before you buy lowering springs...
- Thread starter 11secCobra
- Start date
No question cutting is not for everyone...
1. you never use a torch
2. you cut less than the drop you want, and see where you end up.
I have cut 4 Pairs of coils over the years(I'm a tight wad)... and have had good results each time...
but I know how to do it...
When the coil is shortened the spring rate increases.... FACT
If and when I do mine, I will either go Y2KR springs, or H&R Race...
I won't be cutting mine this time...(I'll be saving the stockers)
Jimmy :thumbsup:
1. you never use a torch
2. you cut less than the drop you want, and see where you end up.
I have cut 4 Pairs of coils over the years(I'm a tight wad)... and have had good results each time...
but I know how to do it...
When the coil is shortened the spring rate increases.... FACT
If and when I do mine, I will either go Y2KR springs, or H&R Race...
I won't be cutting mine this time...(I'll be saving the stockers)
Jimmy :thumbsup:
MidLifeC said:
Ok thats a better idea :idea:
I just wanted to confirm amount of drop to amount of coil cut.
I inderstand that every tire is different.
But if you measured amount of drop per coil cu tit would priovide a great reference to people looking to do this.
Midlife stickey a post so you can become the spring mod guy!
:lol:
I'll post my results with both measurements.
JP :read:
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2003
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- 3,073
some info:
"The first problem is it increases the spring rate at both ends, but usually not by the same percentage, so frequently the rear spring rates increase more than the fronts and the rebound frequencies go to hell. A car will *feel* comfortable even with high spring rates if the rates are matched so that the rebound frequencies are close, and usually with the rear a little slower. (Whenever you go over a bump the suspension goes up and down several times before it settles. The rate it which is oscillates is what I'm talking about.) If the rear oscillates faster than the front it'll feel HORRIBLE, and will perform badly."
"It is not recommended because a large number of do-it-yourselfers don't have, or use the formula to calculate the spring rates before and after cutting. If a torch is used to cut the spring, you change the metallurgy and cause sagging. Most people cut the springs to lower the vehicle and evaluate their sucess by the appearance... end up cutting too much and run out of suspension travel. Spring rate to suspension travel relationship is best left to companies who have the resources to experiment. Others make the mistake of cutting too much off aftermarket springs. This has the opposite effect of raising the car because the spring rate has skyrocketed. Once you take metal off you can't put it back."
So I guess it's like trimming your pulley size down with a grinder instead of doing it the right way by swapping the pulley
"The first problem is it increases the spring rate at both ends, but usually not by the same percentage, so frequently the rear spring rates increase more than the fronts and the rebound frequencies go to hell. A car will *feel* comfortable even with high spring rates if the rates are matched so that the rebound frequencies are close, and usually with the rear a little slower. (Whenever you go over a bump the suspension goes up and down several times before it settles. The rate it which is oscillates is what I'm talking about.) If the rear oscillates faster than the front it'll feel HORRIBLE, and will perform badly."
"It is not recommended because a large number of do-it-yourselfers don't have, or use the formula to calculate the spring rates before and after cutting. If a torch is used to cut the spring, you change the metallurgy and cause sagging. Most people cut the springs to lower the vehicle and evaluate their sucess by the appearance... end up cutting too much and run out of suspension travel. Spring rate to suspension travel relationship is best left to companies who have the resources to experiment. Others make the mistake of cutting too much off aftermarket springs. This has the opposite effect of raising the car because the spring rate has skyrocketed. Once you take metal off you can't put it back."
So I guess it's like trimming your pulley size down with a grinder instead of doing it the right way by swapping the pulley
No doubt - you really should know what you are doing before you do it. Mismatched spring rates certainly are ugly. We know front and back rates are 600#. By applying the formula in the book, we should be able to cut enough (front and rear) to have matching rates.
Personally, I would only do this if the aftermarket springs did not suit my purpose. Everything I looked at (except the Cobra R) dropped the car too much or had insufficient spring rate. Drop the car too much (1/2" or less) and your handling goes to hell(unless you adjust bumpsteer). Now, some people only care about how the car looks - so aftermarket springs are fine for them.
Just understand what you want and do the research on the best way to get there.
Personally, I would only do this if the aftermarket springs did not suit my purpose. Everything I looked at (except the Cobra R) dropped the car too much or had insufficient spring rate. Drop the car too much (1/2" or less) and your handling goes to hell(unless you adjust bumpsteer). Now, some people only care about how the car looks - so aftermarket springs are fine for them.
Just understand what you want and do the research on the best way to get there.
11secCobra said:cut your stock ones!
BTW i switched from the eibach pro kit to cut stock springs. im stickin with the cut stock springs
You never posted any pics. :shrug:
op:
MidLifeC said:
So more than 1/2" drop makes the handling go to hell? Damn, that's not alot of drop at all. I was thinking of maybe dropping my car a little. I didn't want to do too much but definitely more than a half inch, and if that little bit makes it so I have to get all that adjusted I'll leave it stock. I know you have to get it aligned again after you drop it but bumpsteer and all that too? I dont' know much about suspension, so any info would be great.
I cut my stock springs the first time I did a lowering job, too. Its a good way to determine how much drop you actually want because you can chop springs that you've already got and not worry if you bought the right hieght set of springs. Then go buy the springs you want. Besides...you DO change the interity and rate of the springs all together. I'm no engineer but what I read once stands to reason.
A spring designed for a specific application has certain necessary variables that comprise it. 1) thickness of metal, 2)metal compound 3) number of turns (the twists) per the given diameter of the metal thickness....SO. If a 'Stangs spring is supposed to have 8 turns in it and you remove one you've compromised it and also made it unsafe for highway travel. I know. I did this. Also...the MOST important thing here READ THIS...when you hits bumps...you GET THE CHEAP "I CAN'T AFFORD SPRINGS SO I'LL CHOP THEM RICER BOUNCE"!!!!! :xpl:
So go buy H&R Springs...AWESOME!!! :rockon: :rockon: Do it right!
A spring designed for a specific application has certain necessary variables that comprise it. 1) thickness of metal, 2)metal compound 3) number of turns (the twists) per the given diameter of the metal thickness....SO. If a 'Stangs spring is supposed to have 8 turns in it and you remove one you've compromised it and also made it unsafe for highway travel. I know. I did this. Also...the MOST important thing here READ THIS...when you hits bumps...you GET THE CHEAP "I CAN'T AFFORD SPRINGS SO I'LL CHOP THEM RICER BOUNCE"!!!!! :xpl:
So go buy H&R Springs...AWESOME!!! :rockon: :rockon: Do it right!
ricer bounce is not caused by cutting your springs ... it is caused by bottoming out your shocks ... sure if you cut a couple of coils you will get the bounce .. i can't even tell the difference when i cut mine
how do you think they get the correct length when manufactoring them ....THEY ARE CUT
1/2" spring cut and your handling goes to hell, so if that is true then why don't we hear from everyone that replaced their springs that they also had to get bumpsteer kits to correct the handling problems, why because it is NOT TRUE, most people praise on how improved the handling is .... so you talk from personal experience .... i have an 04 cobra cut springs, stock tires and i have had an open track driving instructor pull over for me to pass because i was quicker then he was in the technical part of the course ... he was in a 2000 m3 ... if lowering my cobra makes the handling go to hell i better raise it back up so i can blow away the c6 vettes ....
how do you think they get the correct length when manufactoring them ....THEY ARE CUT
1/2" spring cut and your handling goes to hell, so if that is true then why don't we hear from everyone that replaced their springs that they also had to get bumpsteer kits to correct the handling problems, why because it is NOT TRUE, most people praise on how improved the handling is .... so you talk from personal experience .... i have an 04 cobra cut springs, stock tires and i have had an open track driving instructor pull over for me to pass because i was quicker then he was in the technical part of the course ... he was in a 2000 m3 ... if lowering my cobra makes the handling go to hell i better raise it back up so i can blow away the c6 vettes ....
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