cutting coils - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

matthufham · 06-25-2005, 08:35 PM

can you cut rear coils? 2nd question, how? i'm looking for a 5 inch drop in the rear, and i wont get that with 5 inch drop coils because mine are probably 1-2 inches lower due to sagging.

cutting the fronts:
i might cut them, but somewhere i heard somewhere about cutting only one side. was it cut the top 1 coil, or flip it over and cut the bottom 1 coil?
-thanks

Longhorn Man · 06-25-2005, 08:43 PM

No, you can not cut rear coils. They coil up tighter on the ends...pig tails if you will.

Cutting fronts... I never heard only cut one end, I've always cut a coil from the top, and that normally dropped 2 inches or so.

what do you plan on cutting them with?
Is this a testing phase..as in, do you plan on keeping when you end up with here

*Randy70C-10* · 06-25-2005, 09:29 PM

The front coils can be cut at the bottom, the tops are pig-tailed. You get about 1 inch of drop for every 1/3 of a turn on the coil. Do not cut more than I full coil! The back will have to be dropped using a combination of dropped coils and lowering blocks.

matthufham · 06-25-2005, 09:59 PM

well longhorn, i figured a sawzaw would be quickest and coolest. and i guess i'll make a call to early classic for the rear coils. i do plan to keep the fronts and use them, trying to save money.

*Randy70C-10* · 06-25-2005, 10:04 PM

A sawzall will work, and a cutting wheel on a die grinder is even faster.

Longhorn Man · 06-25-2005, 10:18 PM

hmmmm, maybe it was the bottom i was cutting.

*Randy70C-10* · 06-25-2005, 10:22 PM

Yep.

The top has that thingy that the pigtail has to slide around and the bottom fits into a groove in the lower A-arm.

matthufham · 06-25-2005, 10:26 PM

thanks for the help guys

jon6foot4 · 07-14-2005, 09:10 PM

Awesome - it took me like an hour to find this but it answered my questions too

modifiedGMC · 07-15-2005, 08:55 PM

I cut 1 1/4 coils from my front and that's about all you could cut without the springs falling out when you jack it up. Make sure you get the end of the coil setting back in the dip where it sits originally. A little advanced warning, when you shorten your front coils that much, it will cause your caster/camber to be off, and if you don't have the front end re-aligned it will wear the inside of your tires out QUICKLY! Ask me how I know. here is a pic of mine with 1 1/4 coils cut from the front. I also trimmed about 3/4" off my rubber stops on the lower a-frame to give it a little more clearance. Total cost of lowering job: $0.00 (just a little labor)

kaycee · 07-15-2005, 11:00 PM

Hey modified GMC what did you do to the back to make it level ?new spring's or blocks???

modifiedGMC · 07-16-2005, 03:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaycee

Hey modified GMC what did you do to the back to make it level ?new spring's or blocks???

well..... neither.... I...uh.... sorta....uh....heated the coils. I heated the first big coil on the bottom till it dropped and touched the trailing arm then heated the first coil on top until it dropped and touched. You have to stop heating BEFORE it gets to where you want it because it will continue dropping when heat is removed. I actually got the first side done where I wanted then dropped the other side but went 1/4" more than I wanted so I had to go back and drop the otherside another 1/4".

I know this isn't the best way to do it but..... Here is before and after pics.
BEFORE

AFTER

**N2TRUX** · 07-16-2005, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by modifiedGMC

well..... neither.... I...uh.... sorta....uh....heated the coils...... I know this isn't the best way to do it but.....

Just so anyone that doesn't know reads this, DO NOT try this method unless you understand that eventually the springs will have to be replaced. It's only a matter of time before heated springs sag beyond the point of usefullness....

Longhorn Man · 07-16-2005, 07:38 PM

While that is good advice, it isn't 100% acurate. I've seen/helped with many MANY spring torchings, and never had any of them had any ill effects other than a crappy ride. Quite a few of the guys that were pimpin mega dollar rides at the good guys this year were admiting to heating up there coils.
it is by far, not the best route to go, you CAN totally kerfagle the springs...however, you CAN do it and get 100,000 trouble free miles out of them....with a crappy ride.

matthufham · 07-16-2005, 08:23 PM

i definately wouldn't call heating a coil ideal, but free bad ride vs expensive quality ride is still a tough decision. compare pinto to mustang, i'd go with mustang (quality, expensive...)

by the way modifiedgmc, i love your stance. perfect amount of distance between top of tire and wheelwell both front and rear. are you running the same dimension tires front and rear?

06-25-2005, 08:35 PM	#1
matthufham Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Carl Junction, Missouri Posts: 2,061	cutting coils can you cut rear coils? 2nd question, how? i'm looking for a 5 inch drop in the rear, and i wont get that with 5 inch drop coils because mine are probably 1-2 inches lower due to sagging. cutting the fronts: i might cut them, but somewhere i heard somewhere about cutting only one side. was it cut the top 1 coil, or flip it over and cut the bottom 1 coil? -thanks

07-15-2005, 08:55 PM	#10
modifiedGMC Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Walker Co. Alabama Posts: 474	I cut 1 1/4 coils from my front and that's about all you could cut without the springs falling out when you jack it up. Make sure you get the end of the coil setting back in the dip where it sits originally. A little advanced warning, when you shorten your front coils that much, it will cause your caster/camber to be off, and if you don't have the front end re-aligned it will wear the inside of your tires out QUICKLY! Ask me how I know. here is a pic of mine with 1 1/4 coils cut from the front. I also trimmed about 3/4" off my rubber stops on the lower a-frame to give it a little more clearance. Total cost of lowering job: $0.00 (just a little labor) __________________ If it don't fit, force it,...If it still don't fit , modify it 'till it does fit !!!

07-15-2005, 11:00 PM	#11
kaycee Registered User Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Wyoming USA Posts: 2,446	Hey modified GMC what did you do to the back to make it level ?new spring's or blocks??? __________________ 2001 Silverado K-1500 2005 FXDWG stage3 69 CHEVY Short/Step 327/4L60 373 posi 63 IMPALA 327

07-16-2005, 08:23 PM	#15
matthufham Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Carl Junction, Missouri Posts: 2,061	i definately wouldn't call heating a coil ideal, but free bad ride vs expensive quality ride is still a tough decision. compare pinto to mustang, i'd go with mustang (quality, expensive...) by the way modifiedgmc, i love your stance. perfect amount of distance between top of tire and wheelwell both front and rear. are you running the same dimension tires front and rear? Last edited by matthufham; 07-16-2005 at 08:25 PM.

06-25-2005, 08:43 PM	#2
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	No, you can not cut rear coils. They coil up tighter on the ends...pig tails if you will. Cutting fronts... I never heard only cut one end, I've always cut a coil from the top, and that normally dropped 2 inches or so. what do you plan on cutting them with? Is this a testing phase..as in, do you plan on keeping when you end up with here

06-25-2005, 09:29 PM	#3
Randy70C-10 Account Suspended Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Virginia Beach, Va. U.S.A. Posts: 15,320	The front coils can be cut at the bottom, the tops are pig-tailed. You get about 1 inch of drop for every 1/3 of a turn on the coil. Do not cut more than I full coil! The back will have to be dropped using a combination of dropped coils and lowering blocks.

06-25-2005, 09:59 PM	#4
matthufham Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Carl Junction, Missouri Posts: 2,061	well longhorn, i figured a sawzaw would be quickest and coolest. and i guess i'll make a call to early classic for the rear coils. i do plan to keep the fronts and use them, trying to save money.

06-25-2005, 10:04 PM	#5
Randy70C-10 Account Suspended Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Virginia Beach, Va. U.S.A. Posts: 15,320	A sawzall will work, and a cutting wheel on a die grinder is even faster.

06-25-2005, 10:18 PM	#6
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	hmmmm, maybe it was the bottom i was cutting.

06-25-2005, 10:22 PM	#7
Randy70C-10 Account Suspended Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Virginia Beach, Va. U.S.A. Posts: 15,320	Yep. The top has that thingy that the pigtail has to slide around and the bottom fits into a groove in the lower A-arm.

06-25-2005, 10:26 PM	#8
matthufham Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Carl Junction, Missouri Posts: 2,061	thanks for the help guys

07-14-2005, 09:10 PM	#9
jon6foot4 Registered User Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 3	Awesome - it took me like an hour to find this but it answered my questions too

07-16-2005, 07:38 PM	#14
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	While that is good advice, it isn't 100% acurate. I've seen/helped with many MANY spring torchings, and never had any of them had any ill effects other than a crappy ride. Quite a few of the guys that were pimpin mega dollar rides at the good guys this year were admiting to heating up there coils. it is by far, not the best route to go, you CAN totally kerfagle the springs...however, you CAN do it and get 100,000 trouble free miles out of them....with a crappy ride.



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