Heating Springs

[0000000000]

Like the title says...what do i heat them with.

IF anyone has done this how does it ride and perform.

[King Luis]

really soft, performs like crap.
DON'T DO IT!!!

[O 16581 72452 5]

Why are you posting this Waf? I've told you how to heat springs.

He's just wanting to do the backs, i did my back springs and it stiffens them up a bit because it collapses the coil making less coils actually hold the car up, similar to cutting.

[92 mtechnic cabrio]

that doesn't make it stiffer, that makes it harder on the springs to do teh same job because it has less coils, effectively making it softer and bouncier.

Unless you heat them to the point that they are sitting on top of each other, in which case, you'll be better off welding a bar in place of the spring.

It'll lower the car though.

[O 16581 72452 5]

that doesn't make it stiffer, that makes it harder on the springs to do teh same job because it has less coils, effectively making it softer and bouncier.

How do you figure? Remove coils and the spring gets stiffer, add coils and the spring gets softer.

Believe me, both cutting and heating makes the spring stiffer.

[jlevie]

How do you figure? Remove coils and the spring gets stiffer, add coils and the spring gets softer.

Believe me, both cutting and heating makes the spring stiffer.

I don't think so. The spring rate stays the same. All that cutting or adding coils does is to lower or raise the car.

And to the original question about heating springs... Just don't do it. Heating them to the point that you can change the overall length will soften the springs by removing the results of factory heat treatment. They'll collapse even further over time.

[O 16581 72452 5]

I don't think so. The spring rate stays the same. All that cutting or adding coils does is to lower or raise the car.

I think so, infact, i know so. ;)

http://www.allpar.com/eek/coils.html

[jlevie]

There's disinformation everywhere. The spring rate is a materials issue determined by rod diameter, spring material properties, and winding pitch. On non-linear springs (where one part of the spring has closer spaced coils) you can affect the initial spring rate by removing part of the variable rate portion. That's not true for linear springs.

[O 16581 72452 5]

There's disinformation everywhere.

...like your posts

[2002maniac]

The stiffness of coil springs is calculated based on wire thickness, coil diameter, number of coils, the torsional modules for steel, and a constant. Cutting one coil will stiffen the spring anywhere from 10-15%

I dont understand why people are so anti-spring cutting. The fact of the matter is that it works. No, they might not be the perfect spring rate as specified by H&R's engineers. But cut springs are a much better match with performance shocks than stock springs are.

Aftermarket is arguably better, but there is nothing wrong with reasonably cut springs in my book.
.

Listen to this guy^^

He knows what he's talking about ;)

[O 16581 72452 5]

Listen to this guy^^

He knows what he's talking about ;)

Atleast someone knows what he is talking about, an easy way to think about this is a long bar, the longer it is, the less weight it takes to bend it a certain distance. The same weight on a shorter bar will bend less, now take this bar and wind it up into a coil. BAM! You have a coil spring. ;)

[2002maniac]

however, heating is a bad idea unless you plan on having the springs heat treated afterwards.

Heating will change the temper and can make the metal brittle or soft.

Cutting is the way to go if you are on a ghetto budget. Just remember not to cheap out on shocks.

Cut springs with bilstiens will handle 100x better than stock.

[JasonC]

this is OT. 0 16581 72452 5 i seen your allpar link, are you into mopars to?

[O 16581 72452 5]

Nah, just the first thing i found on Google that the guy kinda knew what he was talking about.

I agree 2002maniac, heating is a bad idea, but it is the back and it won't see the forces the front do. I'm going to suggest the spring clamps mentioned on allpar to the OP when i see him tonight. I used them and they work really well.

[joshh]

Both cutting springs and heating them is a bit back yard hick machanic type things to do. Theres no need or reason to do it. There are so many choices of springs and cutting them make it so the spring doesn't prorerly sit in the hat right.
Do what you want but with springs at a whopping $150.00 a set, it's not worth the time.