Heating springs?

[tk1138]

I was at a local shop looking for springs. They guy told me they just heat the front ones, and cut the back ones. I'm just guessing this is a terible idea, like cuting coils, but If it were anealed correctly that could stiffen them up a bit.<P>Is this a safe thing to have done?<BR>thanks

[David Coleman]

Causing key suspension points to be fatigued by heat doesn't seem like a good idea to me. Check the Crash Gallery on MX-3.com for Jeff Abram's ride, when a suspension shop took a torch to parts of his suspension. Not good.

[Custommx3]

GET THE CAMBER KIT!<P>A guy emailed me last week asking abotu lowering his car. He told me that the shop would have to cut his suspension to get it to ride correctly. I told him to take it to a professional. They were gonna cut his damn suspension! Thats NOT a real profession, thats an idiot.

[ProtegeSTS]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Custommx3:<BR><STRONG>GET THE CAMBER KIT!<P></STRONG><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Cars with strut suspensions do need camber kits. There is also no such thing as a "camber kit" for strut cars.

[EBUCKS]

Bud, heating springs is a bad idea. Who knows what the spring rate will be after. You anneal metal to relieve stress of steel. Springs are a set hardness and durablility allowing your ride to have a certain spring rate that is constant throughout its travel, even if you "bottom out". Once you heat your spings, you change the mechanical composition of the spring. Unless a registered heat treater does the job I wouldn't trust it. Even a heat treater can't garuantee hardness, hence a stiffer spring.<BR>Just my input. <P>one

[tk1138]

Thanks All, when he mentioned cutting the back srings I figured it wasn't a good Idea. I just wonder why they don't offer real components, it's not like they can't mark them up.<P>BTW: I'm not droping my car since I can't find springs that have an appropriate drop, so I won't need a camber kit in any case, but will I still need an alignment? It seems like the changes should be negligable, but a little change can make a big diff.<P>thanks

[monty73741]

how far do you want to lower your car......if you look on mx-3.com<BR>they have a listof companies that hve spring ground control has a coilover kit<BR>jason

[ProtegeSTS]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by tk1138:<BR><STRONG>Thanks All, when he mentioned cutting the back srings I figured it wasn't a good Idea. I just wonder why they don't offer real components, it's not like they can't mark them up.<P>BTW: I'm not droping my car since I can't find springs that have an appropriate drop, so I won't need a camber kit in any case, but will I still need an alignment? It seems like the changes should be negligable, but a little change can make a big diff.<P>thanks</STRONG><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>what is your goal?

[tk1138]

.75"-1" of drop from stock & a bit stiffer. I'd consider springs from other vehicles, but I'm not sure which would work. I guess as long as the k is bigger and the uncompressed length is shorter by about the same fraction it would work. blah blah blah...no published k's.<BR>Of all the spring sites I've looked at the shortest published drop is 1.3" front from Ebiach.<P>thanks

[ProtegeSTS]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by tk1138:<BR><STRONG>.75"-1" of drop from stock & a bit stiffer. I'd consider springs from other vehicles, but I'm not sure which would work. I guess as long as the k is bigger and the uncompressed length is shorter by about the same fraction it would work. blah blah blah...no published k's.<BR>Of all the spring sites I've looked at the shortest published drop is 1.3" front from Ebiach.<P>thanks</STRONG><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><BR>You can use springs from a 90-94 Mazda Protege. The springs are usually about bit softer compared to the comparable MX-3 listing. In the case of H&Rs, the Protege ones are 30% softer or so says H&R.<P>why not get some coilovers so you can lower it just the amount you want? you can get whatever spring rate and free length you want too. Just ask when you order.