Cutting Spring Pros n Cons?

Well, custom fabricated coilovers are always an option, and there are a lot of air ride solutions that are easy on trunk space.
Seems to go plenty low too: http://www.myspace.com/video/vid/1660895

[ScrappinBeretta]

Wholeheartedly agreed, though I'd replace money with "resources", as there are correct ways to do things for very little money, with the right skills and tools.

oh? please share this info as im looking to drop the beretta a good bit with hopes of tucking tire. coilovers arent a potion cuz nobody makes or will even both making a set up , air ride isnt a option either since they dont go low enough for my taste and i have 2 12's in the trunk. the lowest any lowering springs go is about 1.5 or 1.6

I know this, but how many people are going to bother going to all that effort? I would say 80% of them just weld straight to the shock body without even thinking it through.

That's a problem with users, not the product.

Cutting springs means your ghetto.

Agreed.

It's unsafe, stupid, rides like shit and you're gonna bounce and rub like a mother fucker.

Disagreed. It's not really unsafe, and the ride will be no worse than short springs on stock struts, or overly dropped perches on coilovers with non-adjustable lower mounts (eg: KW, Rokkor/Raceland, TEIN Basic and so on)

If you don't have the money to modify cars, don't do it the wrong way.

Wholeheartedly agreed, though I'd replace money with "resources", as there are correct ways to do things for very little money, with the right skills and tools.

[Oxer]

The proper way to do it is to gut the casing, do your welding, and use an insert.

I know this, but how many people are going to bother going to all that effort? I would say 80% of them just weld straight to the shock body without even thinking it through.

Because nobody made aftermarket suspension that lowers the cars.

Cutting springs means your ghetto.

It's unsafe, stupid, rides like shit and you're gonna bounce and rub like a mother fucker.

If you don't have the money to modify cars, don't do it the wrong way.

But it isn't the wrong way. Its an alternative way. You are the narrow minded people I speak of.

I've had a few cars with cut springs, pretty sure i haven't killed myself or anyone yet.
anyways, not everyone can walk into their local suspension shop, or even buy parts online for their particular car. custom/one off stuff is rediculously expensive, and for those that follow the low and slow rule what does it matter?

This man knows exactly what's up.

[scumbagE28]

I've had a few cars with cut springs, pretty sure i haven't killed myself or anyone yet.
anyways, not everyone can walk into their local suspension shop, or even buy parts online for their particular car. custom/one off stuff is rediculously expensive, and for those that follow the low and slow rule what does it matter?

[4DGS]

think about it hotrodders and loweriders cut their springs back in the 50's and 60's to get them low.

Because nobody made aftermarket suspension that lowers the cars.

Cutting springs means your ghetto.

It's unsafe, stupid, rides like shit and you're gonna bounce and rub like a mother fucker.

If you don't have the money to modify cars, don't do it the wrong way.

[Geschlecht]

I saw a post on some forum once and they posted up an old BMW car manual. It said for a more sporty feel to cut a coil off the stock springs. Yes, that is BMW engineers suggesting it. For non progressive springs of course.

[Slammed Ish]

just do it. as long as you cut them right, you'll be good with only a 1 inch drop. its not like you're cutting 3-4 inches like the rest of us. somebody should write a guide on SW on how to cut springs the proper way...

As for $50 ebay coilover sleves, 50% of these applications require the sleve to be welded to the shock from what I have seen. If you are welding to the shock body, you are generating mass amounts of heat, which cause the oil to expand, increasing the chance of the seals failing once its cooled.

The proper way to do it is to gut the casing, do your welding, and use an insert.

[Oxer]

Its the same arguement as Stretched tires kill people....

Its all bullshit, and I'm getting tired of narrow minded people.

[benz88]

Fuck, Didnt you guyz know. if you cut your springs Baby jesus will swing down on you with full force. Do not piss off baby jesus.

[hypercrush]

fuck yeah well said Oxer. cut lowering springs on my benz, no probs to date

[Oxer]

Again. IT depends on the Factory springs if thier progressive or non.

Any person with common sence will know that you arent supposed to cut a progresive spring.

This next part is not directed at you benz88.

Simplified, if you cut a section off the top of an oval, it will no longer be an oval and the tip of it is a lot wider across.

If you cut a bit off a rectangle, its still the same width across. Basic common sence 101

Cut springs;
Pros: You look like an idiot
Cons: Your car rides like shit and is unsafe

Waste of time, just wait for real suspension.

you dont look like an idiot. A lot of automotive enthusiasts would have no idea if a car has cut springs or lowered springs by looking at the car from the outside. Your statement is ignorance and spite for your actual hatred of the idea of taking to a spring with a grinder.

Its true, If you cut to much your car will ride like shit as the rate is decreased and the shock has a whole lot more pressure on its valve as it was meant for the factory settings, But not all applications of cut springs make a car ride like shit.

The only time cut springs are unsafe is when the person doing the cutting has no idea on how a spring sits in its perches and doesn't know how to make even cuts. This comes back to the whole common sence thing, which I'd say 85% of the population have none.

To brand all of them unsafe, is once again ignorant, probably due to the fact that you have never experienced it done properly, or are one of those people who think the way water in your toilet bowl spins is the way it does everywhere on earth.

I think narrow minded people are one of the reasons there is so much division in the automotive scene. Expand your mind a little. Sure from a direct engineering point of view it is wrong, but its not going to fail if done right.


Heating springs is retarded.


As for $50 ebay coilover sleves, 50% of these applications require the sleve to be welded to the shock from what I have seen. If you are welding to the shock body, you are generating mass amounts of heat, which cause the oil to expand, increasing the chance of the seals failing once its cooled.

Simple slip on ones, are equally as dangerous as a cut spring, if the spring is a higher rate due to the fact its smaller, and you adjust it to its lowest setting, you still arent addressing the issue of the increased pressure in the shock, it will still blow. The only "advantage" of it is you can adjust the height if the authorities dislike your ground clearance.

But for $50, it will be made in a chinese factory for less then $10, will have next to no testing, and probably wont be guarenteed that the thread on the 'adjustment' wont give way after increased road use. A factory spring is guarenteed, and when you cut, the only thing that changes apart from the height is the rate.


Anyone else care to rebut with some form of fact behind them? Any horror stories you produce are unvalid, as 100% of them will result in the person who cut the springs will have no common sence as I explained further up in this rant.

[ScrappinBeretta]

that too. Cutting your coils is a american tredition , so keep it going

think about it hotrodders and loweriders cut their springs back in the 50's and 60's to get them low.

To be fair- they also used leaded gasoline and lacquer paint.