H&R spring owners......(or anyone knowledgeable)
March-5th-2002, 07:26 AM
#16
Protege Newbie
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: London Ontario
Posts: 47
Hi Guys,
I usually just browse the forums, dont say much just like to read whats going on...I have a black P5 with a ractive intake, Vibrant exhaust, B&M shifter, H&R Springs...which are cut and 17"alt on 205/40/17's. I also had the problem of the front higher than the rear, I cut 3/4 of a coil off the BOTTOM on the two front coils, ride is fine, cant tell any difference and the look is much better. I guess cutting is ghetto but its cheaper than coil overs and really wont hurt your spring performance too much. I know spring manuf. say the springs are "engineered" to a certain degree..lobbing half a coil off wont do too much...dont worry.
Cheers, and good luck!
Chris
Mechanical Engineer
General Motors Defence
London Ont. Canada.
I usually just browse the forums, dont say much just like to read whats going on...I have a black P5 with a ractive intake, Vibrant exhaust, B&M shifter, H&R Springs...which are cut and 17"alt on 205/40/17's. I also had the problem of the front higher than the rear, I cut 3/4 of a coil off the BOTTOM on the two front coils, ride is fine, cant tell any difference and the look is much better. I guess cutting is ghetto but its cheaper than coil overs and really wont hurt your spring performance too much. I know spring manuf. say the springs are "engineered" to a certain degree..lobbing half a coil off wont do too much...dont worry.
Cheers, and good luck!
Chris
Mechanical Engineer
General Motors Defence
London Ont. Canada.
March-5th-2002, 07:57 AM
#17
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Central Maryland
Posts: 457
Pics of my 99 sedan with H&Rs
Look at this link: http://communities.msn.com/DaveandNo...nw?albumlist=2
second photo page 1 that's my ride with H&Rs, on page 2 is a before / after and during the install. I love the ride I get plus how they corner is awesome. I can throw my car around how I want when I want with the H&R plus Mazdaspeed struts. Now just need more rubber to the road to really take advantages of the new suspension set up. Also running MP3 sway bars.
second photo page 1 that's my ride with H&Rs, on page 2 is a before / after and during the install. I love the ride I get plus how they corner is awesome. I can throw my car around how I want when I want with the H&R plus Mazdaspeed struts. Now just need more rubber to the road to really take advantages of the new suspension set up. Also running MP3 sway bars.
March-5th-2002, 08:49 AM
#18
Juggalo
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 763
Well I've only had the springs in for about 2 weeks now, and the wheels on for only 3 days ( I ordered everything at once but f#%@$! UPS lost two of my wheels) Yeah I did the install myself, but I've put springs in before, I'm sure there are in there right, I had a shop align it afterwards and they found no issues. PLus it sounds like a few others have had this problem as well, so I'm sure the difference in height is not due to the way I installed them. Yeah I'll post some pics before I cut them. I really do appreciate all your input guys, while the way I talk may sound like I need to chill out, I really don't I'm one of the most mellow people there are, I just have a kind of unusual vocabulary I guess is the best way to put it. So I think the springs are broke in, and I'm gonna attmept the hack job, but like I said, ain't gonna front and have some ghetto bouncy ride and then come back here and say "Wow guys I cut my springs and its A OK!!", no way I ain't gonna fake the funk like that, if the ride is fresh I'll keep it like the way it is, if its ghetto I'll buy the coilovers.
WORD UP!!!!
WORD UP!!!!
March-5th-2002, 03:14 PM
#19
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2001
Posts: 10
go for it
i say go for it dude
tell me how it goes..
i wanted to chop my eibach springs cuz its sitting too high..but there wasnt any dead coils in the front..so i gave up the idea..
your ride will be stiffer..thats about it. another thing to look out for is when u jack your car up, springs might or will fall out of place and u have to set them back into place when u lower the car back down.
im planning to get ground controls when i get the money... lower it like 2.5" for ripping around during the weekends.
oh i have 205/45/16.. plannin to get 205/40/16 once i get the coilovers...
tell me how it goes..
i wanted to chop my eibach springs cuz its sitting too high..but there wasnt any dead coils in the front..so i gave up the idea..
your ride will be stiffer..thats about it. another thing to look out for is when u jack your car up, springs might or will fall out of place and u have to set them back into place when u lower the car back down.
im planning to get ground controls when i get the money... lower it like 2.5" for ripping around during the weekends.
oh i have 205/45/16.. plannin to get 205/40/16 once i get the coilovers...
March-5th-2002, 11:02 PM
#20
Protege Enthusiast
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Illinois
Posts: 109
15"
I own a 02 sedan with the 15" rims. What would this look like with HR springs. I assume the since the 17" rims fit the 15's definately would. Do the 17's ever rub? I am considering putting on the springs and then doing the rim and tire upgrade. Hey will the 17" fit with the factory springs?
March-6th-2002, 12:35 AM
#21
Not slow, hp challenged
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 180
Re: Pics of my 99 sedan with H&Rs
Originally posted by biknman
Look at this link: http://communities.msn.com/DaveandNo...nw?albumlist=2
second photo page 1 that's my ride with H&Rs, on page 2 is a before / after and during the install. I love the ride I get plus how they corner is awesome. I can throw my car around how I want when I want with the H&R plus Mazdaspeed struts. Now just need more rubber to the road to really take advantages of the new suspension set up. Also running MP3 sway bars.
Look at this link: http://communities.msn.com/DaveandNo...nw?albumlist=2
second photo page 1 that's my ride with H&Rs, on page 2 is a before / after and during the install. I love the ride I get plus how they corner is awesome. I can throw my car around how I want when I want with the H&R plus Mazdaspeed struts. Now just need more rubber to the road to really take advantages of the new suspension set up. Also running MP3 sway bars.
March-6th-2002, 07:02 AM
#22
Protege Newbie
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: London Ontario
Posts: 47
Its not the top of the strut, the lower part of the strut plate is where the cut coil will fit plus 3/4 of a coil was still a tight fit and I still had to use the spring compressors to get the strut assembly back together thus...no free play. The lower strut plate has a recess to accomodate the shape of the coil, cutting the coils isnt as bad as everyone thinks, it slightly changes the spring performance and I have found no bounce...not yet anyhow and as for strut damage....any lowering spring will damage your struts regardless of what the spring manuf says. Keep in mind 1/2 to 3/4 of a coil ONLY!!! Dont go lobbing off more than one coil or your struts will be short lived for sure!!! My H&R's have been cut since August and still no problems...knock on wood.
March-31st-2002, 11:45 PM
#24
Protege Enthusiast
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Posts: 154
at the risk of pissing people off ill say this: are you guys sure the fronts arent on the rear and so on? im sure they aint but, its really eay to do it-i almost did on my 99' Si and it happened because i didnt pay attention.
also, im not sure if this is the case but, perhaps the front wheel well cut out is a higher curve than the rears. perhaps it is this way so that when it rides on stock springs it wont look lopsided? not sure i cant tell as my cars out int he driveway and its dark. ill look closely tommorrow.
good luck though and DONT CUT THE DAMNG SPRINGS!!!!!IMHO!
also, im not sure if this is the case but, perhaps the front wheel well cut out is a higher curve than the rears. perhaps it is this way so that when it rides on stock springs it wont look lopsided? not sure i cant tell as my cars out int he driveway and its dark. ill look closely tommorrow.
good luck though and DONT CUT THE DAMNG SPRINGS!!!!!IMHO!
April-1st-2002, 07:17 AM
#27
Guest
Posts: n/a
well , I have this same look with my 2nd gen protege, first off, you have to understand something..
1) you are eyballing this , by only looking at the tire to the top of the well ,, if you look at the side molding from front to back you can tell wheather or not the front is lower than the back , actually the front is lower than the back , not much lower but it is ,... most times you can see this rake , by using the side molding and basically seeing where it lines up with the spoke ..
you can cut a coil off , it's not recomended by most, will it affect handling ? , your decision will let us know.
Also you have to remeber that all protege's have short suspension travel in the front, the back has better travel ,, but the front you need as much height as you can get on there..
Bruce
1) you are eyballing this , by only looking at the tire to the top of the well ,, if you look at the side molding from front to back you can tell wheather or not the front is lower than the back , actually the front is lower than the back , not much lower but it is ,... most times you can see this rake , by using the side molding and basically seeing where it lines up with the spoke ..
you can cut a coil off , it's not recomended by most, will it affect handling ? , your decision will let us know.
Also you have to remeber that all protege's have short suspension travel in the front, the back has better travel ,, but the front you need as much height as you can get on there..
Bruce
April-1st-2002, 07:18 AM
#28
Guest
Posts: n/a
[QUOTE]Originally posted by protegeFive
[B]Sweedenhouse:
how long have u had ur spings in for? if they are new, you might want to hold off on cuttin the deadcoils for a bit and give it a couple of weeks to let them break in / settle in ... it should lower your car around a quarter of an inch more... u neverknow it might even out...
no it wont
Bruce
[B]Sweedenhouse:
how long have u had ur spings in for? if they are new, you might want to hold off on cuttin the deadcoils for a bit and give it a couple of weeks to let them break in / settle in ... it should lower your car around a quarter of an inch more... u neverknow it might even out...
no it wont
Bruce
April-3rd-2002, 01:09 PM
#30
Protege God
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Evanston, IL
Posts: 1,525
A spring compressor is the safest way to change the springs, but not absolutely necessary. I find most of the less expensive, readily available spring compressors that come with two different pieces are cumbersome and slow to work with. I've changed the springs on my car a few times now without using a compressor. I put the car up on four jack stands, and remove the upper spring seat retaining nuts one at a time with the jack holding the spring under compression. Slowly release the jack and remove the spring. Lowering springs are short enough to compress by hand in the front, and so short in the rear that no compression of the spring is needed.