Cutting springs

There are no aftermarket springs for my car in the U.S. so I'm going to get S10 springs and cut them down. Any advice for getting the job done faster and not killing myself?

Um, what kinda car ya got?

79 chevette

Grinder works fine, rate will increase due to less coils

Thats a lot of spring for a Chevette. G-Bodies have the same size spring, with lower rates.

Make sure that you reform the cut end so that it looks how the stock end did. Biggest problem with cut springs is that you go from 300+ degrees of support from a flattened coil, to about 10 degrees of support from the new single point of contact. Heat that end up and beat it flat!

mrdontplay wrote: 79 chevette

I'm surprised this is still on the road. It must be FAR away from Michigan LOL.

Are you just looking for a better "look" or do you plan to autocross it?

fornetti14 wrote:

mrdontplay wrote: 79 chevette

I'm surprised this is still on the road. It must be FAR away from Michigan LOL. Are you just looking for a better "look" or do you plan to autocross it?

It's been in springfield, MO sense it was bought new and has 60xxx miles. I want it to look and corner good.

The brits got a pretty hot edition of that, as I recall...(Chevette HS). Maybe you could find some parts across the pond? I realize that given their more stringent inspections, not very many have likely survived....

Across the pond I can get anything my heart desires for my chevette. The thing is I'm poor.

Do you have access to a spring compressor? If you cut a coil off while it's under pressure...... well that's fun. Best to compress the spring, cut 1/2 turn off, release the pressure, put the car on the ground, drive it around to settle and then take more if necessary.

You can always take more off, it's tough putting it back on.

Just be safe. When the project's over if you can stand ther buck nekkid and still count to 20 and a half, you did good.

Dan

You're weird Dan. You go chasing deer hunters through the woods just to stand over ther buck, nekkid and counting.

We are just NOT hunting together!

I had new springs made by a shop in KS for my Opel for under $40 each a couple of years ago, they just needed diameter, spring rate, and extended length. It was actually pretty darn easy. Dig out an old yellow pages and look up springs, you'll find someone local who can make you what you need.

Wouldn't heating the end enough to be able to pound it flat destroy the temper of the steel in the spring?

oldopelguy wrote: I had new springs made by a shop in KS for my Opel for under $40 each a couple of years ago, they just needed diameter, spring rate, and extended length. It was actually pretty darn easy. Dig out an old yellow pages and look up springs, you'll find someone local who can make you what you need.

But I need lowering springs how would I order them with the desired ride height?

mrdontplay wrote:

oldopelguy wrote: I had new springs made by a shop in KS for my Opel for under $40 each a couple of years ago, they just needed diameter, spring rate, and extended length. It was actually pretty darn easy. Dig out an old yellow pages and look up springs, you'll find someone local who can make you what you need.

But I need lowering springs how would I order them with the desired ride height?

maybe you could find specs on the chevette HSR springs.. Then give them to the spring maker guy.

mrdontplay wrote: But I need lowering springs how would I order them with the desired ride height?

It's a spring, dude.

Step 1: Figure out what spring rate you need via the internet

Step 2:: Weigh the corners of your car if you can, if not at least each end.

Step 3: Measure how tall you want the spring to be at your desired ride height

Step 4: Multiply the weight of one wheel x the spring rate to get how far the weight of the car is going to compress the spring.

Step 5: Add the distance the spring is going to compress to the height you want at ride height to get the total height uncompressed. Error a bit long so it can settle.or you can cut it down.

Tell spring guy rate, uncompressed height, and diameter and he will hand you a spring.

Or, since it's a Chevette, get a set of front lowering springs for a Fiero, install them, then move your current front springs to the rear and cut them down to height.

CSS springs used to make custom springs for 200ish a set, more for specific colors.... was the only way u could get performance springs for geo storms stateside.

http://www.coilsprings.com/custom/index.html

foxtrapper wrote: You're weird Dan. You go chasing deer hunters through the woods just to stand over ther buck, nekkid and counting. We are just NOT hunting together!

I don't know about hunting deer, I just don't want to see any fingers removed.

I'm weird and proud.