Cutting front Coils GM F or X Body

[Vince@Meanstreets]

After all this BS and the time and effort of putting the stuff together to try to save time I could have had it done by now. There are 2 ways to skin a cat but why would you want to in the first place? Ponder that while I do the other side.

[Jmartorana]

I have succumbed to the pressure and will heed the advise of disassembling the lower arms!

Thanks for the advise !

[Vince@Meanstreets]

Not to throw you off....but...You know the GM coil spring special tool was a big threaded rod and washer that went through the bottom shock hole and it was then threaded into a shoe shaped plate that slid in between the spring coils. It held the coil on the lower arm.

So.....A common flat rate practice was to reverse the operation to feed the threaded rod down through the upper shock hole and hold the coil spring up into the frame pocket with the shoe so you can easily remove and replace the lower control arm. You can also use it to trim the lower coils.

If you know any GM techs they should have it.

Snap on has a similar tool.
Please don't risk your safety by using a cheap $30 unit.

[Jmartorana]

Vince

That tool is what I was referring to originally.

Thanks

[Vince@Meanstreets]

Originally Posted by Jmartorana

Vince

That tool is what I was referring to originally.

Thanks

yeah but you started with the tree branch and come along idear first didn't you? LOL, j/k, you know I just had to mess with you a bit. You don't even what to know how I cut spring lowered my Mustang.

[chicane]

Yes... you can cut them in place. No... you will not be able to control the height as you suspect. To get an accurate measurement, they have to come out.

Secondly... you DO NOT cool a spring in water. You only cool it in ambient air or you will drastically change the temper of the spring steel and they will end up to be useless when your done.

And lastly... its not worth taking a chance with kinetic energy. Simple tools that can be affordably rented from a local parts store is much cheaper than replacing a door or window... or you head, for that matter.

[XcYZ]

Can't believe this hasn't been suggested yet.

[greencactus3]

Originally Posted by chicane

Secondly... you DO NOT cool a spring in water. You only cool it in ambient air or you will drastically change the temper of the spring steel and they will end up to be useless when your done.

no no no, you do not cool a heated spring by dumping it in water. that would be horrible.
what i meant was before you even start cutting, keep the coil inside the water to make sure it doesnt heat up

[Jmartorana]

Originally Posted by chicane

Yes... you can cut them in place. No... you will not be able to control the height as you suspect. To get an accurate measurement, they have to come out.

Secondly... you DO NOT cool a spring in water. You only cool it in ambient air or you will drastically change the temper of the spring steel and they will end up to be useless when your done.

And lastly... its not worth taking a chance with kinetic energy. Simple tools that can be affordably rented from a local parts store is much cheaper than replacing a door or window... or you head, for that matter.

Chic

I can't see how the spring would get that hot anyways. If you used a cutting torch maybe but cooling in it water would temper the spring and make it brittle.

I am not sure how taking the spring out would allow you to control the height any better. I was planning on cutting a half coil at a time. I am only looking for about 1-1.5" drop anymore and I'll be draggin my collectors on the road.

Now this turned out to be a pretty constructive thread !