Question about cutting springs

[metalmonkey47]

I have my struts out to replace my ball joints (I just removed them because It was only a 5 minuet job from that point.)

 

I pulled the springs off to cut them down a small bit, but I'm not quite sure how much spring to remove. I don't want it to ride like absolute shit and I don't wanna fuck anything up, but I want to go roughly 2 inches. That would be roughly two coils correct?

 

 

 

 

Oics as always.

 

Cut here maybe???

 

Edited July 27, 2011 by metalmonkey47

[elmerfudpucker]

If you cut 2" off the coil vertically , you are liable to drop the car by 3 to 4" trimming the spring affects not only the ride but the overall weight handling. If you must trim, measure via circumference of the spring, not vertical height, its more accurate, and KEEP it the same. Do a little at a time and set the car down ALL the way before trimming more.

[Laecaon]

I have heard of looking at the height of each coil while resting on the ground. So if 1 coil is 1.25 inches tall compressed under the cars weight, you would cut 1.8 coils off.

[ggzilla]

Lower is mower.

 

1.5 coils.

[datzenmike]

Try one coil on both struts install and drive car. Check your ride height and see how you like the ride quality. If you are daring, cut another 1/2 coil and try again. I wouldn't go more than 1/2 coils at a time. The trick is to stop before you find you don't like the ride because you can't go back. Likely the ride height and ride quality you want won't match, so ride quality should govern.

 

You can also lift out the damper internal parts and empty out the fluid inside. It's really just hydraulic oil. I found it extremely thin and replaced mine with 20W motorcycle fork oil. It is also a good quality anti foam anti rust formula. Bike shocks are often 'tuned' by varying the fork oil viscosity. When a strut gets 'soft' using a thicker oil will firm it up. A lowered vehicle will need more damping to prevent suspension oscillations because there is less room before bottoming out. The spring and the strut should never be lowered to the point where it will fully compress and bottom the coils or strut internals on a severe dip in the road..

[ggzilla]

Good advice. The strut oil contols bounce & rebound, so if your car is doing that (or starts doing it after you cut the springs) firming up the strut oil can help somewhat.

[datzenmike]

Yes, there is a valve(s) for compression and one(s) for opening. To bleed you have to hold upside down while compressing the strut shaft and then right side up while opening to get the bubbles out. I really like the damping with my set up. Firm with the cut springs but I'm used to F-150 truck springs in all four corners of my truck. So this is actually 'softer' but it's all relative. Others may think it's way too stiff. I trimmed the 710 spring and used it on Maxima struts that are about an inch and a half shorter. I worked out the Maxima spring rate and the cut 710 is the same rate and length.

 

 

 

I have a second set of 710 struts I plan to trim the springs on and will replace the oil for the sedan my wife drives. This one I will go easy on as she may not like it the way I do. It suffers severely from the front too high. Maybe the back has sagged or something as it looks like it's going up hill.

 

 

 

 

 

.

[Laecaon]

Doesnt a car bounce from cut springs because the spring rate is now higher, and now outside of the range of the handling of the strut? Basically the spring is over powering the strut. I like this changing of the oil idea to counter act it.

[ggzilla]

Spring rate only increase if they are progressive rate springs, don't they? Which one but not the other of Mike's springs appear to be.

[metalmonkey47]

I ended up starting at 1 1/2 coils, and I'm rather dissapointed with it. It only managed about 1'' drop, after driving it. Maybe it's not settled all the way yet?

 

 

Anyways, so far with the new ball joints, and shorter springs I LOVE the way it drives. So far I've noticed nothing out of the ordinary. It's obviously lower, but not as much as I'd like...

[datzenmike]

Part of the better ride is being lower. Not for the look but because the car's center of gravity is lower and it has less tendency to tip toward the outside of a turn. The other part is the increased spring rate. (harder to compress and feels stiffer) Stock springs are a compromise between handling and comfort for the average person. What you are doing is skewing the results to slightly favor handling over comfort and that's good if that's what you are after.

 

Beware of: "If a little is good, more would be better". At some point you will reach and pass that sweet spot of comfort and the ride becomes harder, and harder as the spring rate goes up from trimming to get the 'right ride height'. If you have the money coil overs are good because you can select a spring rate but still continue to adjust lower. Well within reason.

 

What I did was cut the Maxima lower spring perch off and grind away the weld and slip the 710 lower spring perch on so the narrower spring had something to sit on. Directly below the spring perch I installed a two piece split collar. (about $10 ea.) It tightens like a clamp to the strut body and supports the spring perch with the spring above it. It's a bit of bother to use a jack to compress the spring against the body weight but then all you to is slide the split collar up and tighten it. Let the car down and take a look. Adjust to suit. Got to figure that even with adjustable coil overs, who adjusts the height once you have it dialed in anyway????

 

 

Trim just above the weld with angle grinder and cutting wheel.

 

Tap the lower spring perch up and off and grind the old weld smooth.

 

 

Slip on split collar, lower spring perch, spring and then the upper spring seat bearing and nut. You will have to use a hydraulic jack to push up on the loosened split collar to compress the spring somewhat and then tighten. Don't worry the 2" split collar is rated at 6,600 pounds each. I found that the hold well with just wrist tightening but I cranked them on hard anyway to be safe..

 

.

[Guest kamakazi620]

Or you can weld the spring perch lower and get coilover sleaves and have easely adjustable suspention

[Rotary510]

"boing" "boing" "boing" :wacko:

[hogboy52]

I have been considering this myself. The rear springs I have feel nice and firm but the front are too mushy. Also two inches would look better. If dropped with a split collar they would still be too soft. Looking at the picture the first coil is dead and if cut would just drop the width of the metal. A full coil compressed is one and one-eighth inches. Cut at the mark should be one and one-half inches.

I was some concerned that a cut coil no longer has the tapered full circle section sitting in the cup or how stable that might be.

[fivetenzen]

Don't do it - it is wrong and GETTO - Save your money and do it right !

[datzenmike]

Or you can weld the spring perch lower and get coilover sleaves and have easely adjustable suspention

 

Agreed they are easier to adjust BUT...

 

Got to figure that even with adjustable coil overs, who adjusts the height once you have it dialed in anyway????

 

 

Coil overs are expensive. I did mine for $20 and another $17 for fork oil.

You have to guess at the spring rate you want.

You don't need a welder only a hacksaw.

[Skib]

Part of the better ride is being lower. Not for the look but because the car's center of gravity is lower and it has less tendency to tip toward the outside of a turn. The other part is the increased spring rate. (harder to compress and feels stiffer) Stock springs are a compromise between handling and comfort for the average person. What you are doing is skewing the results to slightly favor handling over comfort and that's good if that's what you are after.

 

Beware of: "If a little is good, more would be better". At some point you will reach and pass that sweet spot of comfort and the ride becomes harder, and harder as the spring rate goes up from trimming to get the 'right ride height'. If you have the money coil overs are good because you can select a spring rate but still continue to adjust lower. Well within reason.

 

What I did was cut the Maxima lower spring perch off and grind away the weld and slip the 710 lower spring perch on so the narrower spring had something to sit on. Directly below the spring perch I installed a two piece split collar. (about $10 ea.) It tightens like a clamp to the strut body and supports the spring perch with the spring above it. It's a bit of bother to use a jack to compress the spring against the body weight but then all you to is slide the split collar up and tighten it. Let the car down and take a look. Adjust to suit. Got to figure that even with adjustable coil overs, who adjusts the height once you have it dialed in anyway????

 

 

Trim just above the weld with angle grinder and cutting wheel.

 

Tap the lower spring perch up and off and grind the old weld smooth.

 

 

Slip on split collar, lower spring perch, spring and then the upper spring seat bearing and nut. You will have to use a hydraulic jack to push up on the loosened split collar to compress the spring somewhat and then tighten. Don't worry the 2" split collar is rated at 6,600 pounds each. I found that the hold well with just wrist tightening but I cranked them on hard anyway to be safe..

 

.

 

the front of my goon was done that way. dropped it 2 in and wasnt bouncy or anything. worked great.

[metalmonkey47]

Mike, that's actually a pretty neat idea! I thought about getting some cheapo sleeves and springs from ebay though. Either that or drop $200 into the GC kit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"boing" "boing" "boing" :wacko:

Not for me It's stiffer then it was before and rides SO much better.

 

Don't do it - it is wrong and GETTO - Save your money and do it right !

 

Got any extra money you want gone? I'd be happy to help.

 

Strapped for cash on this end.