How is spring rate determined for vehicle suspension design?

Spring rate selection considers: Vehicle weight distribution (spring rate = corner weight / desired wheel travel), desired ride frequency (typically 1-1.5 Hz for comfort, 1.5-2.5 Hz for sports cars), roll stiffness requirements, available wheel travel, and tire characteristics. Front-to-rear spring rate ratio affects handling balance. Engineers use ride rate (spring rate corrected for motion ratio) and roll rate calculations, validated through K&C (kinematics and compliance) testing.