Cutting stock 99SS springs to lower car.
06-13-2003, 12:47 PM
#4
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 96
I have a buddy with a 98 TA. He cut half a coil off the rears at the bottom of the coil. I don't remember what he did on the fronts for springs. He's got QA1's all the way around. He says it rides fine. It lowered the rear by about an inch. I'm just wondering because when I got my 99SS it had the stock suspension. I had ordered the Bilstien set up. Before I picked up the car from the dealership I had them install the Bilstiens. When I picked up the car they had the old suspension in the trunk. I was just thinking, instead of spending the money on the Eibach Pro kit, I could just modify these springs.
06-13-2003, 02:25 PM
#5
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: fl
Posts: 97
I did that back in 92 on my s-10 big mistake after about 6mo I would come to a stop and my car would be bouncing like it was in a DR Dra video.. And if you don't cut the right amount of each side the same that is then your car is going to lean. 
06-15-2003, 10:53 AM
#7
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Soon to be Pensacola
Posts: 511
Gotta disagree here!
Cutting the springs is a good option.
You must follow some guidelines if you don't want any of the problems posted...
1) Bouncing "like Dr Dre's car" comes from cutting too much off the spring. Up to 1 coil is acceptable on our cars before problems with bounce.
2) Spring collapse or loss of tension comes from cutting the spring with heat. Using an abrasive cutting wheel eliminates this problem.
My car is about 1.75" lower by cutting 1 coil from the front and 1.75 coil from the rear. If I could do it again, I would have cut no more than 1.5 coil from the rear. Learn from my mistake! You need to take more off the rear, but 1 coil would be plenty if you removed the spacer and insulated the spring with rubber hose.
I didn't know that trick at the time I did mine, then on top of that, I did the cut job on a low gas tank.
So 1.75 coils later I had the look I wanted. Then I put gas in the tank...
Now it's lower than I would like in the rear, and by not removing the spacer I had to cut off more than I should have... So the rear, although not pogo stick bouncy, is very firm and with a full tank can be bouncy on a rough highway.
I am more than happy with my front cuts, and know now why I have a minor annoyance with the rears.
Learn from my mistakes and save some bux.
Riding in my car feels no different, to me, than a car with aftermarket springs.
Corners great, sporty stiffness, rides on rails.
I have something similar posted on my website, with some tips on doing the job yourself.
Good luck
Dave
Cutting the springs is a good option.
You must follow some guidelines if you don't want any of the problems posted...
1) Bouncing "like Dr Dre's car" comes from cutting too much off the spring. Up to 1 coil is acceptable on our cars before problems with bounce.
2) Spring collapse or loss of tension comes from cutting the spring with heat. Using an abrasive cutting wheel eliminates this problem.
My car is about 1.75" lower by cutting 1 coil from the front and 1.75 coil from the rear. If I could do it again, I would have cut no more than 1.5 coil from the rear. Learn from my mistake! You need to take more off the rear, but 1 coil would be plenty if you removed the spacer and insulated the spring with rubber hose.
I didn't know that trick at the time I did mine, then on top of that, I did the cut job on a low gas tank.
So 1.75 coils later I had the look I wanted. Then I put gas in the tank...
Now it's lower than I would like in the rear, and by not removing the spacer I had to cut off more than I should have... So the rear, although not pogo stick bouncy, is very firm and with a full tank can be bouncy on a rough highway.
I am more than happy with my front cuts, and know now why I have a minor annoyance with the rears.
Learn from my mistakes and save some bux.
Riding in my car feels no different, to me, than a car with aftermarket springs.
Corners great, sporty stiffness, rides on rails.
I have something similar posted on my website, with some tips on doing the job yourself.
Good luck
Dave
06-15-2003, 02:56 PM
#8
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Naperville
Posts: 1,110
I cut 1 coil off the top on my rears and the car rides just fine. I had the hals up front lowered about 2 inches, and with the stock rear springs it looked like a$$, I ended up getting sp 1.3"drop springs for the rears and it didn't lower it nearly as much as i had hoped. I figured what the hell, I might as well try and cut the stock rear spring and try em out if it's garbage I'll just put the other ones back in. I was suprised when the ride of the car wasn't much hasher then with my lowering springs, so I ended up keeping the cut springs in. I'm not sure about the front though, go to the link in my sig for pictures of the before and after. Some of the before pictures where with the stock none cut ones, some with the sp lowering springs, and then the pics with the stock cut ones. I think cutting them has gotten a bad rap because the imports like to lower their cars like 4 inches and cut half the spring off(being sarcastic) making them dangerous. I've had the cut rears in for over 1000 miles with no probs what so ever. As long as you don't cut to much off and use a cutting wheel as stated you should be fine.
06-15-2003, 03:37 PM
#9
Banned
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Darien, IL, usa (Chicago W.Suburbs)
Posts: 4,254
Originally posted by stik6shift93
I cut 1 coil off the top on my rears and the car rides just fine. I had the hals up front lowered about 2 inches, and with the stock rear springs it looked like a$$, I ended up getting sp 1.3"drop springs for the rears and it didn't lower it nearly as much as i had hoped. I figured what the hell, I might as well try and cut the stock rear spring and try em out if it's garbage I'll just put the other ones back in. I was suprised when the ride of the car wasn't much hasher then with my lowering springs, so I ended up keeping the cut springs in. I'm not sure about the front though, go to the link in my sig for pictures of the before and after. Some of the before pictures where with the stock none cut ones, some with the sp lowering springs, and then the pics with the stock cut ones. I think cutting them has gotten a bad rap because the imports like to lower their cars like 4 inches and cut half the spring off(being sarcastic) making them dangerous. I've had the cut rears in for over 1000 miles with no probs what so ever. As long as you don't cut to much off and use a cutting wheel as stated you should be fine.
I cut 1 coil off the top on my rears and the car rides just fine. I had the hals up front lowered about 2 inches, and with the stock rear springs it looked like a$$, I ended up getting sp 1.3"drop springs for the rears and it didn't lower it nearly as much as i had hoped. I figured what the hell, I might as well try and cut the stock rear spring and try em out if it's garbage I'll just put the other ones back in. I was suprised when the ride of the car wasn't much hasher then with my lowering springs, so I ended up keeping the cut springs in. I'm not sure about the front though, go to the link in my sig for pictures of the before and after. Some of the before pictures where with the stock none cut ones, some with the sp lowering springs, and then the pics with the stock cut ones. I think cutting them has gotten a bad rap because the imports like to lower their cars like 4 inches and cut half the spring off(being sarcastic) making them dangerous. I've had the cut rears in for over 1000 miles with no probs what so ever. As long as you don't cut to much off and use a cutting wheel as stated you should be fine.
his car looks awsome lowered and still rides fine
06-16-2003, 12:05 AM
#10
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 96
For everyone who recommended I don't do this. Why not? If I don't like it I can just put the original springs back in. Remember these springs are an extra set I have from my 99SS.
ratio411, I only want to lower my car an inch. Will one coil off the fronts and rears give me this?
ratio411, I only want to lower my car an inch. Will one coil off the fronts and rears give me this?
06-16-2003, 12:13 AM
#11
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Nashville, TN USA
Posts: 240
My friend cut his but he cut 2 coils off and it was too low. I told him not too but he wanted it "slammed". His car rides like *** now but if he had listened and cut 1 or 1 1/2 he would probably be fine. I say go for it. Just be smart about it and don't get carried away.
06-16-2003, 10:55 PM
#14
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 1998
Posts: 901
I would be interested in buying the springs if they are 1LE and don't have 100K miles on them. The part numbers are:
Front springs: 22132887
Rear spring: 22132889
If you want to lower it an inch, the BMR or DMS springs are probably a good choice. The SLP Eibach's are also a decent choice that will handle as well as what you have now, and will actually ride a little better.
I would also highly suggets replacing the shocks while you are at it. Bilstein HD's or SLP's are a good choice. I have a set of 4 SLP Bilstein shocks with 16K easy miles for sale, maybe we could work out a springs plus cash trade. PM me if interested.
Another option would be Koni SA shocks up front. They have a lowering pech that drops the car .75" with the same springs. You can remove the rubber spacer/insulator out back and replace with a **** hose and drop the back .75" as well.
Front springs: 22132887
Rear spring: 22132889
If you want to lower it an inch, the BMR or DMS springs are probably a good choice. The SLP Eibach's are also a decent choice that will handle as well as what you have now, and will actually ride a little better.
I would also highly suggets replacing the shocks while you are at it. Bilstein HD's or SLP's are a good choice. I have a set of 4 SLP Bilstein shocks with 16K easy miles for sale, maybe we could work out a springs plus cash trade. PM me if interested.
Another option would be Koni SA shocks up front. They have a lowering pech that drops the car .75" with the same springs. You can remove the rubber spacer/insulator out back and replace with a **** hose and drop the back .75" as well.
Last edited by chuck; 06-16-2003 at 10:58 PM.
06-16-2003, 10:57 PM
#15
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Orlando, Florida, USA
Posts: 1,713
Why wouldn't you just fork out $150 and get DMS springs? Everybody who gets them says they are perfect. I have to agree. I love mine too. Perfect. Perfect. Perfect. But if you want to tinker ... Hey. Go for it.