Which spring should have more coils?

Fightin'Irish · #1 03-14-2002, 03:05 AM

Does anybody know which spring should have more coils (stronger) - the front or the rear? I recently got a set of lowering springs fitted and even though the front is lowered, the rear is sitting alot further down. I'm wondering if they were put in back to front? The rear spring has about 7/8 coils all evenly spaced, whereas the front has about 13 coils with the coils at the bottom evenly spaced and at then closer at the top? I cant tell from looking at them which is longer but I would think the front?

Any ideas?

Goosse · #2 03-14-2002, 04:16 AM

I have the same problem. I also have the idea the front is sitting higher then the rear (but I haven't counted the coils yet). How do you measure that your car is higher in the front, do you measure the wheel gap or the distance from the ground to the bumper? Cause if you measure the wheelgap, your front fenders/wheel wels are bigger then your rear ones, so you can have a perfect level drop, but it seems that your front is higher because of a bigger wheelgap.

Fightin'Irish · #3 03-14-2002, 04:23 AM

Quote:

How do you measure that your car is higher in the front

I haven't measured yet - I'm just going by eye

Maybe it's just that the rear looks so low that it makes the front look high? To me, the stronger spring (more coils) should be in the front (which it is in mine) as the front of the car is heavier - but it just doesn't look even!

Fightin'Irish · #4 03-14-2002, 06:25 AM

I just rang the Cobra guy's in Holland - very nice people and very helpful!
They reckon that the springs in the front are for a Vti/Si model which has a heavier engine. They told me to cut one or two coils off and that this would not affect the tension of the spring. They said I could easily take 40mm off the spring with no problems

, as the coils on the top of the spring (very close to each other) are only there for the ride height and don't have any function other than that.

Goosse · #5 03-14-2002, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fightin'Irish
They said I could easily take 40mm off the spring with no problems , as the coils on the top of the spring (very close to each other) are only there for the ride height and don't have any function other than that.

Is this for every spring, or just for the Cobra's?

Fightin'Irish · #6 03-14-2002, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Is this for every spring, or just for the Cobra's?

I'm not too sure - but I would guess that if your springs have 4 or 5 coils sitting on top of each other, then it would be safe enough to remove one or two

Veetec · #7 03-14-2002, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fightin'Irish
I just rang the Cobra guy's in Holland - very nice people and very helpful!
They reckon that the springs in the front are for a Vti/Si model which has a heavier engine. They told me to cut one or two coils off and that this would not affect the tension of the spring. They said I could easily take 40mm off the spring with no problems , as the coils on the top of the spring (very close to each other) are only there for the ride height and don't have any function other than that.

Please don´t cut the springs!!! Send them back and try to get the right ones for your car. Maybe the tension won´t be affected but the spring rates and stuff like that will be different than before. I´ve never heard that cutting springs is a good idea though.

Kohhal · #8 03-14-2002, 11:54 AM

You're asking for trouble cutting springs, anyone on here will tell you that it's definetly a bad idea. It can and probably will have serious effects on the ride of your car. Send them back and get the correct ones, it's better to do it right, no regrets then.

Predator · #9 03-17-2002, 11:26 AM

It is a real bad idea to just cut a little! The cars behavior will change drastically .If all went fine then it wont affect the cars behavior very strong but if it goes the way I know ull drive into a corner and loose completely control over ur car- so just dont do this, the risk is much too high!!

Fightin'Irish · #10 03-19-2002, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Send them back and get the correct ones

They are the correct ones!
What they told me is that they only make one type of spring for a Civic, whether it's a Vtec or not. There are 4 coils at the top that are 'closed' when fitted. These only act as a 'spacer' to give the ride height. They told me I can remove one or two coils (to a max of 40mm) and that this will not affect the load or the tension of the spring.

Veetec · #11 03-19-2002, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fightin'Irish

They are the correct ones!
What they told me is that they only make one type of spring for a Civic, whether it's a Vtec or not. There are 4 coils at the top that are 'closed' when fitted. These only act as a 'spacer' to give the ride height. They told me I can remove one or two coils (to a max of 40mm) and that this will not affect the load or the tension of the spring.

Please believe us and DON´T cut the springs! Try to get your money back and then buy some brand springs like H&R, Eibach, Neuspeed, ......

Predator · #12 03-20-2002, 04:07 AM

Well if there is no other way then cutting this springs just send them back and get other springs!!!!! BUT DONT CUT THEM!!!!!

Fightin'Irish · #13 03-20-2002, 04:40 AM

Right - so I'm not going to cut them!

These are installed in my car already, so I doubt they will take them back (markings from spring compresser etc.). Someone on another forum reccomended using spring clamps? I'm not too sure about this either - any ideas?
The springs are only going to be in my car for a while (until I have enough money to buy coil-overs), so I might just live with it for a while

Veetec · #14 03-20-2002, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fightin'Irish
These are installed in my car already, so I doubt they will take them back (markings from spring compresser etc.).

I doubt that too but I would try it anyways because at the end it´s their "fault" and not yours! Or try to sell them again and get new ones then. This stuff would really piss me off!!

Fightin'Irish · #15 03-20-2002, 08:55 AM

Quote:

This stuff would really piss me off!!

Tell me about it!
By the way, does anyone know if the rear springs in a Coupe are the same as the rear springs in a Hatch?
Also, is it possible that the suspension in my car (96) is actually a '95 spec suspension? Or are they the same?

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