Cutting Springs

[Devocat]

I've got an automatic e36 as my first car. its really just a segway, something to get me to and from work to save for my second car (hopefully an e28 or something, not sureyet). that being said, i want to personalize it, but not drop thousands of dollars on it, mainly because 1) i dont have it, and 2) to be honest, its automatic and i see no point in spending that kind of money into the car.

SO.
people who have actually driven on cut springs for a while, (longer than a month) could you please tell me what i should expect. im not chopping them all the way down, i just wannal ower the front 1 or two inches to get rid of that wheel gap. thanks in advance. again, if you havn't ridden them try not to post.

[Anonymoose]

IMO if you have to ask about this, you shouldn't do it coz you're just gonna fuck shit up :shifty

[Khabra]

Cut springs are horrible imo drove my e30 with cut springs for a year. Just save up and buy coils. And some people on here have some pretty sweet cars that are auto.

[Mattphi]

My Vo is automatic. Not a big deal.

[kaidotech]

After everything I've learned and read here, I would not cut springs unless they were extremely stiff non-progressive rate aftermarket springs. 90% of the time your stock springs are worn out already and need to be replaced so theyre going to be a lot softer then they should be. Cutting them will cause you car to bounce and bottom out constantly on soft springs.

[Devocat]

thanks alot guys. @the auto thing, yeah i suppose, but i like driving standard better its just more fun. thanks for the advice on the springs, im only planning on driving the car for about 8 months, till i get my second car. so i might just cheap out and buy racelands. i know alot of people are gonna ****, but i dont really care, the car is what it is. if i decide to keep it though, pss9s.

[StatusRacing]

Stance + aggressive driving is a recipe for disaster imo. Riding low means going slow unless you know the area really well so... Automatic isn't a big deal :)

[kartikeya]

Another cut springs thread?

Just search, FFS.

And seriously, stop trying to justify hack jobs with "oh, I don't want to spend money on this car" or "oh, I'm a poor college student" or whatever. Just do work. And if you're going to do hack jobs anyways, just admit it's because you're too impatient or too lazy to do it right.

[kaidotech]

Another cut springs thread?

Just search, FFS.

And seriously, stop trying to justify hack jobs with "oh, I don't want to spend money on this car" or "oh, I'm a poor college student" or whatever. Just do work. And if you're going to do hack jobs anyways, just admit it's because you're too impatient or too lazy to do it right.

He speaks da truth, troof!

[oilcover]

if you wanna lower it just a couple inches why dont you just buy lowering springs?
http://www.ddmtuning.com/Product-Categories/Suspension/Lowering-Springs
its not that expensive...i found that within 25 seconds of searching for 'cheap lowering springs'

[fizn]

E36... You can find really cheap coilovers to 'em.
Rather bought that instead of cutting the springs. ;)

Atleast in Norway, there are an okey coiloverset to E36 and that costs like 315euroes.
And I bet there are cheaper than that around the world.
http://www.partsandretards.no/justerbare-senkesett/bmw/3-serie-e36/tuningart

[FluidMotorUnion]

Cutting springs will do two things for you:

- Get you made fun of.
- Ruin your ride quality. I've never ridden on cut springs and described the ride as "good" or "average."

If you're a baller on a budget, and can't stand to be riding high, buy a set of Racelands while you save up (at whatever rate possible) for a set of real coilovers. At least then you'll be riding on trash, but height-adjustable trash that won't bottom out and destroy your car and your spine.

[Krolik]

Do not cut progressive rate springs.

[ghoster]

Rolling on cuts with a 240.Still have travel so it's not bad. Coilovers are necessary for better fitment and babes. Volvo is not bad but I wouldn't want to stay this way for more than a year.Doing it right takes a long time but it's worth it.Pretty sure you have a lot more aftermarket support than I do.You don't know how bad I want to just want to slap some 4in lips on my E50s.BTW-I have an automatic and I'm still breakin necks.


grant

[Devocat]

thanks alot for the help guys. ill start off with lowering springs, i guess your right cutting springs is dumb. if i get the money, ill buy coils. not exactly sure what i was thinking when i made this thread... sometimes i get a bit too anxious, and caught up in thought haha. anyway, back to the topic, thanks alot for the help. hopefully you'll see a build thread from me soon :P

[FittedDownLow]

coming from a person who has driven his car on cut springs for 2 years..... don't do unless your going to make extended top hats if even possible for the e36.....

just buy racelands or something, or buy SEANDUB's zero clearance coilovers lol

[Vince30]

Racelands are dirt cheap for e36s, adjustable, and I have actually heard great things about them from e36 forums. Obviously not competing with the expensive stuff, but you get a lot for what you pay.

[SinlessVillainy]

Cut springs ride like shit. Heated springs also ride like shit. It's worth it to save the money and do it right.

[mopman93]

cutting any spring will increase the spring rate, cut springs "ride like shit" because the overall height is too short and you hit bumpstops blow out your shocks. I run cut springs and the ride is great.... until i hit a bumpstop.

Think of the strut and spring as a system, they are meant to work together for a specified load and travel the same effective distance. If you go and cut the spring then you throw off the system, causing the strut to be effectively 30-60% (depending on how much of the spring you cut) through its compression cycle at free-height and have equally less length for rebound. If you use shortened struts with shortened springs then the system is back in balance. People aren't telling you to choose coilovers because its the only way to lower your car because all a coilover is essentially a macpherson strut, with the coil on top of the strut. The "coilovers" that people tell you to save your money for have shortened struts and stiffer springs and correct valving for the shorter stroke etc. etc. etc.

[FunfGang]

Stance + aggressive driving is a recipe for disaster imo. Riding low means going slow unless you know the area really well so... Automatic isn't a big deal :)

I'm not SUPER low, but I drive the shit out of my car almost everywhere. Ive got a skid plate to protect me.

[ScrappinBeretta]

i rode cut springs in my beretta for a few mins to a car meet and home, it had hella bounce , like some really stiff coilovers would and any slight bump would make the car wanna rip the car off the road. it looked sick slammed but not worth it since the cut coils dont stay in palce. Deff save for coilovers or get the lowest drop lowering springs make for the car

[dubmotion]

please do not cut your springs, that is all.

[benz88]

Its OK to cut non-progressive springs. I've got the springs in my lincoln cut to half what they were and it rides like a dream

[FreshLikeSushi]

agreed. it does make it stiffer, so as long as your shocks are good, then it will be fine

my galaxie has half the spring cut as awell

[ScrappinBeretta]

60's cars are a lil diff. besides when i drop my Fairlane 1 inch im going thru Dear born classics cuz they make lowering springs at there place

[FreshLikeSushi]

no, it isnt any different.

a linear spring is a linear spring man. they all react the same. they get stiffer the shorter they are. if you have a matching shock to accommodate said stiffness, your car will ride as it should albeit a bit stiffer

[runningpanda]

I drove Ethel for about 2 years on cut springs. It's not a pretty ride, and if you're going to drive like an asshole/nascar driver, then you will indefinitely wind up fucked.

After I got down to 2 coils in front and 3 in the back, the ride was so bouncy that it was more comical than anything. Don't do it unless you love getting buttfucked by your seat springs.

On that note, I never had a real problem with cut springs other than the occasional smashing my head in to, or flying out of, the sunroof. Again, it's fun if you like to laugh at your ride quality, but if you want the same ride quality as coilovers or bags... hahaha yeah...

[benz88]

I drove Ethel for about 2 years on cut springs. It's not a pretty ride, and if you're going to drive like an asshole/nascar driver, then you will indefinitely wind up fucked.

After I got down to 2 coils in front and 3 in the back, the ride was so bouncy that it was more comical than anything. Don't do it unless you love getting buttfucked by your seat springs.

On that note, I never had a real problem with cut springs other than the occasional smashing my head in to, or flying out of, the sunroof. Again, it's fun if you like to laugh at your ride quality, but if you want the same ride quality as coilovers or bags... hahaha yeah...

probably cause you dont have the right springs...

mine doesnt do ANY of that.

[Francois Dillinger]

Don't do it unless you love getting buttfucked by your seat springs.



:rofl

if it's your point a to point b car why not just leave it as is? i would **** to daily drive a car with a shitty ride, which it will inevitably have...

[benz88]

:rofl

if it's your point a to point b car why not just leave it as is? i would **** to daily drive a car with a shitty ride, which it will inevitably have...

Ride in my car followed by a stock lincoln. you will barely be able to notice a difference. Other then mine being low.

[Francois Dillinger]

e36 =/= lincoln

[runningpanda]

The springs and shocks were stock, fresh from 84 so, yeah I probably did not have the "right springs" for cutting lolersaurus

From point a to point b I got a lot of looks and laughs, and I laughed along with them :rofl. It's an old car, and for whatever reason I loved driving low slow and bouncing all the way.

[FreshLikeSushi]

im sure if you had a better shock, it would have been fine. however, just everything. when you halfass it, you get halfass results

cut springs with a HD or performance shock, makes it very driveable

[runningpanda]

Cutting springs in general is half assing it hahaha

[FreshLikeSushi]

not really.
not really at all.
in fact on the 427 galaxies...the factory cut two coils on the front and 2.5 on the rear to stiffen the car up, but they also put new shocks on it.

all cutting springs does is shorten your stroke, and increase spring rate. just like a lowering spring...

[Cronus]

Here's my opinion. If you plan on getting rid of the car at some point don't fuck it up by cutting the stock springs. All you're going to achieve by doing that is making the car less valuable to anyone who would want to buy it. just buy a set of drop springs. You can find them used for relatively cheap and at least keep some of your ride quality.

Personally I'd just leave the car alone and drive it as is. driving lowered cars everyday is not something I miss at all.

[FreshLikeSushi]

cool story bro
you are on the wrong forum

[Oxer]

This conversation is over.