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So, here's the result of 1 coil cut - this literally has not moved an inch since I dropped it off the stands, so I need to take it for a spin and I hope it drops a little more. I did bounce the front end a few times. My measurements estimate about 1" of drop.
Really doesn't look too drastic, but it definitely dropped. I think the 1" range isn't too noticeable a difference on these cars, but after that it really becomes apparent. Probably due to the terribly shaped wheelwells on the Camaros.
Let's hope she settles in another 1/4"-1/2". If not, and if it rides well as-is, I think I'll take another 1/4-1/3 of a coil out.
So, took it for a 10 mile cruise tonight and hit every bump in the road I could. The car really rides great - it's kind of amazing to feel the difference between the Bilsteins on the front and the DeCarbons in the rear. It's tight, but smooth.
So, I genuinely suck at pics, and it was getting dark so I took these in the garage. Again, doesn't look like much, but it sat like a 4x4 before. I think I'd like to take another 1/2 a coil out of it though. I guess worst case it ends up riding way rough, and then I know the limit and I get a set of stockers to swap back in.
For comparison, here's what the car looked like the day I got it - shows the big front wheel gap and saggy ass:
And, here's how it sits now - it actually has some rake, but looks like I still have a ways to go in dropping the front:
Wow you had one of the tallest looking stock 4th gens ive seen! that was a MUCH needed improvement! I think another half coil would be the most id go. Looks 10x better alrweady.
Wow you had one of the tallest looking stock 4th gens ive seen! that was a MUCH needed improvement! I think another half coil would be the most id go. Looks 10x better alrweady.
Thanks Joel - I was really starting to question whether or not I was crazy, if it dropped at all. I send the pics to my buddy and he didn't see the difference. I am sure it did, quite a bit. Unfortunately, I am a moron and didn't take good "before" pics, and flubbed up the starting measurement somehow. Atrus FTL.
Anyway, I am really debating how much to cut off - 1/4 coil, 1/3 coil, or 1/2 a coil. I remember noticing that the last coil on the OE setup had a bit of a "bend" to it, I assume for it to seat better - it extended less on that coil than it did on the others, if that makes sense. So, if cutting that full coil gave me 1 inch, I am thinking that the next coil will drop more - meaning, 1/4 coil would give me maybe 3/8", 1/3 coil maybe 1/2", 1/2" something more like 5/8" or 3/4".
I'm a little nervous, as Jim mentioned he cut 1-1/3 coils and it rode like poo. I did put in some nice progressive (longer too) bumpstops and I freed up what would be the equivalent of 1"-1.25" of compression travel - meaning, on paper, with my 1"-ish drop the additional compression travel I added in nets me right back to stock.
Right now I have about 2.25" - 2.375" of gap in the front and I haven't touched the rear yet - still the OE 2.75" it always had.
Instead of cutting you could also put the bottom/top/wherever you cut of the spring to a grind wheel to give it more of a "mating surface" again since it doesnt have the bend at the end anymore. That would be worth some drop too and shouldnt affect spring rate as much.
I would put it on the side of the grind wheel so you would have to hold the spring from rotating with it, if that makes sense. Should be easy. And a half inch off the bottom of the spring should be approximately that much off the ride height.
Kevin, looking at your ride again, I must have cut more than 1 1/3 coils off mine to get it where it is. I first cut a full coil off, checked it and then cut again but now I don't remember how much seeing that yours did not drop as I would have expected. My old memory is gone!
You are getting there. If it still rides fine, I would cut more and see what happens.
Hey, a thought, I still have mine together and can count the coils and end relations so you can compare where you are at mine if you want.
Kevin, looking at your ride again, I must have cut more than 1 1/3 coils off mine to get it where it is. I first cut a full coil off, checked it and then cut again but now I don't remember how much seeing that yours did not drop as I would have expected. My old memory is gone!
You are getting there. If it still rides fine, I would cut more and see what happens.
Hey, a thought, I still have mine together and can count the coils and end relations so you can compare where you are at mine if you want.
GL!
Jim - if it's not any trouble, that would help. Don't put yourself out over it or anything.
Kevin - I cut the spring at the bottom seat. so, counting from the bottom cut, I have 7 3/4 coils to the top end. Like I said earlier, cutting that much the car rode like it had solid suspension and bounced all over the place.
Curious to see how many coils you have now after your cut.
I'll reply back with my current count when I get them back out of the car. Once cut, I'll also report back with a total quantity remaining. I want to say I am somewhere around 8-8.5 coils left right now. '
The major differences (I think anyway) are the following:
1) I did this - gives about .75" of shock compression travel back, which equates to about 1.25" of wheel travel:
2) I removed the really hard OE bumpstops and put the longer Ground Control soft progressives in:
FWIW, I did some searching and stock they should have 9.25 total coils. That's fairly consistent with what I recall seeing. So, you're at 7.75, meaning you cut about 1.5 coils. I should be at 8.25 as I cut 1 coil.
Given the mods I did, I think an additional 1/2 a coil would be OK. It'll put me in line with what you cut, but I think (desperately hope) the modifications I made would support that additional 1/2 a coil. It also seems my car sat pretty high stock, so I ASSume I could cut more than some others could. I've seen pics of folks allegedly cutting 1 coil and their cars are much lower than mine.
Also, just for documentation's sake...
It looks like cutting 1 coil from the front should bump the spring rate up 40-45 lbs. So, I should be at about 330-335 lbs now. Another 1/2 a coil would put me at 355ish.
Cutting the rear springs, about 20 lbs of rate per coil is added.
Allegedly, for both the front and rear, 1 coil should give about 1" of drop. Seems true on the front, I'll validate this when I eventually cut my rear springs.
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that was a MUCH needed improvement! I think another half coil would be the most id go. Looks 10x better alrweady.
357ci LT1, cammed, stalled, and driven. 
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