Come on guys. There is nothing wrong with a properly cut coil spring. It winds up being nothing more than a spring that is shorter. It doesn't matter if it was manufactured that way or modified to be that way. Shortening a coil will increase the spring rate a little bit, but so what. Considering how much of the entire coil would need to be cut, the increased rate from stock will still not get it near the rate of the 620's. We already know that the car will work with the stock spring rate and the 620 lb/in rate, so the in-between cut coil will work too. Cutting the stock coils costs nothing and once he has a chance to drive it he can decide if he want it stiffer and he has an idea where to go. If he goes straight to aftermarket and they are too stiff, guess what? He just bought about $100 of useless springs.

So now you can tell me why a shorter store bought coil is better than a coil that you shorten yourself.

 

If you cut two coils off the front springs would it end up to much? I will be running 17's with 205/40/17 front...

 

chip foose cuts coils
if its properly done. not getto rigged.
if its good enough for foose its good enough for me.


hahah sorry. thread hi jack.

id buy new springs if your still using your stock springs. those have got to be worn out. new coils will feel completely different.

 

I wouldn't cut off that much at one time. You may wind up at that point, but you should cut the coil incrementally to get where you want. After all, you can always cut more off, but can't add it back on. BTW, a cutting wheel in an angle grinder works well for cutting the springs.

 

Chip is a graphic design artist, not an engineer.

Cutting coils. My thoughts (the longer version)....

Play along with me for a minute.

You are in charge of Ford Motor Company. Your goal is to make money by selling cars. You use the same basic engines in all of your vehicles (260/289/302/351/390/428/460). You use the same basic transmissions in all of your vehicles (T10/toploader/FMX/C4/C6, etc.). You use the same rearends in your vehicles (7.5/8/8.8/9", etc).

Why do you do this? Why not have a different type of engine/trans/rearend for different vehicles? Because the guys in accounting tell you this is not a profitable way of running a business. Fair enough, and I think we can all agree on this strategy.

Thinking about the bottom line of your companies profit, you're laying in bed one night and think to yourself... "hey, why not just use one coil spring for the front suspension and we'll cut it to fit different applications? We could save thousands, maybe even.... one million dollars......(thinkDr. Evil)by just using one spring instead of the 50 different types we currently have to buy/stock/distribute/inventory! This is genius!"

In the morning, you run your idea through your lead suspension engineer. A guy who's spent more time studying physics/geometry/metalurgy than you can fathom. When this guy speaks, you can't even understand, nevermind pronounce half of the words coming out of his mouth.... but when he says "no boss, this is nota good idea", you listen because you hired him to be the brains of the suspension department.

If Chip Foose and some 19 year old kid wants to cut coils, fine, have at it, but I'm with the brainiac suspension engineer (and Ford) on this one. I won't/don't cut coils. You're changing a lot more than ride height when you do so.

Dave

 

I said 1" drop springs are ideal, not mandatory. I'm going to cut a bit off my stock coils myselfwhen I do the Shelby drop to drop the ride height a bit.

I say ideal because if you get quality springs (Glazier's and NPD both sell springs from OE suppliers), ride height will be exactly where you want it and you won't have to deal with too harsh of a ride or having to pull the coils several timesto cut them the proper amount. Not to mention, many original coils are worn out and should probably be replaced anyway.

If he wants to cut small portions of the current coils, there isn't really any major problem with it. But knowing the possible risks beforehand is a good thing

 

Play along with me.

Lets say someone makes up a fictional story about a fictional discussion between the head of Ford and an engineer. What does this story have to do with reality??

Come on. Ford put springs on based on how they wanted the car to sit, ride, and handle to please the masses of the time. How pleased do you think today's masses would be with the sit, ride and handling of a bone stock vintage Mustang? Ford even put different springs on for the performance versions with the same body, same engine, etc. Why? Because they wanted to attract a different part of the population. They changed free length, spring rate, etc. to achieve this. Cutting springs changes more than just ride height which is true and was already mentioned. Spring rate will go up some and obviously free length will decrease. Well what the hell does putting on aftermarket coils like the 620's do??????????? Oh, that changes more than ride height too. Let's see the 620's are shorter and and have a higher rate than stock. A cut stock coil will have a higher rate and will be shorter than before it was cut. Sounds kind of te same doesn't it. If cutting the spring will achieve desired combination of handling, ride and ride height that is desired, then there isn't a problem no matter how many fictional stories are told.

Using your logic, nothing deviating from the original Ford design should be considered. That would include aftermarket coils, steering, leafs, brakes or anything else because the Ford engineers that designed the Mustang back then knew best and didn't design these parts. Does your Mustang have any modifications like this? Many of these popular modifications were originally done by guys in their back yards before they decided to market them. Not by engineers.

Oh, and for you information, I am a real live non-fictional engineer that is 43 years old. Not a 19 year old. and I'm gonna be cuting some stock coils for my Mustang.

 

here is a link with the template on the first page

http://www.ftw.com.au/content/view/152/50/

 

LMAO..... Buddy, you can do whatever you want to your Mustang. I could really care less.

Put on some shackles, lowering blocks, air shocks, cut coils and curb feelers. Whatever floats your boat.

Just do me a big favor and let me know when you findone suspension design engineer that agrees with you about cutting coils.

As far as modified Mustangs go.... I've been around Mustang builders for a long time. I don't know anyone who has more modifications in their Mustang than me. In my opinion, everything from the original designs can be improved upon and I have no problem doing so, but cutting coils is not an improvement, it's a shortcut taken by someone who is too cheap/inexperienced to do it right.

Reinforcing and perpetuating the ideathat cutting coils..... on a public forum where the novice/inexperienced mechanic may interpret your beliefs as gospel.... ???? I don't understand why anyone would do this. If you want to cut yours, like I originally stated.... fine, have at it, whatever. But don't try and convince the masses that it's okay to do so.

Dave

 

OK. Nevermind that its been done by hot rodders forever and there are countless cars with cut coils operating just fine all over the world. All of us are dumb asses and you are right. I'm cheap and inexperienced and Chip Foose I guess is cheap and inexperienced too. He must be because he cuts coil. I'm sure that your smarter than Chip. You were probably inducted into the Hot Rod hall of fame long before he was and you probably have many more awards.

You want documentation? How about internet articles from a spring manufacturer.

http://www.eatonsprings.com/atqCutti...lculations.htm

http://www.eatonsprings.com/atqCutti...SpringsIII.htm

http://www.eatonsprings.com/atqCuttingCoilSpringsII.htm

You will note in these articles that this manufacturer never says that it is wrong as long as you are cutting a tangential end spring. As a matter of fact, the first article goes through an example using a Mustang spring.

Perpetuating my belief as gospel??? I have provided logic and supporting documentation to support my position. All you have really said is that you think it is wrong and told fictitious stories to support your point of view.