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    FACTS why cutting springs is a bad idea.

    I need proven facts on why this is bad. I would never do this, because i know its wrong, BUT my friends keep saying nothings wrong with it and everything i tell them about it is all opinion. SO i need facts on why this is bad, i found like one or two, but i was seeing if anyone else here could just help me prove them completely wrong. Thanks.

    #2
    The spring will not seat correctly in the upper strut mount.

    Removing coils increases the stress experienced by the remaining coils (this is why the spring rate gets higher).

    IMHO, if you can cut the top of the spring in a manner so that it seats in the upper strut mount correctly, doing a 1-2 inch drop this way is probably ok. They WILL ride better with OEM shocks than a lowering spring because the rate will not be as high. At least mine did. But keep in mind that the OEM steel was not designed to handle the higher stresses associated with removing coils, so there is always the possibility of failure. Although I am sure there is some factor of safety incorporated into the spring design.

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      #3
      Originally posted by sideways View Post
      I need proven facts on why this is bad. I would never do this, because i know its wrong, BUT my friends keep saying nothings wrong with it and everything i tell them about it is all opinion. SO i need facts on why this is bad, i found like one or two, but i was seeing if anyone else here could just help me prove them completely wrong. Thanks.
      Usually when you cut the springs, they tend to slide out of the top or bottom cups, causing horrible pulling. This is THE most ghetto way of lowering a car.
      Originally posted by Mishakol129
      Do not disrespect my intelligence. I am the smartest person I know : )

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        #4
        How about the fact that if you cut them, your going to have different spring rates for each side of the car, no matter how equally you try and cut them. I can see this having the most effect during braking, and cornering.
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          #5
          Originally posted by cloudasc View Post
          How about the fact that if you cut them, your going to have different spring rates for each side of the car, no matter how equally you try and cut them. I can see this having the most effect during braking, and cornering.
          On my Cavalier the tops of the spring slid out of the cups just from setting it on the ground, instant fucked up alignment. I'd lift it up, fix it, as soon as I lowered it on the ground, popped out. Stupid people lower their cars with cut springs, plain and simple.
          Originally posted by Mishakol129
          Do not disrespect my intelligence. I am the smartest person I know : )

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            #6
            Originally posted by dj_ender View Post
            Usually when you cut the springs, they tend to slide out of the top or bottom cups, causing horrible pulling. This is THE most ghetto way of lowering a car.
            You apparently haven't seen people taking torches to their springs. They do it with the spring installed. Darwin will take car of them eventually.
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              #7
              Originally posted by Jarrett View Post
              You apparently haven't seen people taking torches to their springs. They do it with the spring installed. Darwin will take car of them eventually.
              At least heating them allows them to stay in the cups, but yeah equally as stupid.
              Originally posted by Mishakol129
              Do not disrespect my intelligence. I am the smartest person I know : )

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                #8
                Originally posted by dj_ender View Post
                On my Cavalier the tops of the spring slid out of the cups just from setting it on the ground, instant fucked up alignment. I'd lift it up, fix it, as soon as I lowered it on the ground, popped out. Stupid people lower their cars with cut springs, plain and simple.
                Your Cavalier (not an Accord's) springs not staying seated and "stupid people lower their cars with cut springs" are neither proven facts as the OP asked for. I have lowered my car with cut springs and never once had a problem with the spring sliding out of the cup. The ride was good and the only reason I switched to a lowering spring was because the OEM springs were too soft for how low I wanted to be. I drove it for over 10,000 cross country and city driving and never once had a failure. If the springs rates were equal between springs before they were cut, then they will be equal after if they were cut exactly the same ammount. You can't really argue with the math that discibes coil spring stiffness. I have and would lower an accord again on cut springs and I guarantee I have more education than you do, so you should not go around saying only stupid people do this.

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                  #9
                  BECAUSE ITS FUCKING STUPID!


                  I dropped my CB safely for $280.
                  I got used Progress racing Springs, from the forum.
                  Then got KYB GR-2s, rode great, no problems and I got a great 2" drop.

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                    #10
                    My 1st cb, coupe, springs were cut. It was my first car, and I wanted it low... never gave me a issue after 2 years of driving it. I acutally never replaced them at all. At the time I wasn't worried about spring rates this and that, another friend had his lowered with a torch.

                    Either way, I will not go that route now just for the sake of the car being so dam bouncy. I would spend the extra 100 or 200 dollars for a better comfy ride, something that has a warrenty also.
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                      #11
                      @FAK_LAF

                      When you cut a spring the portion of the coil nearest the cutting device heats up. This will change the metallurgy properties of the spring in that area. Not to mention you'll be left with an end of a coil that won't be the EXACT same angle as the factory one. So this newly weakened portion of the coil will now be loaded a little differently. The potential for this combined with the issues behind the height of the spring make this seem like a silly way of doing things. If you're so educated then hopefully that's provided you with a well-paying job that would prevent you from having to make poor-man decisions.

                      People are quick to argue against eBay coilovers because of the very same issues that are caused when cutting an OEM spring. I don't see the difference. Coupling either of these things with shocks that are not designed to be lowered significantly just proves that the user does not have a clue behind the science of what they are doing and are just going for that dope-ass dumped look.
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                        #12
                        Originally posted by sideways View Post
                        I would never do this, because i know its wrong, BUT my friends keep saying nothings wrong with it and everything i tell them about it is all opinion.
                        Lol, so basically what you're saying is YOU want your shit lowered and YOU are considering cutting but you are hearing (mostly from this forum) that its a bad idea. But cutting is an attractive option because its cheap and easily accessible but you are struggling with it so you are saying your "friends" are telling you its not that bad. Let's keep it real...

                        Most of the cats here have never run cut springs. I would say less than 5% of these dudes have, yet they will always chime in and tell you it will kill you. We used to cut springs back in the mid to late 90's on EVERYTHING. This was before lowering springs and coilovers so we had no choice really. Everybody did it and we never had any problems. I am not condoning doing this though and with all of the safety issues that COULD arise (not to mention everything Jarrett pointed out) then its probably not the best option.

                        My point being is, cutting springs are not very likely to kill you. Everytime we get a thread about cutting your springs somebody comes on talking about "It will kill you!" No more than rolling Ebay cheapo coilovers on stock shocks yet nobody bothers talking shit about everybody doing that. But there are way too many viable option out there (lowering springs, coilovers, etc) to resort to heating or cutting your springs. Like I said, we only did it back in the day because we didn't have coilovers or lowering springs.

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                          #13
                          First-hand experience, servicing a local member's lowered 90-93 Accord for suspension problems. I jacked up the rear end unknowningly found the rear springs were cut. The springs banged and fell out of position.

                          You drive this car over bumpy roads, etc. you risk doing this while driving and the handling is terrible. This same car had other issues, like a poorly swapped F23 VTEC engine with timing belt rubbing issues that was about to snap, had I not pointed it out.
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                            #14
                            Originally posted by sideways View Post
                            I need proven facts on why this is bad. I would never do this, because i know its wrong, BUT my friends keep saying nothings wrong with it and everything i tell them about it is all opinion. SO i need facts on why this is bad, i found like one or two, but i was seeing if anyone else here could just help me prove them completely wrong. Thanks.
                            I thought you said you were leaving leaving?

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                              #15
                              Originally posted by FAK_LAF View Post
                              Your Cavalier (not an Accord's) springs not staying seated and "stupid people lower their cars with cut springs" are neither proven facts as the OP asked for. I have lowered my car with cut springs and never once had a problem with the spring sliding out of the cup. The ride was good and the only reason I switched to a lowering spring was because the OEM springs were too soft for how low I wanted to be. I drove it for over 10,000 cross country and city driving and never once had a failure. If the springs rates were equal between springs before they were cut, then they will be equal after if they were cut exactly the same ammount. You can't really argue with the math that discibes coil spring stiffness. I have and would lower an accord again on cut springs and I guarantee I have more education than you do, so you should not go around saying only stupid people do this.
                              Ok.
                              Originally posted by Mishakol129
                              Do not disrespect my intelligence. I am the smartest person I know : )

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