Cutting Stock Springs

1BAD351 · Jan 12, 2004

Just wondering if anybody has attempted this with success. I guess what I am looking for is lowering my car with a spring rate that is similar to stock. I don't want to to get something too stiff, yet I also don't want drag springs. Please post instructions and pics if you got them. Or if anybody knows of any manufacturer of lowering springs that makes them in a stock spring rate let me know.

xtrm281gt · Jan 13, 2004

1BAD351 said:
Just wondering if anybody has attempted this with success. I guess what I am looking for is lowering my car with a spring rate that is similar to stock. I don't want to to get something too stiff, yet I also don't want drag springs. Please post instructions and pics if you got them. Or if anybody knows of any manufacturer of lowering springs that makes them in a stock spring rate let me know.

from what I have been told what you are talking about will completely destroy your factory shocks and struts... so be prepared to spend some cash somewhere down the road

xomp · Jan 13, 2004

www.2kgt.com has a tech article with many spring rates, under tech->coil spring tech.
really nice site.

cutting the stockers will blow out ur shocks/struts easily, just get some eibach pro-kits or something, they should have similar to stock ride. only about $200.

JayC · Jan 13, 2004

xtrm281gt said:
from what I have been told what you are talking about will completely destroy your factory shocks and struts... so be prepared to spend some cash somewhere down the road

.........you guys have never cut springs or you'd know better.

RookieOne · Jan 13, 2004

JayC said:
.........you guys have never cut springs or you'd know better.

You could cut the springs if you so desired. However the life of the stock components is going to be sacaficed. How much so? Don't know. Most likely cutting the springs will wear out the stock components no more quicker than throwing in a set of Eibach Sportlines.

Your going to eventually have to replace the shocks/struts. Personally, I would perfer sport springs if your going lower. While you may be relatively skilled at cutting springs, your never going to know what your getting when you do all four. The ride could be decent or it could end up ruined.

If your dead set on cutting the springs, go ahead. Worst thing that could happen is you end up having to shell out $200 for a set or Eibachs or HR's if they end up not being what you want.

later

No Control · Jan 13, 2004

Cutting the springs and keeping the stock spring rate is an oxymoron. Spring rate is measured by the amount of force (in pounds) it takes to compress a spring one inch. The stock springs are set to 450 pounds/inch. Cut an inch (or more) and that formula gets mulitplied. Now you have an inch to account for.

The springs aren't that hard to change out, and I did fine using stock shocks and struts with Eibach sportlines. If you already are set on cutting them, then you should know how to remove them. Like said before, cut them, but be prepared to buy a set...

xomp · Jan 13, 2004

i've cut the stock springs before... i cut em down to about sportline height.
when i finally changed the shocks and got real springs, one of the struts, when compressed, wouldn't even rebound anymore!

i'd give the shocks a couple months MAX before they blow tho, all depending on how much you cut of course.

millatime · Jan 13, 2004

The ford racing b springs are pretty close to the stock rates if i remember right

1BAD351 · Jan 14, 2004

Thanks for the replies guys.

GinoGT · Jan 14, 2004

No Control said:
Cutting the springs and keeping the stock spring rate is an oxymoron. Spring rate is measured by the amount of force (in pounds) it takes to compress a spring one inch. The stock springs are set to 450 pounds/inch. Cut an inch (or more) and that formula gets mulitplied. Now you have an inch to account for.

It doesn't matter how big the spring is, stock or cut, the spring will still take 450lbs to compress one inch.

I think cutting the stock springs to drop the car (an actual H&R SS or Sportline drop, not like 1/2 an inch) is a very stupid idea. Getting that low to the ground with the old spring rate = scrape scrape scrape. The same bumps will use the same amount of suspension travel as before, but you might not have enough travel left. That = bottoming out. Bottoming out = not something you want to do regularly.

No Control · Jan 15, 2004

Ok, basic math here...

1"=450lbs.
2"=900lbs.

Since you've essentially cut 1" out of the spring travel, now to make up the inch and the travel of the suspension has taken that inch, you will have to use 900lbs of force to compress the spring any further. That's why it will feel stiffer.

sixty9boss302 · Jan 15, 2004

Im with gino. It doesnt matter how long the spring is. That measurement is based on the strength and compression of the material. Im not sure if stock springs on a 99+ are progressive of linear. If they are progressive rate, than cutting them will really change your ride. If they are linear rate then cutting them will make no different on compression rate, but it might wear out your other components.

2000GTnoExtras · Jan 15, 2004

Just need to interject about this.

It doesn't take 450 lbs to put the spring down one inch! The force required to compress the spring 1 inch is measured in inch/pounds. Work = Force X Distance.
Your spring coiled is X distance, if you car performs the same amount of work on your suspension it will now take more force to compress the spring the same amount of distance, making the ride stiffer.

Remember trig based physics.

SVT Chic · Jan 15, 2004

JayC said:
.........you guys have never cut springs or you'd know better.

I agreee, I cut mine over a year ago and no problems to date!

GinoGT · Jan 15, 2004

A 450lb/in spring DOES take 450lbs to compress it one inch.

Cutting Stock Springs

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xtrm281gt

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sixty9boss302

2000GTnoExtras

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