New springs

Hi, I installed new front springs today with a coil cut off to lower the front. Here are a couple of pics. Tell me what ya think.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e10/novadude0/nova25.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e10/novadude0/nova31.jpg

looks good. its about where mine sits. i had to do the bushings so i cut off a coil to lower it down a bit.. looked like a gasser. i could have gone 1.5 or 2 coils. but 1 looks good slightly lower from factory.

It looks good,the front springs should settle a bit more,probally a 1/2" or so.:)

Very nice looking car!!! 2 thumbs up!!:D

I'm curious...If you cut a coil or two off of the springs, does it affect any other front end components?...You can literally just snip off a little spring and the only result is the front end sits a little lower than before?...I'm considering new springs and wondered about this procedure...Thanks for any additional thoughts on this....

Mike
Pop-A-Top
Tennessee

it dosnt effect any of the suspension components unless u cut to much and ur bottomed out. an alignment is always a good idea after u cut the springs.

if you could just get that tire over the top of the tire, i think youd have something there

I'm curious...If you cut a coil or two off of the springs, does it affect any other front end components?...You can literally just snip off a little spring and the only result is the front end sits a little lower than before?...I'm considering new springs and wondered about this procedure...Thanks for any additional thoughts on this....

Mike
Pop-A-Top
Tennessee

Hey Pop-A-Top I have a set of coils I took off my Nova that was lowered. I put a set of stock coils back on. Didnt care for the lowered look. Make me an offer I cant refuse and they are yours. I have a big block Nova they will work on a small block with air conditioning or big block without air.
Tony Smith.

Your never lost until you run out of gas

I'm curious...If you cut a coil or two off of the springs, does it affect any other front end components?...You can literally just snip off a little spring and the only result is the front end sits a little lower than before

it dosnt effect any of the suspension components unless u cut to much and ur bottomed out. an alignment is always a good idea after u cut the springs.

It will affect the geometry of the front end.
Cutting the springs with make the springs shorter (but stiffer) so make sure stiffer is okay with you.
Lowering the front end via springs will also bring your camber more negative, which can negatively affect tire wear (though TOE seems to have the largest affect overall in negative tire wear).

If you plan to snip a coil or two, don't use a lot of heat and DEFINITELY get an alignment done afterward...for $40-50 it's cheap insurance.

Thats how my car used to look.

Lowering the front end via springs will also bring your camber more negative, which can negatively affect tire wear (though TOE seems to have the largest affect overall in negative tire wear).


I thought these front ends were famous for positive camber gain, hence the Guldstrand modification.

I thought these front ends were famous for positive camber gain, hence the Guldstrand modification.

My own personal experience has shown that the car went negative when lowered (2 1/4" drop via springs).

When I first got the car on the road (and aligned) with new springs I decided stock was FAR too high. Changing nothing but springs (actually cutting 1.5" coil of) that car went for 1/2* positive camber, to 3* negative camber. All other specs remained the same.

A friend of mine has a 69 that sits an inch lower than mine now (so 3+ inches drop via springs), and the alignment shop cannot get him better (any more positive) than 6* negative camber--they are blaming is (extreme) drop springs and are confident raising the front 1 to 1 1/2" would get him where he needs to be.

But like I said, these are my personal experiences and may or may not be true to everything :confused:

cutting the front springs will not change the spring rate if there stock springs. unlike variable rate aftermarket springs (the harder they get squeezed the stiffer they get) factory springs are single rate. as long as u dont use a torch you will be ok. i used an angle grinder with a 4in cut off wheel.

looks great!!

cutting the front springs will not change the spring rate if there stock springs. unlike variable rate aftermarket springs (the harder they get squeezed the stiffer they get) factory springs are single rate. as long as u dont use a torch you will be ok. i used an angle grinder with a 4in cut off wheel.

Then explain to my why my car, with STOCK type replacement springs, is considerably stiffer with 1.5 coils cut off when NOTHING else was changed?

Even linear rate springs increase in pressure when cut.

the spring rate of the spring dose NOT change. the only way to "change" the rate would be to heat the spring. cutting the spring would not stiffen it but if anything weaken the spring. it "feels" stiffer because the fulcum point in witch the spring compresses has changed. instead of the lower a-arm being at lets say a 110deg. angle its at 100 or 90 deg. angle. witch makes it harder to compress the spring with the same spring rate.

Its just this simple without all tech talk. You cut your coils you will get a stiffer ride. My big block was lowered and it rode hard I put the stock coils back on, it rides good now. :)

Bscman and My 69 Rat are correct. When you cut the springs they get stiffer. I dont have any science or tech to show but it's true.

Im gonna have to go with 71 ricecooker on this the spring rate is not making the car stiffer. It is the geometry of the car. At least on old springs.;)

OK, I’ll finally jump in here. We’ll solve this is with the science of physics, the stiffness of the spring in terms of its geometry and shear modulus "G" and number of active coils "na", is expressed by the equation shown below:

http://www.efunda.com/DesignStandards/springs/equations/k_from_G.gif

As you can see (and if you believe the equation), spring stiffness depends on the number of coils the spring contains. With fewer coils the value of the number “K” becomes larger, “k” expresses the stiffness of the spring. Think about each end of the spectrum, as you get fewer and fewer coils you soon reach a straight rod, very stiff not much compression. As you add infinite coils you add so many more opportunities for the steel to flex. Each coil can flex just a little and if you add up all of those small amounts you get allot spring travel distance.

Think of it this way, lets say each coil compresses a 1/4" each, when the same force is applied. Therefore, if you have 12 coils your spring will move 3". If you any have 8 coils your spring will move 2" based on that same force. In this example, the only thing you are changing it the number of coils, the diameter, strength, and material of the spring does not change. Therefore, the effect that is experienced is only due to the number of coils. Since, the spring moves less distance when the same force (weight) is applied, the spring is considered stiffer.

Bottom line: If you remove coils from a spring the stiffness increases.

the only way to change the spring rate is to heat a part of the spring. you are not going to change the tension of the steel by cuting of a coil. but your car dose get stiffer due to the geometry of the suspension. Its like this... say you have a 4 foot peice of grade 5 all thread ok? cut it in half. do you have 2 2foot peices of grade 8 or 2 peices of grade 5?. thats right its still GRADE 5!

Try this, buy 10 pillows all grade 5! Then stack them together, jump on top of them. Then stack 5 pillows up and jump on top of them. Is there a difference? Of coarse there is! The 10 pillows provides more cushion/softness than just one pillow, the combined effect is softer. You’re not changing the material or grade at all.

I am not talking about changing the effectiveness/performance of each coil, all I am saying its that if you have more or less coils then the overall effect changes. After all, a spring is a combination of metal coils, and the performance of the overall springs is affected by the number of coils as well as the material strength of each coil.

Look at the equation, shear modulus is also a factor, if you change it (like you are talking about), you can also change the spring rate, due to the stiffness of the metal coils. There is more than one way to change "K".

Thanks for the info NovaShop.net

I am almost at the point of putting my front end back together and would like to put in a new set of springs. Can you guys tell me what your using for a stock height. Car is a 1970 SS small block,4 speed, no AC. I want to buy the right ones and do it once without having to cut or anything.:eek:

Thanks for the Wisdom.

Steve w