Cutting front springs How much to cut

EhCaminoDave

n00b

Oct 14, 2024

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8

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Vancouver Canada

• Oct 19, 2024

• #1

Planning on lowering my 1979 elcamino in the next few weeks... Honestly it's the budget Camino so I'm cutting the front and putting lowering springs in the front ... Wondering how low can I go on the front ...the wheels on it are 15"x7" 205/60 ...I would like to low as possible without major changes I don't mind if I have to smash a few things to make it work lol...Would love to get some tips on this as I know it's a pain in the *ss to remove springs

Also trying to source ss front spoiler what would be a good site to order these from?

 

Drkuhar

G-Body Guru

Sep 27, 2018

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Girard, IL

• Oct 20, 2024

• #2

Every 1/2 cut off equal to a 1"drop.

Set them on a bench (closed end down) and with a tape measure up to top. Coils have closed end that goes in the frame and an open end that rest on the lower control arm. Cut off the open end. Rotate the coil next to the tape measure and mark it at the drop you want. Example if spring is 15" turn coil to 14 1/2 and mark there. That cut will give a 1" drop.

Old springs may not be wore evenly, one side may sag a bit more than the other so with old springs it is a guessing game somewhat

Original springs a soft so that has to be taken into account.

I ordered stiffer springs then trimmed down give it a more sport car feel rather than soft feel. And both springs were new with no sag to account for

 

B

bracketchev1221

Royal Smart Person

Jan 18, 2018

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• Oct 20, 2024

• #3

Hard to say exactly depending on spring. But generally 1/2 coil a cut is safe but it’s trial and error.

 

J

jcelk

Greasemonkey

Dec 10, 2014

141

87

28

• Oct 21, 2024

• #4

i did that to a 82 elky 3.8 cut 1 coil off the bottom that lowered it more than i wanted try 1/2 coil

 

EhCaminoDave

n00b

Oct 14, 2024

4

8

3

33

Vancouver Canada

• Oct 21, 2024

• #5

jcelk said:

i did that to a 82 elky 3.8 cut 1 coil off the bottom that lowered it more than i wanted try 1/2 coil

Click to expand...

How much do you think it's dropped...I'm aiming for about 2.5" or 3"

 

Bonnewagon

Lost in the Labyrinth

Supporting Member

Sep 18, 2009

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Queens, NY

• Oct 21, 2024

• #6

I suggest cutting no more than 1/4 of a coil at a time. There is no magic formula of 'cut this for that much drop'. Every spring and every car is different. I used new 1977 Trans Am springs in my '81 Malibu wagon. It had a Pontiac 400 so a big heavy motor. The second gen Firebird overall spring height is about 1" taller than our cars to begin with. I made 3 cuts of 1/4 at a time for 3/4 of a coil total, That changed it from pointing to the tree tops, to a perfect 1" over stock height. Sure it's a LOT of work. But you can always take more off. You can't put it back on.

 

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403Olds

G-Body Guru

May 31, 2014

556

467

63

South Central Ohio

• Oct 21, 2024

• #7

205/60 is already shorter than stock, so you won't have to go much further. cutting the stock springs will result in a lower ride, but probably on the bump stops many times. a better option would be a set of the Moog IROC springs and start cutting.

 

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Ernest

G-Body Guru

Apr 28, 2016

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Texas

• Oct 23, 2024

• #8

Continuing with what Drkuhar had posted with a video example...

 

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Drkuhar

G-Body Guru

Sep 27, 2018

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Girard, IL

• Oct 23, 2024

• #9

Ernest said:

Continuing with what Drkuhar had posted with a video example...

Click to expand...

This video is the guide I used doing mine. I couldn't get a link to post