Heating Coils

I'm wanting to lower my 1964 Pontiac Grand Prix. I already chopped the front coils, but the same method isn't possible on the rear since they're tapered on both top and bottom. The only method possible (besides baggin' the bitch) is to heat the rear tapered coils by way of acetylene torch. My question comes to the application of heat. I've been told to focus on approximately two coils periodically heating them working from side to side, back and forth until the desired hieght is reached; keeping in mind the coils will settle even after heating has finished, so it needs to be accounted in to the desired height. Now any additional information would be greatly appreciated. Please no redundant statements.

 

Just one statement--don't. It takes all the temper out, the method is hard to control, they rarely settle evenly, and sometimes they'll break later near the place where they were heated.

 

Why don't you find out if there is another factory tapered spring alternative you could swap out. For example, on '63-'66 chevy trucks, you can swap out a Jeep spring for 3"-4" of drop. You could measure your spring when out of the car and compare that to other tapered springs in a catalog at a parts place. Or ask around, maybe somebody will know.

Cutting springs is ok. But heating springs is dangerous at best.

 

Please no redundant statements. Take a torch to it!!!!!<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

 

Call Springs and Things and see if they have a shorter one for you.
http://www.espo.com
Heating them is absolutely the wrong way to lower your car.

 

You can put the coil in a spring compressor, and put in in an oven at 400° for a few minutes. Let it cool and take it out of the compressor. The free length will be shorter. This is a trial and error process to see how it affects ride height.

 

i can understand trying to save a buck, but springs are not that expensive, when compaired to bad shit happining.

Im sure there is a spring out there that will do the job, or go have a set made to do it..Call Eaton Spring, they are not too bad on prices.

 

just throw a manhole cover in the trunk

 

Try Classic Industries. They have 2" shorter coils, which will settle more after time.

 

Please don't torch your coils. Here's an idea - get new springs made to meet your objectives and don't risk your ride. Alcan Spring Grand Junction, CO has made to order many springs for me. Inexpensive with great results, little risk, no variability.
Pollux.

 

thanks darin lol i was sourcing some concrete boulders but my mpg is questionable as it is... thanks to the rest for input, even though the common suggestion is dont. lol

 

If cost is the main factor in wanting to heat your springs, getting new springs won't break the bank. In the example I used above, the Jeep springs were $20 from a 4x4 shop. Use some creativity and ingenuity and you can solve the problem with a better ride and safer too (and pretty cheap in the process). I know it's not what you're asking and probably not what you want to hear. But heating coils is not a good idea for a lot of reasons, the big one being safety (not to mention uneven height, having to do it again in a month when you get tired of them riding like shit, etc.).

Take it from somebody who has been dumb enough to ignore good advice like what you've been given in this thread. Don't you ever wonder why 40 people will tell you not to do it and 3 will say "go for it!"? I'm just sayin......

 

I think what everyone is trying to tell you, is.
If you knew anything about the metalurgy, and treatment process to make a spring, you would never conciter this (heating them thing) a good idea..

Where is "Caster"..just so i should know if i should keep an eye out for you or not.

 

Id swap the coils for Airbags. www.airbagit.com has some of the best prices..You dont have to do a comperssor , just run a line to them.. Will be an easy swap and its pretty cheap...

 

I think Jamco or someone makes a tapered coil spring that will bring the car down.

 

only reason for heating them is because the mf is stink buggin and im broke. I cant afford a bag setup, like id prefer, and im tired of the shitty look. gasser dave, what do you mean i dont need a compressor? how in the world would i raise and lower the rear end? PFM? or you just expecting me to air it up once and leave it lol cuz thats pretty half assed as well. if i need to get wet, i might as well go swimming. im just looking for the fix thatll work for the time being.

 

Here we go again. Just torch the f-n things been doin it for years. Now-a-days i have more time and $ so im doing it the right way by replacing the springs.

 

If you torch the springs you will wind up replacing the springs later. Why not save yourself some time and replace them now.

 

Get shorter springs. The ones on your car should be pretty long. I lowered the rear of a 68 Buick Electra by installing springs out of a 70 Chevy truck. The truck springs were 4 inches shorter than the Buick springs. The Buick springs were 20 inches long! The truck springs were about 16 inches long. Another option is to cut the springs and make spring cups for the cut ends.