cutting springs?

[allen405]

My friend and I were talking yesterday about lowering springs, cuz mine sits at stock height. Seeing as how I am on unemployment at the moment and can't really spend funds toward them. I was wondering if a guy could cut some off the stock springs? I would like to drop it 2". What would be the pros and cons?

[Eirewolf]

I would not cut any springs, I would wait until you got a job and buy some Eibachs or something.

[str-xr]

I would not cut any springs, I would wait until you got a job and buy some Eibachs or something.

 

yeah cutting springs is BIG no no, you'll bounce all over the place and probably blow your shocks. i hear you on the money issue, lots of us are in the same boat. myself included. well i am working but it might as well be part time. while taking full time hours search if you can get the dimensions you might be able to get some used racing springs ... real racing springs like off nascars and stuff. the evilbay can be your friend sometimes

[S.M.B]

i cut one coil out of my fronts on the old car and the car still had a smooth ride to it but as for cornering...the car became way to loose cuz it took alot of spring rate away from the spring. i couldnt hit my favorite turns on the way to work like i use to, had to grandma it...

[allen405]

Thanks for the info, I will refrain from cutting and wait.

[Blue]

My car has been lowered via heated stock springs, and it handles great. Corners pretty flat, even when I go at them hard, and its still pretty comfy. The previous owner, Grant (pure_insanity) did this mod, and it turned out pretty well. I do however, plan to go D2 when I can.

Just my 0.26 cents..

[Fuze]

Just a note on cut springs, if you do decide to do it, don't cut them with heat. A torch or plasma cutter will alter the metal's properties and can make it more brittle, also consider the fact that no two of the springs will receive the same amount of heat and may react differently to it. If you cut them, use a cut-off wheel to do it. A sawzall can work but you will burn up blades on the hardened steel.

 

One other option is to clamp two coils together, for a 1-2 inch drop with no dramatic change to the spring's properties.

 

I'd just go get some springs and be done with it, because the job of swapping them is a good amount of labor so why not just do it once.

Edited May 9, 2011 by Fuze

[patra_is_here]

going low on cuts springs makes your car handle like poop.

but, if you just cut, say, half a coil you might be ok. it's not that low, but it's just a little lower than stock.

 

but, like everyone said, you're better off doing it the right way. if you can find a friend with access to metal working materials, you can fabricate your own shortened shock housing, with adjustables shock inserts and adjustable height springs for less than the cost of a D2 set up.

 

but if you're just going to make a street car thats low and handles decently, D2 seems to be forum approved.

[bkgsquad]

going low on cuts springs makes your car handle like poop.

but, if you just cut, say, half a coil you might be ok. it's not that low, but it's just a little lower than stock.

 

but, like everyone said, you're better off doing it the right way. if you can find a friend with access to metal working materials, you can fabricate your own shortened shock housing, with adjustables shock inserts and adjustable height springs for less than the cost of a D2 set up.

 

but if you're just going to make a street car thats low and handles decently, D2 seems to be forum approved.

 

just my 2 cents. Eibach does not carry springs for our cars anymore.

I called them last week.suspension techniques has them 1" drop for 188.00

if u order them through amazon.Ground control also has them for about 250.00 or so.

Previous owner of my 87 dropped the car at 2" maybe 2.5" and my car handles like

dog piss.I just got new stuff to put in this weekend.Just take ur time and do it the right way

[Blue]

I want D2's. But I don't understand this, everyone says they handle like shart if you heat/cut the springs, but the PO of my car did just that, and it handles great...

[pancake88]

Not trying to prove you wrong James but that is the only quest you have ever drove you would have to drive another and you would be able to tell. My car has lowering springs man I agree with the rest of them do it right the first time it is a lot of work to have to do over.

[Blue]

Not trying to prove you wrong James but that is the only quest you have ever drove you would have to drive another and you would be able to tell. My car has lowering springs man I agree with the rest of them do it right the first time it is a lot of work to have to do over.

Pancake, you'd be wrong on this being the only SQ I've ever driven. I'm NOT vouching for cut/heated springs. Buuuuut mine really does ride pretty well.

And I've ridden in quite a few SQ. C'mon now, give me more credit than that man.

I wish I had real lowering springs or some D2s. But for what I have mine work.

Edited May 11, 2011 by 87Blue

[patra_is_here]

Pancake, you'd be wrong on this being the only SQ I've ever driven. I'm NOT vouching for cut/heated springs. Buuuuut mine really does ride pretty well.

And I've ridden in quite a few SQ. C'mon now, give me more credit than that man.

I wish I had real lowering springs or some D2s. But for what I have mine work.

 

 

no offense, but you have no real objective way to show that your car handles better. did you run a g-meter? did you datalog? did you check track time / autox times? did the other car have blown struts? are both cars running the same exact tires? same sway bars??

 

there's waaaayyy too many variables to simply say one car handled better than the other due to running on cut springs.

 

I ran cut springs for a long time. on flat even surfaces and quick turns it seemed fine. once you started throwing it around (like a slalom course) or the car had enough time to really transistion it's weight (trying to hold a sweeper turn at the limit), the car would go to hell. plus, if the road surface was uneven enough, the car would bounce off the bump stops and lose traction. cut springs, especially if you are really low, pretty much suck. you can do half a coil maybe and still retain drivability and looks. I'm speaking from experience. once I went low on cut springs, the car was worse. the shocks were already at the end of their travel. the bumpstops literally got smashed into the gland nut seals.

 

I saved up some cash and time, and went all out and I'm not experiencing the traction issues I had previously. there are some roads out here that i'm very familiar with, and I'm able to take some corners in a higher gear now. sure, there are other variables, but having suspension that actually works will keep the tires stuck to the road.

[Richie_Rich]

I've got a set of stock springs if you want to experiment.

$10 plus shipping.

I was getting ready to through them in the scrap bin at work.

[Blue]

no offense, but you have no real objective way to show that your car handles better. did you run a g-meter? did you datalog? did you check track time / autox times? did the other car have blown struts? are both cars running the same exact tires? same sway bars??

 

there's waaaayyy too many variables to simply say one car handled better than the other due to running on cut springs.

 

I ran cut springs for a long time. on flat even surfaces and quick turns it seemed fine. once you started throwing it around (like a slalom course) or the car had enough time to really transistion it's weight (trying to hold a sweeper turn at the limit), the car would go to hell. plus, if the road surface was uneven enough, the car would bounce off the bump stops and lose traction. cut springs, especially if you are really low, pretty much suck. you can do half a coil maybe and still retain drivability and looks. I'm speaking from experience. once I went low on cut springs, the car was worse. the shocks were already at the end of their travel. the bumpstops literally got smashed into the gland nut seals.

 

I saved up some cash and time, and went all out and I'm not experiencing the traction issues I had previously. there are some roads out here that i'm very familiar with, and I'm able to take some corners in a higher gear now. sure, there are other variables, but having suspension that actually works will keep the tires stuck to the road.

No offense taken, but I want to make a few points and call it done.

First, I didn't do the mod-Talk to Grant.

Second, I'm NOT vouching for them.

Third, I'm getting D2s as soon as my wallet allows.

Fourth, being that I don't have a place to really exercise my car at its limits right now, it isn't a horrible issue.

Fifth, mine actually does ride pretty nice for what it is. But again, I don't recomend it.

Allow me to put it this way:

Don't cut your springs. Mine is a fluke, and not a grand fluke at that, I'm lucky I get away with it. You'd be better off just buying coilovers or at least someone's used Eibachs. I was merely trying to point out that sometimes you can get lucky at it will work out, but had I my choice from the get go, I wouldn't have done it.

Everyone cool now?

Edited May 17, 2011 by 87Blue

[Frenchi934]

cutting springs is not good because it removes the "dead coil" used to seat the springs. Heating a spring is also not good because it changes the spring coefficient by changing the heat cycles on the metal.

 

A springs force is given by the formula F=-kx (hookes law), where k is the spring constant and x is the distance compressed. When you heat springs and lower a car, you are not only making the springs softer (by not properly quenching the metal) but you are also decreasing the distance it can compress, and as we've all observed by messing with springs, the spring gets the stiffest after its been compressed a bunch.

 

Of course none of this really matters if you're still on old blown struts haha

[polarisman14]

The dead coil is more for weight-carrying ability than to seat the springs. They will still seat fine provided you aren't becoming airborne often, lol. It will be bouncy if you cut the springs but if all you're after is being low it'll definitely get you there. I know a few people who bought aftermarket springs AND cut them to be lower. Cars still handle well because they did supporting mods (camber solutions, sway bars, etc.) to compensate for the springs.

[allen405]

well I'm on unemployment right now so nothing is gonna happen. I will not cut them tho' I will just leave them as is. I am starting to think that the stock ones are good because I don't have to worry about most driveways and speed bumps. D2's are definitely out of the question, They are way to expensive I'm on a very low budget and married, lol.

[RF600]

I have cut 1coil out of a spring before. It was not a starquest. I wouldn't go anymore than that.