Cutting springs?

[Cochise]

So just got my new (to me) GT and I’m itching to take it to the track.

until I get my suspension ordered and installed, I need it to be lower. Can a shop just cut a single coupe and reinstall until then?

move never done that before but I don’t want to spend 250 on 2 inch drop springs just to have them replace when I get my grip box.

 

[J_lope82]

You will still need caster camber plates and bump steer kit. A lot of suspension experts don’t recommend cutting the springs.

 

[RAU03MACH]

I did lower my 95 2 inches up front
1 3/4 on rear
On the front I have caster plate and steer bumps
On the rear I have top adjustable control
And the bottom is up control arm

Did not like the rear of the car looking like an f150
Tire gap to rear fender

 

[ttocs]

This would be the first time I have heard of someone paying a shop to do it. I thought the only advantage was that you could do it yourself, it cost no $$$ so the bad ride(that you will try to convince yourself isn't that bad) is worth it? I would say to save the $$$ to have the shop do it right myself but I have been known to be a bit cray cray and been called it....

 

[joe65]

yeah cut them yourself. its been done millions of times in the world. yes it is better to get new springs with the rate/height that you want, but your car won't explode or suddenly jerk to one side or anything from cutting springs. I have a grinder i just swap a cut off wheel onto and it will cut through a spring coil pretty fast. They say to just be sure not to use heat to cut them.

 

[Cochise]

Thanks y’all. The plan is to eventually get suspension anyways. So I’ll probably just plan on doing it right the first time.
It’s I’m honestly just a vanity thing at this current moment.

I swear, Ford has these things looking like 4x4’s with their stock ride height.

 

[Warhorse Racing]

It's important to remember that lowering our cars too much isn't ideal for performance driving. Lowering the car decreases suspension travel. If you run out of suspension travel, your spring rate goes to infinity. That leads to understeer and oversteer when pushing the car to the limit. Having the car too low or too stiff (or a combination of the two) will make the car handle worse, especially if you don't plan on using coil overs. I lower my autocross cars about 1" (with aftermarket springs); they might not look very cool, but they handle really well.

 

[Cochise]

It's important to remember that lowering our cars too much isn't ideal for performance driving. Lowering the car decreases suspension travel. If you run out of suspension travel, your spring rate goes to infinity. That leads to understeer and oversteer when pushing the car to the limit. Having the car too low or too stiff (or a combination of the two) will make the car handle worse, especially if you don't plan on using coil overs. I lower my autocross cars about 1" (with aftermarket springs); they might not look very cool, but they handle really well.

Very good point. I don't necessarily want a "slammed" or "bagged" look, but man! There is almost 4 inches in between the tire and fender. I'd be happy with even a 1 inch drop.

I plan on going the coil-over route.

 

[ttocs]

while the car is high in its stock height when I had it at that height in Az there were still speed bumps I had to avoid as well as some intersections. When it rains in the desert IT FREAKING DUMPS and because of that the roads have a littel more of a slope on the sides to allow for run off. The intersection going into my neighborhood if I was not carefull as I made the right turn it would drag right in front of the pass rear wheel.

 

[J_lope82]

If you cut the spring does the spring still fit correctly it it’s place with the isolators? Given that you don’t cut the side that’s narrow and flat.
I’m curious if spring and isolator still fit back in place the way it was intended.

 

[ttocs]

if you cut it right the car will just squat down a little more but the spring is still in the same location top/bottom. Now ride quality will be effected obviously but its been done for decades at this point.

 

[J_lope82]

You cut the top of the spring right? In both front and back.

 

[ttocs]

You cut the top of the spring right? In both front and back.

if this is something you are going to do there are a couple of vids on youtube that show it. I Am not endorsing the act of doing it or the videos showing how to as I have not watched them and there are better ways.

 

[J_lope82]

if this is something you are going to do there are a couple of vids on youtube that show it. I Am not endorsing the act of doing it or the videos showing how to as I have not watched them and there are better ways.

Well in my mind I’m thinking the edge of the spring where you cut it will start digging in into the spring isolator because it won’t be shaped to sit in the isolator the way it should. I’m trying to verify if my thinking is correct.

 

[ttocs]

most people remove the isolators when the lower the car anyway. You can always wrap the top/bottom with a few wraps of electrical tape and from what I hear it works almost as well with out the slight lift they give.

 

[Dentsideman]

I have cut springs on a 6 cylinder 96 I had. Installed offset bushings and it drove fine. If you cut the spring at an angle where it contacts the isolator bushing, you can minimize wear. If I remember correctly I cut the bottom of the spring. It will be fairly obvious if you look at it closely.