Cutting Springs

[damankerrison09]

Ok so we all know that cutting your OEM springs is a big NO NO... For obvious reasons such as seating problems, rough ride, bouncy ride, bad handling, and a whole aray of other reasons.

But what about lowered springs, they are designed to do that same job when lowered as stock springs will do at a stock height. Now not to start any arguments but if someone where to cut say 1 - 1.5 coils from a set of superlow kings would the same problems occcur?

I own a VL and its got the superlows all round and it really does not sit very low at all on my 17's. now when i jack my car up the rear springs unseat and come out of the seats so if i were to cut 1 or 2 coils off of the lower end with the larger sized coils would it make the ride that bad that it would be unbearable? I don't think it would?

Now the fronts i was thinking about cutting 1 coil and checking the ride height and then maybe goin .5 of a coil more and just roating the spring so it seats in the correct position.

Now my questions are simple, how bad could it possible be for the ride of the car? its already pretty shit, its a VL... And also how many coils would equate to how many cm's or inch's of lowering?

If all goes to shit i can always buy ultra lows and new shocks, but I've seen them on a few vl's and its still not low enough, i know lowering to far is very illegal and not everyones cup of tea, but at the end of the day its my car, my problem if i get defected and my back that has to get sore from rough ride so there's no need to point out all of these things to me that i am very aware of.

Cheers guys

(sorry about the novel)

[BoNeZ-01]

Simplest answer: It would be in your best interest to just go and buy a new set of lower springs and shocks than you have now.

Cutting lowered springs has the same effect on them as cutting factory springs, only worse.
It would be too complicated to go in to why, as there is a very complex set of mathematical formula that goes into the design of a coil spring(which goes way over my head..lol), but basically, cutting any spring changes the way it behaves.
Lowered springs don't actually work 'exactly' the same as stock springs at stock height.
The length, thickness, tension, torsion, rate, and a stack of other working forces are carefully calculated for it to operate exactly as was made, no longer, no shorter.
Other forum members may have a better understanding of suspension systems than I do.
But, in the interest of your own personal safety, the best advise 'I' could give you is- Don't do it.

[damankerrison09]

Well yeh that makes sense what your saying... I understand variable rate springs and such i did my cert 1 in being a mechanic so i have a simple understanding of how they work.

What are the safety issues of cutting them though? I dont quite understand how a rough ride and lower response rate is dangerous? Not starting anything just asking to be informed?

[BoNeZ-01]

Well, as I said, I don't know all of the formulas and equations that goes in to it, although you can look it up if you like, but all looks Chinese to me.
Basically, the rate of the spring is a set rate for it's original length, but when you cut it, you change it's rate, and it's strength.
The coil when made isn't only turned to make the coil shape, it's also being like 'twisted' as it's turning, this is what gives it it's rate.
So when you cut it, not only does it lose it's overall resistance against being compressed, therefore actually making 'weaker' against the same amount of load because there is now 'less' overall coil length, but it has also lost it's 'rate' at which it can be compressed, how quickly it can be compressed, and then return to it's original position.
Like I said, complicated to explain, and my explanation is quite possibly incorrect, but that's my understanding of it.

[BoNeZ-01]

Sorry, I forgot to add this part.. lol
It can make them dangerous because a lowered spring, is designed to carry the same amount load, at a higher amount of rate, because it's over a shorter amount of distance.
So extra strength, rate and what not is put in to it's design to operate at the reduced height, but with higher overall strengths.
So cutting any length from it, even 1/2 a coil, would have more effect on it than cutting a full coil from a stock spring.
Not only that, the area around where you cut it can be greatly altered, say if you use a blow torch to cut a coil, the heat will change the temper in the coil, changing the rate, strength and other things of the area that got hot enough, to the point it could make the remaining metal brittle, and could snap when placed under the right amount of load and stress.
It just makes the spring unsafe, and it's not just in how uncomfortable the ride can be, but if the suspension dynamics are changed too much, it will alter the whole cars behaviour at all different speeds, making the whole car unsafe, not just the springs themselves.
All this is even more crucial in front springs, which are 'made' to operate under a very high pre-load, cutting a front spring will not only have the same effects as noted before, but also it's orignal resistance to the same amount of pre-load.
It just continues to get more and more complex from here.. lol
But I will say again, my explanations could be any from vaguely adequate, to completely inaccurate, but hopefully somewhere in between.

[padrickz88]

Do a search and you will find out why people say dont do it... Long story short there designed to take a certain weight, and react a certain way etc, if you cut it then it cant take as much weight and the springs dont react right bla bla bla... Long story short it ****s up how the spring should react so dont cut them...

Spend a couple hundred $$$$ and put new springs in, dont be a cheap arse .....

Seriously, its worth the money to know your not going to take you and your mates/family/other motorist into a ball of fire because your to cheap to buy new springs.... And think about it this way, how would you explain to your mates parents there sons life wasnt worth the couple hundred $$$$ IF something was to go wrong due to the springs being cut? If you cant afford it, keep the car as is until you can.

Also replace your shockers if its not holding superlows captive, mine hold in ultra's when jacked up so yours must be ****ed

[5LUTV6]

if you value the life of others or at the very least your own, then i wouldnt do it. Car enthusiasts 'upgrade' cars not the other way round..

[HERLUV]

if you value the life of others or at the very least your own, then i wouldnt do it. Car enthusiasts 'upgrade' cars not the other way round..

Agreed. Good Point. Some people just don't get it...

[94VRtuff]

Dont do it it will stuff your car. I have recently brought a VR and have just replaced springs and shocks with kings superlow and monroe gt sport, the car had choppies in it and was a mess, i only had 3 coils in the front and the rear springs were chopped to and were diferent sizes, this has caused the car to be under extreme pressure ie, body flexing and front end all top bearings were broken to pieces, also car has broken off the gearbox mount as well and was very noisy to dive,it also wobbled . Now with the new gear in it is like driving a new car, so please dont do it you will regret it, cheers Bob.

[Jesterarts]

vs cut spings-lowered

Covered a million times.