cutting springs

[fieroracer18]

i have a set off 2.5" lowering springs on my civic and i wat to go bout 1 or 1.5 inches lower and i just want to cut them.... any rplys on how

[Elbow]

With a grinder.

But why not just buy some eBay coilovers or something? To cut them, cut a coil off, put it back together, and look, and you better measure and not slack and be lazy or you will FUCK your car up even more.

[quickdodge®]

Cutting? Lolol. If you're going to "ghetto-ize the springs," you should heat them instead of cut them.

But aren't you in another thread about replacing cv boots and shit? And this is your only transportation? Doing this would be the last thing on my mind in that predicament. My advice is for you not to do anything more to that car. Later, QD.

[Elbow]

Uhhh....no cutting is def. a LOT smarter then heating springs..............wow...........

[FasTech]

Uhhh....no cutting is def. a LOT smarter then heating springs..............wow...........

hmmmmm, I wonder whats going to happen with this...haha

[quickdodge®]

hmmmmm, I wonder whats going to happen with this...haha

Not a thing. He knows I'm right and is just posting randomly again. I don't let his posts get to me. Later, QD.

[cobalt9123]

Cutting springs?
Jezus Christ.

[Thighs]

actually there is some truth to what he says. heating the springs hot enough to bend them easily will change the tensile strength of the metal, which changes the spring rate differently based on how much you heat the metal up, making it so that there is no way to get the stiffness of them equal. cutting springs usually removes the dead coils and "progressive" coils of the springs, actually making them stiffer in a pretty even fashion if you do them equally.

either way, modifying the springs themselves is a bad idea. even $30 ebay coilovers are a better option.

[JuStCrUzIn]

heating the spring changes the spring rate giving it a different ride (bouncy) cutting it (if you dont cut the spring in half) will only change the height and do nothing to the way it rides dont believe me cut one and heat one. i bet you will want to replace the one you heated first. just my

[cobalt9123]

heating the spring changes the spring rate giving it a different ride (bouncy) cutting it (if you dont cut the spring in half) will only change the height and do nothing to the way it rides dont believe me cut one and heat one. i bet you will want to replace the one you heated first. just my

Cutting the springs should (and as I've heard) does make the car ride rougher.

[Thighs]

heating the spring changes the spring rate giving it a different ride (bouncy) cutting it (if you dont cut the spring in half) will only change the height and do nothing to the way it rides dont believe me cut one and heat one. i bet you will want to replace the one you heated first. just my

you actually have it more backwards then anything. cutting a spring will stiffen it by usually around ~50lbs/in. heating has the opposite effect.

[JuStCrUzIn]

if you just cut a coil or two off no, cut it in half yes.

[slimm]

dude. come on. be real. with the hell you're gonna go threw to cut them, you might as well buy some. matter of fact, i sell parts. if you're interested, PM me. i can drop it the way you want...THE RIGHT WAY. you will DEFINENTLY need a camber adjust kit if you're seriuosly droping your car that hard. you also need another car. driving a car like that daily is not wise. i know. i did it when i was younger!

[Thighs]

if you just cut a coil or two off no, cut it in half yes.

if you cut any coil out of a spring its gonna be one of the coils on the end of the spring, and those are the softer bits of the spring. cutting those out WILL affect spring rate, making it stiffer or "rougher" as you call it. i see that as a good thing, lowering a car takes away suspension travel and is corrected by stiffening the spring rates to prevent bottoming out.

[YokotaS13]

if it is a linear spring no, if it is a progressive spring yes
but other things such as shock length and damping curves come into play as well. but regardless

[slimm]

yall take it easy on the guy. he just needs guidance.

[JuStCrUzIn]

how is that backwards? you basiclly said what i just said. ja*ckass. you buy springs that lower the center of gravity and STIFFEN the ride so you have less bodyroll right?

[JITB]

cutting springs on a civic is a serious cop out.. its a civic...there are billions of ways to lower it. The price you pay someone to do it, if you dont do it yourself, you can buy some coilovers on IA.

[JuStCrUzIn]

yes it is a cheap way out and you shouldnt do it but if you are going to do one of the two cut so you dont get sea sick but dont cut so much you ride on your struts.....

[Thighs]

if it is a linear spring no, if it is a progressive spring yes
but other things such as shock length and damping curves come into play as well. but regardless

this is all true, but for most basic purposes what i said is correct. most cars have progressive springs and rebound only shocks.


and justcruzin, you said that cutting springs doesnt increase spring rate and that heating does. that my friend, is bass ackwards.

[JuStCrUzIn]

this is all true, but for most basic purposes what i said is correct. most cars have progressive springs and rebound only shocks.


and justcruzin, you said that cutting springs doesnt increase spring rate and that heating does. that my friend, is bass ackwards.

maybe i didnt make it clear read my post and im done with you now.

[Thighs]

heating the spring changes the spring rate giving it a different ride (bouncy) cutting it (if you dont cut the spring in half) will only change the height and do nothing to the way it rides dont believe me cut one and heat one. i bet you will want to replace the one you heated first. just my

FALSE.

and doesnt bouncy mean stiffer? i mean, bouncing isnt usually something associated with softer springs. if you put stiffer springs on a stock shock/strut, it bounces because the shock isnt strong enough to keep up with the springs resistance to compression, and it bounces.

why are you getting all butthurt? im just stating facts.

[JuStCrUzIn]

read again ja*ckass. need i quote myself. maybe i put bouncy maybe i should have put floaty boat like...... or did i kinda alread corect myself in a later post.

[Thighs]

read again ja*ckass. need i quote myself. maybe i put bouncy maybe i should have put floaty boat like...... or did i kinda alread corect myself in a later post.

once again, no need to get all pissy like a 9th grade girl on the rag. bouncy and floaty are complete opposites. i dont see why you would need to quote yourself, since i just quoted you... that would be sorta redundant.

[fieroracer18]

ok all i needed was to tell me how to cut like he said just some guidlines or tips i didnt neew yall to argue to ech other ... just like the origanal post says ia want to cut i am doing it myself i put the springs in b4 myself just want to know the right measurment method and whet tyoe of cutting wheel to use on the zip wheel

[Thighs]

just make sure you cut them all equally, and pay attention to the perches on the struts. if the perch has a step in it for the spring to seat in, make sure it seats when you put the car back down.

[JuStCrUzIn]

im sorry if im not total up to par on speaking of the ghetto way of doing things, do things right the first time and you wont have to worry about bouncy or floaty im not getting "all 9th grader" im just saying if you do one cut it doesnt change as much as heating does and what happens to a piece of steal when you heat it and then put some kind of weight on it? it breaks right? i know enough about the topic to know whats good and whats not and heating is not the way to go. the way to go dont be cheap but if you dont have anymoney and you want to make you car lower cut them but maybe you should not buy lunch for a week and get some ebays. sorry for the thread jack.

[Thighs]

im sorry if im not total up to par on speaking of the ghetto way of doing things, do things right the first time and you wont have to worry about bouncy or floaty im not getting "all 9th grader" im just saying if you do one cut it doesnt change as much as heating does and what happens to a piece of steal when you heat it and then put some kind of weight on it? it breaks right? i know enough about the topic to know whats good and whats not and heating is not the way to go. the way to go dont be cheap but if you dont have anymoney and you want to make you car lower cut them but maybe you should not buy lunch for a week and get some ebays. sorry for the thread jack.

actually, if you heat up steel and put weight on it, it bends. it makes it softer, not only while its hot but afterwards it will be slightly softer too. cutting the spring (assuming that it has SOME progressive spring properties) will make it stiffer. the end.

[quickdodge®]

im just stating facts.

I don't know about all that. Also, I'll take my experiences over someone almost half my age. See I started lowering cars literally before you were born, lolol. I lowered my first car (1980 Datsun 210 SW) in May of 1987. I cut the springs. Took them out and used a zizz wheel on them. At the time, I didn't know about much heating springs. I got a hold of a 1990 Geo Prizm a year and a half later and learned how to heat. I was in love. The ride was so much nicer. Bouncy does mean stiffer, you are right about that. But stiffer isn't always better. Not this kind. I've had close to 20 cars since then and lowered EVERY single one of them by way of heating. I've lowered countless other people's cars the same way. The Neon I had that I won the ATL SCCA class championship in rode on heated springs. Hail, my 79 CVCC is lowered via heated springs. Out of every car I've had (been involved with) over these last 21 years, I've had only ZERO suspension related problems with them.

The only reason why I don't cut springs is because of ride quality.

But I still say that if you can afford to do it right, by all means do it right. I'm old school and I do things with old school "technology." Back in those days, that's how we lowered cars. This was back before after market springs were being made.

Hope that helps on what I see/know. Without trying to "start something" with you. Later, QD.

[HachiDori]

Cheap way out. Will bust your shocks. Don't do it. Save for coilovers and your can adjust all you want

[Black4DrEK]

cut them biatches!! I cut my front skunk2 springs just to make the front sit lower then the back!.. its not that bad..

[Elbow]

I don't know about all that. Also, I'll take my experiences over someone almost half my age. See I started lowering cars literally before you were born, lolol. I lowered my first car (1980 Datsun 210 SW) in May of 1987. I cut the springs. Took them out and used a zizz wheel on them. At the time, I didn't know about much heating springs. I got a hold of a 1990 Geo Prizm a year and a half later and learned how to heat. I was in love. The ride was so much nicer. Bouncy does mean stiffer, you are right about that. But stiffer isn't always better. Not this kind. I've had close to 20 cars since then and lowered EVERY single one of them by way of heating. I've lowered countless other people's cars the same way. The Neon I had that I won the ATL SCCA class championship in rode on heated springs. Hail, my 79 CVCC is lowered via heated springs. Out of every car I've had (been involved with) over these last 21 years, I've had only ZERO suspension related problems with them.

The only reason why I don't cut springs is because of ride quality.

But I still say that if you can afford to do it right, by all means do it right. I'm old school and I do things with old school "technology." Back in those days, that's how we lowered cars. This was back before after market springs were being made.

Hope that helps on what I see/know. Without trying to "start something" with you. Later, QD.

For RIDE QUALITY heated MIGHT be better, but it's a lot more dangerous, and will handle like shit because there is almost no REAL way to measure each rate. I had cut springs on my 240, that I spent like a weekend cutting, measuring, etc in a friends shop, it handeled better overall, and was bouncy sure, but just as bouncy as another friends 240 with coilovers lowered the same amount.

But then again why would you lower a car if you aren't doing it for a performance advantage in some sort?

Not bashing you or anything QD, but in my much higher experience in motorsport then you, and even Thighs as I am sure he knows quite a bit and learns quite a bit all around where he works, I am sticking with cut springs being the better ghetto fab way overall.

[scabtastic]

i just cut 3/4 a coil out in my ride....back end sat up just a little bit too high.

[Logan]

Heating the springs changes the integrity of the spring.

I wouldn't do either.

[cactusEG]

u get what u pay for...

[TurboRiceCooker]

Cutting? Lolol. If you're going to "ghetto-ize the springs," you should heat them instead of cut them.

But aren't you in another thread about replacing cv boots and shit? And this is your only transportation? Doing this would be the last thing on my mind in that predicament. My advice is for you not to do anything more to that car. Later, QD.

this is the first time i notice you not bashing. so keep up the hard work dude..

[redrumracer]

with a torch or a cut off wheel

[Barefoot]

if your going to cheap out dont cut or heat ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/93-94...Q5fAccessories

lol

[4drlschick]

everyones right they sell cheap coilovers on ebay that ride rough but they would be a lot better on your car than cutting or heating in my opinion. i have a lude out front that we had heated the springs on for some reason and when we took the springs off they literally rolled around in circles they were so bent and broke my axles basically. just my experience.... go with the best way for you but beware that if its your dd you will have to replace a couple things atleast if you ride around for a while. and a camber kit is a must man or you got tires and all that to worry about too.
good luck with whatever decision you make.

[quickdodge®]

Wasn't able to respond because IA went down as I was actually typing my response. Lolol.

For RIDE QUALITY heated MIGHT be better, but it's a lot more dangerous, and will handle like shit

There is no MIGHT about it. The ride quality IS better. And not nearly as dangerous. And my Neon didn't seem to have any problems coasting to that easy champion spot on heated springs. See a cut spring will make a more stiff, bouncy ride. Would you like to be going through a curve and hit something that may cause you to start bouncing? I wouldn't. You lose all control and will start bouncing straight towards the outside of the curve.

But then again why would you lower a car if you aren't doing it for a performance advantage in some sort?

Oh my, my young little whippersnapper. Tis it to be a loss of experience to not live through a "modification's" history. Lowering cars wasn't always about performance. People were lowering cars, even long before I was born, for just looks.

Not bashing you or anything QD, but in my much higher experience in motorsport then you, and even Thighs as I am sure he knows quite a bit and learns quite a bit all around where he works,

No bash thought of, dude. This is just a discussion...it's all good. I don't doubt that you have more experience than me in motorsports (not that you trying to brag about it impressed me). I will still stick with actual 20 years hands-on experience over a few years of what you have. Later, QD.