Wait....this is how I lowered my car too, LMAO!
The following is HOW to CUT your coil springs for a lower ride! w00t! HAHA!
Ok...my buddy has a 98 626 that I found for him for $600 bucks! Runs like a champ, was hit in the front and blew the air bags. I pulled out the damage and welded the radiator core support and fixed her up to the best of my abilities. He drives like a maniac(I NEVER ride with him) and it shows on his car....I've done 2 brake jobs in the 6th months he's had the car, haha. He was complaining about body roll while turning(I know, I'm thinking the same thing) so he wanted me to do some of my custom work.
First I removed the top 4 strut mount nuts while supporting the lower control arm with a jack.
Next you remove the nut on the swaybar.(only required when doing one side at a time with the other wheel on the ground)
Now, lower the jack down so the suspension "hangs" and there is no tention on the strut. Next you remove the clip holding the brake line to the strut, and remove the 2 lower strut bolts that hold it to the spindle. Remove the strut from the car.
With the strut removed from the car, you'll need to rent/buy a coil spring compressor tool.(behind the coil spring) You'll need this to hold pressure on the coil spring while removing the nut holding the strut mount to the top of the strut. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REMOVE THAT NUT UNLESS ALL TENSION IS OFF THE SPRING.....ITS A LOADED GUN AND YOU CAN/WILL DIE IF IT HITS YOU...EXPECIALLY IN THE NUTS.
Now that you have the spring removed, get your handy coil spring modifier cutoff utility rotation device and start cutting. When cutting coils, you always want to start by cutting one COMPLETE coil. The rule of thumb is that if you cut one complete coil off, it will sit in the perch properly. Every car is different and I cut my M8 coils in 1/4's and 1/2's, but I made sure that the coil spring can sit in the perch in ANY position.
Also...make sure you are cutting the proper side of the coil spring. You do NOT want to cut the flat side of the coil spring off, this will cause the spring to sit all cockeyed in the perch, and you'll have MANY issues afterwards. You want to cut the end off that will have the same physical properties after you cut it.
Flat side...DO NOT CUT.
Notice the coil just ends and isn't flat because it matches the perch on the strut.
We started by cutting ONE complete coil off.....
After you cut the spring, re-install it onto the strut, and if you've cut enough off, you won't need the spring compressors. Next...re-install the strut onto the car and move on to the other side.
I also cut one complete coil off the rear of the car and it sits just slightly higher in the back(1/2" maybe) so when people get in, it levels out.
Here is the finished measurement...not a HUGE difference, but its enough for his type of driving without being super bouncy and getting his center of gravity lower to the ground.
Almost took an hour to do all 4 corners, and now he can drive like a crazy man and stick to the road better.
The following is HOW to CUT your coil springs for a lower ride! w00t! HAHA!
Ok...my buddy has a 98 626 that I found for him for $600 bucks! Runs like a champ, was hit in the front and blew the air bags. I pulled out the damage and welded the radiator core support and fixed her up to the best of my abilities. He drives like a maniac(I NEVER ride with him) and it shows on his car....I've done 2 brake jobs in the 6th months he's had the car, haha. He was complaining about body roll while turning(I know, I'm thinking the same thing) so he wanted me to do some of my custom work.
First I removed the top 4 strut mount nuts while supporting the lower control arm with a jack.
Next you remove the nut on the swaybar.(only required when doing one side at a time with the other wheel on the ground)
Now, lower the jack down so the suspension "hangs" and there is no tention on the strut. Next you remove the clip holding the brake line to the strut, and remove the 2 lower strut bolts that hold it to the spindle. Remove the strut from the car.
With the strut removed from the car, you'll need to rent/buy a coil spring compressor tool.(behind the coil spring) You'll need this to hold pressure on the coil spring while removing the nut holding the strut mount to the top of the strut. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REMOVE THAT NUT UNLESS ALL TENSION IS OFF THE SPRING.....ITS A LOADED GUN AND YOU CAN/WILL DIE IF IT HITS YOU...EXPECIALLY IN THE NUTS.
Now that you have the spring removed, get your handy coil spring modifier cutoff utility rotation device and start cutting. When cutting coils, you always want to start by cutting one COMPLETE coil. The rule of thumb is that if you cut one complete coil off, it will sit in the perch properly. Every car is different and I cut my M8 coils in 1/4's and 1/2's, but I made sure that the coil spring can sit in the perch in ANY position.
Also...make sure you are cutting the proper side of the coil spring. You do NOT want to cut the flat side of the coil spring off, this will cause the spring to sit all cockeyed in the perch, and you'll have MANY issues afterwards. You want to cut the end off that will have the same physical properties after you cut it.
Flat side...DO NOT CUT.
Notice the coil just ends and isn't flat because it matches the perch on the strut.
We started by cutting ONE complete coil off.....
After you cut the spring, re-install it onto the strut, and if you've cut enough off, you won't need the spring compressors. Next...re-install the strut onto the car and move on to the other side.
I also cut one complete coil off the rear of the car and it sits just slightly higher in the back(1/2" maybe) so when people get in, it levels out.
Here is the finished measurement...not a HUGE difference, but its enough for his type of driving without being super bouncy and getting his center of gravity lower to the ground.
Almost took an hour to do all 4 corners, and now he can drive like a crazy man and stick to the road better.