Blk98Bird

Thinking of cutting my springs over the winter when i'm home and have time to work on the car (have to throw a new clutch in but that's another story all together...). The car sees all street driving, so I think the cut springs and a decent shock would be plenty for every day driving and still change the ride enough to let me have a lot more fun around the corners. If I feel I want more, i'd move to some better swaybars as my next step most likely. Any suggestions on what shocks to use in the front/rear? I'd also be relocating the lca's and getting an adjustable panhard to throw everything back into balance once the car sits lower.

Thanks!

trackbird

iTrader: (4)

As you lower a car, you need more spring rate to avoid "bottoming out" over bumps and such. Cutting a spring results in a very slight increase in spring rate. However, this mild increase in spring rate is very rarely enough to work properly with the amount the ride height decreases. Meaning, it is not usually a mod for anything but "show". If you are looking for handling performance, I'd upgrade the rate as well as lowering the car. Stiff springs have little impact on ride quality, that is usually a function of the shocks. The shocks control the "rate" that the suspension is allowed to move over bumps and such. An aggressively valved shock will limit suspension travel based on the amount of load and how quickly it's applied (a car hits a bump that shoves the wheel upwards with 100 lbs of force at a speed of 6 inches per second, but the shock allows only 3 inches per second at that load, the other 3 inches per second of energy will be transmitted to the chassis as a "bump" instead of absorbed by the shock, resulting in a rough ride...this is a "rough examplle"). So, I don't recommend cutting springs for performance applications, I'm not saying it isn't done, it's just not a very good way to achieve your goals. If you are trying to save $200 on springs to put towards your shocks, just wait a little longer and do it right.

As always....just my thoughts.

Blk98Bird

Well, my thoughts were more along the lines that the lower center of gravity would be more of a benefit than the spring rate with cut stockers. I've heard that shocks make a much bigger difference in these cars than springs ever could, so I was assuming that pairing up the right shock with the springs would produce adequate results for what i'm looking to get.

However, I do realize what happens when we assume, so i'm willing to save and do a real set of springs if necessary, i'm just trying to decide whether it's worth the extra cash for a car that only sees street driving . What are your thoughts on this?

trackbird

iTrader: (4)

There are lots of (a few?) guys on here with cut springs and most will tell you they like them. But, it is almost impossible to get enough spring rate to keep the car from constantly hitting the bumpstops everytime the pavement isn't "glass smooth". The thought about lowering the center of gravity is a good one. But a car that is constantly on the bumpstops will behave as if it is running "lots" of spring rate. This can make a car very nervous. It also places extreme demands on shock absorbers to handle the increased load.

You are correct that shocks can make the most difference to these (and most) cars. However, it is best to consider it as a matched package and not just the sum of it's parts. Increased spring rate will help keep the car away from the bumpstops (you will still hit them, just not as much as you would have...) and it has a side benefit of helping to resist body roll. This will make the car feel more stable in turns due to a decrease in body roll, this will also help to maintain the correct alignment of the tires contact patch (relative to the road). So, many good things will come of a properly matched spring and shock package. I think you'll be much happier that you did it correctly. The results will be worth the few dollars difference in cost.

Have fun!

Blk98Bird

Thanks much for all the help trackbird, you helped this suspension newbie a great deal. Would you say a good set of springs and hd's all around would be suitable enough for a street car? What would you recommend?

Looks like i'll be saving a few more bucks up before starting this project !

trackbird

iTrader: (4)

Hmmm.....Since I don't own a set of the Bilstein shocks, I'll have to stick to "general statements" about them.

The Bilstein shocks have an excellent reputation for being a quality shock. However, based on information I've gathered from Sam Strano's advice, they seem to have good damping characteristics but are not quite up to the demands of aftermarket springs without making some changes to the valving and thus the damping characteristics. They will be an improvement over the stock Decarbons (as is nearly anything), but they may need some adjustment for best results. Sam (www.stranoparts.com) can revalve a set for you to work better with your choice of spring and ride height. Otherwise, if it is in the budget, Koni SA's would be an excellent choice to go with most lowering springs on the market and you'll be impressed with the quality and performance. I can tell you where to order "30" series Koni single adjustables for the rear for about $79 each (drop me a PM) and those work well for street use. I hope this info gets you started.