I've been researching threads about cutting coils and have decided on taking this route for now since I cannot afford airbags. I've never cut springs on an older model car and frankly don't have the tools or the garage space. I contacted a few local shops to get this done but the ones I called can't help me out. My questions is, are there any shops around the San Fernando Valley, Glendale or Burbank that I can get a reference for to get one coil wrap cut off all 4 of my springs. Even if you have a home garage and can help me out I would really appreciate it. I'll pay you for time and labor and if you need and extra hand I'd be happy to stick arond and help, maybe learn a little bit too. Thanks in advance
Ship em to me. Im in Vegas. Just mark them where you want them cut (no charge) or you could just rent a chop saw from a rental store for $40 a day.
Look up Groucho here on the HAMB, he has his own place and can handle the whole job. You can find him thru my freinds list. Im not say hes going to do it, cant hurt to ask him. Ask him on the PM side. He's local for you
May I add that I used my trusty 4.5" cheap HFT angle grinder fine! Cut off the closer coiled end so that your drop won't be as drastic. And I want to mention that we can cinch them down w/ thick steel plates and althread to the height we want them and toast them in the oven at say 450 degrees for like four hours to NOT take the temper out of them BUT to relax them so they sit at the shortened height you want. PLEASE check into this. It might be in Herb Adam's Ch***is Engineering book??? I forget but I have it somewhere in my closet of boxes filled w/ mag's, cat's and tech book's!! BUT imho, AND I wished that I had went this way AND it is to use something like Speedway's cheap roundy-round car adjustable coil spring cans and short coils and then I can adjust my ride height any way I want it to be! But hind site is great! Me with my clock-cut and then cut MOOG 5536's............ That should be like 525 pound jobbers now??? pdq67
If you still have not got the answer for cutting your coils, I may be able to help. Roger (310)345-1409. (It's my cell #. Don't leave a message, call till you reach me.)
I'll have to look into this, I was under the impression that heating springs was a no-no. but then again all the horror stories I heard, people did it with a torch.
Did you cut em yet? How did it go ? I want to cut my coils for my 67 coupe deville ...I'm trying to get about 3 inches closer to the ground......Let me know how it went for you???????
Sounds like you already know this, but don't EVER heat a spring with a torch! A customer of mine brought me a Corvette last summer, to replace the springs and shocks, because the previous shop had "lowered" his car by heating the springs. Stock C3 springs are normally VERY stiff, even used, and these were so weakened I could squeeze them like an accordian! The "new" shocks were FUBAR. I always use a small cutoff wheel on a diegrinder, or a cutting disc on a 4" Makita grinder. Take 1/2 coil at a time, so that you can get it just right. Its easier taking them back out, and cutting again, then putting the spring you just cut off back!
I don't really anticipate the OP revisiting this post. But I've been wrong before. It's not that hard to cut coils. If I were going for a 3" drop, I'd cut out 2 coils to start with, and see where she sits. If you think it need to go more, cut another one (or half of one) until you get it where you want it. I think the only real thing to be wary of is cutting too many. It's easy to cut another one off, not so easy to put one back on.
It looks like if you are close enough to Groucho to run it over to his place with a pocket full of those green rectangles with dead presidents on them that is your best bet. If I'm reading between the lines right along with the shop and tools you may not have the proper skills or knowledge to do the job right and that says farm it out to the right guy who does. That is what keeps them in business.
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