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Joined: Mar 2006
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CEG\'er
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CEG\'er
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Does anyone know anything about heating springs? I have a set of maxspeed coil over sleeves that I was going to install on my 96. But then a couple of people told me they are junk and bounce like a cut spring  Then I saw on tv something about heating springs, they said that it did not ride bad like a cut spring. Does anyone know is this true?????
Youngest Retirey Ever
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Veteran CEG\'er
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Veteran CEG\'er
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DON'T DO IT!!!  If you're going to try and lower the car, there's a reason that it costs $$$ to lower it. You pay for what you get...
2000 Mystique LS
Duratec 2.5L MTX
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Joined: Sep 2002
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Hard-core CEG'er
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Hard-core CEG'er
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 DO IT! 
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Joined: May 2000
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I have no life
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I have no life
Joined: May 2000
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You know we get a post every once in a while where I'm at a loss for words.
-'96 SE MTX 3L
-'98 SVT 1,173 of 6,535
-'05 Mazda 6s, loaded, g/f's ride
-Need a 96-00 manual on CD? PM or email me
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 21,653
I have no life
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I have no life
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 21,653 |
Cutting springs is actually better than heating them.
But both basically suck. A decent set of lowering springs is what $150 or less? I paid $100 shipped for mine lightly used.
98.5 SVT
91 Escort GT (almost sold)
96 ATX Zetec (i brake to watch you swerve)
FS: SVT rear sway bar
WTB: Very cheap beater
CEG Dragon Run - October 13-15
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Joined: Oct 2000
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Hard-core CEG'er
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Hard-core CEG'er
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And now for the science:
Cutting a spring will increase the spring rate, since "length" (or rather, "number of active coils") is part of the rate equation.
Heating a spring will allow you to compress it a bit, thereby shortening its static length (lowering your ride height) without changing the spring rate.
Cutting is generally not recommended because you don't really have much control over the final spring rate. With suspension travel reduced, you need a higher rate to avoid bottoming. Furthermore, there's no way to know for sure that the new rate will be properly matched to your strut choice. Still, in some shadetree applications, it might be your only option, and it might work OK if done properly.
Heating is never recommended, because you know you're not going to change the rate at all, and it's very difficult to control the amount of lowering. You're likely to end up with a car that doesn't sit level, and you'll spend a lot of time bottoming out the struts and suspension, leading to unpredictable handling and rapid wear of the struts.
Function before fashion.
'96 Contour SE
"Toss the Contour into a corner, and it's as easy to catch as a softball thrown by a preschooler." -Edmunds, 1998
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Joined: Mar 2006
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CEG\'er
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OP
CEG\'er
Joined: Mar 2006
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ok, so its a no go on the heating. does anybody have an clue do these coil overs that i have suck or are they a decent brand to use?
Youngest Retirey Ever
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Originally posted by RogerB:
Cutting a spring will increase the spring rate, since "length" (or rather, "number of active coils") is part of the rate equation.
I don't know if this is a true statement . I believe spring rate has to do with the spring's tensile strength and number of coil wraps per inch (or foot , or whatever) . I think if you cut a spring , it's spring rate will be the same , but over less travel length .
Also, some springs have a linear spring rate , having an even number of wraps throughout the spring (like Eibach , IIRC) , whereas the springs I'm running (H&R's) have a progressive spring rate , where the springs start out with a certain number of wraps & then get closer together . Coilovers are a linear rate spring , are they not ?? Ones that I've seen in person have been .
~~~~~~~ Phil 
Black & Tan 2000 SVT Contour #2137 of 2150
35,000 miles & counting !
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Hard-core CEG'er
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Hard-core CEG'er
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Originally posted by Buddy Palumbo:
Originally posted by RogerB:
Cutting a spring will increase the spring rate, since "length" (or rather, "number of active coils") is part of the rate equation.
I don't know if this is a true statement . I believe spring rate has to do with the spring's tensile strength and number of coil wraps per inch (or foot , or whatever) . I think if you cut a spring , it's spring rate will be the same , but over less travel length .
Also, some springs have a linear spring rate , having an even number of wraps throughout the spring (like Eibach , IIRC) , whereas the springs I'm running (H&R's) have a progressive spring rate , where the springs start out with a certain number of wraps & then get closer together . Coilovers are a linear rate spring , are they not ?? Ones that I've seen in person have been .
I question that as well.
When I was in high school, it was a common thing to heat the front springs for the "raked" look. I even observed it done a few times. Every one of the ones I was aware of had horable ride quality after torching the springs. The springs most certainly not only lost the ability to hold the car at original height, but also bounced all over the road.
Just my observations.
Jim Johnson
98 SVT
03 Escape Limited
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the suckiness of your coilovers is going to do alot with your struts,i had some ebay coilovers on my tour for a bit,i used svt struts,which worked fine for a few months,than they got progressivly worse,i've heard of other people using the same coilovers with proper struts and loving them...i've also had cut springs and heated springs,both suck,but the heated ones didnt creak and pop when i turned the wheel
"Youth ages, immaturity is outgrown, ignorance can be educated, and drunkenness sobered, but STUPID lasts forever."-Aristophanes.
--93 pgt,headers,intake,borla=14.9 1/4mile
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