Cut coils - sits great now

[whatagearhead]

I posted a while back that we were riding too high when we installed the OEM replacement springs we purchased through Summit. Yesterday we changed that by cutting out ~ 1 5/8 coils on each side. We removed the shocks, jacked up the car to release most of the tension on the springs, and bolted the spring compressor (internal type that mounts like shock) into place as a saftey measure. We did not compress and remove the spring. I found some threads discussing cutting the springs while they are still in the car. I had it set up safely and decided to utilize the method described in the thread. I used my plasma cutter to cut through the springs. I had to make secondary cuts on the part we planned to discard to get them off the car. The whole process was safe and clean. The springs are back in position with appropriate rubber bushings in place top and bottom

Here's the "before and after" shots. I hope to get her in for exhaust pipes today (those open headers are LOUD).

Before

View attachment 372765

After

View attachment 372767

Here's a pic of my70stang with his ride

View attachment 372769

 

[grego37]

dont forget about the do's and donts of spring cutting:

A) springs take a little while to settle, install and drive on them for as long as you can before deciding to cut them. I learned that the hard way. Installed springs but it sat too high, so I cut the cut springs til it sat perfect , then a week later when they broke in, they settled and it was way too low. Had to remove them , buy another set and start over again.

B) If you do decide to cut them, never use a torch. use a cut off saw, band saw, circular saw, hack saw whatever, but never use a torch

C) When ever you change your ride height your alignment changes, you need you have the car re-aligned

Good Luck

 

[whatagearhead]

dont forget about the do's and donts of spring cutting:

A) springs take a little while to settle, install and drive on them for as long as you can before deciding to cut them. I learned that the hard way. Installed springs but it sat too high, so I cut the cut springs til it sat perfect , then a week later when they broke in, they settled and it was way too low. Had to remove them , buy another set and start over again.

B) If you do decide to cut them, never use a torch. use a cut off saw, band saw, circular saw, hack saw whatever, but never use a torch

C) When ever you change your ride height your alignment changes, you need you have the car re-aligned

Good Luck

We drove the car some over the weekend (5 or 6 miles), and had let it sit for a month on the new springs. It didn't settle much in almost a month but was not driven much either. It was ~ 6" too high. We tried suggestions from the forum to get it to settle in but it was sky high (it looked silly). The local Mustang shop said it probably would not come down enough on it's own.

I could have gone lower but left enough for future settling. The alignment was never done professionally after all the suspension upgrades (Randalls Rack, etc...) but I did get it pretty close myself - as stated we were not driving the car as it was not finished. The second place the car goes after the muffler shop will be for an alignment.

I had found mentions of using a plasma cutter (on various sites) and decided to use it. I don't think I compromised the integrity of the spring but we'll see. If they don't seem right I can swap them out with 1" drop springs.

 

[enferno]

how many coils did you cut out?

 

[whatagearhead]

Just over 1.5 coils (about 1 5/8). These were Moog OEM replacement springs that I got from Summit.

 

[zookeeper]

Looks great, you did a nice job on the whole car. BTW, I've posted this before, and I'll likely post it again, but springs do NOT settle. If they did brand new cars would lower themselves, but that doesn't happen either. Nice car!

 

[Tubo(2-bo)]

BTW, I've posted this before, and I'll likely post it again, but springs do NOT settle. If they did brand new cars would lower themselves, but that doesn't happen either. QUOTE]
Then how do you explain,the difference in my ride height of appx.1/2 in. From install, of ProMotorsports progressive Springs, last Nov, to now. Car has done , what I'd call settle 1/2 in.
This pehnomonon, I've seen & experienced on other cars & spring changes.
Zookeeper, Please excuse, but on this, I'll have to disagree with you.

 

[66HertzClone]

Wouldn't it have been better to install the hood and what ever parts are not yet installed of the front end before cutting the springs? Has the car been driven? Did you torque the lower control arm mounting bolt down while the car was on stands or on the floor? All of these can effect the end ride height.

As they said in the Kung Fu series, "patience my little grasshopper, patience".

 

[whatagearhead]

Zookeeper,

thanks. I appreciate the nice sentiments. My son and I spent a lot of time building her up

66Hertz

As you can see from the photos, the alignment is very close - just needs minor tweaking at this point so I won't see any further/significant settling from the alignment process. The hood does not weigh enough to bring in down much at all. We kept hoping that as we added components it would drop to an acceptable level. In all honesty, we wanted it to sit a little lower in the front at the end of the day. I was going to buy new springs but figured I would try cutting these first and seeing how she sat/rode. We have put about 10-12 miles on the car since cutting the springs. It rides and handles exactly the way we were hoping it would.

Here are a couple of pics from outside this afternoon after a couple more test runs. Even filled the tank with 91 octane.

View attachment 372663

View attachment 372665

View attachment 372667

 

[2bav8]

Hmmm,

Looks like you're almost ready for the next autocross event at Firebird

Seriously though, nice looking Mustang. Can't wait to see it crusin' the streets of Chandler.

As for coil springs settling, the coil springs may not be settling...
But the suspension sure does. I've found that my suspension settles much quicker with roller suspension parts though. Less friction, quicker movement.

 

[10secgoal]

Looks great, you did a nice job on the whole car. BTW, I've posted this before, and I'll likely post it again, but springs do NOT settle. If they did brand new cars would lower themselves, but that doesn't happen either. Nice car!

I gotta say nay to that man. I've seen it drop 1.5 inches on 620 in a matter of hours. we didn't change anything but the springs. (alot of new cars take trips across oceans and across country before we get them. They also sit on lots for a time before we buy them. They just settle before we get them. )

 

[zookeeper]

1.5 inches? Are you serious? If I bought a set of springs that settled 1.5 inches in a few hours, I'd be sending them back. How is it that brand new cars (equipped with brand new springs) don't take on the lowrider look after a few hours? Maybe you're right and the engineers calculate in the sag during shipping. Are you positive you measured spring drop and not suspension bind letting itself out? I crew on a circle track car and we set it up in the shop about 1/8" above minimum height, if it dropped at all after new springs, we'd never pass tech, and we have yet to see it drop at all. Just lucky, I guess. In fact, except for my Suburban, I don't know if I own a car or truck that has 1.5 inches between the bump stops and whatever it hits, I'd be in trouble if mine sagged that much.

 

[brianj5600]

New cars are also unmercifully chained down to trucks with the suspension almost bottomed. My car settled noticably in the 1st 100 miles. I did not measure before and after so I have no exact number, but it was obvious That is with roller perches, spherical bearings in the lca and rod ends on the strut rods. If it was not the spring, I don't know what it was.

 

[my70stang]

well its been a year and the car still sits great, coil cutting was a good idea

 

[mustangmike6996]

I gotta say nay to that man. I've seen it drop 1.5 inches on 620 in a matter of hours. we didn't change anything but the springs. (alot of new cars take trips across oceans and across country before we get them. They also sit on lots for a time before we buy them. They just settle before we get them. )

i think there is a little bit of difference with new car progressive springs and old style stang springs....

but yes all spring steel will yield to weight over a period of time.... all cars... some longer than others....

also i have and issue with my springs.... i removed all parts off of the car and sent EVERYTHING out for media blasting... well im pretty sure that the media blasting "re-heat treated" my springs because i gained about 1.5-2 inches of ride height... and yes i do know to torque all suspension bolts while normal vehicle weight is on the wheels.. also i have had the suspension apart and put back together... the springs are just plain stiff...

new springs it is..

 

[mustangman70]

Man that is a gorgeous looking car!!!

Not that im partial to 70 coupes or anything

 

[gonzothegreat]

whatagearhead, your car is looking nice. Well done