer]

Originally Posted by hobbez84

Personally, I went with the longer springs since I had to turn down the collar all the way to the bottom with the 54mm springs, and I was not satisfied with the ride height. I got the 70mm idea from another post here made by one of the Axial Team Drivers.

I found that while you're going down in spring rate, the blue 3.55 was sufficient for keeping my Yeti's front end up, and you gain the ability to further tune the ride height on my Yeti.

Fair enough. Well, I ordered the stiffest 54mm springs, so we'll see how it works. I'm tuning my Yeti for harder terrain, because I already have a Wraith for actual rock-crawling, so I'm not really seeking that kind of performance from my Yeti, and the stock spring-rates are not stiff enough.

I noticed my kit came with dual-spring collars. I wonder if the 54mm springs could be combined to produce a dual-rate setup, with a really soft spring that fully-compresses within the first half-inch of travel, and then a much stiffer spring that takes over after that?

[DenisLM]

Originally Posted by cmbscx10

hobbez84 & DenisLM,
Which spring weight on the list did you guys end up using for the 14x70?

Axial Spring 14x70mm 3.55lbs/in Super Firm Blue

Way better than stock, and I can change the yeti ride height there.
Definitely way too hard for crawling or even more technical U4 race, but for general bashing/U4 racing I think this is the one.

[STANG KILLA SS]

the kit and rtr spring rates are different according to my research.

[binaryterror]

Let me put this out there, since RC forums people seem not to understand Springs - Length and Rate. It's not what you'd think, ever.

The Length of a spring is just the length. Length has nothing to do with its rate. A Spring that is 54mm in a rate of 3lbs/in is the same spring as one that is 180mm with the 3lbs/in rate just shorter. The rate of the spring is the same, for every 3lbs it would compress 1".

Rate of lbs/in is the determining factor in springs of its spring rate. A 3lbs/in spring takes 3lbs to make the spring compress 1 inch. So no matter how long the spring, if 3lbs makes it compress 1 inch, its the same spring just a different length.

Adding pre-load does not change the rate of a spring - UNLESS the spring is progressive. It's only use is for ride height adjustment. This adjusts the initial force exerted on the spring which sets the ride height, but nothing about pre-load changes the spring rate.

[bronc4now]

Great info ...

[redsawacs]

Originally Posted by binaryterror

Let me put this out there, since RC forums people seem not to understand Springs - Length and Rate. It's not what you'd think, ever.

The Length of a spring is just the length. Length has nothing to do with its rate. A Spring that is 54mm in a rate of 3lbs/in is the same spring as one that is 180mm with the 3lbs/in rate just shorter. The rate of the spring is the same, for every 3lbs it would compress 1".

Rate of lbs/in is the determining factor in springs of its spring rate. A 3lbs/in spring takes 3lbs to make the spring compress 1 inch. So no matter how long the spring, if 3lbs makes it compress 1 inch, its the same spring just a different length.

Adding pre-load does not change the rate of a spring - UNLESS the spring is progressive. It's only use is for ride height adjustment. This adjusts the initial force exerted on the spring which sets the ride height, but nothing about pre-load changes the spring rate.

This is EXACTLY SPOT ON!!!

I was about to lose my shit on this thread until something intelligent was written!!!

Let me add to this a little...springs are ONLY used for ride height!!! If you have a heavier car, you need heavier springs to hold up the weight of the car! If you want the car to ride lower, you either adjust the nut or use a softer spring...BUT a softer spring to lower the car will have adverse effects when you're trying to balance the suspension UNLESS you match the frequency front and rear.....

SO...what happens when you shove a longer spring on where a shorter spring is suppose to go? You load the spring up and it is always under tension. Oh, and you run out of compression in your suspension when the coils completely compress onto themselves...thats it.

You're not getting anymore tension - you're getting a the ability to move your suspension a greater distance. Oh but wait, your shocks stop before that can happen....

Anyway - spring rate is spring rate and springs only hold up the car. I will agree with ONE thing "Ninja Turtle said"....well, eluded to - you need different springs for heavier setups...but, you can only do it with a heavier spring, not longer ones.


If you find yourself cranking down on the preload nuts long after they contact the spring and you're running out of preload on your shocks, your springs are too soft!!! You need HEAVIER springs!