Quote:
Originally Posted by mrtstang
Really? Everyone i've talked to (including Eibach) said that cutting progressive rate springs will ruin the quality and integrity of the springs, which will in turn put excessive wear on the shocks and struts.
Have you personally cut progressive rate springs like the Eibach Pro Kit? If so how much did you cut? No issues over time...etc? I would love to do it, it's just that 95% of everyone i've talked to says it's a really bad idea.
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Well, if we think about it, if everyone cut their springs instead of buying lowering springs, then the companies manufacturing lowering springs would be out of business, eh? Old wise man say, "When you want to know the truth, follow the money".
No lowering spring phone representative in the world is going to say, "Oh yeah, go cut the coil springs. You don't need our lowering springs. Save you money!" Yeah....R-I-G-H-T. lol We have to be realistic here.
There is a gentleman and race car owner/driver, award winning suspension engineer by the name of Herb Adams who developed the famous high performance WS-6 high performance suspension package for the Pontiac Trans Am who advocates cutting coil springs instead of giving your money to lowering spring companies. As a suspension engineer, Herb Adams has written several books on suspension engineering. He owns a high performance suspension company called, "Herb Adams VSE", (VSE = Very Special Equipment), and when I raced in the S.C.C.A. I used his suspension components and advice with great results. Herb Adams VSE recommends cutting coil springs and they install their suspension packages for their customers, which includes cutting coil springs.
http://www.YellowPages.Com
Lists the following contact information for Herb Adams VSE -
Herb Adams Vse Inc
23865 Fairfield Pl
Carmel , CA 93923 Map
(831) 372-0944
When I tried to call the listed phone number, there was no answer. I sure hope this doesn't mean Herb has retired, or something has befallen him. I can find no web site for Herb Adams VSE. If you contact them I am sure you can order Herb Adams, "Performance Handling", book/catalog.
Herb took a stock 1970 Mustang and got it from .71 g on the skid pad to .92 g, which is incredible.
"Performance Handling - The Complete Handbook", by Herb Adams VSE, on page 3-5, under, "How to Cut Coil Springs", he goes into detail about how to do this correctly. If you go to your local library, you might be able to find suspension books written by Herb Adams and learn more on this topic, instead of the old wives tales, self-anointed Internet suspension, "experts" and greedy spring peddlers who feed you this horse crap about springs being ruined by cutting them, being dangerous, blah, blah, blah. Herb even points out that when installing these lowering springs, it can take a few months before they take a permanent set and can be lower by as much as another inch from when they were new. This is just one part of the reason he recommends cutting the O.E. coil springs, because they have already taken a permanent set and wont drop further after you cut them. The benefit is you get the ride height you are really looking for. The main benefit of lowering the ride height of your car isn't to impress Jennifer down at the local cruise in, but to lower the center of gravity of the car, which reduces body roll and keeps the tire planted more squarely to the ground, with the result being improved handling.
At the 24 Hours of Daytona race, Herb Adams raced an almost stock Pontiac Trans Am, (renamed his, "Fire-Am"), equipped with Herb's suspensions components,
cut coil springs and racing slicks, defeating many all out race prepped, mega-dollar Porsche's, Ferarri's, etc. The man knows his stuff. With suspensions, if Herb Adams says it, you can take it to the bank that it's correct. Hit your library and do some digging, you'll learn a lot. Below is a link to Barnes & Noble where you can order Herb's, "Chassis Engineering", for only $10.95, used. Fantastic deal. New is $18.76 and Borders has it for $19.95.
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Cha.../9781557880550
Here is a link where they have some excerpts from this book -
http://books.google.com/books?id=rY2...,+book&source=
Hmmm...Tower Books has it new for only $13.98 -
http://www.tower.com/chassis-enginee...wapi/101808272
Suggestion; cut the original springs and use those, so you can sell the lowering springs.
I hope this has been of help.
