I was looking for info on how much I should cut off my front springs (if I decide to cut them) but couldn't find enough info using the search function. So I figured I'd start a thread for it. Everyone who has lowered their car by cutting the springs, please chime in with info on what car you did this wo, what springs are on your car (either by RPO code, like 6HZ, 7HZ, 8WY, 9WY, or by spring codes, for example FHZ, NWY, or maybe you have aftermarket springs which you cut), how much you cut off, if you did anything in addition to cutting the springs (like cut the bumpstops or heat and re-taper the spring) and what the results were like.
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05:34 AM
PFF
System Bot
fieroguru Member
Posts: 12295 From: Champaign, IL Registered: Aug 2003
The 88's front spring rate is about 205 lbs and the rear about 143. They are quite soft and were too soft for my tastes. The issue with lowering via springs - either cut sock ones or lowering springs, is you lose suspension travel on the compression side. Cutting the stock springs will make them about 10% to 20% stiffer depending on how many coils you remove. You will notice this increased firmness, but it will not be as firm as the lowering springs that are normally in the 300 to 400 lb/in range.
Trimming down the front bump stop and flipping the rear upper strut bushing plate will gain you some additional suspension travel, but you must check for tire rubbing on the front fenders. If you only lower the front with springs, you need to add a spacer to shim the front shock mounting point down or you will bottom the shock and bend the mounting bar. The lowering ball joint helps this some - because the A-arm outer pivot is lower.
I am really pleased with the ride on my blue 88 and run spring rates about 35% stiffer than stock.
The cheapest way to lower the 88 and end up with a spring rate about 30 to 40% stiffer is to use 84-87 springs up front (must cut off 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 coils depending on how low you want to go and then take the stock 88 front spring, cut 1 coil and install it in the rear (you need to make a circular ring to fit in the top of the strut and weld a piece of 3" exhaust tubing to it to keep the sping centered). Here is a pic with a stock 86 front spring, stock 88 front spring, 88 spring with 1 coil removed.
88 front spring (1 coil removed) mounted in the rear with the circular plate and a piece of 3" exhaust tubing:
Here is a trimmed down front bump stop on top of a stock one (it is best to make the tip of the bump stop shaped like the stock one to soften the impact when you hit them.
Here is a stock 88 rear strut bushing plate:
Here is a stock 88 buching plate flipped (and the 88 front springs on the rear):
Here is the lowest my blue 88 has been (86 front springs with about 2 1/2 coils removed and 88 rear springs with 1 coil removed:
Here is its current stance with H&M lowering springs for a BMW (1 coil removed) and 88 front springs with 1 coil removed in the rear... (I like the ride of this one much, much better).
I took 3 coils out of the front of my old 86 SE. It is just about as low as possible without taking the fenders off. I didn't run the inner liners either. It didn't rub, but I couldn't get my fingers between the tire and fender either! The Scion TC rims on the car kinda tuck a little, so it didn't hurt anything. Stockers might be a problem cutting that much.
------------------ 88 GT "The Stray" 4.9L 86 SE ChopTop 4 Speed 3.4 "The Short Bus" SOLD! 07 Solstice GXP 2.0L turbo 08 GMC Sierra 3500 Duramax Dually. 05 Tahoe on 20's (Kid hauler)
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01:21 AM
PerKr Member
Posts: 641 From: Mariestad, Sweden Registered: Nov 2006
