looking for stiffer springs, but without lift

For my Disco there are plenty of alternatives for stiffer springs, unfortunately they all involve lifting up the truck. The lowest one I saw is from Old Man Emu and even it lifts the Disco 1.5 inches. Because I use my rover for DD usage, I am limited to how high I can go. As it is now, I just graze the rubber "blockers" that tell you your vehicle is too high when I enter the parking garage at work. I can reach up out of the sunroof and touch the cement I beams as I pass under them.

I also do not want to jack it up any. I do not go rock crawling nor do I intend to. Any off roading I do is on dirt fire roads, sandy washes, and the occasional puddle of mud that might be found there. I do not need the extra ground clearance.

In fact I use my Disco more for towing my boats and other trailers. raising it up just makes it harder to do, but I would like it a little more stiff for towing control and I am sure at almost 100K miles, the springs are pretty weak.

Anybody have any ideas?

Get the lift springs and cut half a coil off?

Cutting springs is not a bad thing in and of itself.

The springs on my RX-7 are from a Volvo 960 with the Nivomat suspension. They started out maybe 17" long and 80lb-in, and the correct diameter. I cut them down to about 14" long, which raised the rate to a wee bit stiffer than stock springs, and set the ride height to where I wanted it.

The springs in the front of my S40 are the same way: Much longer spring than the application called for, cut down to get the correct ride height, result being OE ride height with a sufficiently stiffer rate.

coilsprings.com can hook you up for about $350 per pair, but they may need OEM springs from you first so they can determine the existing spring rates.

so any real downsides to getting the lowest lifted spring I can get (the OME ones) and cutting half a coil out of them to bring the springs back down to "normal"?

mad_machine wrote: so any real downsides to getting the lowest lifted spring I can get (the OME ones) and cutting half a coil out of them to bring the springs back down to "normal"?

As long as the springs will still seat properly after cutting, I see no issue with it.

Heck, I've got cut springs in all 4 corners of the Jeep. It's the only way I could get the spring rate / ride height combo I needed without getting custom springs.

Assuming that the lifted springs don't also lower the spring rate for some reason, the only downside would be if the springs are supposed to be flat ended or pigtailed. If they're flat ended, you use a torch to heat the spring yellow-hot maybe 1/2 coil from the end and bend/rotate it to make a kind of flat coil. I did this when I cut up some Nissan Pathfinder springs for the RX-7, which takes a flat end on top.

I would also make sure that you're newly shortened springs are still under some preload at full droop. On a suspension like that you may have to install some axle droop limiting straps to ensure the springs dont just fall right out! Fully slack springs at full droop are not a good thing IMO. I'm always surprised at just how much preload is built into some factory strut/spring combos.

only pic I could find of the springs and they appear to show one half of them with a flattened top on the end coils. I don't know what pair that is without disassembling my own truck.

I'll echo what Knurled said. If you can get away without having to heat and bend an end it would be better but that's not really the end of the world either. Just try to limit the amount of heat you get into the steel as it can effect the temper.

Could grinding the new end flat be a decent option?

Cut springs will work fine even without any finishing on the ends though.

You're supposed to cut with an angle grinder, NOT a torch. The heat is what screws up the spring integrity.

I'm on mustang foxbody springs that were cut that way four years ago. No issues. You could always get some hyperco springs. They sell those things in any rate and any length you want. Might even be able to lower the disco some!

In reply to Trackmouse:

Doing it by hand with a hacksaw is even better than a grinder (less heat). It takes a bit longer, but a good hacksaw blade will go through a spring much better than you'd expect.

Also, keep in mind that you might get some lift relative to your current ride height when you find new springs as your existing ones may have sagged a bit. Hopefully it won't cause an issue with your crazy low parking garage ceiling.

rslifkin wrote: In reply to Trackmouse: Doing it by hand with a hacksaw is even better than a grinder (less heat). It takes a bit longer, but a good hacksaw blade will go through a spring much better than you'd expect.

or have a buddy with a spray bottle keeping the spring wet where you are cutting with the grinder to keep it cooler

Since the main purpose is better towing control, what about bigger swaybars? No ride height or ride comfort issues with that upgrade.

Moog Spring Catalog

I'm not sure about the disco, but they made police spec springs for the classic range rover that were no taller, but had a higher spring rate.

Air bags for the rear?

Now you got me thinking about King Springs for the WRX and cutting a bit off to get it a "little" lift, but not 4x4 lift.