I was up all night reading about coil spring reduction.

Id like to hear everyones thoughts on it.

Especailly if youve done it.

Id like to take a coil and a half off all the way around. Maybe just a coil. But anyway I have extra spings to do it with so I was thinking, why not?

(I Know, Id buy some shorter springs but) I have been getting pretty deep into DIY mods and I could save money for something I cant make myself, like shocks.

It's generally not a good idea. When you cut stock springs, they retain their spring rates, but now have less room to travel, allowing the car to bottom out easily. Its also a lot harsher on the stock shocks, which might cause them to fail, resulting in a sad, droopy car. Cutting stock springs also doesn't give you any added benefit to handling, besides the slightly lower center of gravity. A higher spring rate will give you better handling. When it comes to suspension, it's best to go with aftermarket parts. Besides, a set of new Eibach springs aren't that expensive; about $200. You can buy them from the Nopistons Store. https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...IR#>/bigok.gif



Besides, cutting stock springs to lower your car is ghe-tto. https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...DIR#>/wink.png

Yea with lowering springs so cheap why waste your time and the potential damage?

Don't cut your springs. When I bought my FD the previous owner had cut the springs. While the car looked better, it bottomed the suspension on even the smallest bumps and it really screwed up the way the car handled. Needless to say a set of used stock springs was on my "short list". Now that I have the correct springs on the car again it rides and handles much better. I do however have a lot of clunks and other noises which I attribute to the accelerated wear caused by cutting the springs. Oh, and the occational nose bleed due to the high altitude! https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...DIR#>/wink.png

No, Thats why I was Up reading about this all night.

Actually, By cutting the spring you increase the spring rate and spring life. Take a 250lbs per inch spring and cut it in half and you now have a 500lbs per inch spring, and that goes for all springs, push or pull. And the rumor that cutting it in thirds retores the spring rate to normal is wrong too. you just increase the spring rate to 750lbs per inch. Skipping all the scientific jarga theres really only three rules: The bigger aound the coil is, the lower the spring rate. The longer the spring is, the lower the spring rate. And, The more coils there are in a spring, the lower the spring rate. This is why those long, long springs on monster trucks keep getting smaller and smaller around. And it does improve handling and, as you said, LCG. It helps LCG by lowering the car AND stiffining the springs side to side/sway rate. and it increases handleing by making the spring rate stiffer. They wont bottom out because I wont be taking that much off. And it would take more force to bottom them out anyway. And as for the GETTO crack, well if cutting springs is getto then so is block plating, straight piping, hose routing, and all that other stuff that you can do without going to your mechanic, by simply gaining the knowledge and the skills to do it your self. You call it Getto, I call it modifiying and saving money and time. If it makes you feel any better I'll paint them red before I put them back in.



Thanks man. Not downing your opinion, just looking for a little more input.

Anybodyelse? Anybody know anybody that has done this or have any of you ridden in a car with cut spings.

Im probably going to atleast try this since I have full sets of springs laying around anyway. I was just hoping for some input first.

HOW MUCH WERE THEY CUT LILGT6?

Im not saying you cant make them bottom, but most people make the mistake of taking too much spring out.

I don't see how you can get any accurate numbers cutting the springs, but have fun! https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...#>/biggrin.png

So you guys are definitly against this, huh?

Its better then those guys that ride around with u-bolts and clamps.

No, your right about the numbers, I really just plan on using springs all from the same car so they will all be equally worn and the spring rate will be the same all the way around.

If I had a press and a good scale I could probably make something too get the numbers.

Its more my personal preference, there is no way to really get an even spring rate, ride characteristics, etc. For me, I would just buy a new set of springs, that are made to do what I want them to do and no rigging of any kind.



I'd rather spend a couple bucks and know I am getting what I want then waste my time and effort and have an end result that my be less then desirable.

Yea....that is true.

But I could always put the old spings on or get a new set.

But I understand the concerns....slight mis-calculations in suspension mean large mis-calculations in car handling.

HodRod guys do it all the time but your not exactly talking about a corner hugger there.

I guess it would be better to do if I was just wanting to lower the car.

I agree with everybody else. I would not cut springs. I've never heard anything good coming from it. Also, like it stated before, with springs being as cheap as they are, it just isn't worth the trouble.

there is no problem with cutting the springs, the ride may be a bit harsher, but thast prolly about it.



eibach makes their springs with the idea that after they settle in, you cut off the extra coils so that you can adjust the height to where you want it.

no major problem with it, it's documented in books on suspension tuning and making street cars handle. Just be careful so you don't go too low and get them even. You'll probably want to get some camber plates.



Actually, I don't even know what kind of suspension the 1st gen has up front, probably a macpherson strut?

Yea, McPherson. And your right ioTus, I read last night of about four different after market sping sets that you eventually have to cut, I forgot about that. I was sleepy. As a matter of fact, One guy was complaining because the springs he bought set his car an inch higher, they were just stiffer, but he said that in the instructions it said to cut off the extra.

I guess people should pay more attention.

Yea, Im still not sure but that DOES kinda confirm That it gets done. But then those arent stock and they probably come with cut-off lines all over the coils.

Can I get Camber plates for the McPherson? That would be sweet, Im getting wear on the inside of my front tires now.

Thanks Man!

I would say just cutting a coil off shoudl be fine. I am doing that to mine this witner, besides the spring rates thats all the lowering springs that you buy are. If you don't go crazy your ride shouldn't be affected that much.

I personally have lowered my project se buy simply cutting the springs, I have to say I can not report any ill effects, the suspension is actually stiffer, and quite a bit lower. About 1 1/2 turns, the shock still have plenty of travel more in fact then my '79 with gsl-se underneath with the tokico springs and struts. The se has about 2 1/2 inches of travel where as the '79 only has about 1 inch.



Everyone says not to cut or heat your springs but from experience from doing both I prefer cutting it's more controled and you actually benifit from a stiffer suspension; I'll probably get flamed for this but this is my personaly experience not I've heard or read that from blah, blah, blah.



Hopefully that helps to explain.

No my old dato 1600 rally car we just heated all four springs and got my friends and i to sit on each corner for about 2mins....works like a charm

cutting a spring will make it stiffer, the only negative effect of cutting springs is when you do it without changing your dampers at the same time. You have to get stiffer shocks to go with the springs or you will just have a bouncy ride.

okay i cut my stock front springs one drunkin night and i don't regret it too much. I only cut 1-1/3 of a coil off, and franklly the car does handel much better, but the spring rate didn't increase enough for the amount of drop that was given and I hit my bump stops alot. a.k.a. bottom out the suspension. pluss the car looks better. lol Nothing harsh or violent going on just annoying. The stock rear springs are to far apart to cut with out dropping the rear like 2".

Yeah, citting springs is fine. As long as you know what you are doing. Don't just say I'ma cut 2 coils off. Caluculate what you need and what you're going to end up with before hand. There is a formula to determine the rate of any spring you're going to use or cut.

I've got an 82 gsl, I cut one coil out of all four springs, and it brought my car down about an inch. You just have to remember not to heat them up too much when cutting or you will change the rate of the spring. Also you should pull them and put them back in the same side. After i finished i did the front alignment, and it handles great.

Where did you get the information about spring rates when you cut coil springs, a 250# coils is always a 250# coil however you cut it apart! The spring rate doesn't change just the length of the spring, the hot rod guys cut them to adjust preload thereby adjusting ride height. By your theory if you cut a stock spring down 4 coils you should NEVER be able to bottom the car because the spring rate would be so high. When you cut the stock coils al you are doing is lessening the preload of the spring and dropping the car closer to the bump stops which makes it bottom easier, if you want to try the lower height clamp 2 coils together and try it.

Don

[QUOTE]Where did you get the information about spring rates when you cut coil springs, a 250# coils is always a 250# coil however you cut it apart!"



I think he's referring to the #'s per inch - they will increase as you shorten the coil.



Cutting springs has been going on for many a moon. Racing Beat even suggests it in their catalogue. Go ahead, just make sure they are the same length exactly, and that you flatten out the end of the bottom coil to seat properly

Someone mentioned stiff springs handling better than softer ones - I agree with that to a point, however, IMO softer springs are better for cornering (the car has to be able to lean a little).

I had Tokico coils on my "83 and hated them - they did not improve handling and the ride was much to harsh. On my '85 SE, I now have tokico springs on stock coils and the car handles great. I'm thinking of removing a coil over the winter.

I was talking about heating up your springs when you cut them. if you took a cutting torch out and cut your springs the heat will change the properties of the metal. If you want to try it out, put your car on jack stands, take out your torch put a rose bud on and heat ONE of your rear springs till its nice and cherry red. let that cool down and go drive your car around some nice tight corner and see if things have changed.