Hey a friend of mine told me that I could lower my car temp by taking the coils out and just cut off a coil at a time until you get it the way you like it. Tell me if you thin that would work, if not why?.
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Hey a friend of mine told me that I could lower my car temp by taking the coils out and just cut off a coil at a time until you get it the way you like it. Tell me if you thin that would work, if not why?.
it works, but the die hards will tell you not to do it. the reason behind this is that it weakens the springs and after a while they'll stop performing like they used to. I know a lot of people who have done it with out a problem. i myself did it on my friends car and its perfectly fine. If you just want to lower your car and dont care about the performance aspect of the lower ride then go for it but dont be suprised if it handles like crap and kills your shocks after a while.
Cutting springs makes you bounce mucho.
yea well im just sayin that for temp untill i get the money for adjustible coilovers.
O and i forgot to mention the left rear strut makes thi sqeeking noise.
Don't bother, you'll just fuck up your car. Save your money and get the coilovers.
Potong SpringQuote:
Originally posted by tuner4life
yea well im just sayin that for temp untill i get the money for adjustible coilovers.
by Adian Yein Khalid
Actually, cutting springs if you are on a budget, contrary to popular belief, is OK, and a much better option than certain examples of lowering that I have seen such as heating up the coils and compressing them!! Springs must never be put under a blow-torch, as it will result in the metal properties breaking down and the springs losing their firmness. If you do intend to lower your standard springs, just cut them with an angle grinder.
Cut springs are actually harder than std springs!
Why? The Coil Rate is the same, but the less number of coils in a spring, the harder the spring (Spring Rate increases). It doesn't make sense but its true. The equation, in words, is something like:
Spring Rate= (Gd^4)/(8ND^3)
G = torsional modules for steel = 11.25x10^6 or 11,250,000
d = wire diameter in inches
N = number of active coils
D = mean coil diameter
8 = a constant for all coil srpings
So in words, Spring Rate is the the function of the torsional modules for steel and wire diameter to the power of 4, over the coil spring constant times number of active coils times mean coil diameter.
- this formula only works for linear rate springs.
- to determine the number of active coils, count only those that can move.
- coils that are resting on mounting plates do not count as active.
- wire diameter can be acurately deterimined using a caliper
- mean coil diameter is achieved by measuring the outside and inside diamater of the coil spring from above.
- torsional module only works for steel, other materials such as titanium requires another factor.
If thats difficult to understand, lets just say that Spring Rate = wire diameter of coil / number of active coils X mean coild diameter.
So, look at that equation: the number of coils in the spring, as the denominator, means that the less coils in a spring, the harder it is.
BUT....
When you cut a spring, you must think about:
1) Less travel before the shock absorbers hit the bump stop. You don't want that for a road car, handling gets erratic when the suspension bottoms out (spring rate hits infinity!). By the way, never discard the bump stops as bottoming-out without bump stops harmst he suspension more.
2) Another set of standard springs for when you sell the car
3) Can your standard absorbers cope with the increased hardness of the springs?
4) And, cutting springs means that you don't have total control over the height. Cut too much, and you cant put them back!
5) Never lower your car more then 2 inches, maximum. More than that and the geometry changes drastically, and you car will handle worse, resulting in what is known as roll-oversteer. Excessive lowering also results in your CV joints suffering increased wear.
I still would not do it though, anything could go wrong. Cheap is not always good.
Structural integrity of the spring will be compromised. and could fail at any given moment regardless of mathematical probabilities.
Good luck with whatever you do! :)
only after a year (or more) will cut springs begin to bounce.
Is that fact or opinion? Based on personal experience or word of mouth?Quote:
Originally posted by NXRacer
only after a year (or more) will cut springs begin to bounce.
I cut the springs on my first car, a toyota startlett back in the early 90s and it bounced like hell after the first couple of days. I was branded the, "Lowrider Wannabe", by my fellow classmates and team members.
How much would all prefer to lower it like the most possible without getting high centered on speen bumps. Cuz it just depends ive found that the lowest i can lower my car the cheaper.
kinda both. My friend cut his springs in his '03 protoge and it rode like it had custom springs in it. Now a year later its rides kinda bumpy, but its not that bad.Quote:
Originally posted by zero.counter
Is that fact or opinion? Based on personal experience or word of mouth?
I cut the springs in my buddies 88 civic sedan. We cut 2 coils off the car and now there's about a 1" wheel gap now. I wouldnt cut more then 3 coils off or else you'll start to run into (litteraly) speed bumps and stuff. Whoever had my car before me went with the heated springs option and i would agree 100% that is the WORST way to do it. All 4 springs are different lengths. It rides OK, but even cut springs would help performance.Quote:
Originally posted by tuner4life
How much would all prefer to lower it like the most possible without getting high centered on speen bumps. Cuz it just depends ive found that the lowest i can lower my car the cheaper.
Until i decide to put the money toward new springs i'd probably go with the cut option just because i'm a cheap ass and would rather spend the money to make it go fast as apposed to cornering as best as possible.
If you can't afford to lower your car properly, you won't be able to afford go fast goodies. If you can't outrun somebody, you gotta out handle them.
I wouldn't recomend cutting them.
Also, I don't recomend coilovers, they are too stiff for any struts.
your best bet would be to wait till you have money and buy this
http://www.justairbagit-store.com/pr...t.asp&ID=23891
They don't mention anywhere on that page to use aftermarket struts. I hope people don't think they can use those with stock struts.
Man, do not listen to these guys, If you want it lowered for free just cut the damn springs. It may not be the best idea, but it works.
dont cut em. a good drop costs about 600-1000 when all is said and done. just dont . you will damage your cars suspension too much. think baout it. will you honestly be able to save up the cash in a short amount of time? or will stuff keep poping up and you will just keep riding aroud on cut springs that cant handel the wieght of the car
Exactly as zero described above, cutting the springs a small amount hurts nothing. Since there is a smaller number of coils the spring rate is somewhat higher (for a given load the spring will deflect less now). As long as the springs are cut and not exessively heated they are as safe as they are with the extra coil or two.
The problem is that the stiffer springs require stronger damping to control them. Cut springs don't cause the bouncy ride, the overpowered or blown stock struts allow the car to bounce.
yea if its just going to mess up my Susp then i dont know if i want to do it. I'll just save up and buy coilovers or something like that.
:rolleyes: seriously dude, WHO is gonna spend 1k on their car for suspension upgrades? Thats a little far fetched. All this strut mumbo jumbo may be technically correct, but jeez, its not as bad as everybody makes it out to be. In a perfect world we'd all be buying revalved bilsteins or konis, but 90% of us dont care if the suspension is perfect. Most of the people on this board just wanna lower their car and dont really care about the perfect or 'most correct' way of lowering their car. I'm not gonna be auto xing my shit, so i dont need it to handle like a ferarri. cheap springs will do me just fine.Quote:
Originally posted by 3g Jester
dont cut em. a good drop costs about 600-1000 when all is said and done.
Well if you get coilovers you will need to get revalved Blistens to handle the stiff springs. The will be about $800 right there. I spent $560 on my set up and I have shitting coilovers and Koni Reds.
thats what i priced it out to be. but dont remember waht i figured in now that you raise the point. i probably figured in rims and tires too. whole suspension upgrade
I has ZERO to do with performance and everything to do with turning a great car into a shitty car. Yeah their are people that don't give hoot about how their car ride's and drives. But do not underestimate just how bad it will be if you just run any old strut with lowering springs. Don't care, FINE. I get to clean up the mess that members get themselves into. Over the year's here, I've gotten pm after pm, "help my car drives like crap, I should have listened to you". I have always been more than happy to help and straighten things out. The advice in this section of the board has always been that way, tell them the facts, if they don't listen or don't care that's ok, just know, we told you better. Lowering for looks and nothing else is one thing, keeping your lowered suspension as good as the rest of the car is something else. I don't set the prices, it's not my fault that it cost's as much as it does. In a perfect world, one could get KYB AGX sturts for $385 and be able to run pretty much all the lowering products you can get for the 3g and run them dang well. But we can't do that, which really sucks, always has always will. I made mistake's when I first lowered my 3g, I vowed to not let other member make those same mistake's for lack of information.Quote:
Originally posted by NXRacer
I'm not gonna be auto xing my shit, so i dont need it to handle like a ferarri. cheap springs will do me just fine.
sounds like the swap vs turbo argument. ive done both. the turbo kicks the swaps ass.
Well I have been in a 3g with cut springs and it is worse them my car with Dropzones and Konis.
Cutting springs takes practice to get it right.
I have a set of H&R's for my accord, but I keep the cut springs in it. Why? Because the car is an inch lower with the cut springs and it still rides better.
I have no complaints about the way my car rides. Most people can't even tell it is lowered until I scrape on something.
But if you are into performance, of course you should do it the right way.
I've had Koni yellows with H&R's and Sprint Springs and I didn't like the way it rode... but that is my personal preference. I would take my cut spring ride any day over the ride with the Koni's.
I am.. :D I will spend over a grand for a properly tuned suspension... think about it..Quote:
Originally posted by NXRacer
:rolleyes: seriously dude, WHO is gonna spend 1k on their car for suspension upgrades?
coilovers.... most go from 800 and up for a great coilover setup. but then there's strut bars, Roll bars, and camber stuff.
I've been laughin through this whole thread, well most of it. me and a buddy of mine were talking about this EXACT thing a day or 2 before the thread started. People used to do the cut spring thing as long as there have been springs, but ya gotta know how to do it or else you'll look like and ass. We had a guy that didn't cut them equally and his car sat alllll messed up. The best one is the guy who just put a sring compressor on his springs and left it there, the dude seriously lowered his car with spring compressors
:wtf: Never heard of anyone lowering with spring compressors but that's hilarious.
trust me I'm 32 and everytime I think I've seen it all someone suprises me, why can't Darwinism just run its course. I've seen em cut, heated, flipped, held down with compressor, and 9 outta 10 they end up dicked up. Uneven cars, wheels that go / \ or \ /. Some peoples kids
Bad camber / \ is not a result of cutting springs. If you drop a car two inches with cut springs or two inches with lowering springs the camber will be the same. And go measure any car with lowering springs, or even stock for that matter, I guarantee it doesn't sit level.
It is just more noticeable when the tire is even with the wheelwell.
But, for people that don't know what they are doing and care about performance, I will always recommend doing it the right way. I just prefer the smooth ride of cut springs over the stiff ride of Koni's and springs.
why are we even continuing this discussion. this very same thing has been discussed too many times to count.
this needs to be closed. sheesh.
Thats what I meant when I mentioned the camber Pearl, people not doing it right, or all theway right, in my opinionQuote:
Originally posted by pearldrop
But, for people that don't know what they are doing and care about performance, I will always recommend doing it the right way. I just prefer the smooth ride of cut springs over the stiff ride of Koni's and springs.
one word of advise, DON'T DO IT! my friend did this and ruined his suspension components. he also blew the shocks out. another friend with a kia sephia did this and still has his cut springs. looks alright, but the ride is shit. he has it soooo low, its maybe enought room to fit your shoe under. its a bitch to jack up now. and not to mention it clunks realy bad. same with my other friend, but now he has eibachs. they are much better and he has correct springs to go with them. i think it was under $400 for all of it with installation. thats on a plymouth accliam.
Just cut them...jsut dont use heat or take to long grinding/cutting (cause heat)
most lowering springs are just stock type cut shorter and painted.
just watch how much you cut...the suspension is made to work together...change one factor, and end up changing alot more.
:stick:Quote:
most lowering springs are just stock type cut shorter and painted.
You must be mis-informed. Lowering springs aren't just cut and painted. Lowering springs are stiffer than stock. If lowering springs were the same spring rate, your car would bottom out all the time since it's lower.
Cutting a stock spring does produce a stiffer spring. Each coil deflects a certain amount for a given load. Removing coils means that the spring will deflect less for the same given load beacuse there will be fewer coils to compress that amount. Less deflection for the same force means that the spring is stiffer.
I agree it will get stiffer but nothing like a genuine lowering spring.
