How should I cut a cars springs without completely molesting it?
Posted by gemini56_@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 20 comments
Hi all, out of my friend group I would consider myself to be the most mechanically inclined, and therefore have been recruited to turn my friends jetta into a "stance" car. Yes he is extremely retarded and very rich, so hes not worried about the value or comfortability of the car, just wants something cool to look at in his eyes.
Yes he WANTS to cut his springs, and hack off his muffler. Man will do what man wants, and honestly im happy to help see how it turns out alongside my tools.
Now my question is, how should I go about chopping the springs without absolutely destroying the car. My current idea is one by one, disassemble the struts and try to cut off an even amount of each spring, then reassemble. Is there anything I should watch out for? I know that disassembling a spring/damper combo can result in violent reactions, we will be using the proper spring compressor tool.
Btw yes this is actually my friend wishing to do this, im not this dumb.
Independent_Good5423@reddit
If he is rich why not just buy the proper spring for it instead of cutting it? And i don't think you can cut a spring and call it a day
Medical-Pear@reddit
Watch out for the springs lol.
Get better shocks to properly dampen the now much stiffer springs. Though at that point you may as well buy springs so you just have to assemble, not disassemble, if still insistent on cutting, measure very well to be consistent across all springs (or at least L/R for each axle) and use an angle grinder with a cutoff wheel, not a torch. Avoid heat as much as possible. And don't chop too much. Do really good research on how much people cut and how much that drops the car. You don't want to cut 2 and a half coils if 1 and a half coils would've already dropped the car 3 inches.
salvage814@reddit
Seeing as your buddy is retarded have him do the sketchy shit of taking the struts apart.
Complete-Can3957@reddit
This is not “rich” behavior. This is equivalent to marrying your cousin and or sister type of behavior.
I feel like someone might get seriously hurt or worse disassembling springs off the shocks when i see questions like this. So please, for you and your friend’s safety, don’t.
Just buy lowering springs and mount on oem shocks if money is an issue.
Dry_Lengthiness6032@reddit
Don't vigorously rub the springs before cutting them should solve the molesting problem
stonewall028@reddit
don't
Agharinagh@reddit
You cant. Rear ones have a pig tail. If you cut it off you wont be able to put it back 👌 just get a shorter spring. Cheap enough💪👍
_Molj@reddit
I absolutely want proof of mangled rich kid springs. Doo it!
JuanTheMower@reddit
You buy lowering springs or coil overs.
AnxiousReward1715@reddit
You fucking don't you idiot
cizmainbascula@reddit
I’m not sure what’s your definition of rich but if we’re having the same thing in mind 1, he wouldn’t have had a Jetta 2. He’d buy a lowering kit 3. He’d buy an entire exhaust.
hatred-shapped@reddit
If you aren't trained I'd strooooooongly suggest against disassembling struts. When I worked as an auto tech we had a giant bulky machine bolted to the wall and floor with safety doors to protect the operator if a spring escaped.
And I had one get loose at a different shop. It bounced across the shop and cracked a cinder block wall. Don't mess with springs because they will cripple or kill you
SquirrelNormal@reddit
This. OP, I have little regard for my safety and fuck with all sorts of shady shit, but I don't fuck with big springs. Walk away with your limbs intact.
Eziekiel23_20@reddit
Cutting springs is common and perfectly acceptable to fine tune ride height or tweak spring rate. If too much is cut off it will make the rate skyrocket, ride like shit, arguably be dangerous, and run the dampers outside of their designed stroke, further compromising ride and safety and potentially wearing them out sooner.
‘Stance’ does not look cool, hacking mufflers off is not cool. Get new friends.
mpython1701@reddit
If he is rich, why doesn’t he just buy a lowering kit and help him install it?
In most cases, pretty straightforward job of swapping springs, adding blocks, or adding adjustable coil-overs.
phoneystoneybalogna@reddit
Yeah, if the dudes got money, why not throw it on coilovers? Then you can adjust the ride height, and the stiffness of the ride. You’re never going to cut those springs so the fitment is proper, and you’re gonna have to either camber tf out of the wheels, which is the dumbest shit possible, or take it apart again to cut the springs, only to end up back at the first scenario of cambering the wheels
No-Relationship-2169@reddit
You can’t do it “the right way” because you inherently cut off the end portion of the spring designed to mate with the seat. Buy lowering springs.
Idk how old y’all are but if you do this and he crashes, he or his parents could definitely sue you.
Hungry-Job-3198@reddit
Literally no good reason to cut springs if you wait to drive it for literally any normal reason afterwards. If he’s rich just order coil overs and an aftermarket exhaust kit that’s a bolt in. Install them and you will look a stud for doing it, and it’s wayyyy easier and way less sketchy than cutting springs.
DJScaryTerry@reddit
He's a fool, you should find better friends lmao
Sideburn_Cookie_Man@reddit
You shouldn't.