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Old 08-17-2010, 10:47 AM   #1
Blackjeep99
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how to lower by heating fr springs help???

Need info on how to heat the springs to drop the front end to save some money for now. Want to know the best way. Do I just heat until its where I want it or slightly higher to account for settling. Also how will it ride? This is only temp as I save some cheese up to get all new front end in the winter time thanx for any help.
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Old 08-17-2010, 10:49 AM   #2
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Re: how to lower by heating fr springs help???

Pulling them out and cutting them is better heat isnt good for springs and the ride will be bad ONE CUT COIL SHOULD GIVE YOU 2 OR 2.5 INCHES
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Old 08-17-2010, 11:03 AM   #3
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Re: how to lower by heating fr springs help???

there is no info for heating springs ... it's a stupid idea ... like orange said, take them out and cut them.
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Old 08-17-2010, 11:14 AM   #4
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Re: how to lower by heating fr springs help???

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Originally Posted by Blackjeep99 View Post
Need info on how to heat the springs to drop the front end to save some money for now. Want to know the best way. Do I just heat until its where I want it or slightly higher to account for settling. Also how will it ride? This is only temp as I save some cheese up to get all new front end in the winter time thanx for any help.
You won't get many polite or positive answers to this topic. We do understand doing things on a budget, but do not condone heating springs. You can pull them and cut a coil off to drop the front. For the rear, use a set of Jeep springs if you have a coil.

DO NOT heat springs to lower your truck.
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Old 08-17-2010, 11:37 AM   #5
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Re: how to lower by heating fr springs help???

Yea what he said ^^^. Dont do it. Very dangerous for the rest of us on the road.
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Old 08-17-2010, 11:47 AM   #6
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Re: how to lower by heating fr springs help???

Well I was trying to get by without taking it apart. Only gona run it like that for 3mo tops on the weekends. Then winter I will have time and cash to install all new springs spindles etc just dond want the down time rite now. The rear is already lowered I did an axle flip I have leafs in the rear and its been down for two weeks now and its making me crazy not being able to drive her. Why is heat to a spring so taboo hear anyway? But if I pull it apart ill probably just order new springs and install them. How hard are the springs to cut ?
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Old 08-17-2010, 12:14 PM   #7
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Re: how to lower by heating fr springs help???

I would NOT heat the springs to drop it. The previous owner of my truck dropped it by heating the coils on all 4 corners. It rode terrible ,bump your head on the top of the truck on every bump .A friend gave me a stock height set of springs to replace the heated ones and my truck now drives great. I like the lowered look but I dont want mine lowered again .
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Old 08-17-2010, 12:38 PM   #8
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Re: how to lower by heating fr springs help???

I would just drive it the way it is until I had the money to do it "Correct".....
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Old 08-17-2010, 12:59 PM   #9
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Re: how to lower by heating fr springs help???

just run real fast thru deep potholes maybe you can tweak the frame and collapse the springs to have a lowered junker
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Old 08-17-2010, 01:21 PM   #10
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Re: how to lower by heating fr springs help???

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Originally Posted by Blackjeep99 View Post
Well I was trying to get by without taking it apart. Only gona run it like that for 3mo tops on the weekends. Then winter I will have time and cash to install all new springs spindles etc just dond want the down time rite now. The rear is already lowered I did an axle flip I have leafs in the rear and its been down for two weeks now and its making me crazy not being able to drive her. Why is heat to a spring so taboo hear anyway? But if I pull it apart ill probably just order new springs and install them. How hard are the springs to cut ?
Dude....don't heat the springs! It weakens the steel and makes the ride very rough and the metal prone to breakage = road hazzard for all of us. Anybody
with basic hand tools, a floor jack and ball joint seperator (ez to rent) can pull a set of springs cut them with a cut off wheel or sawz-all and reinstall them in about 4-6 hours. The ride will still be a bit harsher, but you won't be weakening the steel and creating a potential road hazzard.
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Old 08-17-2010, 01:28 PM   #11
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Re: how to lower by heating fr springs help???

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just run real fast thru deep potholes maybe you can tweak the frame and collapse the springs to have a lowered junker

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Old 08-17-2010, 01:40 PM   #12
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Angry Re: how to lower by heating fr springs help???

As EVERYONE here has suggested, heating the coils is a bad idea. Having said that, back in the late 50's it was often done (although still a bad idea). I knew of a local welding shop that did it. The proprietor must have done lots of them. But his very vast experience told him when to remove the torch from the coil, because the spring continued to settle for a time after the heat was removed. ... ie., if he was going for 1.5" of drop, he cut the heat at 1" or 1.25", wherever the 'magic' spot was. If you are bound and determined to do something like this, know that you are treading on shaky ground.

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Old 08-17-2010, 01:47 PM   #13
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Re: how to lower by heating fr springs help???

Take everyone's advice on this subject. The PO had done it on my Truck, and this is what they looked like when I removed them.
Cut don't heat..!!

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Old 08-17-2010, 01:52 PM   #14
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Re: how to lower by heating fr springs help???

my heated springs BROKE....BOTH rear springs..could have led to an accident. The front springs were super bouncy also....
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Old 08-17-2010, 01:52 PM   #15
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Re: how to lower by heating fr springs help???

its actually very simple to do. get your torch, get under the truck. make sure your head is under the crossmember (most important step). next you simply heat the springs until the crossmember lays on your head. wish you luck.
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Old 08-17-2010, 02:17 PM   #16
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Re: how to lower by heating fr springs help???

lol!!!! at the head joke.. heated springs suck the are bouncy and break
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Old 08-17-2010, 07:48 PM   #17
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Re: how to lower by heating fr springs help???

I have noticed people saying to use jeep springs on the rear. Is there a certain year and type of jeep to get them from?
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Old 08-17-2010, 08:47 PM   #18
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Re: how to lower by heating fr springs help???

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I have noticed people saying to use jeep springs on the rear. Is there a certain year and type of jeep to get them from?
Hey Brian,
Welcome to the board, I think you will enjoy the reading and info. that can help from time to time.
I've been a member for a long while and I still read things on here that help me with tech. stuff and better ways to do stuff that I thought I new how to do.
Just like heating springs! BIG NO,NO!!!
Hollar if you need any help with your truck.
Go ahead and spend the 25.00 bucks for membership, it the best money you will ever spend!
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Old 08-17-2010, 08:50 PM   #19
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Re: how to lower by heating fr springs help???

It's not that it's taboo to talk about it on here it is just that most people on here give good advise and the best advise is not to do it. I did mine in about 3 hours and mine is a 3/4 ton which is a little more tricky. If you search "cut coils" then you will get alot of writeups on how people have done it. here is the link to when I did mine. hope it helps!
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Old 08-17-2010, 09:20 PM   #20
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Re: how to lower by heating fr springs help???

Don't heat them, PO heated mine and they were broken when I pulled them. Cut them.
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Old 08-17-2010, 09:27 PM   #21
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Re: how to lower by heating fr springs help???

they heated coils for many many many years before the aftermarket started making them.
It can be done, it can be done safely.
I'll be manning my PM box for messages from all the haters now
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Old 08-17-2010, 09:35 PM   #22
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Re: how to lower by heating fr springs help???

the answer to less down time and a little cash= go to a local brake shop and tell them to take the coils out and cut them for you. when i had my s10 blazer, it cost me about 30 dollars and 30 mins to have it done. it was way easier than doing it myself in my driveway in the middle of winter. it gave me time to save up for spindles and bags and all the tanks and fittings i needed. and yes cut coils ride decent. heating coils means= bouncy, bad handleing, one side will sit lower, tires will wear fast and unstable on the road. i suggest take the coils out and get bag plates and put some bags in there. you will end up doing it later anyway. peace
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Old 08-17-2010, 09:36 PM   #23
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Re: how to lower by heating fr springs help???

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they heated coils for many many many years before the aftermarket started making them.
It can be done, it can be done safely.
I'll be manning my PM box for messages from all the haters now
you are correct, done it many times with great results, drop coils are just too cheap now. you just gotta know where to heat it and how, and i am not telling ya how
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Old 08-18-2010, 01:53 AM   #24
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Re: how to lower by heating fr springs help???

I'm with big-al. If you're going to do the job right in a couple months, why not leave the springs alone for now and wait till the winter?

I've tried the Jeep springs too... for literally one day. Jeep Wrangler hard tops with coil rears are the ones you want. But you can't really haul anything more than 500lbs in the back.
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Old 08-19-2010, 04:48 PM   #25
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Re: how to lower by heating fr springs help???

As everyone else has said, NO HEAT. But Cutting them is really easy, took me, 45min a side.
check it out here.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=416622
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