custom lowering

[lbaonocsetr]

i have an 88 dodge lancer. ive been thinkin about clamping the springs in the front, takin the weight off the tires n cutting one coil off off at the same place where the stock end stops so then when i put the weight back on the tires then (safely) unclamp the springs it should sit a lil lower. n not honda lowered either. cuz now the back sits lower then the back.

[BoostedDrummer]

cuz now the back sits lower then the back.

:confused:huh?

I don't think cutting springs is gonna help with anything other than making the car ride tougher and the possibility of doing an un-even job. I'd just go to the junkyard and find some donor springs that aren't so bad

[cordes]

:confused:huh?

I don't think cutting springs is gonna help with anything other than making the car ride tougher and the possibility of doing an un-even job. I'd just go to the junkyard and find some donor springs that aren't so bad

I think he meant that the back sits lower than the front like so many of them do.

A half coil off of the front is what most guys report evening things out.

[lbaonocsetr]

Yes im sorry. i wood cut the front coil probably 1 whole instead of a half cuz theni dont haveto worry about turning the coil to have the bottom sit in its place. N then if it sits to low like a funny car, i would only cut a quarter or half coil of the back to level it. the whole thing is to level it but to also have it sit dodge low not honda low if that makes sense. somebody told me that buyin lowering springs will make the car handle better which i dont care about n it might sit the same height or a lil bit higher then my tired stock springs. lemme kno what u guyz think. thanks

[BoostedDrummer]

I think he meant that the back sits lower than the front like so many of them do.

A half coil off of the front is what most guys report evening things out.

That makes sense:nod: I'd prefer not to cut anything in respect to the suspension. If Dodge wanted it lowered, I would think they would've made it that way. Just my .02:p


Yes im sorry. i wood cut the front coil probably 1 whole instead of a half cuz theni dont haveto worry about turning the coil to have the bottom sit in its place. N then if it sits to low like a funny car, i would only cut a quarter or half coil of the back to level it. the whole thing is to level it but to also have it sit dodge low not honda low if that makes sense. somebody told me that buyin lowering springs will make the car handle better which i dont care about n it might sit the same height or a lil bit higher then my tired stock springs. lemme kno what u guyz think. thanks

I can understand that you would want it level and lowered by cutting the springs but sacrificing driveability and handling simply for aesthetics is kinda ricey in my opinion. If there are lowering spring kits available, why not just get them? Then you'd have the increased performance AND the lowered look you want. WIN-WIN:thumb:

[turbovanman²]

Nothing wrong with cutting springs, we all have or do do it.

Would you rather spend a few hours and get it right or cut too much off and then you have to start again. You won't be able to cut them off in the car, they are under quite a bit of load and I doubt you can compress the spring enough with the strut still in place. Barring that, one coil should be enough, cut it off at the bottom.

[turbo_z]

sweet glad i stumbled onto this thread...and what do you guys usually cut springs with?

[cordes]

That makes sense:nod: I'd prefer not to cut anything in respect to the suspension. If Dodge wanted it lowered, I would think they would've made it that way. Just my .02:p



I can understand that you would want it level and lowered by cutting the springs but sacrificing driveability and handling simply for aesthetics is kinda ricey in my opinion. If there are lowering spring kits available, why not just get them? Then you'd have the increased performance AND the lowered look you want. WIN-WIN:thumb:

I'm the same way.

If you are going to cut them listen to Simon and take it slow. Make sure you don't drop it down so that the control arms are any more than horizontal. Bad things begin to happen when the ball joint gets higher than the pivot points.

[lbaonocsetr]

I'm the same way.

If you are going to cut them listen to Simon and take it slow. Make sure you don't drop it down so that the control arms are any more than horizontal. Bad things begin to happen when the ball joint gets higher than the pivot points.

That makes sense. so when the car is sittin, i can get an idea on how much to cut off by lookin at the front view and jus so im not confused, make sure when the car is on the ground that the control arms (at the most) are level. and it wood start to get bad if the control arms wood start to point upwards, correct? thanks guyz

[cordes]

That makes sense. so when the car is sittin, i can get an idea on how much to cut off by lookin at the front view and jus so im not confused, make sure when the car is on the ground that the control arms (at the most) are level. and it wood start to get bad if the control arms wood start to point upwards, correct? thanks guyz

That's exactly right. You'll find that our cars don't get very low before that starts to occur so go very slowly.

[lbaonocsetr]

Thank you all

[turbovanman²]

sweet glad i stumbled onto this thread...and what do you guys usually cut springs with?

Cutting disc or grinder, DO NOT use a cutting torch, you'll ruin the spring, sawzall will take for hours, its very hard.


That makes sense. so when the car is sittin, i can get an idea on how much to cut off by lookin at the front view and jus so im not confused, make sure when the car is on the ground that the control arms (at the most) are level. and it wood start to get bad if the control arms wood start to point upwards, correct? thanks guyz

2" is about max you want to lower it, 1-1.5" is perfect. When you buy Eibach's, you usually have to cut the spring to get the desired height, lol.

[turbo_z]

how do you know how much to cut off.....like ballpark how much is cutting one coil

[turbovanman²]

how do you know how much to cut off.....like ballpark how much is cutting one coil

Trial and error.

[RoadWarrior222]

Cut a little, then you can always cut a little more and a little more until it's perfect.....

[lbaonocsetr]

Ok a lil problem. i checked the control arms and theyre already totally horizontal. so i prolly cant lower it anymore.? :(

[cordes]

Ok a lil problem. i checked the control arms and theyre already totally horizontal. so i prolly cant lower it anymore.? :(

Not without adversely effecting the handling IMO.

[Big_P]

You can also take an oxygen/acetylene torch and heat the springs in one area until the car is lowered to the desired height. That's what I did. Easier than cutting the spring 2-3 times.

[BoostedDrummer]

You can also take an oxygen/acetylene torch and heat the springs in one area until the car is lowered to the desired height. That's what I did. Easier than cutting the spring 2-3 times.

You owned a Civic before, didn't you?
JK:p

Taking a torch to the springs is pretty ghetto. I'd lean to cutting than torching any day. The car will lower, for sure, but they will do so unevenly and if you do it too much for a set period of time, you could end up screwing the springs up so much that they sit in the control arms or something. Totally wrong approach IMO.

Perfect example:

http://youtu.be/jD27DGPWIPE

[Big_P]

It was easier this way, took less time, and got the same result, don't know what else to tell you. I'm no stranger to fire so I know when to stop before anything gets screwed up :eyebrows:

[RoadWarrior222]

LULZ if that guy knows so much, why the hell would he buy that car :D

I see his point though, you need to keep the same pounds of support across the full range of travel... so if say you have 8" of suspension travel and an 800lb spring, that's a 100lb per inch rate, then you want to lower the thing 4", you lose 4" of travel, so you need 200lb/in rate... which might mean a 1600lb spring if the full height spring is still needed. (Depending on how lowered) or a short 800lb high rate spring.

[1st_Turbo_Car]

You can also take an oxygen/acetylene torch and heat the springs in one area until the car is lowered to the desired height. That's what I did. Easier than cutting the spring 2-3 times.

The other downside to heating them, and argue all you want, I have seen it happen more than once. Springs are tempered. This is done through heat--->> stay with me.... when you heat them again, you take the temper out, and they become brittle. I have seen more than once, idiot kids heat springs and a short period of time later they hit a big enough bump and the spring snaps.

Just something to think about.

-Levi-