Cutting aftermarket lowering springs

[iamjoel]

I recently installed aftermarket FK 60/40 lowering springs with upgraded shocks but the front isn't as low as i would like it to be. I was wondering if i should cut the front springs a little to get it slightly lower at the front? I'm thinking an inch off the coil or something? I would want it maybe 10-15mm lower at the front. Any suggestions/opinion/experience over this? I have upgraded shocks so shouldn't be too much of a problem to cut a little off imo, but anyone that knows better's advice would be appreciated.

How the car sits when i put the springs and shocks in, they haven't bedded in yet but don't think they will drop much

 

[ThomasBrentnall]

This isn't going to end well.

 

[DrR]

Yeah it's perfectly fine to do that.

 

[MartinR]

Take 3 inches of each end. It will look wicked!!!

Sorry but that idea is plain f**king stupid and you could kill yourself or some other innocent person.

Don't do it! Buy coilovers

 

[Owen92]

No!
Cutting springs is a plainly retarded thing to do.

 

[105e]

Nothing wrong with cutting springs if its done properly. Ends need to be reformed and they must not dislocate when suspension is at full droop. If these are already 60mm shorter then its probably a no to further shortening.

 

[Chip-mk1]

As above, if done correctly its not dangerous.

 

[Stefan.]

Jesus christ!

Please tell me how you think this is a good idea, it is idiots like you that are a danger on the roads!

 

[Chip-mk1]

Jesus christ!

Please tell me how you think this is a good idea, it is idiots like you that are a danger on the roads!

Can you tell us why it isn't?

 

[Inequality Street]

Jesus christ!

Please tell me how you think this is a good idea, it is idiots like you that are a danger on the roads!

Bit harsh. He obviously didn't know the dangers of cutting springs, which is why he asked. Quite an intelligent thing to do really, if you don't know ask someone?

And as above, if done correctly it's fine, whether OP intended to lop it off at home or have it professionally done I don't know, benefit of the doubt?

OP, give it a few weeks of driving like that. You're a lot lower now so will feel the road/speed bumps etc a lot more. You may not want it any lower.

 

[Stefan.]

Sorry guys, just infuriates me, because no offence, but i cannot see the op taking it to a professional to get cut, more like a diy effort.

Buy coilovers imo rather than cutting springs.

 

[105e]

Cut my first springs in 1975, done more since, have not crashed or killed/injured anyone else, just needs doing sensibly.

 

[Goodj]

Alternatively, take out the spare wheel and drive around with a fat bird as a passenger.

 

[Nick172Cup]

Personally, I think it looks alright as it is. Arch gaps are the same front to rear, any lower would start making it look s**t and unbearable to drive on.

 

[Adam G]

Cut my first springs in 1975, done more since, have not crashed or killed/injured anyone else, just needs doing sensibly.

And thousands of other real race cars have too but the internet says otherwise.

 

[iamjoel]

What's the real dangers of cutting them? Even if it's only a little bit, by what has been said i won't be doing it but just curious to know!

 

[Simon_16v]

It'll be an MOT fail if they see the springs have been cut, that would be my first reason to not do it.

Also you risk bottoming your shock out if they springs end up any shorter, this will cause a nasty ride and will more than likely make your shocks leak.

 

[Goodj]

Just cable-tie the coils together, any MOT problems can then be resolved with some scissors

 

[Ray Gin]

Tony Hunter loves this topic

 

[davo172]

This isn't going to end well.

FLOL so true !!

 

[JAMason]

All the anti cut spring clan are here! :clap:

I bought my current clio with cut springs (I didn't know they were cut at the time...I didn't know anything about clios at the time) Nothing wrong with it for safety reasons if its done properly. They were modified to fit in the seats and stuff and not jump out when going over bumps and didn't fall out when jacking the car up. Car looked "wicked init bruv?!"

I hated it though and bought some standard springs off a 182 cup and put the car back to standard (That's when I noticed they were cut) The negative to cutting springs is the ride for road driving is compromised. My bump stops had taken a bettering, my rebound rate on the shocks was pretty bad, the top mounts had taken some of the brunt of the shock and the ride made you cry it was that painful and stiff! Hitting bumps actually hurt.

By lopping a coil out, the spring rate doesn't change, it just gets shorter, so you end up with the same resistance rate but a shorter distance so the car will be bouncy and crashy. Your car looks fine as it is...although it needs a full on paint correction and some tyre shine on those balloons! haha. :rasp:

Jack

 

[Chip-mk1]

By lopping a coil out, the spring rate doesn't change, it just gets shorter, so you end up with the same resistance rate but a shorter distance so the car will be bouncy and crashy. Your car looks fine as it is...although it needs a full on paint correction and some tyre shine on those balloons! haha. :rasp:

Jack

Actually thats not true at all, if you cut a spring down, then you do change its rate by the same percentage as you change its length.

Thats the very nature of how a spring works, the longer it is for any given material, the more it will compress for the same amount of weight placed onto it.

 

[JAMason]

Actually thats not true at all, if you cut a spring down, then you do change its rate by the same percentage as you change its length.

Thats the very nature of how a spring works, the longer it is for any given material, the more it will compress for the same amount of weight placed onto it.

...oh! I was miss informed then! So, if you lop a coil out, will the spring actually become softer and compress more?

 

[Chip-mk1]

...oh! I was miss informed then! So, if you lop a coil out, will the spring actually become softer and compress more?

No it will become harder and compress less.

Think of each coil as an individual spring, all stacked on top of each other.
If you apply 300kg to the top of that stack of springs, each coil will compress by the same amount, so if you take one coil out then it will compress the total spring by that amount less.

So if you have a single coil and it compresses by 5mm when you add that 300kg, then if you put ten of them on top of each other it will compress by 50mm, so if you taken one out, then it will compress now by 45mm.

 

[JAMason]

No it will become harder and compress less.

Think of each coil as an individual spring, all stacked on top of each other.
If you apply 300kg to the top of that stack of springs, each coil will compress by the same amount, so if you take one coil out then it will compress the total spring by that amount less.

So if you have a single coil and it compresses by 5mm when you add that 300kg, then if you put ten of them on top of each other it will compress by 50mm, so if you taken one out, then it will compress now by 45mm.

Cheers for that. So with that in mind, cutting springs can actually have a good effect for say stiffer spring rates and ride/handeling if its done properly? You could stiffen the ride up for better flatter cornering and also lower its center of gravity by lopping a bit off.

I still wouldn't like to run cut springs on the road. Its another reason for an insurance company not to pay out in the event of an accident, and the roads around my way are terrible so harsher ride quality is the last thing you want. But for track focused cars it can actually be beneficial.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Cheers for that. So with that in mind, cutting springs can actually have a good effect for say stiffer spring rates and ride/handeling if its done properly? You could stiffen the ride up for better flatter cornering and also lower its center of gravity by lopping a bit off.

Yes that is the case, although typically when you go for a proper lowering spring, its rate is actually increased by more than its length is shortened by, so a cut standard spring is unlikely to be as firm as an aftermarket spring, but as his are already aftermarket and probably quite firm anyway, then cutting them down slightly is probably going to leave him with an acceptable combination of height and hardness, especially given how little he wants to lower it by.

I still wouldn't like to run cut springs on the road. Its another reason for an insurance company not to pay out in the event of an accident, and the roads around my way are terrible so harsher ride quality is the last thing you want. But for track focused cars it can actually be beneficial.

Yes I would be surprised if when he phones up to declare modifications and says "cut down aftermarket suspension springs" as a modification if they will take it well!

 

[JAMason]

Yes that is the case, although typically when you go for a proper lowering spring, its rate is actually increased by more than its length is shortened by, so a cut standard spring is unlikely to be as firm as an aftermarket spring, but as his are already aftermarket and probably quite firm anyway, then cutting them down slightly is probably going to leave him with an acceptable combination of height and hardness, especially given how little he wants to lower it by.

Yes I would be surprised if when he phones up to declare modifications and says "cut down aftermarket suspension springs" as a modification if they will take it well!

 

[iamjoel]

Yeah ok i see, i like how mine drives right now, it feels like quite a sporty ride even though its a s**t 1.2, i'll be leaving them like that, thanks!

 

[t0mmy]

but anyone that knows better's advice would be appreciated.

Buy a sport.

 

[sweHooK]

Yeah ok i see, i like how mine drives right now, it feels like quite a sporty ride even though its a s**t 1.2, i'll be leaving them like that, thanks!

what size are those rims and tyres?