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

[RickSloan]

janderson thank you for cleaning up this thread, and i apologize for perpetuating the stupidity.

Lof8 i hope that you are still going to post your final results, i'll be doing this in the spring.

[PhillyG]

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

so two coil huh?

Yeah rear is sketchy.

I am pretty damn sure it was two coils. Don't quote me. It definitely wont be super low. Just make sure they are cut as close to perfectly the same as humanly possible. I mean make sure they are both cut exactly the same. Or else you'll have slightly different spring rates on the left and right which is never a good thing. Well maybe in nascar or something...

[Jand3rson]

While Barry has been a fixture in the E30 community for years, and I am in no way doubting him, can anyone else actually confirm this?

[E30_fiend]

OP and Josh, i have the TMS J Stock kit and have the front springs with one full coil cut out. they drop it a bit further and make it a good bit stiffer. The only problem i can say i have had with the cut coil, is the fact that it takes a god amount of driving for the front springs to actually settle enough to not pop under turning. If anyone has any questions I would be more than happy to answer them to the best of my knowledge.







Taylor

[Danny]

My buddy with an E36 cut his front races by a whole coil and he's had no problems.

[DCColegrove]

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

They call them "Dead" or "Tender" coils they're there just keep them from flying off the perch at full extension.

[rafiki]

I cut the front on my h&r's on my last e30. Cut 1 coil off. exact same spot it was just 1 coil less.

It rode well, didnt rub, and looked less goofy than it would have with the insane reverse rake these cars have. I wish i didnt have stock shocks on that car i probably would have cut 2

They call them "Dead" or "Tender" coils they're there just keep them from flying off the perch at full extension.

And not to bite on anyones words, I didnt read the previous quote that you had responded to, BUT dead coils are apart of the springs not for protection of the perch. But just like an other spring, dead coils are there to relieve pressure given by the change of weight of the car, so in turn the spring rate does not change. If the spring does not have sufficient material to handle the stress (which it wont, being cut), the car will lack crossweight and tend to become loose off the corner.

Thats why its not smart fo cut springs. But iv done it, and will do it again because i dont care if the spring has a little less or more pressure put on it while shifting or hitting a bump. The thought of the spring not working 100% the way its suppose to doesnt bother me.

But to the OP, i say just just a coil! if its not low enough go back and cut another one!

[EtaSport]

I cut 1 coil off my bav auto springs (came on the car when i bought it) on my e36, front was squishy and didnt have a good stance. Improved handling, ride quality and gave it a more level stance, nothing bad in my opinion. Only thing is even though I cut an identical amount one side seems just a bit lower than the other. Id have to corner weigh the car to see for sure.

My dad cut off 2 coils on H+R sport on his m roadster, front sat higher than the rear when he first put them on.

[PhillyG]

I cut the front on my h&r's on my last e30. Cut 1 coil off. exact same spot it was just 1 coil less.

It rode well, didnt rub, and looked less goofy than it would have with the insane reverse rake these cars have. I wish i didnt have stock shocks on that car i probably would have cut 2



And not to bite on anyones words, I didnt read the previous quote that you had responded to, BUT dead coils are apart of the springs not for protection of the perch. But just like an other spring, dead coils are there to relieve pressure given by the change of weight of the car, so in turn the spring rate does not change. If the spring does not have sufficient material to handle the stress (which it wont, being cut), the car will lack crossweight and tend to become loose off the corner.

Thats why its not smart fo cut springs. But iv done it, and will do it again because i dont care if the spring has a little less or more pressure put on it while shifting or hitting a bump. The thought of the spring not working 100% the way its suppose to doesnt bother me.

But to the OP, i say just just a coil! if its not low enough go back and cut another one!

The car really doesn't have reverse rake, the lower rear arches on the late models, create what seems to be reverse rake. Get a early model if it bothers you that much.

[rafiki]

The car really doesn't have reverse rake, the lower rear arches on the late models, create what seems to be reverse rake. Get a early model if it bothers you that much.

yeah, i understand its the fenders/arches. and no, it doesnt bother me enough to get an early one!

[Tbolt]

side question...how do you measure and what do you usually use to cut them? just curious

[rafiki]

no measuring. exactly where the spring would end(on top) i would cut 1 full rotation off. to the same spot one spring lower..

and im sure you can use anything that will cut through metal...

i use an angle grinder

[PhillyG]

Electric cutting wheel. The handheld kind, I dunno what they are called. It'll cut through them relatively quickly.

[318isbmw]

Electric cutting wheel. The handheld kind, I dunno what they are called. It'll cut through them relatively quickly.

Angle grinder with a metal cutoff wheel. Let them sit and cool off naturally. Don't rush and put them back in as their hot and can warp a little bit and end up uneven.

[nando]

H&R race cost what, $300-350 new? you can get a ground control spring/adjuster kit for $400 and drop it as low as you want. Why even bother cutting springs? Sell them to a SpecE30 guy who can actually use them.

and I'm not saying this because I think it's neccesarily bad or dangerous - I just don't get the point when fully adjustable ride height is affordable.