(springs) heating and cutting

[mgmsleeper]

since replacing my ball joints and other font end things seems as if the car sits a tad bit higher in the front.
so i took the car up to a muffler shop to see if they would cut a coil off or heat up the springs to lower the car, they said they would do it but they don't think i should because it'll make the tires bow in.

...has anyone else heated or cut off a coil? hows the ride and tire ware?? :confused:

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

do not heat springs! they are tempered steel and you will ruin them.

People cut coils on these cars all the time, that is the correct way to do it

[2,4shofast]

I have one full coil cut out of mine, I wouldnt heat them. When they are cutting tell them to keep a cold wet rag next to the cutting area on the keep side to keep the temps down. Heated coils will ride like a$s IMO... Get a good alignment and you will have no issues in my experience cut springs ride very similar to eibach's.

[mgmsleeper]

...so do it matter if a coil is cut from the top or bottom?

[SILVERSURFER03]

From the top is were i cut mine 1+ coil the ride great and was easy to align car rides beeeeuutee fullllllll hahahaha

[justbob]

Yes the tires will bow slightly, wear a tad faster, and corner way better. I love mine with 1 coil cut off the top.

[ImpalaSlayer]

...so do it matter if a coil is cut from the top or bottom?


yes the bottem of the spring is behive shaped. cut the coil from the top side. do not cut a coil from the bottem and DO NOT heat them.

[MrBluGruv]

heating your springs to lower the ride is not only a horrible idea from a performance and reliability standpoint, as you pretty much won't get an identical drop on all of them,

you will also get laughed at by guys that have put any time into suspension or even general auto modification.

It's seriously, a BAD idea.

[DOOM]

I never heard of anyone heating the springs to lower the car. :confused:

[Rocknthehawk]

A heated spring can and WILL collapse.

I'm not a fan of cut springs either, the correct way is to buy lowered springs....but I won't argue with everyone here than has cut coils.

[mgmsleeper]

alright thanks for all of the input. its appreciated

[ctrlraven]

Make sure you measure ground to bottom center of the fender well lip on both sides before and after to help ensure you are sitting even on both sides. You might only need to cut 3/4" of a coil on one and tad bit more on the other. If everything is squared and even make sure when the springs are cut they are measured and cut in the same place on both of them to keep things even still.

[Mac-MerC]

I never heard of anyone heating the springs to lower the car. :confused:

ur lying... right?

[offroadkarter]

ur lying... right?


People who generally know how to modify a car correctly dont discuss half ass methods such as this...

Its new to me as well, not even my honda friends have said anything like this

[Blk Mamba]

^^^^ apparently not, in the 60's the low riders in Cali. did this to get the original low riders, then things just snowballed from there. (i watched this old man heat springs with the cars weight on the springs, one at a time, and they always came out level). Not my cup of tea, but, to each his own.

[Blk Mamba]

what the hell are you all doing up at 4:30, I just got off work, whats everybody else doing.

[a_d_a_m]

Tony, I am working midnight shift...good to see you're still kickin'.

We gotta cruise!

[Mac-MerC]

People who generally know how to modify a car correctly dont discuss half ass methods such as this...

Its new to me as well, not even my honda friends have said anything like this

................. oh well yall slow

[Mac-MerC]

^^^^ apparently not, in the 60's the low riders in Cali. did this to get the original low riders, then things just snowballed from there. (i watched this old man heat springs with the cars weight on the springs, one at a time, and they always came out level). Not my cup of tea, but, to each his own.

I've seen it done also

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

the ride height lowers when you heat the spring because you are ruining its strength....just because old timers did it back in the day does not mean it was a good idea

[Mac-MerC]

the ride height lowers when you heat the spring because you are ruining its strength....just because old timers did it back in the day does not mean it was a good idea

no one said that, it was just a way to modify ur suspension
im sure a good amount of people had done things to their automobiles that were not a good idea

[O's Fan Rich]

3" cutoff wheel.
Chamfer the edges.

Put it back together.
re-align.

[Egon Spengler]

3" cutoff wheel.
Chamfer the edges.

Put it back together.
re-align.

Thread Closed

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

Thread re-opened to encourage group discussion. Keep it clean.

[O's Fan Rich]

I have a video somewhere of some guy of Polish decent cutting springs.... I'm looking for it now.

[Egon Spengler]

Yeah, this is going to go well... I am out

IBTL

Thread re-opened to encourage group discussion. Keep it clean.

[O's Fan Rich]

I found it! I'll put it on my YouTube and post the link.

[Joe Walsh]

I have a video somewhere of some guy of Polish decent cutting springs.... I'm looking for it now.

...While laying under the car.

[Joe Walsh]

I'm a 'haxpert' and I say: Heat 'em till they glow red and your ride is laying on the floorpans!!!

P.S. Don't forget to remove and throw away the shocks.

[O's Fan Rich]

Here you go!

Look at this guy go!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYKyRNEfmcU&feature=channel_page

Then he does even more!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHaE1LrRSbw

[Egon Spengler]

Tough stuff huh?:P

Here you go!

Look at this guy go!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYKyRNEfmcU&feature=channel_page

Then he does even more!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHaE1LrRSbw

[Joe Walsh]

Here you go!

Look at this guy go!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYKyRNEfmcU&feature=channel_page

Then he does even more!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHaE1LrRSbw

I believe that I can 'ID' a couple of the guys skulking around in those videos!

[O's Fan Rich]

I believe that I can 'ID' a couple of the guys skulking around in those videos!

It was quite a day......:D

[Rocknthehawk]

I'm going to look for the pictures I have saved of why not to heat your springs....Someone on another forum used this method to lower his truck, and the spring didn't enjoy it too much....

[O's Fan Rich]

Yeah, this is going to go well... I am out

IBTL

Bet you thought I was gonna go all "Stupid Pollack" or something..... didn't you?

No the O's Fan!
He's tolerant and respectful of all peoples and Nationalities.....

[Egon Spengler]

I thought your answer was what needed to be said in this thread and therefore I thought the thread didn't need to go any farther to where an argument would start. What you said is all that needed to be said here. Either buy proper springs or cut them, but don't heat them