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

[Lof8]

I dropped about 1/8" - 1/4" in the fronts and about 1/2" in the rears when I removed mine.

[Lof8]

Alright, finally got around to doing this.

before:


removed just a tad more than half a coil from the bottom:


after:


results:
The front of the car dropped about 3/8" with the removal of a bit more than half a coil. I'm very pleased with the ride height now and have saved myself the cost of a coilover kit. The spring rate may have gone up a shade, but that is no ill-effect in my opinion. I see no current problems and no future problems.

note: these IE3s did not stay "seated" on the top and bottom of the perches when the front end was jacked up (before cutting). The spring could be moved slightly. So, obviously the same is true now, with half a coil removed. When the car was dropped back on the ground, the springs safely land back on the perches (BOTH before AND after removing 1/2 a coil). I zip tied the bottom of the spring to the lower perch and this works well.

If you hate what I've done and think I couldn't be stupider, please leave without comment. Your opinion has been covered.

It is my opinion that cutting 1/2 a coil did exactly what I wanted at no monetary, safety, or performance cost.

thanks

[Cobra Jet]

any pics of the car from afar to see the overall look (ie: drop)?

[RickSloan]

im gonna do this in both cars as soon as it gets warm, and my 335 is running. I'll try and post results, the 335 is getting a whole coil, and the e12 might get a coil and a half on stock springs

good work

[Lof8]

I'll see what i can do about a wide angle comparison, but its probably more apparent in the close shots.
heres another "after" for now

[Jand3rson]

Looks great! Can you report back on any further observations in changes in handling?

[Lof8]

Looks great! Can you report back on any further observations in changes in handling?

It feels slightly firmer up front. Turn-in feels a little bit sharper (this is likely helped by the e36 rack I put in the same weekend). My guesstimate is that it may have increased the spring rate slightly by around 25 lbs/in. or so.

I did no actual measurements of this- its just how it feels behind the wheel.

I'll add to this if I feel any other changes.

btw, a dremel cutting wheel worked perfectly. I didn't even have to remove the struts from the car. My spring pads were already removed, though. I don't know if it would be quite as easy with them in place.

[SpecM]

I'm cutting two coils from my stock springs, haters be damned

I'll report back

[B_V]

Quick question for everyone (sorry for the hi-jack), I'm needing to replace both front control arms and also want to replace the rack and maybe cut a coil or two off my springs. I assume it would be wise to do all three of these things at the same time? Any idea on how long the car would be out of commission assuming I'm doing all of this with jack stands in a driveway?

[Jand3rson]

Shouldn't take more than a few hours, those are all pretty easy jobs, if you've got some wrenching skill.

[norcalE30]

so how bout the rears? from what ive read, the football shape means a no-go for cutting? i thought i read somewhere that you can make a bracket to hold them in? i kinda want to do this

[240zs30]

LOF8.
I like what you did there. However I'm curious. You cut the 1/2 coil from the bottom "Active" part of the spring. Does anyone know if it be would have been better to cut a hole coil from the dead coils on top? since the springs thickness seems to be almost the same height your trying to go lower by.

[Scarlet_Pimpernel]

I thought on those springs you had to cut from the top where all the dead coils sit?
I know on vw's its usually from the bottom up for the front springs and vice versa on the rears.
Any ways, i dont see anything wrong with cutting springs. I actaully just did my friends mk3 vr6 last night. Cut two dead coils off his H&R cup kit in the front and one dead in the back. rides the same, imo i think it rides a little better.
ive done it on all my cars and i never had any problems...
like take my fox for example. I only had two and a half coils left in teh fronton stock springs. I had to do this cause they dont make lowering springs for these cars or coils. but on the rear i put some GC springs that i had.


everyone that rode in my fox, never complained about the ride. even i was impressed. i thought it would be horrible, but it actually rode really good. and this was one stock blown to hell shocks with 156K on them. After i lowered it, it rode better than stock. and handling was amazing. and i never had any issues with springs falling out or whatever.
but dont blame me if you mess up with something. just letting you guys know what i have experienced.

[Lof8]

well, the IE3s are already pretty low and to be honest, I was a bit concerned about bottoming out my bilstein sport struts. I decided to remove half of a live coil to up the spring rate a bit as opposed to removing a whole dead coil and keeping the spring rate the same.

I haven't had any problems and am happy with the slightly higher rate, but I feel that a whole dead coil probably wouldn't bottom either. I'd like to hear any experience with that route too.

[xwill112x]

so for a bit stiffer spring, with oem shocks, cut from the bottom up about 2 coils for a 1.5-2 inch drop?

wont this blow the shocks?