Chopping Springs

[PAULJ5555]

Someone I now has lowered his car by chopping down the stock springs on the car, It may look good but what effect will this have on the car, is it now a death trap, will it pass an MOT. Your thoughts

[aka_kerrly]

It depends how many coils have been chopped off.

It does nothing for the cars handling and there is a risk of a spring dislocating from the shock which can have very bad affects a failed MOT being quite a minor result compared to worst case scenario!

dave

[Matt106]

Don't do it!! Risk your life or spend £50/£100 on some lowering springs.Im sure most people value their life at more than the price of some lowering springs!

[braddo]

Matt106 said:

Don't do it!! Risk your life or spend £50/£100 on some lowering springs.Im sure most people value their life at more than the price of some lowering springs!

No need to be alarmist and lowering spring aren't necessarily any better if the spring rate is unsuitable, or the springs are too short, or the dampers are not changed to suit.

It depends on the how much the springs were chopped and what car it is (and that car's suspension design).

Cutting the spring increases its overall spring rate so it will firm the ride very slightly. Dampers may become less effective because they spend all their time slight more compressed due to the lower ride height.

[Craigwww]

I cut the springs on my old XR2i track car, it sat on the deck, looked awesome and totally destroyed the handling but was still fun. I doubt it's dangerous unless you are using the vehicle at high speeds.

[Matt106]

Craigwww said:

I cut the springs on my old XR2i track car, it sat on the deck, looked awesome and totally destroyed the handling but was still fun. I doubt it's dangerous unless you are using the vehicle at high speeds.

Track car usually means your going to drive at high speeds.

I just feel that if you cant afford to do it properly why bother. I know it can be done and a lot of ppl do but why take the risk?

[300bhp/ton]

PAULJ5555 said:

Someone I now has lowered his car by chopping down the stock springs on the car, It may look good but what effect will this have on the car, is it now a death trap, will it pass an MOT. Your thoughts

It does depend on what car, what springs and by how much.

No it won't be a death trap, but yes it is a stupid way to mod a car as a rule. Springs have rates, the length and number of coils affects this. Shorter springs need to be stiffer or else you'll simply ride about on the bump stops all the while.

New shocks are usually needed too, maybe bushes and geo corrects too.

In short, it's very much a "chav" approach on how to fook up a car.

[PAULJ5555]

The car in question is a P reg C200 Merc, hes cut off 3 loops from each spring.

[danrc]

Springs are usually more tightly wound at the bottom where it sits in the seat and gets smaller at the top where it meats the top mount. If you cut coils off the spring it won't fit in the seat properly surely?

[Dr.Doofenshmirtz]

PAULJ5555 said:

The car in question is a P reg C200 Merc

Heh - and there we were imagining a Saxo/106/306/Clio bouncing down the road.

[KrazyIvan]

PAULJ5555 said:

The car in question is a P reg C200 Merc, hes cut off 3 loops from each spring.

Then hes pretty much cut the spring in half and totaly fked up the cars ride