Cutting springs

[Adam Parkins]

Hi guys I'm guna get some coilovers for the front and I'm just guna cut the back until I can afford a proper setup what do you cut the top or bottom of the spring? Cheers guys

 

[MicraPRO]

I dont believe it matters with standard springs because most people cut lowered springs and remove the closer coils...

 

[SK193]

You cut the top of it. Are you going to be cutting standard or lowering springs?

 

[Adam Parkins]

Standard

 

[Dougyledds]

In half, straight down the middle adds extra man points!

 

[skymera]

Springs will be uncaptive on stock shocks.

 

[Adam Parkins]

i know i havent done this yet, just thinking about it the thing is i dont have any money coming in so if i get coilies for the front im waiting for ages for new springs/shocks for the back :/

 

[skymera]

i know i havent done this yet, just thinking about it the thing is i dont have any money coming in so if i get coilies for the front im waiting for ages for new springs/shocks for the back :/

You can pick up standard Corsa shocks for cheaps

 

[Adam Parkins]

Cheap I ain't got buddy not for a while :/

 

[BlueMachine]

if you cut standard springs do you have to weld it in place ?

 

[h701micra]

Nooo. You buy a suitable shock and ensure they're captive. The heat from a welder would destroy a spring

 

[BlueMachine]

oohhhhhhh, bit of an amateur on cars got a nice 1.3 k11 about a year ago and have decided to do some bit to it. what does captive mean ? lol is it anyway possible to have standard shocks and cut standard springs ? moneys a bit tight .

 

[h701micra]

Nothing wrong with learning
Captive is where your springs are held in place by the spring seat and the top cup, when the strut is under no load (ie jacked up or off the car)

A standard shock will travel down if for example you left the ground. Your spring wouldn't be captive and cause you seriuos trouble if it sat wrong

If your planning on going steady you should be ok

 

[BlueMachine]

Thanks man for the help ! How much should I cut off ? What car you got ?

 

[h701micra]

Half a coil at the time. Dont hang around heat will ruin a spring. Ive many cars but 2 k10 micra

 

[Enuo]

Thanks man for the help ! How much should I cut off ? What car you got ?

I used a measuring tape to measure distance between spring bottom cup and spring top cup jacked up, added 5mm and cut the spring to that length, then you have fully captive spring. With corsa b shocks i cut 115mm off standard spring length and got a 75mm drop

 

[BlueMachine]

Not to sure how shocks actually restrict you ? Want to lower as much as possible with just cutting standard springs

 

[h701micra]

Because they're longer than suitable lowering shocks so when there's no load there's that chance your springs can pop out of place

 

[Huggy444]

Basically, a micra's shocks are too long for a cut micra spring with 2/3 coils cut, which is why some people use corsa shocks as they are shorter so the spring stays captive.... Iirc

 

[tomwest]

In half, straight down the middle adds extra man points!

i was going to suggest the 2 middle turns. that leaves material from the top and the bottom to still sit on the car!


yes i have "loose" rear springs, cut 2 3/8 turns off. after about a week of total paranoia, i jacked the back of the car up, and the remnants of the springs had pressed into the rubber and stuck in place

 

[markbognor]

A strap round the axle, that stops the axle dropping too far, is an easy way for the deep pocketed to prevent rear spring dislocation on the stock shock absorbers. These can be made from a length of old seat belt, bolt through the boot floor with big load spreading washers. At the front the springs can be wired into the cups, I've used mig wire previously but this only has a lifespan of around a year, I'm trying stainless wire now to see how that fairs. Use plenty of turns because it needs to have the weight of the strut, wheel etc hang on it when jacked.

Axle straps: http://www.micra.org.uk/threads/marks-1-0lx.30181/page-4#post-410988