I just purchased the suspension kit form Mustangs Plus and would like to lower my ride a little more. What tool is best for cutting the coils?
What tool do I use to cut my coils?
- Thread starter SLEEPERstang21
- Start date
-
Sponsors (?)
ozstang65
Founding Member
SLEEPERstang21 said:
Your wallet. Return (sell?) your old springs and buy new ones.
Cutting the springs alters their rates.
DukeGnarley
Member
It will only change the rates if you have a progressive spring, or you create excessive heat while cutting.
Hack saw and a neighbor
I told my neighbor that no matter how much he worked out there was no way he could cut through a coil on my spring with a worn out hacksaw. When he proved me wrong on the first one, I laughed it off saying it was shear luck, and that the metal was fatigued due to age. No way in hell could he repeat it on the other one.
Darned if he didn't prove me wrong again!
didn't take him much more than 10 minutes on each spring.
Scott
I told my neighbor that no matter how much he worked out there was no way he could cut through a coil on my spring with a worn out hacksaw. When he proved me wrong on the first one, I laughed it off saying it was shear luck, and that the metal was fatigued due to age. No way in hell could he repeat it on the other one.
Darned if he didn't prove me wrong again!
didn't take him much more than 10 minutes on each spring.
Scott
Crs
Member
I agree with ozstang65.................buy the right springs. Cutting of coils is just a temporary fix and will result in a rough ride.
zookeeper
Founding Member
I for one would like to know how on earth this could possibly be true. Cutting springs does NOT result in a rough ride. How could it? Yes, removing the amount of coils does SLIGHTLY firm up the ride due to one less coil to provide suspension, but given the horribly wobbly, flacid stock '60's Ford suspension, this is always a good thing. I have cut coils on cars to drop them for about 25 years or so with not one problem. Ever. The cars typically ride better since they don't blow through their travel and slam into the bump stops anymore. As far as buying the right springs, maybe in some fantasy world you can buy springs that are perfect for the ride quality and stance you want, but here on earth it doesn't work that way. A buddy of mine bought a set of 620 one inch drop springs for his '67 and actually had the car sit slightly higher than stock. Sweet. Now what do you do? So many vendors simply sell springs and have no idea what rate or drop their springs really are. My advice if you want to cut springs is to use an abrasive wheel and be conserative (I usually cut 1/4 coil at a time then settle the suspension by driving it in and out of the shop a couple times and check the stance. Yes it takes time, but it beats buying more springs if you cut too much the first time out. Good luck!Crs said:
67coupe351w
New Member
cutting coils off increases spring rates.
The function for computing spring rates contains the number of coils of the spring (n).
View attachment 474647
The function for computing spring rates contains the number of coils of the spring (n).
View attachment 474647
Route666
Active Member
DukeGnarley said:
Ahh negative - the coil is now shorter, meaning it has less flex. Take a 1" bar 20 feet long and it's easy to bend it, cut it down to a 5 foot section and how easy is it to bend now? Your leverage on it is decreased. A coil is just a coiled piece of round bar in that the coil only provides a neat packaging. It still acts as if it were a straight bar.
While the tensile strength of the material is not altered (unless heated too much like you said), the rate of the SPRING is still increased if it is shortened.
DukeGnarley
Member
Having established that cutting the spring increases the spring rate, and also that the standard 620 coils supposed 1" drop is usually not sufficient, what other springs can be purchased to lower the front end 2"? I've looked everywhere but can only find the 620 1" drop springs.
Has anyone found a place to buy springs that maintain the 620 spring rate but are shorter to achieve a 2" drop?
Has anyone found a place to buy springs that maintain the 620 spring rate but are shorter to achieve a 2" drop?
Dark Knight
Founding Member
I found that cutting the stock springs worked great. Got me the drop I was looking for and firmed up the spring rate (but not too much) all in 1 shot.
And it was free!
If you have your original coils still, why not experiment with cutting them before buying new springs? It'll only cost you some time...
And it was free!
If you have your original coils still, why not experiment with cutting them before buying new springs? It'll only cost you some time...
2bav8 said:
2bav8 - You said that a dremel works well? Is there a certain kind of blade I need to use or can I use a normal Metal Saw? The guy at OSH looked at me all crazy when I told him what I was gonna do and recommened an angle saw. I would rather use a dremel (if it works) because it's more versatile and I can use it with other things.
Similar threads
