• From: Gilbertsville, PA
  • Registered: 2009-12-22
  • Posts: 3,251

Topic: Cutting coils???

I was gonna cut 1" out of the middle, but the car kept falling down sad

Of those who cut their springs, do you cut from the bottom or top?  Most springs have an overlap at each end.  Will this be a problem losing that whole circular contact area?

Can you cut down McPherson strut springs?  Top or bottom?  Anything to look out for?

Thanks

BTW, did a search, didn't find much

Silent But Deadly Racing-  Ricky Bobby's Laughing Clown Malt Liquor Thunderbird , Datsun 510, 87 Mustang (The Race Team Formerly Known as Prince), 72 Pinto Squire waggy, Parnelli Jones 67 Galaxie, Turbo Coupe Surf wagon.(The Surfin Bird), Squatting Dogs In Tracksuits,  Space Pants!  Roy Fuckin Kent and The tribute to a tribute to a tribute THUNDERBIRD/ SUNDAHBADOH!

2 Reply by Jeff G 78 (edited by Jeff G 78 2010-03-04 12:28 PM)

  • From: Detroit, MI
  • Registered: 2009-05-16
  • Posts: 1,594

Re: Cutting coils???

It depends on the car.  Some coils are ground flat at one or both ends, while others have an indentation in the spring seat for the end of the coil to seat into.  Other designs have conical or barrel shaped springs. 

Our car has simple straight coils that are not ground and are nearly symmetrical top and bottom.  It made no difference which end we cut.

BRE Datsun (Broke Racing Effluence) formerly Dawn of the Zed Racing
'74 260Z
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  • From: SF Bay Area
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 146

Re: Cutting coils???

we cut one end (top) that had the last coil curled in and flattened.  We used a MAPP gas torch to heat the new last coil and kinda matched the profile of the old one.

http://TeamStimulusPackage.blogspot.com

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  • RobL
  • RobL
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  • From: Philly area
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 2,721

Re: Cutting coils???

We cut ours.  The other problem that you may run into is that a coil my fall off the perch under droop (all those VWs that lift a rear wheel in the air - I'm talking to you).  Take that into account and fasten the coil if it can come loose.

--Rob Leone Schumacher Taxi Service
We won the IOE at Southern Discomfort.
We got screwed at The Real Hoopties of New Jersey  and we took cars down with us.
We got the curse at Capitol Offense but they wouldn't let us destroy the car.

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  • VKZ24
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  • From: Wilson, NC
  • Registered: 2009-05-20
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Re: Cutting coils???

We cut ours too.  Worked like a champ in the handling department.

Captain
Team Super Westerfield Bros.
'93 Acura Integra - No VTEC Yo!

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  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2009-10-26
  • Posts: 73

Re: Cutting coils???

We had cut stock coils, lower but still too soft. Found some coils from a Passat wagon with the same diameter but much stiffer and cut those down which worked great to eliminate body roll.

2008  Yee-Haw It's Lemons Texas - DarthBimmer; 2009 Houston Gator-O-Rama - Beermer; 2009  Yee-Haw It's Lemons Texas - Jewish Defense League BMW; 2010 Houston Gator-O-Rama - SwampJews from Hell; 2010 Houston Yee-Haw Texas - JDL - JEGS....errrr JEWS; 2011 Houston Gator-O-Rama - B Team - IOE Winner!; 2011 Houston Yee-Haw - Los Escorpions de Munich; 2012 TWS Yee-Haw Texas - B-Team - Dr. StrangeBenz

7 Reply by Spinnetti (edited by Spinnetti 2010-03-04 01:46 PM)

  • From: Frisco, Texas
  • Registered: 2009-05-02
  • Posts: 1,430

Re: Cutting coils???

to add to existing feedback:

> NEVER use a torch on springs. Ruins its function as a spring. If you want to cut them, use a cutoff wheel (grind), not heat/cut.
> Usually you want to go lower AND stiffer. If you go too low, you can bottom alot ruining your shocks if the increase of rate is not great enough for the loss of travel.
> Cutting coils does make it stiffer. If there are smaller coils on one end or the other, cut the big ones as they are "softer" than the small ones (primary attributs to spring rate are the number of coils and the coil of the diameter - the modulus of elasticity of the steel is constant so can be ignored for math purposes)

And the big finish!
For $35 you can get a set of 4 adjustable coilovers and springs on ebay! (shh, its my best secret).

"Don't mess with Lexas!" LS400. We survived another one! See website link for build details.
Maker of the "unofficial Lemons fish!" - If you ask nice, I'll likely give you one at the track.

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  • From: north of dallas
  • Registered: 2009-11-29
  • Posts: 264

Re: Cutting coils???

Spinnetti wrote:

to add to existing feedback:

> NEVER use a torch on springs. Ruins its function as a spring. If you want to cut them, use a cutoff wheel (grind), not heat/cut.
> Usually you want to go lower AND stiffer. If you go too low, you can bottom alot ruining your shocks if the increase of rate is not great enough for the loss of travel.
> Cutting coils does make it stiffer. If there are smaller coils on one end or the other, cut the big ones as they are "softer" than the small ones (primary attributs to spring rate are the number of coils and the coil of the diameter - the modulus of elasticity of the steel is constant so can be ignored for math purposes)

And the big finish!
For $35 you can get a set of 4 adjustable coilovers and springs on ebay! (shh, its my best secret).

welll, we cut the springs on the lincoln in the pits at houston. with a plasma. while the fronts were on the struts. thnks to a number of wet towels, the struts had no damage. we cut them so when the pieces came out, the end fell in the slot.
the rears came out, and we cut them at the top. dropped the car 2 inches. handled better. not much, but better......

  • From: Frisco, Texas
  • Registered: 2009-05-02
  • Posts: 1,430

Re: Cutting coils???

forddragracer wrote:
Spinnetti wrote:

to add to existing feedback:

> NEVER use a torch on springs. Ruins its function as a spring. If you want to cut them, use a cutoff wheel (grind), not heat/cut.
> Usually you want to go lower AND stiffer. If you go too low, you can bottom alot ruining your shocks if the increase of rate is not great enough for the loss of travel.
> Cutting coils does make it stiffer. If there are smaller coils on one end or the other, cut the big ones as they are "softer" than the small ones (primary attributs to spring rate are the number of coils and the coil of the diameter - the modulus of elasticity of the steel is constant so can be ignored for math purposes)

And the big finish!
For $35 you can get a set of 4 adjustable coilovers and springs on ebay! (shh, its my best secret).

welll, we cut the springs on the lincoln in the pits at houston. with a plasma. while the fronts were on the struts. thnks to a number of wet towels, the struts had no damage. we cut them so when the pieces came out, the end fell in the slot.
the rears came out, and we cut them at the top. dropped the car 2 inches. handled better. not much, but better......

plasma isn't a torch per-se. I've cut them on the car too, but just used a die grinder. The plasma generally will keep the heat affected zone close to the cut so isn't a big deal. WIth the cheap china parts available, that's my favorite way to go... have them all the way around on my lexus...

"Don't mess with Lexas!" LS400. We survived another one! See website link for build details.
Maker of the "unofficial Lemons fish!" - If you ask nice, I'll likely give you one at the track.

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  • From: Gilbertsville, PA
  • Registered: 2009-12-22
  • Posts: 3,251

Re: Cutting coils???

I do't think the chinese springs will work on a strut  front end.

Silent But Deadly Racing-  Ricky Bobby's Laughing Clown Malt Liquor Thunderbird , Datsun 510, 87 Mustang (The Race Team Formerly Known as Prince), 72 Pinto Squire waggy, Parnelli Jones 67 Galaxie, Turbo Coupe Surf wagon.(The Surfin Bird), Squatting Dogs In Tracksuits,  Space Pants!  Roy Fuckin Kent and The tribute to a tribute to a tribute THUNDERBIRD/ SUNDAHBADOH!
  • From: Frisco, Texas
  • Registered: 2009-05-02
  • Posts: 1,430

Re: Cutting coils???

Sir Thomas Crapper wrote:

I do't think the chinese springs will work on a strut  front end.

Hit the link under my name.. you can see pictures of them on 4 struts... I've got them on 4 different Lemons cars wink BUT, I don't want you to be too competetive, so feel free to ignore smile

"Don't mess with Lexas!" LS400. We survived another one! See website link for build details.
Maker of the "unofficial Lemons fish!" - If you ask nice, I'll likely give you one at the track.

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  • bob-e
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  • From: Middle, TN
  • Registered: 2009-06-08
  • Posts: 265

Re: Cutting coils???

don't try this at home.  I have no idea how the brake lines survived

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f18/90Mark7/24%20hours%20of%20LeMons/IMG_1719.jpg

  • From: Gilbertsville, PA
  • Registered: 2009-12-22
  • Posts: 3,251

Re: Cutting coils???

A rocket scientist at work??

Silent But Deadly Racing-  Ricky Bobby's Laughing Clown Malt Liquor Thunderbird , Datsun 510, 87 Mustang (The Race Team Formerly Known as Prince), 72 Pinto Squire waggy, Parnelli Jones 67 Galaxie, Turbo Coupe Surf wagon.(The Surfin Bird), Squatting Dogs In Tracksuits,  Space Pants!  Roy Fuckin Kent and The tribute to a tribute to a tribute THUNDERBIRD/ SUNDAHBADOH!
  • Baron
  • Baron
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  • From: DFW
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 2,408

Re: Cutting coils???

bob-e wrote:

don't try this at home.  I have no idea how the brake lines survived

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f18/9 … G_1719.jpg

Plasma works a little better

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  • From: Dallas Tejas
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 527

Re: Cutting coils???

Just jack it up
http://www.dummycorp.net/JackUp1.jpg
Pry out the springs
http://www.dummycorp.net/TommyRearSpring.jpg
And blast away with the plasma cutter
http://www.dummycorp.net/JoeSpringCut.jpg

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1993 Linco Mark Ate
1957 Renault Dauphine
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  • Riktor
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  • From: Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas
  • Registered: 2009-08-06
  • Posts: 1,138

Re: Cutting coils???

We used to cut springs all the time in our budget tuner days.

1) Remove the springs
2) cut a half coil at a time
3) Once reached desired height use a torche to heat a SINGLE point a quarter turn away from the final cut... once the metal is sufficiently hot (almost red) press the hot coil onto the ground and use your body weight to bend it. It should provide a better seating area on your strut towers.
4) let cool and install. You can dunk it in water to heat treat it but the bend may break due to the treating.

Sons of STIG
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  • From: San Diego, CA
  • Registered: 2010-02-11
  • Posts: 156

Re: Cutting coils???

TheHeckler wrote:

Just jack it up
http://www.dummycorp.net/JackUp1.jpg

Nice Ambalamps! big_smile

  • From: Toronto, Ontario
  • Registered: 2009-05-03
  • Posts: 1,114

Re: Cutting coils???

Riktor wrote:

We used to cut springs all the time in our budget tuner days.

1) Remove the springs
2) cut a half coil at a time
3) Once reached desired height use a torche to heat a SINGLE point a quarter turn away from the final cut... once the metal is sufficiently hot (almost red) press the hot coil onto the ground and use your body weight to bend it. It should provide a better seating area on your strut towers.
4) let cool and install. You can dunk it in water to heat treat it but the bend may break due to the treating.

+1 except dunk it in oil.....there's lots of carbon in auto springs so it'll be brittle in the HAZ if you quench too quickly.

Jim "Endo" Anderton
30 years of racing and still not Brambilla.....