Best way to cut the spring pads up front?

[dandingo]

So I just finished lowering my car and it's not quite low enough in the front. I want a bit of a rake so I've read that cutting the spring pads out is the best way to go and hopefully I won't get any squeaking.

What's the best and easiest way to cut them out? I've heard it's pretty easy but I want to make sure because doing the front was a bitch. I want to avoid taking everything apart again.

[KenC]

You have to take the struts out and take them out. You're only going to lower the car maybe 1/8" by taking them out. Not worth the hassle if you already have everything back in.

[golde30]

if you have lowering springs, just jack up the front end of the car, the springs will probably be loose off the struts, just get in there and cut away.

[dandingo]

Yeah, I'm hoping they're loose. That's what I wasn't sure about. If they're not loose, I don't think I want to risk all the work it'll take to get them out unless someone has a better idea...

[CorvallisBMW]

blow torch? ;)

[Justin B]

In terms of spring length, my H&R sport springs still were preloaded a little bit even jacked up, but my race's fall loose (not anymore, ziptied to the hat) so unless you have really short springs, you'll still need to get a spring compressor in there to squeeze them down a little. In reality, its not much of a difference, both pads top and bottom add up to about a quarter inch, without being squished at all by the car's weight. Not much difference at all.

[E30_fiend]

When I cut mine out I just jacked up the front of the car and took the tire off. I used a pair of dykes and a utility knife. It wil lower it much more if depending on what pads you have. A lot of E30s have pretty thick spring pads and others have very thin spring pads. I had the very thick spring pads on the bottom spring perch and the thin ones on the upper spring perch.

Its pretty easy to cut out the thin ones but the thicker ones just take a little more time and patience.


E30_Fiend

[dandingo]

When I cut mine out I just jacked up the front of the car and took the tire off. I used a pair of dykes and a utility knife. It wil lower it much more if depending on what pads you have. A lot of E30s have pretty thick spring pads and others have very thin spring pads. I had the very thick spring pads on the bottom spring perch and the thin ones on the upper spring perch.

Its pretty easy to cut out the thin ones but the thicker ones just take a little more time and patience.


E30_Fiend

Yeah mine did look a little thick. I think it's even worth it for a 1/4 inch but I'm hoping for a 1/2 inch. Were your springs loose once you jacked up the car or did you have to use spring compressors?