shortening a col spring

[02GF74]

let;s say I need to lower a vehicle by about 1 inch - would it be possible in some way to shorten t he coil spring? (I have come across coil clamps that basically clamp together 2 adjecent coils, hmmmmm...)

[jules]

I may be shouted down for this but cutting a spring is a very bad idea.....

I don't know enough to tel you acuratly why but trust me

[Diff]

let;s say I need to lower a vehicle by about 1 inch - would it be possible in some way to shorten t he coil spring? (I have come across coil clamps that basically clamp together 2 adjecent coils, hmmmmm...)

Yes you can shorten a coil spring by either clamping a couple of coils together (which looks heath robinson)

or you can cut the spring with a grinder. If the spring is flat at the end, then you need to grind the last coil for a flat face and use oxy acetelyne to heat the last coil to a cherry red to bend it to meet the next coil to give you your flat end.

Be aware that shortehing a coil spring by either method will increase the spring rate. ie it will stiffen the ride.

Regards,

Diff

[jules]

Ok I will re comment

you need to know what your doing not just by using a hacksaw.

now I'm well confuesed

what about the balance of the springs and its shape will it not sit off line as some springs eg freelander type are a set shape so they inturn sit in the spring seat properly. I snapped about 5" off the bottom coil and for the rest of the race it kept comming out of the seat and ended up bending the seat into the tyre.

[Astro_Al]

Yes you can - I've got pics of it somewhere - maybe in Herb Adam's Chassis Engineering book, can't remember off hand?

Anyway, the method they used was to some off with a gas axe (leaving extra remaining on the spring), then use said gas axe to heat up the end and bend down the remaining extra length flat (using the guys weight pressing the hot end down onto a conrete floor). Looks ok afterwards with a decent 'flat' bottom.

Give it a whirl - looks very straightforward.

Al.

[jules]

OK I'm completly wrong I admit it

what about the springs constantly bottoming out.. Like the boy racers do would that not put massive wear on the bump stops and shocks

[Guest diesel_jim]

You could buy some of those horrid orange springs.... they're self shortening!!

[jules]

You could buy some of those horrid orange springs.... they're self shortening!!

only on the rear

[GBMUD]

A coil spring is a lot like a torsion bar (Think Morris Minor, VW Beetle) which has been twisted into a coil. The shorter it gets, the harder it is to twist/compress.

Chris

[Andy]

cut them, you only live once

ive done several road cars & they've never suffered for it. at least not within the 6months or so that i still owned the car.

*sits back & awaits flaming*

[rick]

If you chop a coil or two off, you will increase the spring rate, just as GBmud said. If you clamp a couple of coils together, you get the same effect. (think of how a variable rate coil works )

A spring can be reset to a lower ride height by a spring works. In effect they stick it in the oven, compress it and re-heat treat it. Cheapskate racers in production classes here used to just stick the things in the kitchen oven at a high temp for a few hours, but they end up taking a pretty substantial set (sag) with use.

[Les Henson]

ive done several road cars & they've never suffered for it.

Boy Racer!

I think you should be able to remove a coil and then re-flatten the bottom of the spring too. You would have to make sure that you end up with the same or similar contact area on the bottom of the spring and that it doesn't slowly chew through the seat.

Les

[Astro_Al]

Yup, I checked last night - page 35 Herb Adam's Chassis Engineering.

He marked 180 degrees round (down the 'spiral' of) the spring from the end, and another mark at 360 degrees from the same end, then cut it at the 180 mark, heated it at the 360 mark (which is now 180 degrees from the 'new' end) and then turned it upside down and bent the hot end flat against the ground.

Easy! B)

Al.

[02GF74]

well a big thank you for the useful replies.

from the bit of research I did and previous readings on the web, I was aware of the very crude method to chop a "round" off and then grind it to a flat end and that would work providing it doesnlt pop out of the seat..... but that is not ideal since you don't it hasn't got anywhere near the same flat area as a properly terminated spring - this being the boy racer method.

.... and that made me wonder about being able to heat a part of the sping to bend it to get the right shape at the botton - this has been confirmed; now who do I know with an oxy-a torch.....

[simonr]

You can also heat up one or two coils of the spring while it is on the vehicle with a gas torch. This causes just that coil to sag a bit - but leaves the rest of the spring intact.

That way you can exercise complete control of the length and get all four spot on (if careful) if not, you get a low-rider!

I heard this is what dealers do if you complain that your vehicle does not sit level.

[jules]

the thought of cutting and reshapping these springs look like a lot of work but as Will pionted out last night I forget how easy LR stuff is....

I have been playing with pugs and Freelanders far too much lately

[Andy]

Boy Racer!

gulity as charged, but i never did the bodykits & stereos just cheap mods to make it quicker. used to have XR4i with no interior, proper lowered springs were all to hard at the back so i cut the stock ones. handled a lot better.

ive heard of the oxy-axcetelne method being used with success too.