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SmokedRam

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People have been cutting coils for as long as coil springs have been put in cars and trucks. When I was in the minitruck scene, everybody and their mother was doing it. As long as someone who knows what they're doing is cutting them, you wont have any problems.

If someone who cuts coils is a "cheap ass", what are the guys who use PlastiDip?
 

GreyJ

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*****.....just saw the expert is 20 years old. I lowered my first truck 6 years before he was even born. LOL

Did I say I was the expert? Either you can't read or are attempting to be funny. Ill even dumb it down and restate it for you: "Straight from my friend who's an engineer." Everything is exactly his post including the cheap ass, you want to jump down my throat for it be my guest lol. Cut your springs if you'd like, not my truck, but it you took the time to read what I said you'd understand, ride quality or not, you're altering the spring rate. I didn't post it to be a ****, simply to inform him that not everyone who speaks ill of cutting springs is simply rumors. I lowered my s10 at 16 and air bagged it with a 4 link at 17, but since I'm 20 that along with the factual info posted doesn't matter to you? Ill keep that in mind.
 

UNBROKEN

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Of course you're changing the spring rate....nobody in their right mind would think otherwise. BUT...the small amount being discussed will be a minimal change at best on a progressive rate coil. So small of a change that it's impossible to even tell a difference in ride quality.
I don't need all those equations and other junk you posted to tell me what works...I've done it more times than I can remember. You were 3 when I bagged my first truck...and it was featured in Mini Truckin'....I know my way around suspension work. I probably have the most extensively modded 2wd static dropped 4th Gen suspension around....and I built it using my knowledge from years of experience....not a book that my "engineer friend" gave me.
 
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GreyJ

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Of course you're changing the spring rate....nobody in their right mind would think otherwise. BUT...the small amount being discussed will be a minimal change at best on a progressive rate coil. So small of a change that it's impossible to even tell a difference in ride quality.
I don't need all those equations and other junk you posted to tell me what works...I've done it more times than I can remember. You were 3 when I bagged my first truck...and it was featured in Mini Truckin'....I know my way around suspension work. I probably have the most extensively modded 2wd static dropped 4th Gen suspension around....and I built it using my knowledge from years of experience....not a book that my "engineer friend" gave me.

AGAIN, I was simply posting that to show him that not all opinions on it are rumors. I didn't say "no don't do that! You'll die in a horrible accident."
Congratulations that you'd like to turn this into a ******* contest with a 20 year, obviously you'll have more experience than me so continue trying to prove whatever you're trying to prove. I've built all my vehicles with my knowledge as well, but its nice to have input from friends too, sorry you don't have any? Dono man.
 
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unclemark

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Taken straight from my good friend who's an engineer.

h7Wt2.png
If you go through and calculate the deflection of a coil spring under load and take a ratio comparing it to the load you get the spring rate. This will be in units of force/length. If you want to see the derivation you can pick up a copy of Shigley's Mechanical Engineering Design Handbook or a similar text.
The equation for spring rate turns out to be:
NOGNt.png
d is the diameter of the wire, G is the shear modulus (a material property of the metal that you usually look up on a place like matweb), D is the diameter of the spring and N is the number of effective coils (more on that later)
As you can see changing the number of coils not only changes the length of the spring but also the spring rate. This can lead to a rough ride or poor handling. The shocks, which from the factory are matched to the springs will also no longer be matched to said springs.
But wait there's more!
If your factory springs have different coils on the ends to make them sit flat in the perches, cutting also changes the N from earlier. You can go through calculations...or use this table:
yPo0P.png
The number you want to use for N is Na
As you can see changing the ends can effectively change the coil count by as much as 2 coils.

Now how do you translate this to ride height? The answer is fairly complicated and requires solving simultaneous equations involving trig and/or doing some calculus.
If you are doing a relatively small drop you can do some approximations, but these depend on the pre-load on the spring and suspension geometry. Luckily people sell software to do this for you. Or you can do what everyone else does and chop off little pieces at a time until you get where you want. Or you could not be a cheap ass and buy proper springs.
I tried to figure that out but now my head hurts.....lol
 

TylerB

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I just cut more off my coils today and guess what? There was no noticable difference in spring rate or ride quality. So who gives a **** what your engineer friend thinks. My truck is not bouncing all over the road or bottoming out on every dip. I'd post pics, but my damn truck is filthy and you know what, I don't think I'm satisfied yet with the height so I might tear into again this week if it don't settle some more.
 

GreyJ

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I just cut more off my coils today and guess what? There was no noticable difference in spring rate or ride quality. So who gives a **** what your engineer friend thinks. My truck is not bouncing all over the road or bottoming out on every dip. I'd post pics, but my damn truck is filthy and you know what, I don't think I'm satisfied yet with the height so I might tear into again this week if it don't settle some more.

That's awesome man, really sweet, good for you! :waytogo:
 

TylerB

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Buddy grabbed a pic that I didn't know about. This is fresh off the stands so it hadn't settled yet. 1/2 coil in the front and another full coil in the rear. Also installed new, shorter bumpstops front and rear(Belltech #4922) and a Spohn adjustable track bar my Fiance got me as a late Christmas gift.

4011020646_image_zpsc8292a9c.jpg
 
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stock-sucks

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i will agree.. yes cutting a spring will obviously change the ride height. however to the extent of the amount that we are all discussing you wont feel it. i work on chrysler suspension for a living and actually prefer the way my truck rides (with cut rear coils) over the stock trucks i drive every day..
 

trev

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You don't need a drop kit if you plan on going more than 2/4! I cut my stock springs to a 4/7 drop, yes I had horrible alignment issues, but a universal camber kit fixed it up no problem for $300 which is about the price of a deluxe kit right? And the only different between my ride and a stock ride is I have no bump stops on the rear right now as I haven't found one to fit the space now. Other than that the ride is exactly the same, I'd actually say it's a bit smoother at highway speeds!
 

Quicksilver337

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You don't need a drop kit if you plan on going more than 2/4! I cut my stock springs to a 4/7 drop, yes I had horrible alignment issues, but a universal camber kit fixed it up no problem for $300 which is about the price of a deluxe kit right? And the only different between my ride and a stock ride is I have no bump stops on the rear right now as I haven't found one to fit the space now. Other than that the ride is exactly the same, I'd actually say it's a bit smoother at highway speeds!

universal camber kit? can you tell us where you got it? I didn't know they made one for the 4th gen Rams
 

trev

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universal camber kit? can you tell us where you got it? I didn't know they made one for the 4th gen Rams

No clue man!! There's a local shop that got ahold of it for me! I haven't found it looking around either.
 

UNBROKEN

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I wouldn't but a balloon from airbagit/AIM/Chassis Tech....much less a drop kit. Biggest hacks in the industry and always have been.
 
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