280zx spring cut. Questions.

[sick620]

I got a Z and I want to lower it but dont want it riding TOO crappy. Has anyone cut there springs on there z? Whats the right way and the wrong way to do it? Would you recomend it? Whats the rate of spring cut to drop?

[Radim]

I wouldn't recommend cut springs at all, but if you want to do it measure twice cut once, and make sure it's even all the way around, if you can grind down the cut peice at an angle to prevent it from making a hole in your top-hat.

[Stupid_fast]

offtopic-ish, Hmm can cutting springs reduce body roll?(higher spring rate, lower center of gravity?)

 

Was thinking of taking half a coil off my toyota tomorrow.

[RadioLobo]

I cut the springs in my 510 when i first got it. Maybe i cut too much but I will never do that again, horrible ride. :lol:

I went back to stock height and now im lowering my car the right way.

[Stupid_fast]

I cut the springs in my 510 when i first got it. Maybe i cut too much but I will never do that again, horrible ride. :lol:

I went back to stock height and now im lowering my car the right way.

 

everyone says "horrible ride" but what exactly does it feel like? My dads S2000 suspension is fecking stiff and hell over bumps(but soft enough to get use to), but it handles wonderful. Is it just very stiff, or does it actually impair handling?

 

Sorry for thread hyjack... I never can find the answer to this.

 

I'm also going to replace the shocks/struts soon, maybe the ride is also bad due to the too low damping rate?

[Radim]

Sometimes it ends up being bouncy, but the most noticeable difference is it will sometimes cause a squeek or a creek when turning.

[RadioLobo]

It felt like a sledge hammer was hitting the bottom of my car every time i went over a bump. Turning was not really that bad. And yes their was the squeak going up my driveway. :P

[Stupid_fast]

LOL, I thought so. Thats what an S2000 rides like(but not nearly as bad). Cut your springs for spring rate, not for ride height adjustment! Also need good dampers to go with it.

 

Thanks for the info.

[DISLEXICDIME]

LOL, I thought so. Thats what an S2000 rides like(but not nearly as bad). Cut your springs for spring rate, not for ride height adjustment! Also need good dampers to go with it.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

nope. you have it back words the spring rate does not change the height does . The length of your shock's stroke becomes less and they start bottoming out and smacking bump stop's . then you get a crappy ride.

[Stupid_fast]

nope. you have it back words the spring rate does not change the height does . The length of your shock's stroke becomes less and they start bottoming out and smacking bump stop's . then you get a crappy ride.

 

I mean to say, cut your springs for the desired spring rate, not to lower your car.

 

The problem is people cut them to lower their car, they end up brining the spring rate too high with stock dampers = cappy ride.

[thisismatt]

nope. you have it back words the spring rate does not change the height does . The length of your shock's stroke becomes less and they start bottoming out and smacking bump stop's . then you get a crappy ride.

Spring rate does indeed change when you cut a spring, proportional to the percent of original length that you cut off.

[Stupid_fast]

Spring rate does indeed change when you cut a spring, proportional to the percent of original length that you cut off.

 

So I want stiffer springs, so if I take off 2-3 inches of coil from the right and left side then I will have a small % increase in rate, decreasing body roll. With better sway-bar mounts and when I replace the shocks/struts this will improve cornering capability...

[banzai510(hainz)]

when I had a Z car.

JC whitney sold some lowering springs. ST was the brand. I got them then cut half a coil to get the look I wanted.They might still even list them.

 

Tokico brand shocks would also help or the Koni Ds