cutting springs

Ok i really want the front end of my car lower but my dad does not want me to cut the springs.. i already know everyone on here has done it... as for my questions:

1) how hard is it to get the springs out?
2) how do i get them out?
3) could i do it in like an hour before my dad found out?
4) will i need an alignment afterwards?

 

im curious myself. my front end is a little high after dropping the big bumper. you need a spring compressor to get it in out and something to cut it

 

well my dad gets hella pissed at me when i say im gonna cut my springs.. he says im gonna ruin the car...

 

There is a lot of info on this message board about cutting springs. You can not do them both in an hour. Alignment is always a good idea when you change the front suspension any.

 

you also need a spring compressor. i know there available at autozone. they lend them out for about a $50 deposit that you get back when you return it. you'll also need a jack and jackstands, pickle fork, sockets or open end wrenches, and more than an hour. also i would think twice about getting your dad pi$$ed. might need his help someday.p.s. the best way is to cut a little off at a time. so you might have to do it more than once. another thing tio think about is if you ever want to swap in a v-8 it may then be too low.

 

I've got an idea for you. Instead of trying to sneak around and do it behind your dad's back, look up this topic here on the forums and share the information with him. When he sees that it's a litgitimate modification, he may change his view on the whole thing. Then ask him for help doing the job. If you never done it before, you'll need help anyway and you'll be able to spend some quality time with your dad working on the car instead of arguing over it. When you're older you'll be glad you did.

 

Sam shares good advice...

Many of us have done it with good results. Get dad to help, it will be a fun experience, and he will feel some of the pride in making your car look cool.

It will take more than an hour your first time.

Getting the spring compressors to work is a b!tCh the first time. Once you figure out how they need to be, you could do it the second and third time in an hour, but the first time may take 2-3, maybe more hours.

Plus, like said before, you should take off just a little, reinstall, see how much height you lost, and then recut until it sits where you want it to.

When you screw them up and get too low, it will only cost about $80 to buy new springs and start over, but your car will be out of commission for a week while the parts are being delivered...that will be hard to explain to pops!

 

I must add that when you do cut the springs DONT use a TORCH.The heat fatigues the springs causing them to sag unevenly and break once they have been on the car and in use for a while.Use a good cut off wheel.3M-Green corps come to mind to cut the coils off.Cut from the top of the spring not the bottom(fits back on the perch easier that way)Good luck.

 

Might plan on some other new parts while your in there...spring perches, control bushings, shocks maybe even ball joints.
It is dangerous so be verry careful! I've done it many times and I still lose weight when I do them...

 

I used a cutoff wheel on a die grinder. Took about 2 minutes per cut. WEAR EYE PROTECTION...it costs $100 cash to get a chunk of steel withdrawn from your eye by the optometrist...I wonder how I know that

We are starting to sound like a bunch of old farts with all of these warnings...

Don't forget, those springs are made to hold a very heavy car and engine up off the ground. When they are compressed, they are very dangerous and could easily snap your neck or bust your skull if they let loose and you are in the wrong place.

Be sure to have someone around to help out, or keep an eye out on you. Dad might be a good candidate...

 

Um...mine have a tighter winde at the top and they can spin around to fit the perch...

 

Interesting Gene;Mine are same top and bottom.You have factory springs or replacement ones???

 

Replacement heavy duty. I think the options were w/ac and wo/ac heavy duty. It has been over 10 years and many moons, so I could be mistaken.

 

could just be the replacement thing.Not un common I have HD springs on mine too.I ontly said cut from top to make it easy on him(cant over think it that way)But yeah if his are like yours then he should definitely cut from the bottom.

 

Unfortunatly he/we won't know till he pulls them.