who's driving on chopped springs?

[stu_850t5]

right, ive been debating whether to 'remove a coil' on each spring on my 850. i'd like it to sit just that little lower. currently on koni's

ive heard good and bad things about doing this. but so ive been told cut springs will still pass an MOT as long as the springs reseat themselves back to their original position when jacked up and let down. anyway MOT not a problem for me.

so who's chopped theirs?

i know the best option would be coilovers but i just dont want to spend silly money!

[t5_monkey]

I've heard it's not such a great thing to do.... I would have thought you could get a proper sports set for a reasonable amount?

[stu_850t5]

ideally i'd like 60 - 70mm springs but lowest ive seen is 40mm which is what ive got at the moment

[leet5r]

my car has-40mm springs on and the back was still to high , a cut a coil of the rear springs and its been fine , no probs at all , i wouldnt go to much tho m8 as there is a lot of wieght in the volvos etc

[p fandango]

never done it myself but i think i'm going to have to go the same route to get BT low enough. I know quite a few people that have done it, most of them never had any problems but do know one that didn't seat right & the spring went thru the tyre. A few have tack welded the spring to the cup to make sure it doesn't move

[stu_850t5]

yea i was only thinking one coil anyway. obviously im not going to literally jack it up and stuff the grinder in there! lol

i will take the leg off, spring out etc........ im just curious because i done my nova years ago (2 coils off the front, now .......dont laugh lol jubilee clipped the rears as they are pig tailed) the ride was very bumpy!

just didnt want that bumpy ride in the volvo, i very rarely carry weight in the car..... i.e never 5's up etc

[p fandango]

obviously im not going to literally jack it up and stuff the grinder in there! lol
amateur lol


just didnt want that bumpy ride in the volvo, i very rarely carry weight in the car..... i.e never 5's up etc
i do know someone who took the springs out, that was a bumpy ride lol
http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/4218/astra2p.jpg
of course not recommended

[stu_850t5]

flippin brilliant!! lovin that astrat......... spine breaker! haha

pedro, that red estate you posted in the general thread "btcc car pics" thats how low id like mine! thinking thats maybe 2 coils off tho lol

[p fandango]

pedro, that red estate you posted in the general thread "btcc car pics" thats how low id like mine! thinking thats maybe 2 coils off tho lol
ah big red, what helps on that is the 19" wheels which fill the arches more making it look lower. I think its going to have to be a case of trial & error to be honest mate, cut a bit & see how it sits (not forgetting the suspension will need to settle after howing off the jack). If BT was parked on level ground i'd of cut her springs by now

[cherry1809]

Rears aren't usually a problem, But the fronts can be a pain as they'll probably go 'Boing' a lot when turning. Like mine did on a Cherry Turbo.
Best bet is to heat up with oxy/propane and bend the end down after it's cut so it sits where it should in the seat.

[Tomcat]

I chopped a set of Eibach springs on the rear of my old R, it sat great afterwards, rode great but you had to muck about getting them seated properly once it was jacked up(and I only cut one coil) The front's are chopped on my 960 and I've had no problems at all...so far,lol.

[Flatout Phil]

So apart from boinging a lot, shredding tyres, and risking chronic piles - no, just fine ;)

[cherry1809]

So apart from boinging a lot, shredding tyres, and risking chronic piles - no, just fine ;)

Yeah, Lol.
Your sig made me LOL too. :D

[Joolz_850R]

Have you looked at the kits you can buy where you effectivley cut the spring seat off, then weld a threaded collar over the strut and this acts as an adjustable spring platform. You can buy different springs to then suit your application.

I think the likes of demon tweeks and and kit car builder do them.

[nobananas]

The problems with cut springs is as you say in the seating. Often the upper and lower coil spacing is closer to give as flat a surface as possible for it to seat. If you cut the spring it may not sit in the seat correctly and the MOT man may regard it as 'inadequately seated'. Also if the spring lifts from the seat when jacked up it will be a failure. A plus point to bear in mind however is that when you remove a coil you effectively make the spring stiffer which can be beneficial as the ride height decreases.

[nobananas]

Have you looked at the kits you can buy where you effectivley cut the spring seat off, then weld a threaded collar over the strut and this acts as an adjustable spring platform. You can buy different springs to then suit your application.

I think the likes of demon tweeks and and kit car builder do them.

These type of things.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Coilover-Spring-Seat-Conversion-Kit-coil-over-mk2-rally-/120591487216?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item1c13d010f0

[basky]

cutting the spring will make it look good and handle **** imho as all your doin is guessing the spring rates afterwards

you could do with a set of bottles to do the fronts so you can warm them up and rewind the tops to match the mounts.

[p fandango]

cutting the spring will make it look good and handle **** imho as all your doin is guessing the spring rates afterwards

you could do with a set of bottles to do the fronts so you can warm them up and rewind the tops to match the mounts.
as the springs aren't progressively wound the spring rate will be the same as it started. Also i've heard bad things about heating springs up & it weaking the metal, neither are perfect but cheap

[cherry1809]

Depends what you want I think.
Cut springs for looks.
Coil overs (Which aren't as pricey as they used to be) For performance.

[Murphy]

Surely you would ruin the handling???

[Joolz_850R]

These type of things.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Coilover-Spring-Seat-Conversion-Kit-coil-over-mk2-rally-/120591487216?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item1c13d010f0


They are the jobbies. You can get different Od sizes to suit and then you can buy a bucket load of different spring lengths/rates. Probably will need to look at your bump stops also if you are going that low.

Would advise that you check your geometry and try and get it back to near standard as all your angles will be thrown out and the car will drive awful.

Thats my opinion anyway for what it is worth LOL

[redbaron]

you'll have to sorten your drop links and the tabs on your strut legs to make the coilover conversions things work,been there done that

[Crazy_C]

Personally what I'd suggest is find another car with springs that'll fit.

My mates have a Holden Commodore and there's not much in the way of lowering available for that, so they put Astra lowering springs up front and not sure what they put out back, but not meant for the Holden (although all GM) and it's now about 4 INCHES lower!!!!


So that's what I'd say to look for personally. If you're driving a wagon, maybe worth seeing if the lowering springs for the sedan will lower the rear even more cos of the extra weight on the rear of the wagon.

[S60-MBS]

Cut springs are they not an MOT issue? Woulkd the cut spring not be classed as a broken spring?

[p fandango]

Cut springs are they not an MOT issue? Woulkd the cut spring not be classed as a broken spring?
it does say the spring has to be complete (1a), not quite sure how they can judg that tho

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/6544/35333112.jpg

[nobananas]

It would depend on the individual tester and on how obvious it was that the spring had been modified. If the spring becomes loose when the vehicle is jacked up it will most certainly fail and if the spring does not sit correctly in the seat again it will be a likely fail. Remember on most coil springs the spring is sitting in contact with the seat at least 3/4's of the way around,if it's been cut and has basically just the cut end in contact with the seat it is likely to be viewed as incorrectly seated.

[stu_850t5]

dial a mot!!! comes through the post!

[gmain1967]

Cut springs are they not an MOT issue? Woulkd the cut spring not be classed as a broken spring?

That's what I would say too and tbh, does anybody still cut springs?! Remember doing it years ago on a Manta, but that was when I also used banded steel wheels, from a Brisca stockcar.... And not a good idea if dual rate springs...

And if the springs are seriously shortened, won't that screw up shock absorbers compression and rebound?

[stu_850t5]

im not going crazy lol making it out im chopping 3 or more coils off lol
will only go for 1 coil

[mark_eire]

Can you let me know how you get on? maybe before and after pictures? im looking at doing this just on the front of my 850 as its up in the bloody air at the minute!!
THanks alot!

[basky]

i got a set of chopped springs and dampers after changing to coilovers.



chopped springs
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a302/sharaine/Image0610.jpg

unchopped
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a302/sharaine/Image0100-1.jpg

[mark_eire]

How many inches did you cut off? Front and back? Looks good. That on standard shocks?

[basky]

2 front and 1 on the back and std shocks yes and nivos

[mark_eire]

That's 2 inches yeah? Thanks alot

[Flatout Phil]

That's 2 inches yeah? Thanks alot

That was one of the first things my wife ever said to me...

[basky]

2 coils front and 1 coil back.

[redbaron]

very very nice car there fella