Cutting front Coils GM F or X Body

[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 !

[greencactus3]

just dont cut it in any method that requires 'cooling'
if it doesnt get hot, no need to cool it.
soooo hacksaw anybody?

i know on my s-series fron coils (should be very similar)
the ends of the coils sit in rubber 'seats' which would make it very hard to know if i was cutting exactly half a coil or not.
not to mention, if F bodies are as similar to s-series as i have heard, you wanna have the cut end on top, which would make it even harder to cut correctly (hard to stick head up there into the spring pocket)

[Vince@Meanstreets]

1/2 coil is perfect.


saw-zall or die grinder with a cut off wheel....if you try the cut in water idea, please don't use a plasma cutter.

[vicious69]

You're crazy man, crazy. Just take the extra time and pop the balljoint.