I wonder if I cut the OEM spring ?? Harris...help
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From: Houston,TX-moving to The Woodlands,TX SOON!!!
Toyota Tacoma & Lexus IS250
I wonder if I cut the OEM spring ?? Harris...help
for just a mild Eibach like drop, how much should be cut ??
I know a lot of folks are against cutting the spring....any input HARRIS ???
thanks !!
I know a lot of folks are against cutting the spring....any input HARRIS ???
thanks !!
Member
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 130
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2003 MB C230K Sports Sedan
DONT!
Ok.. lets get some fundamental facts straight about suspension..
1) Springs from the factory are machined to within a 1/2 mm of acuracy between each spring..
2) The camber is properly set from the factory for normal driving use and proper set for the car
ok now on to cutting the springs..
If you decide to cut your springs 3 things are Deffinatly going to happen.. they are inevitable and will more then likely lead to a 4th thing...
1) You WILL cut the springs inacurately.. no one can cut them as perfect as the factory machines them
2) You WILL throw the camber off on the car.. how bad depends on your spring cutting skills...
3) You WILL destroy your shocks/struts as they are designed with the assistance of the stock spring in mind...
4) You WILL more then likely tramline your tires causing uneven wear along the edges and possibly blowouts if the wear is on the inside and goes unnoticed..
Now.. lets thing about the cost associated with this..
1) Replacement OEM springs.. Round about 450 dollars
2) Replacement OEM Shocks.. Round about 380 dollars
3) Replacement Tires Round about 550 dollars
Dealer Labor not included but expect 500+ dollars
Grand Total 1380 dollars in replacement parts.
----- OR -----
Proper Coil-Over Kit: 1100 or so Dollars
Proper Cup Kit: 700 or so Dollars
The choice is yours...
-Alex
1) Springs from the factory are machined to within a 1/2 mm of acuracy between each spring..
2) The camber is properly set from the factory for normal driving use and proper set for the car
ok now on to cutting the springs..
If you decide to cut your springs 3 things are Deffinatly going to happen.. they are inevitable and will more then likely lead to a 4th thing...
1) You WILL cut the springs inacurately.. no one can cut them as perfect as the factory machines them
2) You WILL throw the camber off on the car.. how bad depends on your spring cutting skills...
3) You WILL destroy your shocks/struts as they are designed with the assistance of the stock spring in mind...
4) You WILL more then likely tramline your tires causing uneven wear along the edges and possibly blowouts if the wear is on the inside and goes unnoticed..
Now.. lets thing about the cost associated with this..
1) Replacement OEM springs.. Round about 450 dollars
2) Replacement OEM Shocks.. Round about 380 dollars
3) Replacement Tires Round about 550 dollars
Dealer Labor not included but expect 500+ dollars
Grand Total 1380 dollars in replacement parts.
----- OR -----
Proper Coil-Over Kit: 1100 or so Dollars
Proper Cup Kit: 700 or so Dollars
The choice is yours...
-Alex
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 4,439
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OK, just want to give you a very straight forward answer to your question first: 1 coil will be too much (more than an Eibach drop), but you cant really cut half coil (as "alevy" mentioned, its very hard to cut it GOOD).
If you want my advice, I totally agreed with what "alevy" has said except no.3 and no.4 in the second paragraph. By the time your shocks are dead and your tires are gone (3-5 years), it will give you a very good excuse to change your car!!
If you want an Eibach drop, either get a set of Eibach (which is not very expensive, I'll get you a good price) OR get a set of AMG springs for the C32. The AMG springs will only drop your car slightly, maybe thats what you want. And they are not expensive at all.
One more thing you have to consider: if you sell your car in the future, I am very sure that you have to put a set of OE springs back on your car for the new owner. It is more "wiser" to get a set of aftermarket springs now and keep the OE springs in the garage. Cutting springs are for people who want to slam their car to the ground, I really dont favor you of cutting springs if you just want a mild drop. It doesnt worth it.
If you want my advice, I totally agreed with what "alevy" has said except no.3 and no.4 in the second paragraph. By the time your shocks are dead and your tires are gone (3-5 years), it will give you a very good excuse to change your car!!
If you want an Eibach drop, either get a set of Eibach (which is not very expensive, I'll get you a good price) OR get a set of AMG springs for the C32. The AMG springs will only drop your car slightly, maybe thats what you want. And they are not expensive at all.One more thing you have to consider: if you sell your car in the future, I am very sure that you have to put a set of OE springs back on your car for the new owner. It is more "wiser" to get a set of aftermarket springs now and keep the OE springs in the garage. Cutting springs are for people who want to slam their car to the ground, I really dont favor you of cutting springs if you just want a mild drop. It doesnt worth it.
Member
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 130
Likes: 0
2003 MB C230K Sports Sedan
Originally posted by Harris
OK, just want to give you a very straight forward answer to your question first: 1 coil will be too much (more than an Eibach drop), but you cant really cut half coil (as "alevy" mentioned, its very hard to cut it GOOD).
If you want my advice, I totally agreed with what "alevy" has said except no.3 and no.4 in the second paragraph. By the time your shocks are dead and your tires are gone (3-5 years), it will give you a very good excuse to change your car!! If you want an Eibach drop, either get a set of Eibach (which is not very expensive, I'll get you a good price) OR get a set of AMG springs for the C32. The AMG springs will only drop your car slightly, maybe thats what you want. And they are not expensive at all.
One more thing you have to consider: if you sell your car in the future, I am very sure that you have to put a set of OE springs back on your car for the new owner. It is more "wiser" to get a set of aftermarket springs now and keep the OE springs in the garage. Cutting springs are for people who want to slam their car to the ground, I really dont favor you of cutting springs if you just want a mild drop. It doesnt worth it.
OK, just want to give you a very straight forward answer to your question first: 1 coil will be too much (more than an Eibach drop), but you cant really cut half coil (as "alevy" mentioned, its very hard to cut it GOOD).
If you want my advice, I totally agreed with what "alevy" has said except no.3 and no.4 in the second paragraph. By the time your shocks are dead and your tires are gone (3-5 years), it will give you a very good excuse to change your car!!
If you want an Eibach drop, either get a set of Eibach (which is not very expensive, I'll get you a good price) OR get a set of AMG springs for the C32. The AMG springs will only drop your car slightly, maybe thats what you want. And they are not expensive at all.One more thing you have to consider: if you sell your car in the future, I am very sure that you have to put a set of OE springs back on your car for the new owner. It is more "wiser" to get a set of aftermarket springs now and keep the OE springs in the garage. Cutting springs are for people who want to slam their car to the ground, I really dont favor you of cutting springs if you just want a mild drop. It doesnt worth it.
-Alex
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Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Laguna Niguel, CA
I don't understand all the hoopla about not cutting the springs.
a) the car is already lopsided if you measure the wheel well height from one side to the other so what difference will 1/2mm make, at least on my car? Have you measured your side to side difference?
b) why can't you cut less than 1 coil? At least when I did the rears the pads will rotate to any place you cut the springs. I would imagine the same is true for the fronts and the spring plate will rotate to where the spring ends.
c) your camber won't be any more off than if you get the Eibach/H&R springs
d) your shocks won't last any less than if you use any other lowering spring.
I say go for it, no big deal if you are off the mark slightly. It's easy to see where to cut off 1 coil, just draw a line straight down from the current coil end and start sawing slightly oversized and then use a grinder to even it up, just the trailing edge counts anyway since that's what rests on the pad or spring plate. Also I dissagree with 1 coil being too much, people with H&R springs have cut them by more than a coil to get the drop they want. I have the rear spring on my desk and it's 8 coils, about 1 1/2" between each unsprung coil. Under load that's probably about 3/4" to an inch at most.
a) the car is already lopsided if you measure the wheel well height from one side to the other so what difference will 1/2mm make, at least on my car? Have you measured your side to side difference?
b) why can't you cut less than 1 coil? At least when I did the rears the pads will rotate to any place you cut the springs. I would imagine the same is true for the fronts and the spring plate will rotate to where the spring ends.
c) your camber won't be any more off than if you get the Eibach/H&R springs
d) your shocks won't last any less than if you use any other lowering spring.
I say go for it, no big deal if you are off the mark slightly. It's easy to see where to cut off 1 coil, just draw a line straight down from the current coil end and start sawing slightly oversized and then use a grinder to even it up, just the trailing edge counts anyway since that's what rests on the pad or spring plate. Also I dissagree with 1 coil being too much, people with H&R springs have cut them by more than a coil to get the drop they want. I have the rear spring on my desk and it's 8 coils, about 1 1/2" between each unsprung coil. Under load that's probably about 3/4" to an inch at most.
