cutting springs

Listen to Craig:I am wrong about where to cut the springs(been a long time).That said.Plan the whole package out before doing anything with the suspension.You can really screw it up if your not careful.Your dad is right about his freinds screwing their cars up.(no planning/research)Read up,plenty of books out there pertaining to suspension tuning/handling.I have been modding my car for many years and it still aint done!!Be patient,be deliberate be informed,you will be much happier with the end result.Learn enough and you will be able to tell us old farts a thing or two.Yes treat a compressed coil spring as you would a grenade/bomb.It will take your head off if your not careful.Good luck.Pete.

 

again, thanks for the advice guys...

 

hum? i guess my car is ****ed up then

maybe you need to show him my site... and if he still thinks by doing it is F'd up oh well.

ok dad

 

Interesting...At what point during the cut does it go bang? Half, 3/4? I might be daring...

 

Thanks...I will probobly be doing this at some point.
Check out our post count. Guess I better stay up for a bit

 

If you want to remove the spring from the car, you can use a short piece of chain bolted to it to "leash" the spring to the car with . That way, if it wants to fly, the chain will catch it.

Interesting idea about cutting it on the car.

Cutting coils off raise the effective spring rate a bit, as if you swapped a stiffer spring in there. It firms up the ride. Cutting out one coil, the ride and handling on the green car below improved. I don't know that I would cut any more off, might make the ride a bit choppy. If I take the front end apart again, I do know that I will be going for the Shelby mod on the upper A-arms. That would really improve the cornering.

Please tell your dad that another 40-something "Classic Rock Guitar Player" (I am in a band) says that cutting one coil is a good thing.

Just look at the two below ... green one, cut one coil, looks better ...white one was uncut,nose-high, and I used to drive that thing sideways most of the time ...

 

Unless your car sits ridiculously high, I wouldn't recommend cutting a full coil off on the first cut.

 

I bet your dad will feel really good about the job when he is sitting behind you and the spring goes "BANG!!!" and you jump back because it was a bit louder than you expected, and the has a heart attack thinking something shot shot out at you and nailed you in the head...

I bought some heavy duty springs from JCWhitney and they sat much higher, maybe 4" too high. They also had way fewer coils than the stock one. I cut one coil off and they fit perfect to my liking. Plus, now I don't need spring compressors to get them out. They are just the right height so that if I jack up the car, I can "unscrew them with some elbow grease and they will pop right out. Same thing going back in. I feed in the top, line up the bottom so it is 180 degrees turned around from the bottom perch, and screw it so that the spring ramps up onto the perch and snaps into it.

Has saved me much time since then with the other front end work I have done.

 

damn, looks better and handles better.. what more could you ask for? ill talk to him again tonite.. thanks guys

 

Here's what I done to my Comet.Go to your local chain parts store & get a $4 a pair spring clamps.They are a bitch to get the bolts started,but you are clamping 2 coils together,lowering the front about 2".And there's no cutting,disassembly,special tools and it's reversible if you don't like it.It will make it ride a bit stiffer and all just like the cutting but my Comet still drives the same.You will need to have it aligned or you'll wear out the inside tire treads.BTW,if you do this,jack up the car under the A-arm,you want the spring compressed as much as possible(might need a friend to sit on the fender)because the bolts will be a PAIN to get started.Once they're started though,you just tighten them down until the 2 coils come together.Been on my car for 8 years now,no problems.It's not a great pic,but it's the car in my avatar and there's a better angle of it in the gallery.Hope this helps!

 

sweet maybe ill try em for a lil bit..

 

what are other peoples opinions on spring clamps?

 

I would suggest you ask your dad.

 

nah cause i know he'll ask wtf? i figure ill do this and if it doesnt look good, handles like ****, or hurts the car, then i can always take em off...