Cutting the springs - no opinions
04-30-2009, 08:52 PM
#1
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Cutting the springs - no opinions I'm going to cut the stock springs in order to lower the TA. Just wanted to know how much to cut off on the front and back. I know a few people on here have done this but I can't find them in the search.
Don't tell me how bad it is I don't want anyones opinion on that because if I don't like it after I cut them I will just get new springs.
Don't tell me how bad it is I don't want anyones opinion on that because if I don't like it after I cut them I will just get new springs.
04-30-2009, 09:01 PM
#2
For your own good and everyone else's safety:
Don't cut your damn springs.
It compromises the springs in many ways, not the least of which being the spring rate. They are designed to operate at full length, when you go cutting them, you negatively impact the spring rate. This will make the car handle less predictably and give you a bad ride.
Either leave them alone, or save for some lowering springs. Hack jobs never got anybody anywhere.
I know you didn't want opinions, but I gave it to you anyway, because I'm trying to prevent you from doing something foolish.
Don't cut your damn springs.
It compromises the springs in many ways, not the least of which being the spring rate. They are designed to operate at full length, when you go cutting them, you negatively impact the spring rate. This will make the car handle less predictably and give you a bad ride.
Either leave them alone, or save for some lowering springs. Hack jobs never got anybody anywhere.
I know you didn't want opinions, but I gave it to you anyway, because I'm trying to prevent you from doing something foolish.
05-05-2009, 12:21 AM
#4
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Just cut mine this week took one coil off the front and half of a coil off the rear with the hose mod, looks good rides good, feels stock. No negative side effects yet.
05-05-2009, 01:26 AM
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For your own good and everyone else's safety:
Don't cut your damn springs.
It compromises the springs in many ways, not the least of which being the spring rate. They are designed to operate at full length, when you go cutting them, you negatively impact the spring rate. This will make the car handle less predictably and give you a bad ride.
Either leave them alone, or save for some lowering springs. Hack jobs never got anybody anywhere.
I know you didn't want opinions, but I gave it to you anyway, because I'm trying to prevent you from doing something foolish.
Don't cut your damn springs.
It compromises the springs in many ways, not the least of which being the spring rate. They are designed to operate at full length, when you go cutting them, you negatively impact the spring rate. This will make the car handle less predictably and give you a bad ride.
Either leave them alone, or save for some lowering springs. Hack jobs never got anybody anywhere.
I know you didn't want opinions, but I gave it to you anyway, because I'm trying to prevent you from doing something foolish.
chip foose disagrees with you.....
05-05-2009, 02:02 AM
#6
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I've run cut springs on several of my f bodys for a quick fix. 1.5-2 coils off front, 1 coil and hose mod on rear. Lowers right at height of sportlines basically.
If your shocks have low miles, it will ride VERY close to stock. If you have over 100k mi shocks, it usually will ride worse and tend to wheelhop on hard pulls.
Case in point, my old TA(in sig) cut springs, 72000 mi stock shocks, rode like a dream. Buddies 98 SS w/ 135k on stock shocks, rides like ****.
Honestly, any of the aftermarket springs will do the same thing with worn shocks. Only difference is the car won't handle as good with cut vs aftermarket progressive rate springs.
It cost to floss! cut them suckers!
If your shocks have low miles, it will ride VERY close to stock. If you have over 100k mi shocks, it usually will ride worse and tend to wheelhop on hard pulls.
Case in point, my old TA(in sig) cut springs, 72000 mi stock shocks, rode like a dream. Buddies 98 SS w/ 135k on stock shocks, rides like ****.
Honestly, any of the aftermarket springs will do the same thing with worn shocks. Only difference is the car won't handle as good with cut vs aftermarket progressive rate springs.
It cost to floss! cut them suckers!
05-05-2009, 02:10 AM
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not an opinion, but fact. cutting metal means friction, which produces heat, and heat warps metal. Cutting springs will screw them up, especially if you do it with a f***ing torch.
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05-05-2009, 07:58 AM
#10
I've cut the springs on probably 20 different cars, and I can tell you to ONLY cut 1 on the front. It will drop about 2", any more than that and it drops fast and the ride gets rough. 1 coil and it rides the same. As for the rear it is always trial and error. I start with about 2, but usually wind up taking about 3 to 3 1/2 to get it level.
05-05-2009, 08:03 AM
#11
Use a cutoff wheel when you do it. I use an outside coil spring compressor to get the bottom coil off the seat on a strut car then whack 1/2 coil first, then the last 1/2 after that so the spring will not fly off and kill you and I don't have to tear it all apart to get to the spring. Important!!! No more than 1 coil on the front of an F-body!!! Start with 1 1/2 on the rear. It is easy to keep pulling them out to trim more.
05-05-2009, 11:26 PM
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I want to add that I said one coil in the back, but I actually did "2." THe first coil is the one thats up top and is basically flat so the spring sets level. Cut that one off plus one more. Heres a pic of my buddies SS we cut last week. Its actually 2 off the rear, hose mod, 1 coil off pass front spring, 2 off the drivers side. Don't ask why the fronts are 2 diff cuts to get same drop. All I can guess is the drivers side springs have a little more rate to compensate for someone sitting on that side the most.
05-06-2009, 12:45 AM
#15
Every car is different and from the pic in your sig it's hard to tell how much you need to cut. Do the hose mode in the rear for 1/2 to 3/4" drop and cut accordingly ... 1/2 to 3/4 coil to get the drop you want. Very similar in the front ... 1/2 to 1" and see how it sets up. The general rule from my experience is 1 coil to 1.2" reduction.
It's amazing how this subject creates panic and irrational reactions in otherwise sane hobbyists. You just have to take it in stride. Figure out what you're trying to achieve on your car and go for it.
It's amazing how this subject creates panic and irrational reactions in otherwise sane hobbyists. You just have to take it in stride. Figure out what you're trying to achieve on your car and go for it.
05-09-2009, 07:35 AM
#18
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Just look at where the spring ends...go straight down from there and cut! = 1 coil exactly. just a tip, if you cut the front coils on the car/shock, cut a half coil at a time, that way you can take out the pieces instead of having a coil stuck in there you cant remove without dissasembling the shock.
05-09-2009, 09:38 AM
#19
Just look at where the spring ends...go straight down from there and cut! = 1 coil exactly. just a tip, if you cut the front coils on the car/shock, cut a half coil at a time, that way you can take out the pieces instead of having a coil stuck in there you cant remove without dissasembling the shock.
