none, its not safe. buy new springs that are already lowered

 

it is actually proven that cutting stock springs a small amount will be better than buying a good majority of aftermarkets (the cheapies) It is done all of the time.

 

it is actually proven that cutting stock springs a small amount will be better than buying a good majority of aftermarkets (the cheapies) It is done all of the time.

I don't believe you...source?

 

Unless you have the proper equipment I wouldn't even try it. Theres a huge write up somewhere out there on how springs are made and when you cut them they can be VERY DANGEROUS. They are designed to work with their stock length please don't do it.

 

aw come on you guys are no fun, i would use a power band saw most likely. and im thinking that the spring is going to be sitting at an angle after its cut, as opposed to stock in a flat ring. so is this where you heat it up and bend it a little? i could see that weakening the spring to the point it might crack, but my transfer case will probably lock up before any of that happens anyway. has anyone out there cut their springs "safely"?

 

call any good dsm shop and see what they say. i have a good idea of what they'll do.

 

When I bought my car it had stock springs that were cut and it was the worst handling and riding thing I had ever felt. Don't waste your time, just get proper suspension.

 

it is actually proven that cutting stock springs a small amount will be better than buying a good majority of aftermarkets (the cheapies) It is done all of the time.

So is that like a documented test or what, LOL, hehe.

 

Cutting springs is how lowering used to be done back in the day, and it’s reasonably safe. But why take a chance when a set of eibachs are only like two hundred bucks on e-bay? If you are really short on cash, then just pm Vestside and hit him up for a few bucks lol…

 

none, its not safe. buy new springs that are already lowered

Why is it unsafe? And please don't wimp out and change the story to being something like "it isn't safe when it isn't done right," because that applies to anything. If there is something inherently unsafe about cutting the springs on a DSM, please say, exactly, what it is.

- Jtoby

 

The susp. is a McPhearson strut. The spring sits in a grove in the spring perch, thats why its flat on the ends. If you cut it It wont sit in the spring perch corecctly and could possibly slip out and damage anything in its way.

 

Why is it unsafe? And please don't wimp out and change the story to being something like "it isn't safe when it isn't done right," because that applies to anything. If there is something inherently unsafe about cutting the springs on a DSM, please say, exactly, what it is.

- Jtoby

The main problem with this is the car being "uneven".
An inappropriate spring rate, bump steer and erratic handling are different symptoms caused by cutting the springs.
Your stock shocks will fail quickly because they wont be able to cope with such a narrow and harsh range of compression and rebound stroke.
I dont suggest doing it and if you call any well informed mechanic they will tell you the same thing.
And if thats not enough for you then, the comfort level in the car drops extremely.

 

The main problem with this is the car being "uneven".

But this is not a problem is you measure and calculate before doing the cutting.

An inappropriate spring rate, bump steer and erratic handling are different symptoms caused by cutting the springs.

Very nice of use of some fancy words, but, sadly, total nonsense. Cut springs, like lowering springs, put you in a different position on the bump-steer curve, but have zero effect on the curve, itself.

'Erratic handling,' in contrast, is just a way of saying nothing specific and wasting bandwidth.

Your stock shocks will fail quickly because they wont be able to cope with such a narrow and harsh range of compression and rebound stroke.

More total nonsense. The shocks will probably enjoy the decrease in travel. And the amount that would be cut is rather small, so the spring-rates would only increase a little, so it's not like you will suddenly destroy the shocks because of the increase in stored energy after a bump.

I dont suggest doing it and if you call any well informed mechanic they will tell you the same thing.

Actually, if you find a mechanic who knows some physics, instead of one who just repeats what he or she has been told, then he or she might be more than willing to cut off one coil.

And if thats not enough for you then, the comfort level in the car drops extremely.

Not if you do it right. If you try to re-create Sportlines by cutting a bunch of coils, then, sure, the ride will suck, as you will be all over the bumpstops, just like on 'real' Sportlines (at least, on a 2G; 1Gs have a lot more travel to work with). But if you cut just one coil, for a slightly lower static height and slightly higher spring-rates, then you'll be perfectly fine.

- Jtoby

 

The spring sits in a grove in the spring perch, thats why its flat on the ends. [emphasis, added]

Nice idea, but no OE Mitsu springs are ground flat. They have square-cut ends, which is also what you get when you cut them.

- Jtoby

 

You would be better off to just buy aftermarket springs. since your going to be taking off the stock ones anyway, might as well replace them.

 

let me clarify... i am going to cut them. i dont believe you when you tell me the ride is going to be terrible because i've been in cars and heard from many people that have a smooth steady ride with cut springs. NOW does anyone that agrees with me know how to do it correctly so i dont die in a horrific accident. if i total my car i was hoping it would be from the transfer case locking up.

 

my original question rephrased by the way.... aprox. how much of the springs should i cut if i'm looking for a 1.5" drop all around. and is a power band saw the right tool for this cob job?

 

Measure the distance between the coils as the car is right now. Cutting enough to lower the car by about 1.6" will result in the car being lower by about 1.5" (since cut springs have higher rates).

With that said, I would only drop the car by 1" using cut springs. The new rates will not be high enough for being any lower.

And, of course, have the car re-aligned after you do this. (This isn't as crucial on a 1G as it is on a 2G, but it's still important.)

- Jtoby

ps. hacksaw with cutting oil

 

Just remember, after you lower your ride, clearing high speed bumps could be an issue. Some parking lots have retardedly high speed bumps. I just take bumps a little slower and dips at angles. Good luck! Let us know how it turned out for you.

 

Instead of cutting them, you can heat them with a torch. They will settle once the spring gets hot enough to mend. I would use a block under the car to set the new heigh so when the spring starts to sink the body will sit on the block, and also keep it even at a corners

 

It is ok in 1g's because the springs aren't progressive. One coil results in only a better handling car and nothing else.

Years back I cut 1 coil out of my 2g spings and the car sat great and drove 100% identical. Would I do it again? YES. What do you think ebay no name drop springs are anyways? You really think some compnay in China engineered springs? Be serious.

#1 rule is to use a cut off wheel. A torch fucks it all up with the heat, and a bandsaw will take hours. Using a torch instead of cutting is seriously retarded.

edit: 1 coil was about an inch.

 

Instead of cutting them, you can heat them with a torch. They will settle once the spring gets hot enough to mend. I would use a block under the car to set the new heigh so when the spring starts to sink the body will sit on the block, and also keep it even at a corners

Let me get this straight: your idea is to torch the springs while they are still on the car? And your theory is that the car will end up level given the blocks underneath?

I am seriously loving this thread.

- Jtoby

 

Heating the springs also weakens them.

Jtoby-
Take a spring off the front. Look at it and then tell me how your going to cut it and make it identical to stock. If you cut it, only a small porsion would actually sit on the perch. The bottom of the spring is flat on the first coil. You would have to do some serious work to make it flat agian 360 degrees around to sit "properly" in the perch. You can cut it and flaten out some with a grinder. But you will not be able to rebend the spring. Cutting and grinding -Will it work? Yes. Will it sit corectly? No. That in my book makes it dangerus.

 

Where are you thinking it might move to? As soon as the weight is back on it, it will settle in snugly.

Maybe you are missing the following piece of data: this has been done on both 1Gs and 2Gs, and, as long as only one coil is cut (almost always from the top end, by the way), there have been no problems. Would I do this to my own car? No. But I spend money when it's called for and I'm pretty well-off. But if I were broke and wanted to get a bit more out of my DSM, I'd do this.

- Jtoby

 

i cut the springs on my 240.... handles and rides pretty damn good...

for safety sake, i drilled some small holes in the perch so you can wrap some heavy duty wire around the spring at the top there, 'hopefully' to help keep the spring from popping out(allthough i dont see that happening, so long as you didnt cut off too much) the wire i used is the kind you tie up re-bar with...

i also noticed after a few weeks, when it had settled out, it sat a little lower and the top of the springs sitting were still sitting right in track and flat against the top....