Q: I am converting my rear suspension to a coil-over system, and I see spring options vary by the weight of the car. What is the most cost-effective way to determine the weight of my car?

A: Many towns have a public scale you can use to weigh your car. If a public scale is not available, a local trucking or moving company may weigh your car for a small fee. Most race tracks have scales available as well. Before you start any suspension project, you should determine the front, rear, and total weight of your vehicle. This will give you a good reference point so you can order the correct suspension parts. A set of quality scales like Longacre’s AccuSet II is a must-have for serious chassis work and suspension set up.

This is another in a series of weekly Q&A Mailbag sessions with Summit Racing‘s tech department, in which there are hundreds more. Click here to see them all.

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Author: Dave Matthews

Dave Matthews was a mechanic for the U.S. Army, a Ford dealership, and served for many years as a fleet mechanic for construction companies. Now a technical content producer at Summit Racing, Dave has spent decades working on everything from military vehicles to high performance race machines.