Looking for lowering options cheaper routs

[Halfaa 0]

New to this but I got a 1980 210 and need help should I cut the springs or should I save for other options if so what are those options 

[datzenmike 37,446]

 

FRONT

Shortening a spring increases it stiffness. The chances of getting the ride height you want AND not too stiff is well extremely unlikely. What I do is cut the bottom spring perch off, grind away the weld and put it back on. This will allow the spring to slide down lowering the ride height. To support the spring perch I use a 2" split collar (about $25) clamped under it. Naturally a lowered car definitely need to have a stiffer spring to limit travel and all coil springs are designed with ride comfort in mind. A (slightly) stiffer spring always feels better for handling anyway. Rather that taking a wild guess there is a mathematical formula for working out the spring rate before you cut.

 

This gives you a lower ride as long as you limit this to about 3" and a stiffer spring to reduce bottoming out. So far this will cost about $25 for the split collars. Now lets talk dampers or shocks. While your strut is out disassemble it and see if you have the original oil bathe dampers still or have they been replaced with an after market dry insert. If replaced just get new inserts ($100-$120 a pair???) but if yours are oil filled you can empty them and put a thicker viscosity oil in them. Thicker oil is harder to push through the internal valves raising the firmness. I used 20W Bell Ray motorcycle fork oil. A liter, enough for 3 struts, was $12-$15 so now firmer shocks, stiffer springs and adjustable lowering for under $50

 

REAR

Remove the rear coil spring and make some measurements. With the measurements you can calculate the spring rate you have and how much to remove to compliment the fronts. The rear has ordinary shock absorbers so replace with what ever you like that is a good quality. Cost of the rear whatever the shocks are. Don't cheap out on them or in less than a year they will begin to get mushy.

 

I've shortened this reply for brevity. There is more to it, but this is a broad outline. Yes you can spend $500-$1,200 for coil overs but once you get your ride height sorted out you will likely never adjust the height again so that's a lot of money riding around getting dirty that could be spent on rites or rims. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For me, 2 1/4 coils removed raised my spring rate from 100 pounds per inch to 150. That's a 50% increase and I'm old and want a comfortable ride. You might like something around 200 or higher.  Remember once cut you can't put it back so start low and work up. Drive it for a few weeks and then decide.

 

 

If still full about 300ml of really thin watery hydraulic oil is in them.

 

Compression and rebound valves on plunger. These are designed for your car. After market dry inserts are usually 'one-size-fits-all' and are more like a generic muffler.