Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Suspension Cut springs!!!

I see...how long ago has it been since you cut them? Might take a while for the bounce to kick in...

It's been about 12,000 miles. The 'bounce hasn't kicked in'
Get your facts straight. Cars bounce when the strut doesn't have enough room to go its full range of motion before bottoming out. Struts are designed to operate with a certain amount of fluid below the strut cylinder, to provide a damping affect. If you put in a shorter spring(lowering spring, ground controls, cut springs) This will shorten the range of motion of the strut. If you put in a spring that is really short, the 'bounce will kick in' . It is not the cut spring that causes bad ride. I could throw a set of Ground Controls on my factory struts, slam the car, and it would ride like dooky. You need stiffer struts to overcome the shorter strut travel that comes with shorter springs. So, 1 cut coil still allows the strut to operate within its intended range. If I had cut 2 or 3 coils, then the car would be bouncing down the road, and you would be a happy man because you would be right. But not becuase of the cut coils, because the struts don't have enough movement.
I have firsthand experience right here that cutting 1 coil on this particular car causes no problems. All you've got to back up your case is some bull you've read somewhere along your travels in the Internet. Take a venture into the Mustang world, you'll see spring cutting, and spring heating(which I would avoid) is far more common place than you would think. Why should I spend $200 when I can get the same affect for free. I'm not going for handling, but the front end of my car sat way to high. Judging from the pictures of your car, I bet you can relate to that

well fine since you seem to be so right

wheres my coil compressors...cheap lowering job here I come

So have you looked into how you may have changed the structural integrity of your cut springs?

I am not about cutting up factory springs designed by engineers, especially when if your wrong it can be a matter of life and death.

I dont see how cutting the spring would weaken it as a whole. Also i don't see any reason why cutting non progressive springs evenly would have any negative effects.

In my experience for example, i recently lowered my car properly with bat struts (not st200's) and roush springs. Like every other car with roush springs my car sits too high in the front. This last weekend i spoke with an engineer at ford and he actually suggested i carefully cut my non progressive front springs. So far I havent seen any reasons which would dissuade me from doing so

Let me know how that goes. Would you have any way to tell for sure if it affects handling? I've got one road I drive all the time that I know exacly how far I can push my car, so I guess I mean something like that. Tell me if it works out cuz I mite have to do the same, though then I mite be kissing my svt struts good bye.

hmmm... I guess my post hasn't been stupid after all. Good information guys...you rock!!

I gotta agree with this 100%. I think the taboo with cutting springs is because people relate it to heating up springs so they sag and lower, and the retards out there that cut Mom's cars springs in half and then bounce their teeth out driving around.

I believe it's even a common practice that professional shops use.. customer orders springs.. gets them installed... still sits too high.. cut a half coil or coil off... re-install... good to go.

I did this on my 70 Mustang.. no problems after about 30,000 miles on the springs. I cut them with a metal cutting blade on a circular saw. Very little heat involved at all... only localized at the cut. I think I cut about 1 full coil off.

As long as the physical design of the coil (the way it mounts to the car, etc.) can be kept the same... theres no reason why trimming the springs would make your ride dangerous, or bouncy.. as long as u take things slow and know what you're doing, and as already mentioned... u don't chop the spring in half.

hmm, think I'll do this after the 96 finally gets its wheels.

While getting my tires put on yesterday, I was reading a hot rodding magazine and it mentioned cutting springs. The ONLY reason they gave for not doing it is because you may not perfectly cut them on each side and throw off the balance of the car (or something to that affect). It was an article about weighing a car at all 4 corners and setting it up so it has best weight ratio,etc. So if you cut them, try to cut them in the exact same spot on each side.