Classic Mustangs List Archive

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: (email redacted) (Tony Perri)

I've come to the conclusion that I must lower the front end another inch =

or so.
The springs I have are just right, so that means doing a little trimming.=

I have 2 questions before I remove them this weekend.
- will my little air powered 'muffler cutter' friction wheel do this or d=
o =

I need a high powered chop saw ?
- any idea how much of a coil will relate to what drop ?
- I'm thinking that I need to measure from shaft to spring perch vs =

shaft to ball joint to understand the lever arm. Then look at coil-coil =

spacing. A lever arm of 3:1 would tell me to remove as much coil as 1/3 =

inch reduction. -- Make sense ??

Any other words of wisdom ?

Thanks for any help,

Tony Perri =

-- 67 Fastback
-- 73 Coupe =

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: (email redacted) (Rich Silva)

At 11:20 AM 9/27/2002 -0400, Tony Perri wrote:
>I've come to the conclusion that I must lower the front end another inch
>or so.
>The springs I have are just right, so that means doing a little trimming.
>I have 2 questions before I remove them this weekend.
>- will my little air powered 'muffler cutter' friction wheel do this or do
>I need a high powered chop saw ?

Probably, but you have to take your time. You dont want the spring to heat
up as it will screw up the temper of the metal...

>- any idea how much of a coil will relate to what drop ?

I once took a 1/2 coil off and got about an inch drop... Your mileage will
vary...

> - I'm thinking that I need to measure from shaft to spring perch vs
>shaft to ball joint to understand the lever arm. Then look at coil-coil
>spacing. A lever arm of 3:1 would tell me to remove as much coil as 1/3
>inch reduction. -- Make sense ??
>
>Any other words of wisdom ?

Dont do it. Save those springs, especially if they are "just right"...
Doing what you are talking about will change the apparent spring rate, both
by cutting out some flexing material, and screwing up the temper (you will
muck up the temper a little no matter what you do...).

Consider other avenues to arrive where you want to be...
1) Lower the A-frames
2) Different springs. There are lots of suspensions specialty shops with a
variety of products designed to lower the front end...
3) Get a set of springs from the junk-yard to cut down


>Thanks for any help,
>
>Tony Perri
>-- 67 Fastback
>-- 73 Coupe
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Classic-mustangs mailing list
>(email redacted)
>mix.twistedpair.ca/mailman/listinfo/classic-mustangs

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: (email redacted) (Rick Larson)

Tony,

> Any other words of wisdom ?

Take your time and it might take a few cuts to get the height you
want.

I helped a guy get his 37 Chubby on he road and it took him
three coil spring pairs to the the height correct. He kept
cutting off too much and had to buy new springs.

I'd suggest you cut half of what you think is correct
and try it.

Just be careful with the spring compressor.
rick

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: (email redacted) (Stevan Vlaovic)

I cut off my springs in my '71 mustang. I took off about 1.3 coils. Any
more and I can't make turns.

On Fri, 27 Sep 2002, Rich Silva wrote:

> At 11:20 AM 9/27/2002 -0400, Tony Perri wrote:
> >I've come to the conclusion that I must lower the front end another inch
> >or so.
> >The springs I have are just right, so that means doing a little trimming.
> >I have 2 questions before I remove them this weekend.
> >- will my little air powered 'muffler cutter' friction wheel do this or do
> >I need a high powered chop saw ?

I used a cut off wheel - I think this is what you are refering to as a
"muffle cutter".

> Probably, but you have to take your time. You dont want the spring to heat
> up as it will screw up the temper of the metal...

Yes. I wrapped a soaking wet rag around the spring to keep it cool.

> >- any idea how much of a coil will relate to what drop ?
>
> I once took a 1/2 coil off and got about an inch drop... Your mileage will
> vary...

Depends on spring rate, whether or not it is a progressive spring (and
what kind). Someone else mentioned cut half of what you think - good
advice.

> Dont do it. Save those springs, especially if they are "just right"...
> Doing what you are talking about will change the apparent spring rate, both
> by cutting out some flexing material, and screwing up the temper (you will
> muck up the temper a little no matter what you do...).

Yeah, mine is stiff as hell, and I need to really slow down over bumps.

> Consider other avenues to arrive where you want to be...
> 1) Lower the A-frames
> 2) Different springs. There are lots of suspensions specialty shops with a
> variety of products designed to lower the front end...
> 3) Get a set of springs from the junk-yard to cut down

I agree!!

-stevan

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: (email redacted) (A 64 'n' a Half)

Rich,

This came up some time ago, but, if I cut, say, half a coil, will it, in
effect stiffen the ride? (too many commas in that line) I'm thinking of
trying this on my Ranchero. I'm having trouble finding stiffer springs for
it, and in my "rural" area, we don't have a self service junk yard.

Ken


>From: Rich Silva <(email redacted)>
>Reply-To: (email redacted)
>To: (email redacted),(email redacted)
>Subject: Re: [CM] Cutting Coils
>Date: Fri, 27 Sep 2002 08:32:08 -0700
>
>At 11:20 AM 9/27/2002 -0400, Tony Perri wrote:
>>I've come to the conclusion that I must lower the front end another inch
>>or so.
>>The springs I have are just right, so that means doing a little trimming.
>>I have 2 questions before I remove them this weekend.
>>- will my little air powered 'muffler cutter' friction wheel do this or do
>>I need a high powered chop saw ?
>
>Probably, but you have to take your time. You dont want the spring to heat
>up as it will screw up the temper of the metal...
>
>>- any idea how much of a coil will relate to what drop ?
>
>I once took a 1/2 coil off and got about an inch drop... Your mileage will
>vary...
>
>> - I'm thinking that I need to measure from shaft to spring perch vs
>>shaft to ball joint to understand the lever arm. Then look at coil-coil
>>spacing. A lever arm of 3:1 would tell me to remove as much coil as 1/3
>>inch reduction. -- Make sense ??
>>
>>Any other words of wisdom ?
>
>Dont do it. Save those springs, especially if they are "just right"...
>Doing what you are talking about will change the apparent spring rate, both
>by cutting out some flexing material, and screwing up the temper (you will
>muck up the temper a little no matter what you do...).
>
>Consider other avenues to arrive where you want to be...
>1) Lower the A-frames
>2) Different springs. There are lots of suspensions specialty shops with a
>variety of products designed to lower the front end...
>3) Get a set of springs from the junk-yard to cut down
>
>
>>Thanks for any help,
>>
>>Tony Perri
>>-- 67 Fastback
>>-- 73 Coupe
>>
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>Classic-mustangs mailing list
>>(email redacted)
>>mix.twistedpair.ca/mailman/listinfo/classic-mustangs
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Classic-mustangs mailing list
>(email redacted)
>mix.twistedpair.ca/mailman/listinfo/classic-mustangs




K.E.Martin
64 1/2 289, 4 V, 4 Spd.
Sierra Vista, AZ










_________________________________________________________________
Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: mobile.msn.com

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: (email redacted) (Rich Silva)

In my opinion, yes... A spring is just a lever-arm rolled in a coil... If
you were to shorten a simple lever, you reduce its mechanical advantage,
thereby making it "harder" to do the same work...

Flip it around and its easy to see what is happening... If you had a stiff
piece of steel bar, 7 feet long... If you stuck one end in your vice, you
could bend it somewhat, right? (Depending on a lot of things, just work
with me here...) If you cut 5 feet of bar off the end... Would that 3-foot
piece be harder to bend? You bet...

Same with a coil spring... Cutting off a piece will 1) lower the front end
some, and 2) make the front suspension feel harder...

Rich

At 10:10 AM 9/27/2002 -0700, you wrote:
>Rich,
>
>This came up some time ago, but, if I cut, say, half a coil, will it, in
>effect stiffen the ride? (too many commas in that line) I'm thinking of
>trying this on my Ranchero. I'm having trouble finding stiffer springs for
>it, and in my "rural" area, we don't have a self service junk yard.
>
>Ken
>
>
>>From: Rich Silva <(email redacted)>
>>Reply-To: (email redacted)
>>To: (email redacted),(email redacted)
>>Subject: Re: [CM] Cutting Coils
>>Date: Fri, 27 Sep 2002 08:32:08 -0700
>>
>>At 11:20 AM 9/27/2002 -0400, Tony Perri wrote:
>>>I've come to the conclusion that I must lower the front end another inch
>>>or so.
>>>The springs I have are just right, so that means doing a little trimming.
>>>I have 2 questions before I remove them this weekend.
>>>- will my little air powered 'muffler cutter' friction wheel do this or do
>>>I need a high powered chop saw ?
>>
>>Probably, but you have to take your time. You dont want the spring to
>>heat up as it will screw up the temper of the metal...
>>
>>>- any idea how much of a coil will relate to what drop ?
>>
>>I once took a 1/2 coil off and got about an inch drop... Your mileage
>>will vary...
>>
>>> - I'm thinking that I need to measure from shaft to spring perch vs
>>>shaft to ball joint to understand the lever arm. Then look at coil-coil
>>>spacing. A lever arm of 3:1 would tell me to remove as much coil as 1/3
>>>inch reduction. -- Make sense ??
>>>
>>>Any other words of wisdom ?
>>
>>Dont do it. Save those springs, especially if they are "just right"...
>>Doing what you are talking about will change the apparent spring rate,
>>both by cutting out some flexing material, and screwing up the temper
>>(you will muck up the temper a little no matter what you do...).
>>
>>Consider other avenues to arrive where you want to be...
>>1) Lower the A-frames
>>2) Different springs. There are lots of suspensions specialty shops with
>>a variety of products designed to lower the front end...
>>3) Get a set of springs from the junk-yard to cut down
>>
>>
>>>Thanks for any help,
>>>
>>>Tony Perri
>>>-- 67 Fastback
>>>-- 73 Coupe
>>>
>>>
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>Classic-mustangs mailing list
>>>(email redacted)
>>>mix.twistedpair.ca/mailman/listinfo/classic-mustangs
>>
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>Classic-mustangs mailing list
>>(email redacted)
>>mix.twistedpair.ca/mailman/listinfo/classic-mustangs
>
>
>
>
>K.E.Martin
>64 1/2 289, 4 V, 4 Spd.
>Sierra Vista, AZ
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>_________________________________________________________________
>Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: mobile.msn.com
>
>_______________________________________________
>Classic-mustangs mailing list
>(email redacted)
>mix.twistedpair.ca/mailman/listinfo/classic-mustangs

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: (email redacted) ((email redacted))

That's correct. If you cut a spring, it raises
the spring rate. A cutoff wheel will work with
patience and wet rags to keep the rest of the
spring cool. Start with no more than 1/2 a coil
and see where you end up. You may get very good
at R&R'ing the springs.
>
> In my opinion, yes... A spring is just a lever-
arm rolled in a coil... If
> you were to shorten a simple lever, you reduce
its mechanical advantage,
> thereby making it "harder" to do the same
work...
>


---------------------------------------------
This message was sent from webmail.bitstreet.com
webmail.bitstreet.com/

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: (email redacted) (Rick Mengel)

I've cut coils on 4 different cars using a air cutting
wheel. NO PROBLEM. Just remember that your springs are
not perfect ,so cutting a 1/2 coil on one might be like
cutting 1/4 coil on the other. They might be both 480
coils but that don't mean that each coil is the same
tension. I lost a 1/2 inch on my Mustang this last time
so I had to use a spring spacer to bring it back up to
level. Becareful removing them and also if its a driver
don't worry about the ride you won't notice change.

Rick in Livonia

__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
New DSL Internet Access from SBC & Yahoo!
sbc.yahoo.com