I've got a 2K SE with Maxspeeds and GR2's, and was wondering if anyone here has chopped a coil off the front springs to lower the ride a bit. I like the ride from the Maxspeeds (except for noise in the rear when loaded with passengers - maybe the RSB?), but the front's not quite low enough.

If you've chopped a coil, can you let me know how you did it? Did you cut it yourself? Have it dome somewhere else?

Please don't suggest different springs or coilovers - the roads I drive every day would shake the car to pieces, not to mention trash the ride. If I were road-racing it, maybe....but I've still got to move the family around in it.

Thanks!!

 

dont cut springs. Deal with what you got, or get new ones.

 

I cut one coil off my Maxspeeds in the front. Took the spring off and cut one coil using an angle grinder and a cutting disc. I basically did this as an experiment before I went with the Tein springs or coilovers.

The fitment of the springs makes me a bit uneasy since you no longer need a spring compressor to install them but the ride really isn't that bad. I am still going to get the Tein springs when I have myself convinced that I have 170.00 free.

BTW the drop is perfect.

 

DO NOT cut maxspeeds, thats stupid and not safe. I cut a pair last week and when I assembles the strut the spring in the front was completly loose. That means there is a chance for the coil to jump off the strut and that would kinda suck. If the car sits on the coil it will stay there but if the suspension travels all the way there is a chance of it jumping. Its not safe and the Teins drop more then cut maxspeeds so why?

 

The safety issue is the only one I'm concerned with, and if the spring isn't seated in the strut after it's cut, then that options's out. I don't want the car quite as low as the Tein's drop it (I live in NJ, where the roads are wrecked), but the front can afford to drop a bit more than the Maxspeeds did.

I guess I'll have to live with the gap I have, or drop a spring in that will rattle me and the car to bits.

 

When springs are designed, they are designed to have a predeternined number of coils in relatioship to the diameter of the rod used and the load the spring is designed to take. Removing a coil is a bad idea.

 

92 SE-R 02 SE is in NY and the roads there are basically the same as NJ arnt they? He seems to be fine with the Teins and GR2's so why should you not be?

 

HitMan cut my front Eibachs and they look and feel great.

 

No, the roads in NY are WORSE!! then again I am on LI, where its not as bad as the city folk. Even so, i still hit some big a$$ bumps, and the max is fine....

 

I am all for cutting a coil off on AFTER-MARKET springs... don't cut stock springs, but Aftermarket springs are okay... i am saying this because I've done it before and for others... not on my Max, but my Civic, Prelude, and Accord... I know I had alot of Hondas in my life...

But for some reason, I always bought H&RS for my Hondas and the never sat right... always the front had a bigger gap than the back.. I cut a coil off, and the ride was great and had no problems with it at all. I also had experience with cutting a coil of Eibachs, Arospeeds, and Dropzone, none had problems...

 

idunno what is up w/ chopping springs....it's like a new fad....alot of ppl are doing it....if you don't like what u have....buy betta stuff....thats what i say....

 

the reason why people are chopping is not a FAD thing, its because of two issues:
1. if you don't have much money to buy Springs and Shocks, just cut the stock springs.. that will save you a ton of money, but leave you with a very very rocky ride...
2. Because who ever has the car, doesn't like the uneven look... how does a car look after it is dropped and still looks like a see-saw... so chop a coil off and there you go..even....

its not a fad or a trend... its done for abvious reasons...

 

Yup. My dilemma was this:

Progress, Sprint, and Teins were all a little too low for my liking. Eibach, Maxspeed, and H&R are all a little uneven. Chopping the Eibach front coils evened out the drop while keeping the ride height at a respectable level.

 

You can safely cut a linear or straight-rate spring (ex Eibach Sportlines) without an issue. This is a bad idea on a progressive rate spring that increases force as compressed. You are defeating the purpose of the spring and the geometry it was designed for by cutting it. If you are cutting (safely, I hope) you should never use a torch. Heat destroys spring strength.

 

That's pretty much my dilemma. I like the rear drop with the Maxspeeds, but the front is still just a little too high for my liking. Hell, I'm not even sure I'd need to cut an entire coil. I'll have to see how they mount in the strut frame before I decide.

I do like the look of the Tein's, but I'm afraid it would be a little too low for the area. Our roads are real bad this year.

 

The rear Maxspeeds are okay to cut because there are like 12 of them. The fronts only have like 5 total coils. I think you could get away with it.

 

The way I look at is....what's the worst that can happen? If I cut the fronts and ruin the ride, I'll just chuck the Maxspeeds and pick up the Tein's. Hell, I only paid $100 for the springs, and I've blown more money on worse things in my life.

Thanks for the opinions, guys.

 

That was pretty much the same thing that I decided. You might try a half coil first, you can always take more off and it might sit better on the strut when it is fully extended.

 

you can't cut half a coil... you have to cut a full coil off...
and for MoCoMax... give it a shot, it won't hurt to try...

 

You havnt seen a chopped maxspeeds (fronts anyway) assembled have you. Yeah it will hurt to try, to be honest there is a good chance it will jump off the struts and your ride will be more slammed then you'll ever want it to be.

 

i doubt that, give it a shot, and brind down the ones who say it won't work good...

I have seen the Maxspeed drop, you still have room for a coil to be cut...

 

There are plenty of Org members with chopped springs. I'm going to give a set of choped Maxspeeds a shot that I am geting from ASU, and along with the new Tokico blues, we shall see. If not, I'll just get Eibachs or Teins...

 

I dont doubt it, I was gonna install a set of cut maxspeeds and refused to. The front springs were completly loose when the struts was fully assembled. If the car sits on it, its fine but hit any bump or dip, ect... that will make the suspension traverl all the way and there is a GOOD chance it will jump. Id rather not take that risk. If you want to then I have already warned every1 about it. If you want to prove me wrong, then good luck GoldMember has done so for a little while but there is still a risk. IF it travels all the way, there is a good chance it will jump. The rears however you have room to cut and are fine.

Kloogy have you got the maxspeeds there yet?

 

just add bigger bumpstops if your so concerned...
and make sure you bolt the top hat completly tight and you'll be okay...

and for the ones skeptical, how do you explain coilovers... i mean ground control, some members have them, and they don't come loose, and there spring is smaller than a cut Maxspeed spring...

lets be serious, if you cut a coil off, and you bolt it onto the strut tight and the spring is compressed, then it won't come loose,
now if you bolt the spring down and the top hat is loose after tightening, then you might have trouble... but other than that,,, you won't..

and I use to have a Civic, with cut Eibach springs, and YES the spring was loose, I had it for a year and a half, and daily drove it, raced it, took it to the track, and even went on trips with it, NEVER did the spring come loose off the strut...NEVER... even after heavy bumps...

don't be so paronoid, and take it easy when driving, i am a very observant driver, if you know a bump is coming and can see it, slow down, don't go 80mph over the bump....

 

Add bigger stops? Were exactly are we to get bigger stops for our cars. When I assembled it, the spring was completly loose. It couldnt be compressed it because once I let it go it was loose again. It will be fine once the car sits on it but the risk is still there. Why would you even have that risk if the option to get other springs is there. Especially if those other springs are just as low if not lower then the cut maxspeeds. Ive installed cut Eibachs be4 and those were no problem. Im refering only to the maxspeed, if you have not cut and tried to install a cut maxspeed then you cant try to convince me of anything. Try it youseld, just out of sheer curiosity and see for youself. But have another set of springs are hand because once you see what Im talkin about with your own eyes you wont install them. It was to the point were I put the car on the lift and the spring came out of place while I was picking up the car. The cut maxspeed has like 4coils in the front and just wont fit in the strut correctly. It can be done by using two vise grip pliers to hold the spring in while you bolt up the mount but I still advise against cut maxspeeds. Eibachs are fine, Ive cut those and it fit fine. GC's are a diff story, dont bring several other brands into this and add to the confusion just maxspeeds.

 

well, i guess Maxspeed are a problem being cut,,,
well i am not trying to convince u... just givin my opinion on the subject...

i don't see why it would have a problem, but if you said u did it and had a problem, then ur right? i guess...

but, nope i will not experiment anytime, i got Teins and they did the job...

 

Dude dont get me wrong im not tryin to be an @ss here, im still open to the subject of cutting them, just not the maxspeeds. You'll see some more proof when Kloogy posts back sayin it wont work. Just trying to help others avoid a headache.

 

If the spring is loose when the suspension is extended (granted this doesn't happen often during everyday driving) then you are risking a spring popping off and possibly tearing up your suspension. Your car sits on the springs-nothing else. If the spring is too short you are going to damage other parts of the suspension.

I wouldn't mess with cutting coils personally.