Corsa_Sport21
Member
Registered: 13th Apr 08
Location: Leven, Fife. Drives : 205 GTi
User status: Offline
|
Ive seen loads of folk doing it with Civics without problems.Upgrade the shockies and its not so bad.As long as the springs seat nicely and dont rattle about then theres nothing to worry about.
|
dhdev
Member
Registered: 22nd Dec 05
Location: Midlands
User status: Offline
|
As long as the spring seats properly after cutting the only thing you need to worry about is bottoming out the shock. With aftermarket lowering springs the spring rate (stiffness) is higher so that the reduced travel requires the same amount of force (or higher) to compress the shock fully. So by cutting your springs you increase the chance of bottoming out, the more you chop, the more likely you are to bottom out.
|
Mike GSi
Member
Registered: 3rd Jan 07
Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Drives:Astra VXR
User status: Offline
|
imo cutting springs isnt as dangerous as people think, along as when the struts are fully depressed the springs are still secure enough.
may cause a bouncy ride and in more cases than others it will decrease the handling of your vehicle.
|
Sean-B
Member
Registered: 1st May 07
Location: Wolverhampton Drives: 200SX S14a
User status: Offline
|
i have -60mm springs atm, and i am on jamex shortened shocks, and currrently the -60mm springs are held in tight, so id have to take off at least 1.5 coils to make them loose.
i might just try cutting 1/4 of a coil and measuring the drop and see what its like, if its fine i might try a bit more.
|
k e l
Member
Registered: 10th Dec 06
Location: Sheffield
User status: Offline
|
ye we did it to my mates car whils on the car foolish i know. then tie wrapped the exess spring to the top of the strut hahaha
|
Mike GSi
Member
Registered: 3rd Jan 07
Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Drives:Astra VXR
User status: Offline
|
take the struts off then the springs, pull the top of the strut to its max length then measure the spring against it, cut the spring a little bit longer than the stretched out strut and you be safe 
|
Ian W
Member
Registered: 8th Nov 03
Location: Wirral, Merseyside
User status: Offline
|
Wouldn't do it myself but I know a good few people who have done it and had no major problems than a bad ride.
|
Sean-B
Member
Registered: 1st May 07
Location: Wolverhampton Drives: 200SX S14a
User status: Offline
|
quote:
Originally posted by Mike Z20LET
take the struts off then the springs, pull the top of the strut to its max length then measure the spring against it, cut the spring a little bit longer than the stretched out strut and you be safe
that sounds like a very good idea, i want to do it in increments though, as im not sure how low i can go on my wheels
anyone have any idea?
16" softstars et49 195/45/16 tyres,
|
Mike GSi
Member
Registered: 3rd Jan 07
Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Drives:Astra VXR
User status: Offline
|
you could take the rear springs out and still have clearence, not 100% sure about the front though
|
Sean-B
Member
Registered: 1st May 07
Location: Wolverhampton Drives: 200SX S14a
User status: Offline
|
yea im already -90mm on the back with no probs, just want to go lower on front!
|
sand-eel
Member
Registered: 15th Mar 07
Location: carluke/braidwood--IRNBRULAND
User status: Offline
|
cutting the springs won't wreck them at all, all it does is shorten them. The spring rate is still the same so won't ruin the handling. spring rate is effected by thickness of coil, diameter of spring, material and distance from one spring coil upto the next.
|
Scotty C
Member
Registered: 6th Nov 05
Location: Kidderminster Drives: 1.6 16v Sport
User status: Offline
|
quote:
Originally posted by sand-eel
cutting the springs won't wreck them at all, all it does is shorten them. The spring rate is still the same so won't ruin the handling..
So it's classed as ''good'' handling if the car bounces around a corner and goes into a wall?
Do it the proper way and buy some lowering springs. Can get g-max springs for £30
|
RCS
Member
Registered: 26th Jan 05
Location: Lichfield/Dundee
User status: Offline
|
Spring rate does change as you alter the amount of coils.
|
Sean-B
Member
Registered: 1st May 07
Location: Wolverhampton Drives: 200SX S14a
User status: Offline
|
quote:
Originally posted by Monster
So it's classed as ''good'' handling if the car bounces around a corner and goes into a wall?
Do it the proper way and buy some lowering springs. Can get g-max springs for £30
iv already got jamex -60mm springs, i dont think i can buy any lower springs than that
|
ShEp
Member
Registered: 9th Aug 05
Location: Dingwall, Highland
User status: Offline
|
I cut the front springs on my saxo
Couldn't get the front level with the back, I ordered the lowest springs I could which were 55mm
I wanted it around 70mm to be evel with the back, I cut them, had to replace the drivers side driveshaft and adjust the bearing that bolts to the block
But since then it's fine, and I even painted the end red so it pased the MOT 
|
mattfiesta
Member
Registered: 14th Jul 05
Location: Nottinghamshire
User status: Offline
|
my brothers mk2 golf has 4 coils out of the front and rear and has been like that for 4 months with the only problem being a snapped engine mount due to the extra stiffness but it was on its way out anyway.
|
myke
Member
Registered: 7th Feb 01
Location: High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
User status: Offline
|
i cut 1 coil off the front of my volvo 360 while i had it for a bit.
regretted it 
wished i'd cut out 2 coils 
|
Superlite Ltd.
Member
Registered: 9th Jan 07
User status: Offline
|
I might actually do this 
How do you work out how much to cut off? I'd only want a 35mm drop tbh
|
chr15barn3s
Member
Registered: 5th Oct 03
Location: Farnborough
User status: Offline
|
Plenty of people do it and have no problems. I have even seen it be done on Overhauling (American Car Show).
|
Scotty C
Member
Registered: 6th Nov 05
Location: Kidderminster Drives: 1.6 16v Sport
User status: Offline
|
quote:
Originally posted by Sean-B
quote:
Originally posted by Monster
So it's classed as ''good'' handling if the car bounces around a corner and goes into a wall?
Do it the proper way and buy some lowering springs. Can get g-max springs for £30
iv already got jamex -60mm springs, i dont think i can buy any lower springs than that
coilsprings.co.uk
|
Superlite Ltd.
Member
Registered: 9th Jan 07
User status: Offline
|
quote:
Originally posted by chr15barn3s
Overhauling (American Car Show).
we sent some wheels to them
|
sand-eel
Member
Registered: 15th Mar 07
Location: carluke/braidwood--IRNBRULAND
User status: Offline
|
quote:
Originally posted by Monster
quote:
Originally posted by sand-eel
cutting the springs won't wreck them at all, all it does is shorten them. The spring rate is still the same so won't ruin the handling..
So it's classed as ''good'' handling if the car bounces around a corner and goes into a wall?
Do it the proper way and buy some lowering springs. Can get g-max springs for £30
All cars tend to be bouncy with JUST lowering springs even if they are proper ones, you need matched dampers aswell.
|
marklawton
Member
Registered: 24th Apr 05
Location: Pensby, Wirral Drives:Golf mk4 GTI
User status: Offline
|
i have choped the springs on the back of mine, and my brother has cut his aswell. did it to them on my old corsa so atleast a year and not had one problem
|
Gareth F
Member
Registered: 16th Jan 08
Location: Location Location
User status: Offline
|
If it went wrong how would you explain to police how and why you just killed some little kid ........ dont be a badger just buy some springs, pick them up for £20 second hand 
|
Superlite Ltd.
Member
Registered: 9th Jan 07
User status: Offline
|
quote:
Originally posted by munk3yrac3r
If it went wrong how would you explain to police how and why you just killed some little kid ........ dont be a badger just buy some springs, pick them up for £20 second hand
If a coil spring is not progressivly wound what difference is it going to make compared to a "lowering spring" which is the same, just shorter
|
