chopped springs

[Puglife]

Originally Posted by dandan

right ok, the reason i say chop a coil off is simply i can not find a set 80mm springs anywhere, they make them for the golf and jetta but thats all i can find, i aint doing it for better handling, remember its an old diesel not a quattro. il ride on the 60mm another month, i think maybe 15's might make it look lower by filling the arch better. will post pics soon.

i wouldnt compromise safety and handling for looks....
Spring dimensions are more important than the name they list them for... get measurements of your 60mm springs off the car and then ask a few companies if they do any springs at those dimensions but with 15-20mm shorter free length.

[86audicoupe]

Originally Posted by Puglife

Lower doesnt mean better handling, there are far more variable and factors to take into consideration and work around.

I agree with you on this. You can't just lower a car and have 'better handling'. There are many different variables to take into account. Boy racers normally lower their cars just using springs and usually end up crashing within a day due to their dodgy setup!

Why isn't 60mm enough? I'm still sat on the standard ride height, I'd be overjoyed if I had a 60mm drop on mine, plenty surely?

[4v6]

Originally Posted by dandan

right ok, the reason i say chop a coil off is simply i can not find a set 80mm springs anywhere, they make them for the golf and jetta but thats all i can find, i aint doing it for better handling, remember its an old diesel not a quattro. il ride on the 60mm another month, i think maybe 15's might make it look lower by filling the arch better. will post pics soon.

Have a word with these guys!

http://www.coilsprings.co.uk/powerrace.htm

[Emjay]

Originally Posted by dandan

right ok, the reason i say chop a coil off is simply i can not find a set 80mm springs anywhere, they make them for the golf and jetta but thats all i can find, i aint doing it for better handling, remember its an old diesel not a quattro. il ride on the 60mm another month, i think maybe 15's might make it look lower by filling the arch better. will post pics soon.

the wheel option will give it a far better look, again don't go too big.

this is my coupe on a 40mm drop and 15" wheels. Alloy style aside I think the dimension suit the car very well without looking too in your face lowered, blinged or chavved.

[ZermattGT]

Dandan

I spoke with my brother. He says the Alfa Romeo Milano guys in the SCCA did "bake" their springs with a spring compressor on them to "age" the spring, lowering them. They did this with absolutely stock springs so they could run the car in the stock class while Auto-crossing.

This being said, I was lead to believe, different spring manufacturers offer a small variety of the rubber pads that sit at the top of the mount. Maybe a thinner/stiffer one is available which will gain you a few mm.

[Daveymaclad]

All I can add to this thread is the first quattro I bought in 2008 had chopped springs and the handling was shocking. Even going round a corner in our local business park car park I actually managed to get the back end out with just the slightest of throttle (tyres were fine)! So whatever you do don't chop the springs unless you want to practice your drifts!

[4v6]

Heres what ive just found on my quattro- short springs anyone?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifvxcRIdhEw

[Micky]

Originally Posted by 4v6

Heres what ive just found on my quattro- short springs anyone?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifvxcRIdhEw

def a mot fail what was the bloke you got it from thinking

[4v6]

Originally Posted by Micky

def a mot fail what was the bloke you got it from thinking

Who can tell? All ill say is theres some "mallarkey" been going on regarding passing that for mot..

Never mind, itll all get sorted.

[20vcqdriver]

Originally Posted by 4v6

Who can tell? All ill say is theres some "mallarkey" been going on regarding passing that for mot..

Never mind, itll all get sorted.

There is a good chance the spring will be loose when its jacked up during the MOT and will fail. Mine failed on this, way back in 1984 when I made the mistake of fitting lowered springs without shorter uprated dampers.....Cutting springs a seriously bad idea. Might as well get a dozen jubilee clips and pull the spring shorter if you are going to start doing that exercise.