[107543]

i know to cool them off after cutting in cold water, but do i have to cut 1 whole coil, i think someone told me this. i got stock 8236 coils for my 66 fairlane, now to kustomize them! 3rd try! my friends says just put em in, youve had too many problems, but i want a certain height!

 

[dark7068]

I used a skill saw with a metal blade in it, and cut straight down from the top coil to get the angle. I didnt cool it though.
Better of checking the ride height first, cant replace a coil if it's to low.

 

[MonsterMach]

You sould be able to cut off any amount you want ...

The end that sits up top is usually flat and the end that sits in the "perch" can rotate until it is seated properly (end of spring butted up to the stop)

I cut 3/4ths of a coil off on my Mach1 to lower it in the front ... I was looking for one inch and that is pretty close to what I got out of it.

I would recommend just cutting at a leasurely pace with a regular old hand "hacksaw" ... This will keep heat to a minimum for you and eliminates the need for any "wazoo" tools ... Everybody has a hacksaw

One other thing ... You won't know where these springs put your car until they have been installed once ... Plus, springs tend to "settle" after use for a while ... If you are thinking of cutting a pair of factory fresh springs ... There are a bunch of variables you just plain have no way to know

_________________

Larry Madsen
Las Vegas Nevada



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: monstermach on 1/30/02 4:47am ]</font>

 

[slick mo fo]

I did 1/2 coil at a time, dropped 1.5" but my springs are heavy duty.

I've heard the story many times, "I cut to much and have to buy another set".

I did mine with a dremil and a metal wheel, took about 5 min.

 

[Troy Boswell]

Set the spring in a 5 gallon bucket. Fill it up with water until you have "x" amount of coil above water level. Then torch. Viola!

 

[whistler]

use a cutting wheel or a hacksaw to do it.using a cutting torch is not a good way to do it.but if that is how you want to do it i would not use water to cool it because the spring could get hydrogen imbrittlement

 

[lordviper13]

I do belivie we have a metalugist here

and ways coild are designed a certain way when you cut them you really kill there strength, evernotice how some lowering springs are oblong in the middle and round on the ends

cutting them is a cheap way to do it but you would get better ride with the right lowering springs

 

[MonsterMach]

I have heard all the "Horror and Beware" stories about cutting coil springs.

As a guy that cut my springs ... and drives the car with the cut springs ... I will go on record saying this, "The car drives great ... Handles fine ... Rides as good as it ever did ... And the springs show zero ill affects after four years of driving."

My take on it is ... Whatever all these warnings are regarding ... "not cutting coil springs" ... I don't get it ... I'm happy as "Pig in Pooh" with how mine turned out.

My two cents

_________________

Larry Madsen
Las Vegas Nevada



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: monstermach on 1/30/02 7:09am ]</font>

 

[68 stang]

I disagree when the hydrogen enbrittlement part. That mostly happens when you are welding and you do not have a shielding gas. The Hydrogen from the atmosphere gets into the interstical position of the iron. The reason the interstical positions are not filled, when welding on steel is because the carbon migrates out of the steel.

The downside of doing a quick quench is that spring will have martensite in it. It is a very hard phase of steel, but however it is also very brittle.

My suggestion is to cut 1/4 coil at a time with a Sawzall and then put them on the car and let them settle for a few days, then repeat if neccessary.

 

[67stang]

What happens to the springs is the metal crystalizes but that isn't what makes them weak. You cut 1/2 a coil & you drastically change the spring rate & it's design. Spring rates are measured by the number of coils, diameter of the coils, & spring height. It may seem cool to lower it this way but purchasing the proper lowering springs is the safest.

 

[Hottarod]

I was getting wind up under my hood on the drag strip so I cut a full coil out of mine. It was a bit too much compared to the 28 x 9's on the back so I got those thicker poly coil spring insulators. I'm totally happy with it. It lowered my car about an inch and a half in the front and gives me a bit more angle so the car doesn't try to take off and fly when I hit around 105 like it was before. It did stiffen up the front end some but I like it that way. If I go to a shorter rear tire I will probably take the taller coil spring insulators back out and lower the front end back down the extra 1/2 inch.

 

[Henry Micallef]

just my 2cents worth... you guys talk about cutting coil springs as common practice in the U.S..here in Aus no way,get caught and you will end up with a CANARY(unroadworthy sticker)