Has Anyone ever had their springs torched ?(lowering purposes)
09-30-11, 05:07 PM
#1
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Has Anyone ever had their springs torched ?(lowering purposes)
What's up, people. I a friend of mine @ a shop was replacing my brakes and resurfacing the rotors when he talked me into lowering my GS (via torching the springs). I told him I'd do it later after looking for rims and a kit. I test drove 2 of his cars he had and it drove fine (better than some aftermarket springs). After about 2 months it still rides fine (the top coil is basically torched - while being cooled @ the same time - lowering them, so they're not cut just the top coil compressed). I'm just wondering if it's bad for my car a year from now? (I'm looking to buy some KYB shocks soon anyway since my car has about 80k) It's not stiff, rides soft, and about close to a 3" drop. I'm planning on getting coilovers later (obviously). I'll post pics , any inquiries would be cool. Thanks!
Last edited by 713gs430; 09-30-11 at 05:17 PM.
09-30-11, 06:30 PM
#3
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Don't do it. Wait until you can do it the right way, either used or new
09-30-11, 08:58 PM
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With the money spent on torching, you can buy springs for cheap. Lots of folks on here have springs on stock shocks. Tanabe will drop you 2". But hey, it's your car, your budget. Personally, that's a no-no, no guaranteeing what if it goes bad.
Good luck, be wise and be open to heavy flaming.
Good luck, be wise and be open to heavy flaming.
09-30-11, 11:12 PM
#6
my friends bf did it to his car... i personally think its lame and very old school.
you drive a Lexus. dont be cheap. if you cant afford to buy real mods then you shouldnt be modding at all. if you can buy rims n a kit then you can buy some decent springs or coilovers.
you drive a Lexus. dont be cheap. if you cant afford to buy real mods then you shouldnt be modding at all. if you can buy rims n a kit then you can buy some decent springs or coilovers.
10-01-11, 04:08 PM
#7
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lol, A friend of mine on here told me to be prepared for some flaming if this gets posted. Thanks for all the replies! Just did the Race for the Cure (breast cancer awareness race) in Houston this morning and I can't fathom driving slammed through parts of downtown's crap-tastic roads. I'd love to do a VIP-esque slam but it just isn't practical these days for daily driving.
Speaking of which, anyone have recommendations for good coilovers @ reasonable prices? I have friends who had mixed emotions on Tein coilovers ~ and Had another friend that bought brand new tanabe sustec's for his g35 sedan and one of his shocks blew and his front driver's side slammed to the ground (he was going 40mph). Tanabe wouldn't give him warranty since he didn't buy it directly from them or one of their main distributors so he's royally p*ssed. Thanks,people!
Speaking of which, anyone have recommendations for good coilovers @ reasonable prices? I have friends who had mixed emotions on Tein coilovers ~ and Had another friend that bought brand new tanabe sustec's for his g35 sedan and one of his shocks blew and his front driver's side slammed to the ground (he was going 40mph). Tanabe wouldn't give him warranty since he didn't buy it directly from them or one of their main distributors so he's royally p*ssed. Thanks,people!
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10-17-11, 06:01 PM
#10
Not flaming anyone, torching done RIGHT is ok. It is WHERE you torch it. Not Torch Yes/No.
Reading up on Herb Adams, one of GM's old suspension designers from the 60's shows the right way. You do NOT torch in the middle, only at the ends where it is being folded down enough that the section torched is part of the seat. And the spring needs to be quenched right away. You don't get much, some, but not massive amount of drop. If you want slammed, get an aftermarket spring already done. Or better yet, adjustable.
Think about how the spring was made, heat. Heat isn't bad, heat in the wrong place is bad.
It has its place and doing it is with the spring out of the car...... Sucks to have a torched ride!
Reading up on Herb Adams, one of GM's old suspension designers from the 60's shows the right way. You do NOT torch in the middle, only at the ends where it is being folded down enough that the section torched is part of the seat. And the spring needs to be quenched right away. You don't get much, some, but not massive amount of drop. If you want slammed, get an aftermarket spring already done. Or better yet, adjustable.
Think about how the spring was made, heat. Heat isn't bad, heat in the wrong place is bad.
It has its place and doing it is with the spring out of the car...... Sucks to have a torched ride!
05-12-12, 03:29 PM
#11
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Well put. In fact my friend does it at his shop in Houston. Him and his brothers have a stable of cars w/ a few of them done. Since I have already bought a set of Megan coilovers, I let him do it anyway. He does it EXACTLY how you explained it. He heats the top coil and cools it instantly. He says you'll have a stock feel (even had me tested his wife's small SUV that he's done) and it does ride well. The rest of the spring looks stock, it's just the top coil that is heated and cooled. Here are some pics of how it looks. I'll try to upload pics of him in the works.
So having it done - w/ coilovers on hand if I didn't like the ride - It pretty much rides smooth and better than I thought! I have friends w/ 2nd gen's who has tein coilovers, tanabe springs, etc on their GS' (some 2" drop, some slammed) and mine rides better. They've admittedly enjoyed my ride over their's during test drives. So far, I've been riding on them (w/ stock shocks) and have had no problems whatsoever for the past 7 months. The shocks will eventually need replacing, but that's when I'll throw on the coilovers!
Thanks for the feedback. I'm sure people on a budget would highly consider, but you want quality w/ quality - especially on a Lexus.
So having it done - w/ coilovers on hand if I didn't like the ride - It pretty much rides smooth and better than I thought! I have friends w/ 2nd gen's who has tein coilovers, tanabe springs, etc on their GS' (some 2" drop, some slammed) and mine rides better. They've admittedly enjoyed my ride over their's during test drives. So far, I've been riding on them (w/ stock shocks) and have had no problems whatsoever for the past 7 months. The shocks will eventually need replacing, but that's when I'll throw on the coilovers!
Thanks for the feedback. I'm sure people on a budget would highly consider, but you want quality w/ quality - especially on a Lexus.
05-12-12, 03:31 PM
#12
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I had my rear fenders shaved recently to clear the rims since they are 19x10 in the rear. Still have not had any problems, especially w/ the wheels on. They do feel like a stock ride, until you hit bad roads lol.
07-11-12, 10:19 AM
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torching????
What's up, people. I a friend of mine @ a shop was replacing my brakes and resurfacing the rotors when he talked me into lowering my GS (via torching the springs). I told him I'd do it later after looking for rims and a kit. I test drove 2 of his cars he had and it drove fine (better than some aftermarket springs). After about 2 months it still rides fine (the top coil is basically torched - while being cooled @ the same time - lowering them, so they're not cut just the top coil compressed). I'm just wondering if it's bad for my car a year from now? (I'm looking to buy some KYB shocks soon anyway since my car has about 80k) It's not stiff, rides soft, and about close to a 3" drop. I'm planning on getting coilovers later (obviously). I'll post pics , any inquiries would be cool. Thanks!
