What type of damage is done by cutting the springs to drop a car, and long does it take to get damaged.
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cut springs
focus-on-me
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What type of damage is done by cutting the springs to drop a car, and long does it take to get damaged.
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When you cut the springs you do two things, you make them shorter, and you increase their effecive rate. So they're shorter and stiffer. You can do no damage at all if you didn't cut them much. If you cut them a LOT you are not riding around with almost no compression travel. This makes you ride on the bumpstops and beat the crap out of you and your car.
Basically you didn't do anything different than getting shorter stiffer aftermarket springs, with HORRIBLE quality controll. Look for your car to be underdamped (bouncy) stiff and probably hitting the stops a lot.
Basically you didn't do anything different than getting shorter stiffer aftermarket springs, with HORRIBLE quality controll. Look for your car to be underdamped (bouncy) stiff and probably hitting the stops a lot.
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Counterfiend cut 1.5 coils off and his ride is fine. A little more bouncy than my Progress springs. jrock cut 3 coils off his springs and I really can't tell the difference between the ride in 1.5 coils and 3 coils cut. I would never cut mine but if you're looking to lower your car until you have enough money for real lowering springs, I don't see why you shouldn't! It's a GREAT temporary mod!!
Yah I cut about 1.5 coils off of the back of my rear. Just to level it out. Then in a couple of weeks i am taking it back to where my friend works and we are going to cut off of the front and back for a lower drop it looks good just leveled off though
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thanks for the replies, i have not cut them yet but i want to until i get money to buy springs and i just wanted some input. thanks
I know you already made up your mind, but here is a little more input on that. I had the springs cut for about a month. At first the car was riding just fine but in about a month or so the car started to drop, about a finger, and started to ride really rough and jumpy all the time. I switched over for some eibach, OMG what a difference. If you are planning on dropping your car, do it the right way.
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Listen, I had Eibach Sportlines, they are the WORSE SPRINGS EVER, I hated the ride with them. WAY too soft. So I sold them, and I cut 1.5 coils off. I have been riding on this for about 1 and a half years now, and I have NO problems at all. They ride MUCH MUCH better then with the Sportlines.
If I do something else with the suspension, I would get Koni's, and use this same cut springs!
I cut them with a Hacksaw, so no torch since that totally screws it up.
IMHO, when done right, you don't have to "Save up and buy REAL springs"
If I do something else with the suspension, I would get Koni's, and use this same cut springs!
I cut them with a Hacksaw, so no torch since that totally screws it up.
IMHO, when done right, you don't have to "Save up and buy REAL springs"
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249 Posts
Just some Food For Thought -- Cutting your Springs is fine.. Like 'familyman' said.. The only damage you will cause is based upon how much spring you cut.. If you cut to much, you'll blow the struts out really quick by riding with them fully compressed all the time, thus causing you to bounce a helluva lot, and ride like sh*t.. I had cut springs on my factory ZX3 for about 2 months before I traded it in.. And as Jay is saying, they rode BETTER than my previous suspension.. I didnt lower the car as much as I did with the Ground Control's - but the ride was better regardless..
But on the CUTTING part of things -- I seriously doubt 'jrock' was able to cut 3 springs.. As I have cut Focus springs in the past myself, I know how they are setup.. And the spring coils are spaced out quite a bit.. As opposed to say a CIVIC.. If you cut 3 springs on the Focus, you would not have enough spring to hold the car up off of the Struts.. So you would in turn ruin your struts..
Also, dont make the mistake of cutting both the TOP and the BOTTOM of the Springs.. The seats will not line up, and the load of compression will cause the spring to pop out under load, good luck getting them compressed onto the struts.. I did this **** - and had to buy another set of stocks.. Damn kids..
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JP
But on the CUTTING part of things -- I seriously doubt 'jrock' was able to cut 3 springs.. As I have cut Focus springs in the past myself, I know how they are setup.. And the spring coils are spaced out quite a bit.. As opposed to say a CIVIC.. If you cut 3 springs on the Focus, you would not have enough spring to hold the car up off of the Struts.. So you would in turn ruin your struts..
Also, dont make the mistake of cutting both the TOP and the BOTTOM of the Springs.. The seats will not line up, and the load of compression will cause the spring to pop out under load, good luck getting them compressed onto the struts.. I did this **** - and had to buy another set of stocks.. Damn kids..
JP
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394 Posts
I don't recommend cutting springs. If you cut your springs and are in an accident your insurance company can deny coverage if the cut springs are discovered. They will claim the springs created a problem with safety and handling... However, (I already said i don't recommend cutting springs.) if you are going to cut springs anyway...
1/ don't use a torch. Use a cutoff wheel and cover the rest of the spring with a wet rag to avoid changing the temper of the metal. Grind the cut end to round the edges and paint the end.
2/ cut the end that fits into the strut perch. Especially on the front, do not cut the top that fits into the bearing that allows the strut to rotate.
3/ Leave enough spring so that it remains under some compression at full extension. If the spring is loose at full extension it can pop out of the perch and you will have an accident...
1/ don't use a torch. Use a cutoff wheel and cover the rest of the spring with a wet rag to avoid changing the temper of the metal. Grind the cut end to round the edges and paint the end.
2/ cut the end that fits into the strut perch. Especially on the front, do not cut the top that fits into the bearing that allows the strut to rotate.
3/ Leave enough spring so that it remains under some compression at full extension. If the spring is loose at full extension it can pop out of the perch and you will have an accident...
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