When I cut the springs on my 50 Plymouth it didn't matter that the cut end doesn't sit flat because the Plymouth had a helical relief in the spring support so the cut end nestled in like it was made for it. I just cut the springs for my 38 Chrysler, then found that the spring support is flat and the spring wants to sit cockeyed as a result. Here is tan uncut spring posed next to a cut one. Note how the last coil on the uncut one is flattened, and also is spaced closer to coil #2.
I think you are going to need to heat up the cut spring about 5" down the coil (about a half of a turn) and bend it down so it's flatter. Should fix the trouble.
On those type,you have to heat,and bend about a half-coil to get it sit flat. Grinding may help it a bit also. The heating and bending may weaken it into breaking eventually. Maybe quenching in oil can keep the temper in it.sparky
...So I made a widget by welding some spacers to a steel ring to support more of the last coil of the cut spring. Any reason this won't work? Was it even necessary, or was this not a problem in the first place??
generally speaking, welding spring steel is a bad idea. there are different alloys of steel for different applications, and spring steel is designed so that it can be heat-treated until it's extremely hard, which gives it a high yield strength (which is critical for springs). a side effect of extreme hardness is a propensity to crack. welding it only increases the probability of this occuring. you'll note that coil springs don't have any sharp corners anywhere... sharp corners create a stress concentration and promote cracking. i don't have enough practical experience to tell you whether your solution will survive or break, but the experience i DO have tells me it's probably going to fail. sorry dude.
The spring wants to flex and move around. The welds want to remain rigid. This conflict will result in something breaking.
i would cut the widget off, cause (no offence) it doesn't appear that you could ever have enough welds, not that you should ever weld on a spring. heating and bending the coil so it lays over flatter is definately the best option.
I guess I wasn't clear about the thing I made: The spacers are welded to a ring that will just sit (unwelded) between the end of the spring and the seat it sets into on the control arm. No welding to the spring at all, I was trying to avoid heating it. I have a mig, but no O/A setup, so if this will work it is easier for me, but if it is a dumb idea I'll have to find a torch to use.
I think that'll work, as long as it sits in a pocket and can't slide off. You might be putting pin-point pressure on the spot where the tallest spacer ends, though... Maybe round that sharp corner. I'd try it, and see... just keep an eye on it. JOE
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