K9Kev

iTrader: (28)

I've seen a couple of posts where members have said that during their budget builds, they've cut one of the coils from their rear springs.

I'm in the process of resurecting my 98Z into a drag only car and for now, am trying to make the best 'budget minded' choices.

Last year I installed a 9" with 4:10's, Strange rear brakes and the current suspension in the car is:
- Adj. BMR torque arm
- Adj. LCA's
- Adj. PHB
- LG rear sway bar.
- Stock Delphi shocks front & rear and Eibach 1" lowering springs on the front with the stock springs in the rear.

I spoke to Eric @ MWC chassis yesterday and talked to him about a front tubular K along with the lower A-Arms and a set of shocks. The K and A arms are gonna have to wait a month or 2 but I'm hunting for the front Strange SA's asap.

Oh....and power is a stock bottom end 347 with heads, cam, GMPP intake and a Nitrous Outlet custom intake elbow. 80mm MTI TB and a 150 shot. A4 car with a 3K vert (for now).

Car is on a diet right now and coming down from full weight.

So, ideas on cutting one coil from the stockers for now ??

I'd appreciate ya'lls input.

Kev

studderin

iTrader: (28)

yup
For a Fbody, from stock take out the upper rubber mount, thats about 3/4 inch, maybe 1" lower after it settles.

Lower then that you can cut the 1st coil off, thats about how thick it is. aka that coil stacks on itself and and dosnt do much compressing. Thats about 3/4-1inch drop. Put some rubber heater hose over the end, 5/8 or 1/2. I went to something tight had to lube to get on but dosnt move around. Liked that better then the lose 3/4 hose I see most use. Cut them with a cutoff wheel, if your over heating the coil that way your a dumbass, you shouldn't be melting the paint, if you start to then your getting the coil to hot.

Then I put a little flat with that (cut off wheel) or a really coarse belt sander, or flap wheel on ele. angle grinder. Just a flat 2-3inchs long to about 50% the thickness of the coil, a little flat so it sits better. Supports the end of the coil better, from putting all the pressure on that one spot up in the pocket.
That will sit about 28 to the top of the well well, to lower 3k (3300-3100) race weights. When you get under 3K then you had to cut more. But cut a little from there, like 1/4 coil at a time, will be like 3/4inch. So take you time, I think I've cut 1 1/2 coils off

And then the springs get shorter then might get unloaded with the rearend hanging, so be away of that. You might want to make some rear end limiting straps it its bad, or check the springs start sitting right. The summit/deutech/comp 3way shocks are longer then stocks so that will happen for sure. If you change the lower mount so the bolt is going the other way to not bind the shocks, you can lower the mount and that helps too. I did that, shocks company's say they should be in the middle of there range at ride height, the lower you go, the worse it gets, (and shorted coil) hope this helps

K9Kev

iTrader: (28)

Thanks for the 411!

When I wrote the post I was actually directing it at you and hoping you would respond. I knew you'd know

joelster

Use 3/4" heater hose. Get 2 feet, cut in half, use 1 foot for each coil. It will be perfect length. You'll never get 1/2" hose to fit over the coil unless you lube it up a lot. Get the 3/4".

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

Yep one time I removed the spring cup and sleeved the spring, another time I just bought some lowering springs used from a dude.

studderin

iTrader: (28)

ya I had 3/4 for a while, but if its loose the coil will eat into it all the time. I had them apart to cut a little more coils and it was almost worn thou the hose
after 1-2 summers, FYI. Check it out after a while, the tight hose just works better for me. The coils are not 3/4 thick thats for sure, I can't remember if they are 1/2 (.500) or the 5/8th (.625). Some wd40/oil and open hand/ slap the hose on the ends. And they get that air pocket trapped, and the jump a little over the coils at a time, your not going to get them off, but its cheap just cut the tube off if you need too.

K9Kev

iTrader: (28)

UPDATE:

I removed the coils, the rubber spring cups and then cut off the top coil. After cutting the coil off I followed Studderin's advice and shaved down the new top coil approx. 3 inch back from the end to about 60% of the original thickness of the coil.

I thought I was happy with the appearance of the coils after wiping them down with a damp towel, but then figured what the hell.....

I then spent 2 hours stripping off the original powdercoating from the springs. Not happy with just this I then removed my adj PHB, my adj. LCA's and my rear sway bar. Disassembled everything and dropped it all off at the powder shop the next day.

Had everything refinished in Anthracite (charcol gray metallic). When I got everything home I decided to refinish the 9". Sanded it all down and then gave it a new coat of POR-15. (Nice stuff but if you don't spray it, it gets brush strokes...sux).

Anyway, everything is ready to go back in. I took pics but haven't loaded em cause this puter is a POS (Vista ****). If anyone cares to see the new look, chime in and I'll post up all the pics using my desktop.

Kev

cranny

Kev, post some pics when you have time. Sounds like it came out nice.

Outlaw666

iTrader: (3)

post those pics up!

K9Kev

iTrader: (28)

Here ya go.

First ones are of it before and then, the re finished parts and a blurry shot of the car overall...

Comments are welcome.

02SOMWS6

iTrader: (6)

I have a set of SA QA1 shocks that have 15 passes on them.I might sell them to get a set of DA afco shocks.shoot me a pm if you want to buy them