cutting coils with hack saw

[forestb]

I know there are complaints about coils becoming stiff when they are cut. Has anyone tried using a hack saw to cut down on heat?

[markeb01]

A Dremel tool with a cutoff wheel will work far better, cut faster, and keep the heat down. If you want to nearly eliminate the heat put a damp rag on either side of the cut. An air cutoff tool with a thin blade would also work well. The problem with a hacksaw is both the blade and the spring are similar in hardness and the teeth are quickly ground off the blade, requiring frequent changes.

And cut springs only become stiffer because there is less spring to do the job. The bigger problem with shortened springs comes from doing the cut with a torch. The excessive heat ruins the temper and the spring loses effectiveness. What's left usually sags much more than a stock spring.

[GMR-PERFORMANCE]

WOW that would be a tough job.. Get a harbor freight 4 inch grinder and then you have a new tool for other jobs. I bought one about 4 years ago.. guess what it ended up in my shop as my "name brand" died.. its been here ever since LOL

[T Smith]

I suspect you would be sawing a LONG time and use a LOT of blades...

[NCD1966]

best thing is using a portable band saw (if you have one)

[lwb66step]

Use a cutting wheel like butta
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[Vernski]

Originally Posted by forestb

I know there are complaints about coils becoming stiff when they are cut. Has anyone tried using a hack saw to cut down on heat?

Cutting it with a hacksaw will take several weeks, spring steel is very hard. I think the best way to cut it is with a cut off wheel on a die grinder, even that will take well more than just a few minutes. It will get very hot keep it as cool as you can with wet rags or an ice pack as close to where your cutting. The problem is what your cutting off affects the spring rate so the ride is not as good as it was. A better way is to buy some shorter springs that have the same rate as the stock spring DJM Suspension have them in various drops that are the same rate as the old ones. Happy cutting....Vernski

[Turkey]

Originally Posted by NCD1966

best thing is using a portable band saw (if you have one)

2 seconds and no heat. works very well.

[hd74]

i used a air body saw worked good

[MOTOIMPAIRED]

You will have arms like popeye and nothing to show for it!! Like stated above, just get a $10 grinder from harbor freight and be done. Also like said, the only real heat that will effect it is from cutting wih a torch...

If you use the hack saw, keep us posted on your progress......

[Pop's C-10]

Tha blades teeth will look like a saw off tha 3 stooges after a couple of rips @ tha spring,..lol

[chevyrestoguy]

I use a 4" electric grinder with a good cutoff wheel. It takes about a minute. I don't even bother cooling the spring with wet rags because the heat is localized to about a 1" area. Been doing it for decades, never had an issue.

You can buy those electric grinders for cheap, and you'll be amazed at how often you'll use them.

[LowDown]

Back in the late 70s and early 80s I used to lower cars for extra money. 200 bucks a pop at the time was not bad for a half a days work. I used to use a hacksaw .I would cut them a little more than half way then fling the spring up in the air .The spring would come down and snap off at the cut ,then I would clean up the edge with a file which got old quick. I eventually bought a grinder to clean up the edge. The ride was always stiffer but everyone liked it .It handled so much better. If the person wanted I would put on some KYB gas shocks on it and it rode great !

[N2TRUX]

Using a hacksaw with good blades is not as hard to do as people think. I pulled a truck apart at a shop one day only to find out the cut of tool was not there, and the torch was out of gas. I cut two springs with a hacksaw in about a half hour. The hardest part is keeping them still while you cut.

With that said, its not necessary to use a hacksaw to avoid heat. You can use a cut off tool, air or electric saw, or even a circular saw with a tile blade. If you want to use a torch, that can work too. Set the spring a 5 gallon bucket of water immersed up to the cut point. Cut the coil and let it cool. It won't hurt the tempering and its fairly quick to get done.

[nxtruck]

Not to hijack this thread, but, how much of the spring would you cut off to end up with a 3" or so drop in the front? And how about the rear springs? If I remember right, aren't they bolted in on both ends? No cutting could be done, if that's the case, right?

[FreakyMalo]

I used a hacksaw to cut the coils on my first car when I was 16. Cut them IN the car. It took a long time and a whole pack of blades. Then I had to cut the cut-off pieces in half to get them out. I had more time than brains..

[ChiefRocka]

If your concerned with heat, then a hacksaw would definately do the trick !!

Ive been doing this for YEARS.

The best way I have found, is to use a chopsaw.

Set the spring down against the guard. Glide the blade down the end of the coil, while cutting the next turn....to get an exact count of the cuts.

Remember when cutting progressives, to cut off the larger spaced sides.
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[ChiefRocka]

If your concerned with heat, then a hacksaw would definately do the trick !!

Ive been doing this for YEARS.

The best way I have found, is to use a chopsaw.

Set the spring down against the guard. Glide the blade down the end of the coil, while cutting the next turn....to get an exact count of the cuts.

Remember when cutting progressives, to cut off the larger spaced sides.
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[LoudLowNslow]

What do you guys use to paint the original rusty springs? I'm about to cut mine and want them better looking before I put them back in
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[djunkie]

Originally Posted by nxtruck

Not to hijack this thread, but, how much of the spring would you cut off to end up with a 3" or so drop in the front? And how about the rear springs? If I remember right, aren't they bolted in on both ends? No cutting could be done, if that's the case, right?

I know its a different year but I just cut the front springs on my '87. I cut one full coil and it went down about 2 inches. I used a die grinder to cut them. It almost feels like its softer now in the front. I was under the assumption that it was supposed to get stiffer.

[made2drag]

angle grinder for sure. with the spring out, cut the spring at the one coil mark for 2 inches of drop. coil and a 1/2 for 3 inches.....anymore than 1 1/2 coils will ruin it! it will ride near the same except you'll see a big difference in cornering.

if worried about heat....cut a little.....like 1/4 inch then stop. cut some more. stop....it will still only take 10 mins if you do it a little at a time and should'nt cause any heat. i've heard many times not to heat metal up then throw it in water, but it shouldnt be that critical.

like many said. get an angle grinder from harbor frieght. dont get the $15 orange one. i had one that lasted 15 minutes and burnt up. get the one that is $29 bucks. NEVER GET ONE THAT HAS THE TURN ON/OFF SWITCH ON TOP...TOO HARD TO TURN OFF IF YOU LOSE CONTROL....GET THE ONE WITH THE SWITCH ON THE BOTTOM...i've had 2 of these in the last 10 years and i got 8 years of use out of my 1st one. lots of hours on them too

[made2drag]

Originally Posted by LoudLowNslow

What do you guys use to paint the original rusty springs? I'm about to cut mine and want them better looking before I put them back in
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wire brush them down....... Rust-Fix will spray on rust, turn it black and prevent rust......... then use low gloss black engine paint. i use the Duplicolor brand. about 6 bucks a can.

[forestb]

I ended up using an angle grinder and a wet rag. It seemed to work fine. I cut 1/4 of a coil out to get a 1/2 inch drop. My only problem now is it seems like one side is settling and the other side is not.

[XtechX]

It might sit different side to side if the 40 plus year old springs sagged at different rates, or they may not be seated in the top spring pocket correctly. There is a round raised edge up in the pocket that the pig tailed end sits over.

[LoudLowNslow]

Ended up cutting mine today with an air powered cut of tool, a small one. Cut off 1& 1/2 coils hope it wasn't too much!

And body have suggestions for new shocks? It's a 66 gmc if that matters.. I6 250
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