cutting springs

[tim-ix]

FIAS = found in a shed !

PMSL. You funny man Mr Pete

[munky30]

it can be dangerous, for the money for a "poverty spec." set of springs, you might as well buy the springs kit.
and like munky says cutting that back ones is not an option/a very very bad idea as they are "pig tailed" and are much more likely to slip off

Who the f*ck is munky?!

ooohhhh, its me...

Yes, pigtail rears are not choppable... well they are... but its not advisable.

But shortening an already short spring? Not sure about that. I fitted some lowering springs to an E36 last week (30mm drop) and The springs were so much shorter than standard that I could almost (but not quite) fit the springs and top mounts without compressing them. I wouldn't dream of cutting those down. Also, bear in mind that if you go too low the car will be riding on the bump stops. And yes, running with no bump stops is the quickest way to destroy the dampers. Cut the bump stops down if you need to but never, ever run without them as they're there for a reason.

Hmm, on my old mazda, with 'coilover' suspension all round, I cut a set of Pi lowering springs and it handled better than before. Much more solid and planted all round. They lowered the car but did it by having different compression rates, not by being physically shorter. I have alwasy been told that its better to cut uprated springs as they have a stronger compression rate so the loss of a coil isnt such a big impact on their overall structural integruty compared to standard ones...

bloody hell, i almost sounded intelligent then... more wine needed...

[jaistanley]

Almost

[munky30]

almost is as good as I get, allow me this moment of self gratitude.

[bigpimpin]

As for the heat from cutting a coil off with a grinder affecting the temper of the steel, forget it as it doesn't get even remotely hot enough and the hottest part is localised.

But surely you heat and flatten the coil after its cut to sit properly?

Even I did that when I was a wee whipper snapper!

[munky30]

thats a bit over complex for your average chopper....

cut it, fit it, hope it works....

this small insight into the mind of a coil cutter was brought to you by munky the cheapkate.

[munky30]

As for the heat from cutting a coil off with a grinder affecting the temper of the steel, forget it as it doesn't get even remotely hot enough and the hottest part is localised.

But surely you heat and flatten the coil after its cut to sit properly?

Even I did that when I was a wee whipper snapper!

hangon.... I didnt write that!

[bigpimpin]

Sorry man, now corrected!

[munky30]

no need to apologise... for a while i thought I had written it.. its friday. I am far from the land of the sober...

[bigpimpin]

yeah, i'm half asleep and have had a few!

[buster]

well my car must be an atom bomb waiting to go off
I cut one coil from both lower parts of the front coil,makes no difference but the ride height.
Now that the s50 is in ,now i wish i hadn't cut them

[mrLEE30]

blah blah blah nanny state advice... lads here been cutting and heating springs for years, one shop will heat up your tired leaf springs (primitive american form of ''suspension'' found on the 2007 corvettes and most yank tanks) when they become saggy to revitalise them.... nee bother..they will give you a years gaurentee too (although i am not sure if they guarentee sucess or failure) but to the point almost all E30's here have a coil and a bit cut off front and back resulting in about a 20-30mm drop at the wheels... never heard of any problems EVER.

and as for aftermarket springs.. the Elbach on my old UK 318 springs lasted 18 months and one snapped at the rear.... if that is not dangerous i dont know what is.

i would be more concerned with the state of the shock absorbers/tyre pressure and tread/rusty suspension turrets/suspension bushes than the condition of my springs when discussing the affect on car handling.

[Rosc0PColtrane]

ricers!

[DanThe]

Anyone watch 'Bhangra Bangers'?

I loved the part where they cut 2 inches out of the damper and stick welded it back together

[Andyboy]

As for the heat from cutting a coil off with a grinder affecting the temper of the steel, forget it as it doesn't get even remotely hot enough and the hottest part is localised.

But surely you heat and flatten the coil after its cut to sit properly?

Even I did that when I was a wee whipper snapper!

Nope. Once fitted and under even the lightest compression the coil sits perfectly in the lower strut top. Didn't you know that??

[maxfield]

Anyone watch 'Bhangra Bangers'?

I loved the part where they cut 2 inches out of the damper and stick welded it back together

I watch it they certainly do bodge alot

And the final cars they come up with look shocking ]

Undercar neons and everything look hideous.

And for cutting springs don't be so tight and proper lowering springs.

[aceraf]

Consider this..60mm drop all round... i think that's a good price!!!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... &rd=1&rd=1

[fuzzy]

i cut my original front springs as a temporary measure until i got my new suspension and it caused me to fail my mot because the springs dislocated from the platforms when it was jacked up.

[fuzzy]

Consider this..60mm drop all round... i think that's a good price!!!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... &rd=1&rd=1

that doesnt look bad for a budget set up, they will even fit the whole kit for £60.

[aceraf]

I've sat in cars with cut springs, and all i can say is they look good....and that's it....you can forget about enjoying the driving experience...as you'll be too busy putting padding all over your car as it bounces so much that everything's falling apart...it'll wrech your shocks...and no-doubt cost you more in the long run....

I did it to my last car...and the only reason i did it was i couldn't get lowering springs for my car....otherwise i would've paid whatever it would've cost for a decent set of springs!!!

Also, you'll probably end up with un-even springs, and make to car sit un-even front and back and also side to side!

It' can really ruin a car!!!

I've seen then on a 325i motorsport which had around 70-80mm drop, and it was undrivable....the driver had to avoid roads that contained even the slightlest pothole, or he'd be needing some fillings doing..!!!

Definately not advised!!!!

[aceraf]

Consider this..60mm drop all round... i think that's a good price!!!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... &rd=1&rd=1

that doesnt look bad for a budget set up, they will even fit the whole kit for £60.

I agree....untill you've got the money to splash out on a good set....i'd rather get this, and have the car safe and sitting right, rather than risk a cheaper option of cutting.....

I have seen suspensions fail on cut springs by the way....someone i know very well (who won't be named) did it on his golf gti, and was very lucky when his spring snapped that the ditch he ended up in didn't take his life....the car was a complete writeoff....!!!

[kam-325i]

It does not matter how much you cut off the spring, its how you cut it and what you do afterwards that cause's the problems...

[MrDazzle]

*puts on Engineer hat*

Don't do it...alot of thought goes into the design of a spring. Many springs also have heat treatments and pre-stressing procedures applied to them, not to mention the high loads that are travelling through a car suspension spring. Messing with them when you're not an expert is a baaad idea.

[fuzzy]

*puts on Engineer hat*

Don't do it...alot of thought goes into the design of a spring. Many springs also have heat treatments and pre-stressing procedures applied to them, not to mention the high loads that are travelling through a car suspension string. Messing with them when you're not an expert is a baaad idea.

naaa, dont worry get the angle grinder out and start chopping....its not rocket science

[DanThe]

[Scoupe]

useful input there dan! lol

and that ebay £150 set up is definately a better option than cutting springs

[DanThe]

Just putting my opinion accross

This is just a 'yes' 'no' thread now