Cutting Rear Springs to Level Car

[MLC40]

I want to drop the rear of my car by 1/2 inch to level it out with the front. I have looked at aftermarket springs but the lowest drop I found was an inch. I picked up a set of take-off rear springs and want to cut them. I apologize for the dumb questions, but my car is in storage so I can not just jack it up. Ok, here are the dumb questions...

Do the rear springs have a top and bottom? I looked at the ones that I bought and they look symmetrical.

Do the ends of the springs locate on something or do they just set on a flat or dished part of the car?

I plan to remove 1/2 a coil and testing the ride height, should I remove a 1/4 of a coil from each side of the spring or can I take it all off one side?

Thanks for your input.

 

[scramblr]

I'm pretty sure one of the Eibach sets drops the car around 2".

 

[Larry_H]

I wouldn't cut the springs. The springs are progressively wound. You will be giving up a lot of load carrying capability if you cut them. If you just have to level out the car, first...measure the height of the car from the ground to the bottom of the car right behind the front wheel. Next do the same measurement at the rear wheel, but measure in front of the rear wheel. Now, whatever the difference is, go buy some spring clamps and install them and compress your rear springs by that amount. I think when you measure the height difference front to back, you'll find that you're car only looks like its not level because of the upswept rear gravel pan (bottom of rear fenders) In reality, I suspect the difference is only about an inch

 

[Pumpkinfish]

Actually you are going through what I am right now. I have the Saleen blower and the extra weight is pushing down on the front causing the rear to rise. I know this because my friend has the same springs/shocks as me on his car(no blower), and the stance looks awesome.

I just bought a set of Vogtland GT500 springs to see what they do. From everyone I talked to, any GT500 springs should work a lot better since the front spring rate is designed with the extra weight of the 5.4+factory blower. I will try to get photos of before and after to show what they did.

 

[Darth Stang]

Been running on cut springs for 2 years now, no problems yet...just don't take off more than one coil up front or 2 on the rear. They're still very stiff and I've had no clunking.

 

[MLC40]

Been running on cut springs for 2 years now, no problems yet...just don't take off more than one coil up front or 2 on the rear. They're still very stiff and I've had no clunking.

I am only planning on cutting the rears. When you cut yours did you take all the material off one side or did you split the amount off both sides? If I took it all off one end does it matter which end?



Thanks

 

[Johnmichael]

I've cut them before on other cars, but the Roush rear springs work so well on these cars (not to mention how cheap they are) I would slap those on.

BTW, I'm selling my Roush rears for $90 shipped if anyone wants a set.

 

[biznazion]

I am only planning on cutting the rears. When you cut yours did you take all the material off one side or did you split the amount off both sides? If I took it all off one end does it matter which end?

I had cut rear springs in my car for a couple years. I cut one coil off the top of each spring. This lowered the rear about 7/8" to 1". There is a locator inside the upper spring mount, which won't be effective once you cut the small coil off, but the spring is contained and can't really go anywhere. I was never really happy with the way the car felt with the cut rear springs, but it looked better. I've since put in Steeda Ultralite springs and d-specs and the handling is much better. The stance with the Steeda springs turned out to be almost identical to the factory fronts and cut rears (only 1/4" lower all around) - go figure.

 

[scramblr]

I've cut them before on other cars, but the Roush rear springs work so well on these cars (not to mention how cheap they are) I would slap those on.

BTW, I'm selling my Roush rears for $90 shipped if anyone wants a set.

Nice plug...

 

[spyder7724]

it's been a while since i cut mine but i think i only cut 3/4 coil off and it lowered about 2" i think. I was also messing around with the ground control adjuster and springs at the time so I may be wrong about how much it lowers but the only thing i found is to make sure the springs are indexed the same or else the car won't sit level. I have the cut end of the spring towards the back of the car and when i spin the spring 180degrees and place the cut end towards the front it raises the ride height about 1/2" or so. I've actually raised mine up using some coil spacers. I wish I still had the ground control adjuster on the rear then i could raise and lower the car much easier.
you can use a set of 2.5" diameter springs which are the type used in a coilover setup in place of the stock springs. they fit fine and are available in various lengths and lots of spring rates. if the stock springs are 14" tall you can just order a set of 12" springs that are stiffer or 14" softer springs and get the ride height and rate you desire.
call the guys at ground control cause they know which rates work best.

 

[Darth Stang]

Hey, I cut 1 and a half coils off the top of each of the rear springs, and 1 coil off each of the fronts, making sure to keep the orientation the same. Took the 4 X 4 look away from the car. There's some great write ups on TMS with photos of how to do it right.

 

[psfracer]

With me having the whipple up front and an iron block, I got some rear coil overs so I could adjust the height to whatever I want. I did it this way because--what if you change wheels/tires in the future? What if you do get a s/c---what if you change the car in anyway that changes the stance? With the cut springs your stuck, but with the coil overs (ground control kit) you can raise/lower the car to whatever you want.

Plus with the right rear shock they work awesome to. I have drag shocks and my best 60' is a 1.473. But you could also put an adjustable shock back there, and play with different spring rates if handling is your thing.

 

[ren274u]

where does one find a coil spring spacer? I would like to raise the rear by like a 1/4 to give my steeda springs a rake look.

 

[MLC40]

Thank for your input

Thank you for all the responses. Since I am doing the work myself I think I am going to give the cut springs a try. If I don't like it I know doing the job th esecond time is always faster. For those that might be interested I will post before and after pics in March when I bring the car out of storage.

 

[Hatchman]

I would recommend getting Roush rear springs. Cheap, and effective. Spring rate matches the front stock springs pretty well. Lowered the rear about 3/4", which looks pretty good with the extra weight of the KB 2.6 up front. I thought about cutting the springs for a long time, but figured might as well do it right. After $15K in mods, what's another hundred bucks? LOL!

 

[Darth Stang]

Don't forget, any lowering of the car will also require some suspension work such as:

Realignment of the rear axle
Adjustable panhard bar
Front end alignment may also be necessary with the new geometry

Regardless of what approach you take, figure on $300+ to have the car properly realigned after you drop it!

 

[Hatchman]

Don't forget, any lowering of the car will also require some suspension work such as:

Realignment of the rear axle
Adjustable panhard bar
Front end alignment may also be necessary with the new geometry

Regardless of what approach you take, figure on $300+ to have the car properly realigned after you drop it!

Great point! With my rear lowered only 3/4" - 1", I could visually see the passenger side tire sticking out further than the driver's side rear, had to get an adjustable panhard bar to recenter it. And the car would squat really bad with the extra ponies from the KB, so got some anti squat brackets, and the pinion angle was off after lowering it, so had to get some adjustable lower control arms. I'm sure in need a front end alignment, especially with the extra weight on the front end from the KB kit.

 

[MLC40]

Spring, no pun intended, mod List

I guess I should have posted all the stuff that will go on in the spring...

BMR k-member with A-Arms
BMR front sway bar delete
Steeda LCAs, UCA & Relo brackets
PMP line locks
Thumper_RRR tensioner
*Eaton True Trac with Ford 4.10 gears

* Will be outsourced

I realize that I might need an adjustable panhard bar, but I am taking a wait and see. I am also thinking about increasing the boost... I think a drug habit would have been cheaper.