Cutting stock springs

[93-525i]

I know this has been discussed before, but I'm planning cutting a coil from my front stock springs and replacing the 9mm spring seat with the 3mm one. Does anyone have pics of their car with cut springs? How many coils did you cut? I'm curious as tot he drop per cut coil.

Thanks

[liquidtiger720]

I think most people here would say. "Don't do it". I would agree with them. Exacly why are you cutting your springs?

[93-525i]

The reason I chose to go this route is because I don't want the car too low and I also want to retais as much of the stock ride as I can. I ordered a set of BavAuto springs but canceled the order when I read more about them here. I think the key to cutting springs is to do it corectly, since the stock springs aren't progressive rate springs, the spring should not stiffen when a coil is cut. Looking at pictures of the stock spring, it also appears that the spring does not flatten out too much at the top or bottom where it seats, so no heating and bending will be needed either. I think it would work fine.

[White535Mtl]

As liquidtiger mentionned,your bmw deserves much more than that. Don't try to save the extra buck and go get those springs.

[ericcamaro]

cutting coils is a cheap and effective way to lower your car, but as soon as the springs start to wear out as you know they will they will start to sag and then your ride quality is all shot to ****. If your going to cut them you shuold take off maybe half to a third of a coil but before you do that you may just want to try the springs off a touring model or the m5 springs both lower the car a little bit (would be significant with the 3mm pads) and you will not jepardise the integrity of your suspension. if you decide to cut em I would have another stock set laying around when you change your mind.

[tim s]

they claim their springs only drop about 1/2" & maintain a comfortable ride with better handling.
tim s.

[uscharalph]

cutting coils is a cheap and effective way to lower your car, but as soon as the springs start to wear out as you know they will they will start to sag and then your ride quality is all shot to ****. If your going to cut them you shuold take off maybe half to a third of a coil but before you do that you may just want to try the springs off a touring model or the m5 springs both lower the car a little bit (would be significant with the 3mm pads) and you will not jepardise the integrity of your suspension. if you decide to cut em I would have another stock set laying around when you change your mind.

So M5 springs plus 3mm pads would lower the car how much?

[DanDombrowski]

The spring will definitely stiffen when a coil is removed. How much? I have no idea (without analyzing it), but I do know that it will. There are some equations for determining the spring rate of a coil based on the diameter of the coil, length, end type, etc I have in some of my design books. Don't know them off the top of my head, but I definitely know length is a factor. Just throwing that out there.

[632 Regal]

the ends of the springs ARE bent a bit where they seat in the pad, if you just chop them it will probably cut right through the primary seating area and youll get metal to metal in a short while.

[93-525i]

I'm not trying to go the cheap route, I don't mind buying the springs, it's the ride quality that I want to save.
Here is my other car, and as you can see all performance, not much ride quality