Difference between the 2?

Explain the difference between cutting spring coils&buying already"lowered"spring coils.The good,bad&practical

Thanks for responding

 

The good= cheap way
The bad= It alters the spring rate (changes engineering of the spring)
The practical= The "time" and "money" involved to achieve an improperly engineered spring is probably more than the cost of a properly engineered, made to application, spring.

Other arguments:
Cutting is easy if you know what you are doing.
If you go too much youre done.

 

The old way was to set up blocks under the A arm pivots, or where ever, then heat the lowest one or two wraps of the coil. The car settles down onto the blocks...let it cool, then hit the road

 

ESPO told me that their "Lowered" coils for my 50 Mopar were the same as the unlowered, just cut shorter!

 

That is Oh so true, but explain that to a person that just heated the shit out the spring in the middle till it pulled like taffy then tore dropping the car lower that he ever wanted it. Man was that funny to see and say, I told you so.

 

I always thought the coils differed in rate towards the ends and cutting a coil off affected the spring contraction/expansion rate.

 

Only on those that have tighter coils at the ends.

 

Not really IMO. Some valve springs are like that, and wound tighter on one end. I don't recall seeing a coil spring done that way?

Reducing the number of coil wraps makes it stiffer because when stock, each wrap flexes down a bit on a certain bump. Removing some wraps, makes the spring not able to flex the same amount on the same bump.

It took me a very l-o-n-g time to understand that description years ago

 

K = Spring rate in pounds per inch
W = Diameter of the spring wire in inches
G = 12,000,000 for steel springs (a constant)
N = Number of active coils (number of coils that are free to move + 1/2 coil)
D = Diameter of the coils measured to the center of the wire, in inches


Note the relationship between the number of active coils (N) and the spring rate (K).
If you cut off half the active coils the spring rate is doubled.



Now get to work!

 

If you are going a small amount, say an inch or so, honestly, there really isn't much difference. Cutting a stock spring for a small drop will stiffen it slightly, but most spring manufacturers will tell you that their lowered springs are stiffer to compensate for the decrease in compression travel. So in small drops, you end up about the same.
On drastic drops - 3" or more, the cut spring many times will be too short to stay seated when the suspension hits full droop and the rate can get very stiff.
So for small drops, nothing wrong with cutting a spring as long as it isn't a Pigtail type like many GM rears.

 

Are there stores that sell the springs&shocks for a 2"drop?I cut mine 1.5coil.Is that a 1.5"drop?All I can find is 1",2",and 3"drops?Should I be cutting the rear the same amount?I figure I can experiment with the stock springs;but if I don't like the results I want to be able to either get new"lowered"or "stock height"springs&go forwards.Would lower the springs mess with the alignment also?


Clear as mud here

 

any time you cut a spring it gets stiffer. a spring is a long rod bent in a spiral. if you get a 10 foot rod theres alot of leverage and you can bend it easily. you cut it to 5 foot and you lose leverage and cant bend it as easily. cut tit to two foot and you wont be able to bend it. a coil spring is a rod formed in a spiral.

good lowering springs are heat tempered to bend easier at shorter lengths.

 

stores/websites to look at?

 

Ecklars has coils but cant find lowered/shortened shocks

 

Look, you asked for advice on your very recent "how to lower a..." thread. You were given some GREAT practical advice, and a few lame ideas. You didn't listen/follow anyone then, and you still don't seem to want to listen to anyone. This is getting very tiresome. This is about the simplest, easiest thing you can do on a car. Follow the easy to understand advice of the fellows who have done this many, many times, and you will be cruising around in your LOWERED car in no time....

 

Sic em ED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Not many drop springs available for a Geo Metro. That's what you're working on, right? Because you haven't said yet so I assumed a Geo Metro.

 

You were given good advice before, but keep in mind that because of your springs sagging over time new drop coils may be higher than your old coils are now. Best way to do it is get new springs and shocks front and rear. If you want it lower and ride quality doesn't matter, cut a coil off. Just pick one and do it.

 

Some guys ask endless questions just to be "involved".
Info here: http://m.alibaba.com/products/ballpoint_pen_springs.html

 

Those are some nice pens and pen accessories.

 

But my pen is fountain point, can I cut one of these springs or do I need custom made springs? I also have this really cool pencil but the eraser is shot, can I modify the eraser from a different pencil or...........

Doc.

 

Here's my ballpoint pen with period correct pinup art. It doesn't need a new spring yet...

 

I got locked in the M.P.s lock up for 8hrs one day because of a pen like that. Dropped off a patient at an Army Field Hospital (Think MASH!) on an Exercise in central Oz back in about 94-5, the senior officer at the Trauma Center was a chick. I knew her quite well she was my boss when I was posted to the Hospital. So as a joke she complained to the M.P.s about my 'Rude' pen.
They didn't take it as a joke and the crew I was working with (AeroMedical Evac) saw it as 8hrs off...............Pricks!!

Oh fuck I just realised........................Now Sonny, back when I was your age...
'scuse me while I go shoot myself!

Doc.

 

THANKS for all the info guys !