Cutting coils to lower front end (Have pics posted now)

[Blake442]

Well I'm hoping this works out cause I've got 1 1/4 off the spring. You have to figure that the first half cut got rid of the flat tapered end of the spring. So the other 3/4 cut is actually dropping the car. I test fitted after the first half cut and pushed on the front end to be sure and the car didn't drop at all. I'm letting the springs air cool right now. I should soak'em in oil as well.

You cut off the tapered end? :shock: It's designed like that to seat properly in the frame pocket. Only the other end should be cut, since there is a relief in the lower control arm for the end of the coil to rest.

 

[patmckinneyracing]

Blake,

Both ends of my moog springs were tapered. The side of the coil I cut is inside the lower control arm while the other flat tapered end is up inside the frame with the insulator. I figured that was the most practical and common sense way putting a cut coil in.

I just took it for a test drive and it doesn't ride harder then it did before. If anything, the stance of the car now helps prevent air drag underneath the car, along with the factory wind deflector, and it rides just as good as it did before.

 

[Blake442]

Ah, I'm used to the stockers where just the upper side is tapered.

 

[Coveted]

there is no "success" in doing things the half *ss way.

cutting springs is never the anwser, its a shame that you would do some backyard hack sh*t on such a nice car.


pull it back apart and buy some different springs.

 

[patmckinneyracing]

What are you French?

So does this mean your gonna buy me a new set of lowering springs for christmas? I also want a 6:71 blower when easter comes around daddy.

Yeah the car is nice and I understand the half *ss concept. But the car is a "backyard dog". Paint was done on the side of the house for god sake. The point to the restoration of this car was having a good running car at a decent cost. The car handles just as good as it did before I cut the springs. Problem is, that whole new front suspension and steering is brand new and I'm not about to buy another suspension just cause you think I didn't do it right. If you don't like it, go buy your own 80' malibu and dump as much money as I have in mine and buy all the "right" parts then we'll talk.

 

[Coveted]

god you suck so bad, that wasnt even worth sifting thru.

the fact is "if everything is brand new under the suspension" you should have done it right, springs are 50$ a piece, you cant be crying over 100$
vs not doing sh*t the right way.

 

[pontiacgp]

coveted....you're wrong about cutting a coil spring is improper.....a stock spring in a metric has a tangible end on the lower side which means it can be cut. The only proper method of cutting a spring is with a saw and not a cutting torch or a plasma. The spring rate is increased and if you want to calculate the spring rate here is the equation

11,250,000 times the wire diameter to the 4th power divided by 8 times the active number of turns times the mean diameter cubed.


and also coveted can you point out the problems you think arise from cutting a spring?.....

 

[custom442]

the fact is "if everything is brand new under the suspension" you should have done it right, springs are 50$ a piece, you cant be crying over 100$
vs not doing sh*t the right way.

Doing it right is to have a spring which performs and sits like a new 100$ set for free.

Ideally, the only springs which should be cut are ones without tapered ends. Since we don't have those, the best way of cutting (an old school method) is to use an acetylene torch. You can cut the spring any way you want really, just be advised it won't sit properly in the A-arm unless you bend it a half coil below. This could provide sloppy and uneven results after the suspension settles.

When you heat up the metal by cutting with the torch, you're not putting as much strain on the metal when you heat another half coil below (after where you cut) in order to press into shape. If we just heat the half coil below where we cut, for example - with a hack saw, we're starting with colder metal and not conducive to bending and re-cooling. The cooling process is the only place you could screw up. To shock the metal and change the way the molecules are aligned, it would need a rapid cooling process. Just make these adjustments at a reasonable outside temperature (not in the winter time) and don't throw water on it afterward.

And no, this is not a load of b.s. I've only done this (after seeing it done) with a half coil. I don't know how the results would be with over half coil. I'm pretty sure if you need to cut a full coil, you didn't do your homework before ordering springs.

 

[patmckinneyracing]

I didn't use a torch to cut these springs. I used a cutting wheel and held a cold rag real close to where I was cutting in order to prevent heat from transferring throughout the steel. The only reason I had to cut out a full coil was because both ends of the moog springs are tapered in a flat full coil. So in order to notice a "lower" front end, I had to take off the first half coil to eliminate one of the tapered ends. The next half coil I took out is what caused the 1.5 inch drop in the front.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking a cheap set of coils and cutting them to what you want. It's been done for decades long before the muscle car era of the 60's and 70's. I just had the car aligned today and I'm telling you, those coils still allow the car to ride like a dream. If you got deep pockets to spend all that money rather than save money, then by all means be my guest.

god you suck so bad, that wasnt even worth sifting thru.

Actually it was worth sitting there taking the time to learn how to modify suspensions. Doesn't hurt to learn new things. And have you ever cut coils in your suspension before or are you just trying to sound smart? 8) :lol:

 

[custom442]

So in order to notice a "lower" front end, I had to take off the first half coil to eliminate one of the tapered ends. The next half coil I took out is what caused the 1.5 inch drop in the front.

I see. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. I cut the springs like you did on a silverado. After they broke in the front left sagged about 1/4-1/2" more.