cut coil question

[chuychevy82lwb]

So I bought drop spindles.since I had to remove the old ones to put the new ones in , I decided to cut rhe coil .I cut off 1.5 loops off and not it seems to be a bit loose any advice will be greatly appreciated.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by chuychevy82lwb

So I bought drop spindles.since I had to remove the old ones to put the new ones in , I decided to cut rhe coil .I cut off 1.5 loops off and not it seems to be a bit loose any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Define "a bit loose"?

[chuychevy82lwb]

When I put the coil in there after reinstalling the drop spindles if I apply enough pressure to ot will wiggle and to say the truth I think thats a big concern I dont want to be hauling ass then my spring fall out

[N2TRUX]

If you put everything back together correctly and the spring is loose in the pocket, then something is wrong. Is it possible that the spring was already cut?

[SCOTI]

The coil won't seat properly if too much was cut off. N2TRUX might be right & there was already some cut off the spring. It should seat w/enough weight but when the suspension extends (like after a big dip on the highway @ 60mph) there is a possibility it can dislodge.

[chuychevy82lwb]

No. Its all original except the shocks n rotors n brake pads and ideas on what to so here?

[Tx Firefighter]

Upper control arm bump stops missing ? That will allow the suspension to unload too far.

You'll also need to remove the lower bumpstops. Otherwise they will hit and stop the suspension from compressing enough to fully load the spring.

To review, you want upper bump stops but do not want lower ones.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by chuychevy82lwb

No. Its all original except the shocks n rotors n brake pads and ideas on what to so here?

If the coils were re-installed correctly, they should not be loose w/just 1.5 coils cut from an OE length spring.

A few possibilities are they're not installed correctly; or they were heated/previously cut; or something else is not OE. Are they loose w/the truck sitting on the ground w/full weight applied?

[chuychevy82lwb]

Well I have the truck on jack atands bc I found oout that I have 1 inch rotors not thw 1.25 rotors and I assued I had the 1.25 rotors when I bought the spindles and now I have to change all that good stuff rotors calipers and lines to make them fit do u think that after I put the wheels back on there will fix it ?

[cdowns]

could b that after 40 years they were sagged and not the original length

sounds like you should buy new springs

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by chuychevy82lwb

Well I have the truck on jack atands bc I found oout that I have 1 inch rotors not thw 1.25 rotors and I assued I had the 1.25 rotors when I bought the spindles and now I have to change all that good stuff rotors calipers and lines to make them fit do u think that after I put the wheels back on there will fix it ?

Yes. If there's no weight on them, they can be loose until it's applied. Still.... 1.5 coils removed from OE length springs shouldn't be loose. Something else was changed or one of the details is not correct/accurate. 2 or more coils cut from a OE length spring will render them as described.

[chuychevy82lwb]

Is the top of the coil suppose to fo the oppening on the top of the A arm ? Dumb question I know but im trying to figure this thing out

[stevencvn72]

The hole in the upper a arm demples down to sit inside the coils of your spring. It'll take a little fenaggling to get it seated right. But as stated before, if there's no load on your suspension, the springs will be loose. Bummer about getting the wrong spindles, but at least you're upgrading your brakes now. Any upgrade I've ever done, was because I more than likely screwed the old one up. Good luck!

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by chuychevy82lwb

Is the top of the coil suppose to fo the oppening on the top of the A arm ? Dumb question I know but im trying to figure this thing out

Top of the coil 'seats' around a d-shaped (formed) opening that is inside of the front crossmember (that's why the top end of the coil slightly tapers).

[grs]

I think you should cut a full coil. Not a half coil. The spring should fit in the packets. A half cut coil won't. I would never cut a coils.

[chuychevy82lwb]

So cut a total of 2 I qont bottom out

[lolife99]

2 full coils is DEFINITELY too much!
Never cut more than 1.5 coils.

[chuychevy82lwb]

Thats what I wss thinking lolife . Because I had read that you will definitely bottom out and scrap everywhere if you cut two coils

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by chuychevy82lwb

Thats what I wss thinking lolife . Because I had read that you will definitely bottom out and scrap everywhere if you cut two coils

it can bottom out & the coils can come loose @ extreme extension.

[grs]

Just don'y cut coils. Buy 1 inch lower springs. If it is to low, and you get a flat tire the control arm will hit the road, and you will be in trouble. I my self would just have 2 and one half inch drop spindles. Then you can use stock shocks.

[N2TRUX]

Originally Posted by grs

Just don'y cut coils. Buy 1 inch lower springs. If it is to low, and you get a flat tire the control arm will hit the road, and you will be in trouble. I my self would just have 2 and one half inch drop spindles. Then you can use stock shocks.

There is a common misconception about cutting coils that you seem to adhere to. There is nothing wrong with cutting coil springs as long as you dont heat the spring excessively in the process. Its a common process proven to be safe by many users including myself.

I do agree that spindles should be done first, followed by cut coils as needed.

[chuychevy82lwb]

I cut the coils to achieve the drop I wanted adding drop spindles I didnt think thetr was a prob since I read alot of threads saying you can cut them just dnt heat them up or cut to much that 1.5 of a coil was the limit

[HotRod C/10]

I cut 1 coil off my untouched coil springs. the "d" portion sits correctly on the upper control arm, but the lower portion of the coil now does not sit in the lower control arm like it sould........almost looks like the coil has turned counterclockwise.....it makes no sense to me when the upper portion is lined up correctly........any ideas?

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by HotRod C/10

I cut 1 coil off my untouched coil springs. the "d" portion sits correctly on the upper control arm, but the lower portion of the coil now does not sit in the lower control arm like it sould........almost looks like the coil has turned counterclockwise.....it makes no sense to me when the upper portion is lined up correctly........any ideas?

When you made the cut, how did you gage 1 coil for the cut location? This would be the most likely way things aren't lining up as expected.

[HotRod C/10]

It was cut directly below the original cut end.......I ended up with 1 complete coil minus the cut wheel width.