Cutting coils? Ghetto or a viable means of losing an inch of lift?

Ok, I've heard different opinions on cutting wraps off of coils, but not from anywhere that I have any reason to trust. I'm running RE ZJ 4.5" coils and want to lose about an inch of lift. I also want a slightly stiffer spring(I'm not running swaybars, but with the raised roll-center created by raising the axle-end trackbar mounting point 5-6" it is very stable). I've been told that cutting wraps off of a spring will not only lower the height, but also stiffen the spring. This seems ideal for my situation. I have access to a bandsaw and would cut them that way(so don't worry about using a torch and destroying the properties of the springs).

So what do you guys think?

Ary

P.S. I was worried about rubbing 35s with 5" of lift in the back, but it works!

Works fine. That's how I made the front springs for my autocrosser many years ago. I believe the increase in spring rate is inversely proportional to the length of the coil ... not height, but the actual length of the metal, so if you cut off one coil you'll be reducing the length of the metal by the circumference, not the distance between coils.

Ghetto, but works.

You will increase the spring rate.

Anymore than 1 coil might get ugly!

hinkley

Have you thought about swapping someone with shorter coils? You'd probably have an easy time finding some coils, cause people are generally always looking to go bigger.

Food for thought. :viking:

mission-inc said:

Have you thought about swapping someone with shorter coils? You'd probably have an easy time finding some coils, cause people are generally always looking to go bigger.

Food for thought. :viking:

Click to expand...

I have, but I don't know of any coils that are shorter and stiffer at the same time, only shorter and softer.

I will trade you my 4.5" xj coils for your 4.5" zj coils, both RE correct?

thought of:

f150 nets 3" add a 1" spacer and boom stiff, lower suspention....

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=36750


I was bored

Ghetto and dangerous. It throws off your suspension geometry, causing an uncontrollable situation in the right circumstances. I bought a Daytona Turbo Z with cut springs and it was scary. I'm new to jeeps, but see if they offer progressive rate eibachs. You can safely cut the bottom progressive coils as seen here installed: http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/385696/4

If you are worried about a torch changing the properties, you don't think changing the length of the spring will? Using a torch changes the properties of the steel and the rate of the spring. It can even make them brittle - especially with those who try to use water to cool it down.

lol, I'm not too worried about altering my suspension geometry since I built my front suspension myself I realize that changing the length of a spring will change the springs properties, but I was implying that I wouldn't use a torch because it would affect the material's properties.

I'm gonna swap my leafs first and then go from there to see if I need to lose an inch.

Ary