Cutting one coil out of springs
12-22-2011, 03:54 PM
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Cutting one coil out of springs
I saw an RD1 a couple of days ago at a gas station that looked like it was in good condition. Had nice rims, tint, and was lowered. I had the opportunity to talk to the owner and plug this forum to him. He said he'd check it out.
Anyway, he said his car was lowered with Eibach springs, which is what I have. But his car sat about half an inch lower than mine. He said he cut a single coil off the top and the car still handles and rides great with no bouncing or anything.
Now in my experience, its always been stated that cutting springs is the ghetto and unsafe way of lowering a car. That and heating the springs up with a torch.
But how bad is it to cut one small part of the spring out? Still ghetto and unsafe?
Anyway, he said his car was lowered with Eibach springs, which is what I have. But his car sat about half an inch lower than mine. He said he cut a single coil off the top and the car still handles and rides great with no bouncing or anything.
Now in my experience, its always been stated that cutting springs is the ghetto and unsafe way of lowering a car. That and heating the springs up with a torch.
But how bad is it to cut one small part of the spring out? Still ghetto and unsafe?
12-22-2011, 11:00 PM
#2
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IF they are the right kind of spring
AND IF you can do the job without killing yourself
THEN it is an extremely low-dollar and widely frowned-upon way of lowering your car.
Just ask this guy. He caught a lot of heat for even proposing the idea, but it's been alright for him the last couple of years now.
AND IF you can do the job without killing yourself
THEN it is an extremely low-dollar and widely frowned-upon way of lowering your car.
Just ask this guy. He caught a lot of heat for even proposing the idea, but it's been alright for him the last couple of years now.
12-22-2011, 11:42 PM
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Okay, the hype about springs falling out, and/or the car bouncing around, is ridiculous.
The only genuine downsides are that the ends of the springs are normally 'tapered' so that there is almost a full circle of metal resting against your struts. When you cut them, only the pointy end of the spring is touching the struts, so there is far more stress on your struts. Also, if you cut many coils from your springs, you will probably find yourself bottoming out frequently, because you are using up all of your travel.
I had a beater X3 last year. I cut one coil from each corner. It lowered it by about an inch, but I never had any hassles. The handling didn't change, as far as I could notice. I beat the absolute hell out of that car, and never had problems with the springs. Jumps, kerbs, offroading, dirt tracks: the full torture test!
Anyhoo, if you don't care about the car/don't plan to keep it for long, I guess you could do it. If not, just pay the $300 for some springs and call it a day.
The only genuine downsides are that the ends of the springs are normally 'tapered' so that there is almost a full circle of metal resting against your struts. When you cut them, only the pointy end of the spring is touching the struts, so there is far more stress on your struts. Also, if you cut many coils from your springs, you will probably find yourself bottoming out frequently, because you are using up all of your travel.
I had a beater X3 last year. I cut one coil from each corner. It lowered it by about an inch, but I never had any hassles. The handling didn't change, as far as I could notice. I beat the absolute hell out of that car, and never had problems with the springs. Jumps, kerbs, offroading, dirt tracks: the full torture test!
Anyhoo, if you don't care about the car/don't plan to keep it for long, I guess you could do it. If not, just pay the $300 for some springs and call it a day.