I have an 87 firebird formula and I have recently reduced a lot of the weight off of my car quite dramatically. After finishing the project with the new motor in and everythign the car sits really high. I measured 4.25 inches between the fender and the tire. I dont have the tranny in the car but that is only a manual that will add maybe 100 pounds. I was wondering if I should cut them or not. Many people say its fine and some say its not. To my knowledge these are factory springs which some says is an issue. So has anyone ever cut factory springs this old without problems ?? I am not looking for this car to cut corners really because its main purpose is to go straight line but I dont want to sacrfice handing to much either. What is the gap that most of you guys are running somewhere around 2" maybe? From my reading it seems like 1/2 a coil is about an 1" drop so I might need a whole coil taken off for a 2" drop. When you cut a coil you take this off of the bottom? I wasnt able to get a clear answer when looking if you should try and heat up the coil and bend it back straight after cutting. Any advice and pictures would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks for the help.

 

age isn't a problem. I've cut older springs several times, without issue. I'd advise starting with1/2 a coil per side, then drive it that way for 2 weeks so they can settle in and take a new set before deciding whether to cut more.

 

I cut 1/2 coil off the front. 3/4 coil off the rears...On 3 different 3rd gens, then went autocrossing with both cars. Can't get more aggressive street driving to springs than autocross.

As long as you keep the heat build up to a minimum, the springs will be perfectly fine.

I set mine in a 5 gallon bucket of water, with a brick(s) in the bottom, to get just what I needed out of the water, so I could cut the springs. And used either a sawzall blade or 3.5" grinder disc, whichever I had on hand, or switched when the disc/blade I was used wore out.

 

Thanks for the replies! Stephen on those third gens that you cut springs did they have weight taken off the car severly and how much did that drop the car after the cut? Also do you need to straighten the spring part you cut to be flat ? If so wouldnt this require heating which isnt recommended? Thanks again for the help guys!

 

alright, you know my car, it's got the ls1, and nothing else really in the engine bay. manual steering and fiberglass hood. first off i think you should go to a v6 spring. the formula spring (especially if it's a ws6) will be much stiffer than say an 89 rs with a v6/5spd. the lighter spring allows for more weight transfer as well.

i cut one coil off to achive my ride height. it's important to allow them to settle like Atilla said, that way you can see what's going on with them. i would start with the v6 springs with 1/2 coil cut for now. you can always cut more later. stephen's got the right idea on how to cut them.

 

I didn't heat or straighten anything. Just don't cut the pigtail end of a spring.

The 92 (white stripes) was bone stock body, the 90 (yellow stripes) had a 'glass hood.

 

Will these v6 springs be to soft for street driving which some people have said ?I've said I am more concerned with straight line performance but I dont want to give up all driveability lol. Would I just get the moog replacement springs and if so do you know the part number? Also you are suppose to cut from the bottom of the springs correct? I also want to make sure what you mean by half a coil and one coil. I am going to attach a picture and I put a red line where a cut could be made. will this be a coil or half a coil cut. Also after the coil is cut the bottom part of the coil will not be flat like normal are you suppose to heat it and bend it up to almost touch the coil above it like stock or put it in as is ? Thanks again so much for all the help!!!

 

i always cut from the top...moog replacement v6 springs would be an excellent choice. part number: 5598

as far as drivability is concerned, just make sure the car has a sway bar on it for the street if your worried about too much body roll, then un-hook/remove the sway bar for the track so the suspension can articulate on launch. honestly, i've been driving mine on the street without a front sway bar for a long time with no real issues...but it depends on what you think is acceptable.

 

Thanks again! I will buy those springs and go for it because really driveabilty isnt that much of an issue for me lol The car is not suppose to ride like a caddy or have an comfort creatures such as the ac, heat, windshield wipers and everything else that I have removed in pursuit of speed and looks. Now regards to the line I marked in the picture attached in last post would that be 1/2 a coil or 1 coil cut? Thanks

 

The red mark you made, would be a full coil cut. But putting V6 springs under a heavier V8.....Then cutting the coils? Your just asking for ground rubbing problems. My 1/2 coil & 3/4 coil cuts are irrelevant, when comparing stiffer V8 springs to softer V6 spring.

If I did it again, I might go for 3/4 cut front, 1 full coil rear, but more likely, I'd go 5/8 front, 7/8 rear. Better "too tall" than too short.

Which is also why I like the weight jacks. Cost a little more yes, but ADJUSTABLE for ride height. If it is too low or not enough....A simple adjustment fixes that for free. Or if you ever want stiffer/softer springs....That is a cheap "fix" to make.

 

here's a picture of ride height with 1 coil cut off the front v6 springs with my iron headed 305 i had in the car for years:

with iroc wheels:


with mickey thompson et drag fatties/skinnies:


and my "new" ride height isn't much different honestly, even though i figure i took 150lbs off the front of the car

 

Well im finally getting around to doing the springs and have a picture of the ones in the car and the new replacement V6 ones recommended by Matt earlier in the posts. The new v6 springs even with a 1 coil cut would still be taller then the ones that I have now. I know the coil rates are different but it concerns me because I had some trouble getting the stock ones back in. A softer spring such as the V6 ones I have now have smaller gaps between the springs??? I thought it would be the other way around... but im probably wrong. I will attach a picture of the two springs and let me know what you think I should do for cutting because the stock springs left me with about 4.25 inch gap between the tire and fender. I just dont want to cut and struggle to get them in and have to keep taking them out lol especially seeing I kinda have a deadline with school starting back up soon What are the gaps between your tires and fenders?Thanks for the help guys !!

P.S> The spring on the right is the stock spring and the one on the left is the moog replacement V6 spring. Also do you need to heat up the top part of the spring and bend it down after cutting to length?? If not it will not be a flat surface on top and just the top of the spring touchign at first... Thanks again

 

cut it and don't worry about bending anything. it'll be fine just like it sits. the v6 spring rates are so much lighter you can just about push them back in the spring pockets with just a pry bar. the iroc or ws6 springs are definitely harder to work with because of the increased spring rate.

i went 1.566 60' on friday night with cut v6 springs and blown front struts

 

Thanks for the reply Matt. I was wondering what type of ground clearance you have between your longtubes and the ground? Now that I have it back down on the ground it seems like the headers hang a little low. Hopefully wont be a problem. I have the hooker 2210's and now there is about 2.75 to 3 inches between the front tire and fender depending on how you measure it. Was wonderign what your gap was between the tire and fender. I still need to crawl under the car and measure the header to ground clearance.

Also sick 60 ft times man!!!! Congrats on new bests and you will easily get that thing into the 11's no problem.