Who has cut their H&R Race or IE3 springs?

[Lof8]

I have read the discussions about wether or not its good or bad. I'm not here to discuss that. What I want to know is how much drop to expect from removal of 1/2 a dead coil or a whole coil. (this is in reference to the fronts only).

Thanks to those with experience and willing to share.

[318isbmw]

I have read the discussions about wether or not its good or bad. I'm not here to discuss that. What I want to know is how much drop to expect from removal of 1/2 a dead coil or a whole coil. (this is in reference to the fronts only).

Thanks to those with experience and willing to share.

I know on american cars, everyone uses a full revolution of a coil gives a 2" drop.

[Kingb]

I know on american cars, everyone uses a full revolution of a coil gives a 2" drop.

Maybe on a stock spring but you really think it is that much of a drop with race or IE3's with their spring rate??

[Lof8]

I know on american cars, everyone uses a full revolution of a coil gives a 2" drop.

How about German cars? More specifically e30s with IE3s or H&R Race.:D

[318isbmw]

How about German cars? More specifically e30s with IE3s or H&R Race.:D

Figured anything was better than nothing, sorry to not help. Thought it might be a baseline maybe. Since harder spring rates, probably less drop is what would make sense than 2" for a full coil. So far though, that rule has held true w/ mustangs as well as pickups and galaxie's. I honestly don't think the german's redesigned the coil, I'm sure it would be the same idea american or german car.

[Lof8]

From s14.net:

"i had H&R sports with a coil cut off the front for a while....i loved it...no problems at all...im thinking about taking some coil out of my H&R race fronts"

"FWIW,,, back in the "old days" beforre the Turner JS suspension, before Turner Motorsports was adream in Will's eye,,, and before everyone had coilovers like they were standard equipment,,, the hot setup was Dinan camber plates, offset crash bearings and Eibach Competition springs with a 1/2 or whole coil cut out of the fronts.

"As Don said,,, people have been doing it for years.
I had that same setup in my silver track car for a long time before I tried coil overs and loved it. In fact I still have it all in a box on a shelf.
It literally was "the" setup that all the fast guys ran for quite some time,,, well at least here in the Northeast.
If you walked through the paddock at a BMWCCA school at LRP in 1995 - 1999 thats all you saw."


It HAS BEEN DONE many times without causing problems. Please leave any opinions out of this and if you don't have personal experience, please don't comment.

[ethirtydavid]

are ie3 springs linear though?

[reelizmpro]

are ie3 springs linear though?

When the IE3's are compressed, the top 2 coils will bind by design...they are inactive coils. Cutting 1/2 or 1 out won't effect the spring rate just the overall height which is what the OP is trying to accomplish and why many people have done it and still do it today.

My advice is just to remove the spring pads first, see if you like the drop and then cut 1/2 or 1 coil as you see fit.

[Jand3rson]

When the IE3's are compressed, the top 2 coils will bind by design...they are inactive coils. Cutting 1/2 or 1 out won't effect the spring rate just the overall height which is what the OP is trying to accomplish and why many people have done it and still do it today.

My advice is just to remove the spring pads first, see if you like the drop and then cut 1/2 or 1 coil as you see fit.

Barry, thank you VERY much for this post.

It really pisses me off that all the douchebags in this thread couldn't follow simple directions and keep their bullshit to themselves.

[Lof8]

Much appreciated Josh

[Jand3rson]

Not a problem. I wanted to know the same thing, I don't know why it took so much shit just to get one straight answer.

[ethirtydavid]

interesting, the top coils are essentially just spacers then.. I was curious about this as well.

[SpecM]

Hate to sound noobish and semi-change the subject, but I'm going to cut my stock springs

How many coil(s) would drop the front about 1.5"? Should I cut from the bottem or the top?

[PhillyG]

Hate to sound noobish and semi-change the subject, but I'm going to cut my stock springs

How many coil(s) would drop the front about 1.5"? Should I cut from the bottem or the top?

You'd probably want to cut at least two. Heres my car with I think 2 cut coils.



I can't remember all I know is I took them off again and cut around two more. Car is pretty low right now. But I bought stock springs and new shocks because the car could ride a lot better with some suspension travel. And the back is just sketchy.

You need to get a decently thick piece of steel bend it into a u shape and weld it to the trailing arm.

Stock height REALLY sucks though. It's just stupid high.

[SpecM]

You need to get a decently thick piece of steel bend it into a u shape and weld it to the trailing arm.

that's in reference to the rear springs tho, right? I'm just doing the front.

so two coil huh?