Hazards of taking a coil off the front springs?

[Spades]

what year is your wagon again?

 

 

It's a 72...in less than 200 miles, my 60k mile warranty brand new tires are almost to the cords on the outside...I don't know why the camber is so positive, but it is an issue, and I will get some pictures this saturday when I rip the front suspension apart.

[sssr20det510]

Camber dosent normally eat tires in 200 miles. I bet your toe is way out, Ive ran cars way cambered in and had the tires last 15000 miles

[turbojunker]

yeah...I just looked at my tires today...the outsides are almost to the cords...I have driven it 150 miles and my brand new tires are shredded...

 

I don't know whats going on, but this saturday I am ripping the front end apart and dropping a coil out of the springs.

 

if that isnt enough to drop it and fix the camber, I am going to cut, lower, and re-weld and tube clamp the spring perches. If that still doesnt fix it, im getting some camber plates.

 

I tried one coil on my 79, and it wasn't enough for me. I read on here somewhere to cut enough out of the springs so that they just barely fit without needing a spring compressor to reassemble. I think I wound up taking 2.5 coils out and it was perfect.

[Spades]

ok, today I pulled the strut assembly apart and took a full coil off, and used heat to collapse one quarter of the bottom coil so it fit perfectly in the factory spring perches. It lowered the front of the car by 2 inches.

 

Re-assembled everything and put it all back together. I snapped some pictures afterward. The car has MASSIVE improvement. The wagon no longer rolls hard around corners and bounces all over the road...steering is now precise, and the ride is comfertable and no longer bouncy. The camber is still positive, but much less noticable. It is a HUGE improvement. The camber isn't perfect, but it is a night and day differance.

 

The top picture shows the tire wear...I had the local tire shop dismount the front tires and switch sides so that the very worn tread is now on the inside instead of the outside. The next picture shows the cars stance right now. Yes, I know the back end is higher than the front...I am going for a old school stink-bug stance. The next picture shows the current state of the camber. Before dropping a coil off, there was virtually no differance in camber when it was on the ground than when it was up in the air. The wheels were sitting like this: \ /

 

 

 

 

P.S. The camber was the first fix...next I will work on the toe. I can take it to the same tire shop and have them set the toe(if it is adjustable of course). Either way, the worst problem is not quite as bad anymore

[sssr20det510]

Your toe is adjustable and its prob out that will wear tires more than camber

[Spades]

Your toe is adjustable and its prob out that will wear tires more than camber

 

 

Ok, I am going to drive it a bit and let the springs settle. Next month when I have the $$$, I will get new front tires and have the tire shop set the toe for me.

[ohpyramids]

took 3 coils off the front yesterday. the 510 went from a high-rise boat to a mean machine. its bouncy! so keep your drinks outside. :lol:

[datzenmike]

Removing coil(s) will lower but also stiffen the ride. I hear people say the ride is 'bouncy' but I think stiffer would be a better word or firmer. Stiffer will will shorten the distance traveled by the spring when it compresses so less distance for the shock absorber to soften it. If stiff enough the tire actually becomes the suspension... a sort of air filled bag. My truck is like this. I run the lowest air pressure recommended.

[Guest 510kamikazifreak]

Cutting springs will "raise" the spring rate somewhat as long you dont go overboard.

As for the bounce

I dont think cut springs(within reason)make the bounce,

Its tired inserts or shocks.jmo :P

[datzenmike]

If you have worn shocks then a stiffer spring would make it bounce. I can see that.

[Guest 510kamikazifreak]

Thats where the "rebound" in a decent insert or shock comes into play.

[Spades]

As far as bounce, there is none. The shock's are brand new gas/oil monroe sensatrac cartridges...the ride is actually pretty soft for what it is. Because of the rear overload shocks and how light the back is, the rear is very stiff...the front is about as stiff as my 07 yaris with spring inserts and KYB GR2's.

 

It isn't a caddy, but it rides well for a gutted 40 year old econobox. As far as the handling, it isn't bad, but untill I fab up the sway bars for the front and rear and get my traction bars, the handling isn't that great...there is a fair amount of body roll.

 

either way, the nose dropped a couple inches, it rides and handles better...and no bouncing or stiff suspension. For my car anyway, cutting 1 coil off and heating the last little bit of the bottom coil so it fits in the spring perch better, made a world of differance!