[MadHippo]

I have a 67 GTO thats sitting way too high.. I want to try cutting the front springs by a few coils. Can this be done without taking the springs off the car?

[lust4speed]

Nope, have to remove the springs. Having done this to several cars I can offer a hard learned lesson. Despite what other people say, 1 coil off can drop the car 2". I had been told that a coil would be about an inch, but now know these people telling me that were wrong.

Also, the top and bottom spring perches have recesses for the spring to sit in So if you cut less than a full coil, one of the spring ends won't be in a proper spot. I usually pick the bottom recess to set the spring in simply because it's much easier to see.

[Mr_GTO]

Buy some eibach springs. They will lower it, help it handle and it's easier.

[71Formula]

NO you can't cut the coils without removing them fromt the car!

I bought some Hotchkis 2" lowering springs for my '71 Bird. But guess what, it's still too high. It's as tall as my friends '76 Formula with stock springs. The springs are way stiffer and performance is better, but the height just isn't right.

So I spent 170 bucks on lowering springs and I'm still cutting springs. I talked to Hotchkis on the phone and they said some cars just sit higher (whatever that means). They recomend cutting about 1/2 coil at a time until desired height is achieved, they do it on cars all the time when more drop is desired or the car is lighter then stock.

Hotchkis says to cut from the bottom of the spring and install it so the "new" end of the coil is indexed just like the original end was.

A few key items to verify before cuttting springs:
Correct spring indexing
Tighten lower control arm pivot bolts after its on the ground
If cars been jacked up, drive it around the block before measureing the height to assure wheel alignment corrects itself.

[wrench]

I just did this yesterday on my Father-in-laws S-10. I cut a full coil and it dropped it about 2". I was thinking you have to cut a full coil to keep the indexing right, but it just occurred to me that if you cut the same off the top and bottom the indexing will stay the same. If you wanted to remove only 1/2 coil. 1/4 top and 1/4 bottom. Will this work??

[RARON455]

No it can not be done on the car and honestly it should not be done at all, when you change the height of the spring by cutting it you are also changing the spring rate which is very important to the suspension and handling of your car, I would say that if you want to lower the suspension in the front buy some aftermarket springs they are not that expensive, I have hotchkis springs in my bird and they are great, but there are alot of reputable companies out there. The most important thing is their springs are made with the spring rate you will need for that diameter and height of coil spring. Also if this is your first time doing coil springs BE CAREFUL, they can come flying out of the A-arm like a huge bullet and can kill, What I always do is wrap a piece of chain around a coil of the spring and the frame rail put a bolt in two links to secure it THEN let the support jack down. Just Be Safe, Hope this helps you.

[71Formula]

I wish the Hotchkis lowering springs I bought would have actually lowered my car enough. Since they didn't lower it enough, Hotchkis recommended cutting them and they said they cut them all the time in their shop. I cut mine 1/2 coil to drop it 1". According to Hotchkis cutting the inactive coil off the end will have very little effect in spring rate. I hope I never wish I wouldn't have done it... Goes to the alignment shop tomorrow A.M.

[HJones1313]

Been there done that and definitely dont recommend it. Contrary to popular belief cutting the same amount off a used pair of springs does NOT mean you'll end up with a pair of springs that sit at the same level - on the car.
Be warned my young apprentice!

[ahartend]

I am also thinking of cutting my springs on a 73 T/A, I bought stock springs and rear leaf springs and basically put at about 6" high in the front and rear fender to tire.
I bought them from Performance suspension, PHX. AZ. I'm leary about doing it, My tires are 245/60/15 front and 275/60/15 rear. My friends tell me all I need is a Mullet and I'm good to go!
I will call them and see what they will recommend. I am thinking of buying new front springs (lowering) and leaf springs and maybe selling the ones I have.

[6704gto]

you can heat the springs up in the car but its not a good idea,u can either buy lowered springs or cut coils...

[ahartend]

Front Hotchkis spring suspension on my 73 T/A too high! What do you recommend?

[1968_Catalina]

what about those clamps that compress a coil or 2 . i seen them at advance auto parts a while back , ive never used them but i was thinking about it , that way you dont have to cut the coils but it still gets lowered

[b-man]

.....to get my cars to sit the way I want them to. No ill effects.

I use a die grinder with a fiber cutoff wheel, after cutting I use an oxy-actylene torch to heat up one spot about 1" long on the spring (1/2 coil away from my cut) cherry red.

While that spot is still red-hot, I press the spring onto the garage floor to flatten it out on that end so it seats in the spring cup in the frame or control arm better. It doesn't hurt the temper of the spring steel to do this, it's in an area where the spring really doesn't do any work.

Of course cutting coils down only works on springs that are not 'pigtailed' on the end you are cutting.

The GTO has stock 'regular-ride' rear rear springs cut down by 1-1/2 coils. I run Air-Lift air bags with 10psi in them in this pic (mostly for adjustability while I was drag racing), pumping them up to 25psi brings the rear up by 1-1/2" as compared to running them at the 5psi minumum pressure.





Same rear springs as above cut by 3/4s of a coil, 5psi in the air bags. The bags are handy when the Tempest does duty as a pickup truck, you can fit quite a lot of stuff in there.





When I was building up a '57 Chevy Bel Air sport coupe for myself I cut the front coils down to get it to sit the way I wanted. I used new replacement '75 Camaro coils to try to get it to sit lower, but I still ended up cutting one coil off of those.

To each their own, I cut mine when necessary.

Rear leaf springs can be re-arched at a spring shop to bring things down to earth.

[tempest455]

Ditto. I used a metal 4" cut off wheel. Less damage to the heat treat of the spring than a torch. A saw will not work. I set my ride height as above the same way.

[Bill Eveland]

I've cut springs on the car, after putting a new set in, waiting a week for them to settle , even jouncing the suspension with all the control arm bushing loose, nothing would bring the front end down. They just weren't made correctly for the car. The shocks were removed to get a good spring compressor in and compress enough so the bottom end is accesible with a die grinder and cutoff wheel. 1 coil was removed . I wouldn't cut more than 1 of at a time until your happy with were it sits.
It would be alot easier to remove the springs instead of trying to do it on the car though.

[JC455]

Ahartend-
That pic's of a Hotchkis equipped car? WTF?? I've NEVER seen one sit like that...
Did you order BBC (big block Chevy) springs? Unless Hotchkis changed something, I'd say either:
1) Your springs are in wrong (not indexed in the upper/lower pockets correctly) -or
2) Your Pontiac V8 went on a serious diet
If you order the Camaro small block springs, it should sit real nice.
I dunno about that one....

My 71 currently has the rear Hotchkis springs on it, along w/ 275 40-18's and some Koni's- that's it-- No gas tanks, interior,motor,trans, etc. and it sits lower than you car.
Maybe double check the spring install??

[pro-tour79]

first always make sure you tighten the bolts on the shackels and the front control arms after the weight of the car is on the suspension in fact bounce the car ore even drive it around the block than tighten the bolts if that does not do it the coil springs will need to come out and be cut, it will chage the rate but only about 5-10 % more, nothing to worry about also only cut half of the desiered drop from the spring, in other words if you want 1" drop cut 1/2" of the spring, BTW never buy springs based on advertised "drop"

[boater bill]

After cutting off the ends, when you taper the ends with the torch, make sure both springs end up the same height. a 1/4" makes a difference.

[ahartend]

Thanks All for the input! I'll check to make sure it is sitting in the Upper /Lower control arms correctly. If it checks out okay, then I will have to cut them.

[Eighttime]

Originally Posted by ahartend

Thanks All for the input! I'll check to make sure it is sitting in the Upper /Lower control arms correctly. If it checks out okay, then I will have to cut them.

Just thought I'd add my two cents. Guys like Foose and Coddington cut their springs all the time to get the right look. Heck, they even cut the lowering springs! If it's a good quality spring, measuring and cutting a full coil off both sides will get you real close on spring rate and ride height. I say a full coil but you can cut whatever, just make it the same. The ONLY way to get them exactly the same is to put them on a spring dyno and if you're like me, you ain't got one of those. "B-man" has told me numerous times, "it's called hot-rodding". If it makes you feel better, buy a set of generic springs from Napa or wherever, cut-em, and if you screw them up, you're not out that much. It's safer and easier to tape the measurements if they're out of the car. Just remember to get an alignment when it's all said and done...