Trimming Coil Springs for Ride Height, GM only 

www.globalwest.net/

I love how obvious this guy shows his disdain for this method. "I have to teach them to do what?" $$$$ "ok fine"

This should be the go to video for everyone working on lowing an OBS dually! Thanks for explaining this in a clear and no B.S. manner!

Great info solid straight to the point and easy 👌 to remember thank you

Quick, to the point and no bs. Great video.

I am putting new springs in my 1987 GMC 1500 this week, this saves me all the headache of figuring it out myself! Thanks for the video!

Handy info, I've never heard of anybody actually doing it this way.

Thank you for this!!

Very Very good information, love it! Saved me from destroying my springs by cutting too much. Thanks very much for sharing.

This method worked great on my c10, I had to cut different amount on both sides to get the ride height I wanted.

Love 💘 the Clear Explanation!!!

This is a good video. Helps me with my Hurst Olds project.

Awesome info now I know the right way. Everybody else does it different. I bought a truck and someone cut the front springs wrong

Great information right here👍🏽👍🏽

great video. this makes lots of sence. good job. Im doing it this way for sure

This video is the meca of coil springs I’ve been looking for a way to lift my old van, and nothing and then I found this nice piece of film, wowww thank you Jesus and thank you guys

Thanks for tip couldn't remember ratio been 20years since I've cut springs.

Great video and the information worked perfect!

Thanks Ima do that to my Silverado 😊

Thanks for the detailed video. You saved my ass!

Very good information! Thanks!

awesome! Thanks for that. I have been considering dropping my Camaro and wasn't sure what to cut. Thanks again!

Thank you! it is very helpful.

I appreciate what you explained on this full detailed video Sir. Thanks for teaching us with the knowledge you have on trimming springs for GM vehicles. I have a 2005 Chevy Tahoe on huge 28" wheels with low pro tires. I bought a 5" full lowering kit that Came with extenders coils shocks and sway bar studs. I thought i was going to have the job finished and have my Tahoe lowered how i wanted too, but i still see some gap between the tires and the fenders. My goal is to tuck in just a lil into the rear fenders. So im guessing like a inch or inch and a half. Maybe inch and a quarter i dont know the exact measure but im going to talk to my installer and have him finish the job. Im sure he knows what he's doing. I wanted to do a research myself before I take it back to him so i know somewhat of what he'll be doing. He installed my lowering kit about four months ago so im good to go i know that after you install a kit you have to drive it around for a bit then have all the bolts & nuts tight up again with the proper torque it requires. Anyway Sir, thanks once again for this and have a blessed day. 👍

Old video...but it's the best and simplest explanation for cutting coils...

Very helpful. Had to trim springs for LS install, did 3/4" got 1.5" on the body. Perfect!

Finally found what ive beem wonding for 20 years lol thanks..i knew there was a way to add some math to it other than guessing at it lol now if i can find how to do my Harley Davidson front springs

Thank you beautiful gentleman for providing this great info

Shot for the video my bro just the answer I needed

Thank you !!!!

Used this formula for a 1997 v6 silverado single cab. I ls swapped it and wanted it lower 15 .25 tall spring trimmed it to 14.25 and it gave me a 2 in lower. Compensate for the chevy lean the driver side is just a bit taller

As another commenter pointed out, the 1:2 ratio depends on the length of the control arms. The springs sit further in than the tire, so dropping the spring height by 1" means that the tip of the control arm is moved by 2" because of its length. I just cut my springs and it was pretty close to 1:2. Thanks for the vid.

Just used this method to cut the springs on my Dodge Dakota. Got a perfect 1" drop, one and done, no repeat cuts to get it where I wanted or worrying about cutting too much. They don't make 1" lowering springs for this application so this worked perfectly for me. Thank you!!

Very helpful, just installed new springs on my chevelle and it needs to come down 4 inches

very informative....worked well...worked exactly like he said....

awesome video.

good info. Thank you.

Thank you so much

Good tip for when you have to cut different amounts on driver and passenger side to level out the old Chevy lean.

Great video! I never knew this. Thanks! I just put some Moog coil springs in the front on my third gen Camaro. They are just over 2 inches taller side by side out of the car compared to the stock ones. I may have to do this. In the car they are about 3" too tall. So frustrating when you spend all that time installing and the company can't make the proper fit.

Awesome video love it

Any and all information would love greatly appreciated..thanks..

Great video

Very informative.

Don't forget to consider locater groove in the cups.

Going to try this on my 2002 chevy blazer xtreme 😬 wish me luck guys And can you please do an episode all about sway bars and endlinks and what is a proper set up for different utilities

This is a good quick explanation of how ride height is affected but doesn't address how this will increase spring stiffness. If your suspension is already uncomfortably stiff then cutting your springs will only make that ride quality worse. The major manufacturers have many engineers to figure out a good compromise, it's when you go for a custom build that this can get tricky.

Like the technique or no i just completed it on a 65 impala dropping my front end 3 inches side to side measurements came out exactly the same thank you for the video.

worked perfect for my 69 camaro. thnx alot!!

I just bought 2" springs & 2" block's for my 1999 Durango already cut to the 2" specs

It's a lot of work but I still like the quarter coil cut put it back together drive it see where it sits if you want it a little lower take it out take another quarter and so on. You can always take more away you can't add it back.

great video. I always thought you had to cut a whole coil off so the end still finishes in the same place , is that not true then?

Wish i would watch this sooner I would have save about 300 bucks

Doug, thank you for all of your videos they are so incredibly helpful. I just replaced a really poor version of tubular lower control arms in my 64 Malibu SS. Unfortunately after I was done the car is now sitting 1-1/2” higher and this video of cutting coil springs was invaluable for me. A question on my stock sway bar, after reinstalling this I noticed the mounting stud for this at the control arm is leaning towards the rear on both sides at least 45deg. Is this okay or are they supposed to be perfectly vertical ?

I wonder if this method works on Moroso racing coil springs on an old 69 nova. As the front has become lighter, the front has risen quite a bit.

I’m about to do this on my 71 chevelle need to lower the front 2” to match the rear, so I need to cut 1” out of each coil.

This is a very old school way to lower your car. The best method to not compromise the loads and rate of the spring is to heat it at a certain temperature 5-600 degrees for five minutes let it cool as long as they have been shotpeened this is fine as the material has already been processed for longevity (microscopic cracks) after you can dip them in coolant solution to prevent rusting if you want to cool them quick and compensate your current ride height by the raw height of the spring. By doing that you can just have the spring pressed to height say that spring is around 15 inches the wire size is probably .6-.64 you could probably press that spring to about 4.5 inches to 5 inches 2 times and it would (experience 5 years to be exact) set from a Length over all of 15 to a free length of 13.5 -14.2 it really depends on the rate and load(s) (yes there are probably three different loads on that spring) of the spring, press all the springs down to the same height they will be within the tolerance you want for height or similar in free length. the top of the spring with a single end grind is actually the profile, the body or outer diameter where the wire loops is the pitch and the open end where the diameter starts to close is the transition. The transition is going to support only a small amount of weight just an (estimate) for that kind of spring 3-500 lbs cutting the spring you would not only buckle or destroy the spring because you offset the tolerances of it you would probably end up destroying your car or truck. Sorry for the two pennies just thought I would warn you all. Just get them pressed its way easier than cutting the spring and alot safer. I also warn similar to cutting if they are pressed you will lose load but not alot.

Great video. Question for you. I have a 72 Nova I need to drop in the front after installing Moog springs. I believe there is a "notch" or "pocket" on both the upper and lower control arm. After the cut, which notch or pocket do I use when reinstalling the spring (top or bottom arm)? Thanks for the help.

great video i may do this to my 83 c10 if i do ill be sure to make a video and hope you guys see the results

Does this same method work on rear also??

Great video, would this method work on the c2 corvette springs

Do a 73 through 87 Chevy C10 front spring they are different than the one you are doing it is smaller at the top and has a compressed winde at the bottom

Very informative video, to the point. My old Crown Vic isn’t a muscle car but being body on frame, the front suspension really ressembles to the old Chevelle’s and likes from that era. Would this 2:1 ratio formula work? Also would this procedure make the suspension stiffer or softer, thanks for your input ;)

Thanks for your informative video. I have a 1953 Chevy pickup with Ford Mustang II suspension. So my truck is a GM/Ford application. Does the formula, 1 at the spring 2 at the body, work for this application? Thanks for your reply!

nice video i have an idea how to cut my np300 spring

Is the also truck for drop springs?

Do i need to grind the cut flat ?

How much to lower 1 3/4

How will it ride after?? Will be saFe still if i hit 65 MPH in my SUV and how will it respond if i hit a pot hole??

Will be doing this on the front of a 64 Corvair van in the near future. Rear springs are sold for this purpose and drops rear almost 3 inches, which also changes the rear camber. (the whole idea) Those are a smaller wire diameter, which softens the ride a bit. (better because the back is now empty) The question is about issues with suspension travel. Obviously there is less room downward, but this will increase the upward travel and using stock shocks won't limit that. Do I need to change anything else?

This almost seems too simple. Doesn't wire diameter also come into play here? Does this formula also work on springs when both ends are open?

Great Video! I had a question, My 2010 Mercedes CLS 219 had both its rear coil springs replaced recently as they were fractured. Following replacement, the rear ride height seems to be a few centimetres more than it was previously. Is this normal? In time, will the rear ride height go back to how it was on the old springs that were replaced? Many thanks in advance.

Was that 1 at the spring, 2 at the body rule for the fronts? For the rear, and for a live axle, wouldn't it be 1 to 1? For other cars, can I work out my own ratio by measuring the length of the lower control arm and where the spring perch is? If in the middle, 2:1. If farther out, less than 2:1.

is this safe for a 2014 camaro?

Hello, I really like your video.. one question where can I cut the flat area or bottom..

How much i have to cut the springs

Should one cut the top or bottom of the spring? My S10 springs are the same on top and bottom, but the lower control arm has a step for the end of the coil.

Well if i have to lower the car for 3 and 4 inches

What about the springs on a strut? If we're to measure and cut about half inch from spring. Does it stiffen the coil any?

Where you measure the drop does it have to be inline with where the springs are?

But what about cutting stock Oem springs cut down to 3" put new drop shocks in ok or the other way buy 3" drop coils An new drop shocks ? What's the difference? Like bottoming out An like how do they compare in stead of buying 150 coils if done the correct way as mentioned in the video. Also how bout mono leafing the rear cause I've see the drop leaf springs An they have 2 leafs ? But agian as far as bounce An spring wrapping around rear axle are the after martek drop coil springs and lowering leaf spring much stiffer metal much stronger solid not as easy to flex or are they basically similar to OEM just trimmed down?

cut em the way you want, some take a loop from the top and one from the bottom on old original coils

Anything for Ford mustang's?

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

good add vice but when i cut my springs on my 77 c10 the top is located and the bottom does not fall in the grove at the bottom like it did before will this be dangerous are is that ok

I did a LS swap in my 80 firebird and Have a weight reduction of at least 80 lbs (iron motor vs alloy). It looks like it's sitting at least 2-3" higher in the front. How will cutting the springs effect it considering the weight reduction? My guess logically would be a firmer ride! When I bounce the front end now it seems way springier than before.

Would this formula work on say one side of the car? If you happen to have the car leaning about one inch more to one side?

What year truck springs can I use to put on my 1974 Buick convertible lesabre 455-4

Is there a reason why this wouldn't work on a Lexus with the same type of coil spring? I'm trying to envision a scenario that would make the math different, but I can't come up with one. Thanks! Great video!

Where I'm lost is the bottom coil differs from those above, which are consistently 1" apart (approx.). The bottom coil starts to flatten out for a more conforming surface where it sits on the control arm. If you cut the coil it will have lost that conformity. Doesn't matter?

What if the springs that I did install, were actually a little longer than the originals, and made for a bit higher in ride height - what I'm considering on doing is, trying to install 2" drop spindles (if I can even find any for a 66 Parisienne that currently uses the front disc brake conversion hardware for a 66 Biscayne), would that be harder on my ball joints or anything?

I have a 99 eclipse. I want to lower my car's rear by 2 inches. Does this mean I cut 1 inch from my rear springs or even a little bit lower than 1 inch ??? Does this theory of cutting 1 inch off springs equals 2 inches off the car really accurate ?

Is that gm as in general motors and if so does this include saturn??

Can I cut one full coil off for a two inch drop on a 1954 chevy bel air?

Bro is Absolutely disgusted to make this video lmao

what about the fact that the last coil is bent differently to sit in the spring pocket correctly?

Gr888

Does it work on c2 corvettes too , after cutting the spring will it sit on the lower control arm ok ?

Same process for springs that are already on car and you want to cut those?

how long are stock oem 2001 gmc sierra coil springs???