89rx7vert

Is it possible to cut the springs?
if so how many?
and will it make the car bounce like crazy?

stylEmon

iTrader: (2)

i did it to my first 7,
I think I cut 1.5"
made it a little too bouncy. Had to replace them.

SirCygnus

iTrader: (1)

only idiots cut their springs.

dont be an idiot. save your money and get proper springs.

stylEmon

iTrader: (2)

i wasn't an idiot!! i was just nieve!!!!

w0ppe

Cutting springs does things; but really, just go and get yourself some new springs. If you want good performance, invest into some Coilovers

V8slayer

Don't

-V8slayer

calio64

ill sell you my intrax spring for 120, pm me

ericgrau

iTrader: (1)

Cutting springs should be done by professionals only, or you're asking for trouble. You might be able to find someone who can, I dunno, but even if you do find someone your best option is almost always to buy replacement lowering springs.

fastrotaries

it's a bad Idea. BAD!!! RB and Eibach make some bad *** springs.

RyosukeD

iTrader: (2)

Don't take shortcuts.

rx7racerca

iTrader: (1)

You're not talking about cutting the fronts?! If you wanted a ghetto solution, cutting a coil or two on the back might not be too bad (although the cut spring won't sit proper in the seat, which will risk it compressing unevenly, which could cause binding or breaking ), but at the front the springs have very few coils, and increase in diameter as you go up (on Sport or turbo suspensions at any rate), so I don't see how you could cut and have it seat or carry the vehicle safely. Find some Eibachs or RB springs - used if cost is an issue. Safer and way better results than cutting.

Boosted11

iTrader: (11)

If you want a spring in the face then power to ya, video tape it and post it on youtube. "Kid gets nailed in the head cutting a spring." You'll be fameous in no time.

ohayou88

iTrader: (7)

its only around 200 bucks for a good set of lowering springs. so go get yourself some. Cutting your springs will result in a bouncy ride and possibly lowering your car too much.

finishline

iTrader: (13)

don't cut.

NZConvertible

All these answers are generalised comments either based on ignorance rather than experience, or experience of doing it badly. It is possible to cut springs and get an acceptable result; I know because I've done it to another car. Because I'm not an idiot, I only cut enough out to lower the car the desired 20mm, and the result was completely positive, both in looks and handling. They were still captive (just), and the car did not "bounce". A car excessively lowered on mega-dollar coil-overs will handle and bounce just as badly as a car excessively lowered by cutting the springs. Like most things, if you overdo it the results will be bad.

Having said that, I'm not advocating cutting springs, I'm just pointing out the BS posted above. I certainly wouldn't cut the FC's front springs due to their conical shape.

Juiceh

iTrader: (4)

Get the RB convertible suspension package. Their springs and sway bars package with some tokico illuminas make for a VERY nice combo for a street driven vert.

slo

iTrader: (1)

Why waste your time cutting the springs, heat those babies up with a torch and the car will slam to the ground like the bad *** low rider that it is.

Archie

iTrader: (-1)

Dude, cut 'em!

Jesse[SM]

Lowering springs are cheap and probably your best bet, and if you are patient(I assume you're on a budget) there some good coilover options in the sub $1000 range. That said, I've known a few people who cut their springs to lower their car and as long as you don't go overboard, the negative effects can be minimized. Usually they cut one "coil" off all around and that seems to work OK. There was a local guy here doing at least halfway decent at drift events with (AFAIK)cut springs and a welded diff, that's the epitome of boro, but it got him to the track.

I wouldn't do it for anything other than a temporary fix, or just to satisfy some curiosity.

BTW:
http://fwdmopar.50megs.com/lowered.html
http://www.gti-vr6.net/library/suspe...springs_x.html

89rx7vert

acutaly im not cutting mine...
its for a friend he has a 4s hatch
and i guess he said his gonna try to cut em (his done it on other cars but not sure on a fc) so his gonna try to cut them and if it dosent work our i guess he is gonna get
lowering springs.......

NCross

iTrader: (18)

I cut mine a year ago to try and inspire me to buy coilovers... but I never got around to it. The rears had a couple coils cut and I cut the bump stop in half, seats fine. The fronts were trickier. I cut just enough off to lower it a couple inches, but give the spring enough "up force" to keep it from pogo sticking around town. Then I took a crap ton of 100 pound capacity zip ties and zip tied the top of the cut springs along with thin rubber pieces to insulate a bit to the top. I've been driving it like this for a year and nothing has happened. The zip ties and springs are still mounted in place.

Granted... I did this thinking I was about to buy coilovers, AND the shocks were already blown and very bouncy. The shocks started leaking fluid which I'm pretty sure means they are worthless under a normal installation. The car does not bounce too much more than a normal car, although it can be very stiff going over holes or segments in the road that have new pavement added.

I wouldn't just recommend you go cut your perfectly good springs... BUT I'm just saying that you can get decent results if you think it through. I've gotten used to it and have since put off my plans for coilovers for now.

ericgrau

iTrader: (1)

The reason not to do it isn't just the risk of breaking the spring/yourself. You can also worsen the vehicles cornering ability. For example you might not perfectly match the amount cut off each sides. Most people don't notice poor cornering ability. Only a few people will say, "I used to be able to take this turn at 80mph now I can only take it at 76mph". It's usually more like, "I wonder why I crashed." Again, unless you're a professional or you take your springs to a professional, just don't do it. Buy lowering springs.

ibrakestuff

cutting the springs is a bad idea.
#1 springs are not designed to be cut , and cuting them will change the characteristic of the spring.
#2 while you cut the spring like an idiot. the torch will heat up the metal and the recoil and the strenth of the metal will change and get brittle.
#3 it wont last, and unless your mexican plz for the love of god dont do it!!!

scathcart

This one is too easy.

Lets take a look at the formula for finding spring rate:
K=(W^4 x G)/ (8ND^3)

Where K is the spring rate (lbs/inch), W is the diameter of the spring wire (inches), G is the torsional modulus for steel (11 250 000), N is the number of ACTIVE coils, and D is the mean coil diameter (inches).

So let's take a hypothetical spring... 0.625" wire, 8 coils, 6" diameter. This would give us a spring rate of around 173 lbs/inch.
Now, lets cut a coil off. New spring rate: 197 lbs/inch.

Within reason, anyone capable off operating a cutting torch or cut-off disk, is going to be able to cut the springs to within at least 1/8th coil of each other. But lets assume they are so dumb as to need velcro shoes and a helmet to walk, and screw it up by cutting 1/4 of a difference. So lets say the guy cut 1 full coil off one, and 1.250 off the other. New spring rate of the shorter spring is. 205 lbs/inch.

8 lb/in. Do you really think this is going to throw the handling off that much? I've seen a wider variation of spring rate testing brand new lowering springs right out of the box.

Its cutting metal, its not rocket science.

NoDOHC

I like how you are using math to back up your story.

I don't disagree, but there is more to handling than spring rate. Lowering the car is actually raising the wheels into the wheel wells, which changes the suspension geometry, increasing the camber. While a small amount of positive camber is good, too much will result in odd tire wear and decreased performance.

Also don't forget that the springs should be held captive by the shocks (not allowed to extend beyond where they are still under compression). If they are shortened, the spring could possibly leave the seat on a large bump.

Plus, just about every set of lowering springs I have ever seen installed on a 20 year old FC has actualy raised the ride height over the sagged stock springs.

Finally, I ask, why change the spring rate without changing the shocks? I will avoid equations, but if you change the spring constant without changing the dampening constant (shocks) the formerly critically damped system will become underdamped, canceling any spring rate benefits with traction breaking oscillations from tire load changes such as turns.

Most stock FCs on the road are far more in need of shocks than they are of cut springs, if you only care about handling performance, I will advocate the installation of shocks, rather than the cutting of springs.

If you are interested in lowering the car because you like the way it looks or you like dragging in every other driveway entrance you ever use, you should definately cut the springs, rather than buying lowering springs or coilovers. THis should help to keep the cost of these upgrades down in my price range.

I am not trying to point fingers or make fun, I am only stating my opinion and what my experience has shown me.