TeamSwift

Hmmm... did you use a nylon strap for your limiter? Iv'e been thinking of using a braided steel (cable) to make mine,
but it might get little noisy knocking around... I always thought using the shock itself to limit downward travel of the
suspension might be a little much and will in turn ruin the dampener...

Alien

As someone who regularly autocrosses my car, I hate to say it, but I think the best advice is just to not go that low.

A little helps alot, and then there's no problem with suspension geometry. Mine is just at the point where the springs are solidly captive, and I think that's just right.

If you are trying to build a "stanced" car or lowrider or whatever, more power to you, but if you care about handling you don't need to drop more than 1" unless you are also willing to do MUCH more additional work to correct the geometry and allow for proper suspension travel.

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Understood... I just thought a similar drop as H&Rs with cut sprigs would benifit from
limiters as they don't have dead coils that maintain contact when the suspension is
extended... My height will be moderate as I usually carry my lighting gear that would
weigh the back of the car down quite a bit...

Alien

Hey, then you should have no problem just cutting some Mk4 or GT springs and using some rubber hose to help them seat. The cut spring actually bends in such a manner when loaded that it still behaves as if it has some dead coil. I have to admit that I've had to use a spacer on the driver's side to keep my ride height even, so maybe it's not an exact science, but then again I was having that problem before I cut the springs. Just go conservative on the cutting and you should get a nice drop without worrying about limiters. Mine wiggle a tiny bit a full drop, but there's no way they can shift where they seat or come out when unloaded.

The only caveat there is that it tends to alter the balance of the car to understeer when the fronts are cut for the same drop, so you may need a bigger sway bar in the back or need to delete or use a smaller front sway bar. Or you can cut stiffer springs from a different car (see all the comments about Kia springs).

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Well... I am using a 22mm sway bar on the rear... Regarding coils, i have been looking at some 'heavy' (400-450#) springs I found on ebay...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/280719571887?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649

http://www.ebay.com/itm/171047443700?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649

http://www.ebay.com/itm/171047556144?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649

They might be a little much for a street car, but they should support extra weight in the back well...

Alien

What year sportage are they from?

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GEO MAFIA!
00 swift 2dr turbo 1.3 5spd 4.10. Sold to friend.
93 geo metro with 96 1.3 5spd swap turboed at 5psi. roommates.
14 ford Mustang v6.

2000

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How much can I cut off my 91 base metro, 2dr hatch, before I run into problems. Kyb's all the way around and stock springs. How much can I cut before I start rubbing or damaging any other suspension components?

Skimmed through most of the 8 pages of posts and only saw a few comments with respect to cutting lowering springs.... I have the vogtland (SRD Purple) springs and I stil get too much body roll.... way too much in the rear. I see some people say to cut one coil off but from the top or the bottom? seeing that the spring is progressive I guess I should start to cut from the bottom.

Thanks for the help guys
Neil

Cut from the bottom..I made the mistake and cut from the too and basically just destroyed the spring.

What spring did you start with and did you get around to getting a spring setup you liked?

I ended up cutting the top spring on mine which didn't drop the car any at all, just made the ride softer. sketch.

so I bought stock springs and cut 1 1/2 coils out of the bottom and loved it. But then I found h&r lowering springs for 50 bucks brand new and had to get those. I am currently running my cut springs (1 1/2 cut out the bottom) in my 91 geo metro and my h&r lowering springs on my 92 swift gt.

So I'm guessing you did not cut your H and R. I'm from the Caribbean, here it does not have much of ready supply of used parts or the variety. I do autocross and I'm interested in finally getting my ride a bit flatter. So far my setup has done me well but I'm always looking to improve.
From what I see in pics and what I can feel the front is pretty OK but the rear needs work! I will probably start by cutting half a coil off

i wouldn't use wiki bullshit for instructions on how to blow my nose.

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hahahhaa good one! I just wanted to see your opinions on it. Im very sceptical about cutting the springs because its not its very expensive to replace due to shipping costs aside from normal expenses. Wish there was more info on cutting aftermarket springs...... Also where im from the sticky tires come in 205 50 15 as the smallest so that limits how much drop I can go with.
I just need a mild drop with high increase in spring rate, I think this can be achieved from cutting from the bottom because they are close together.

Can anyone tell me the original amount of coils the GTi springs were, front and back? someone sold me some cut springs but I would like to know how much they were cut by.

Thanks.

please read the topic carefully, it´s al in there

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looks good

Ok I have read this entire thread twice and I am still no closer to deciding how much to cut off my springs.

1992 Swift GT. Stock Springs. Stock Shocks/Struts. I want it to sit as level as possible. Definetely not higher in the front. I don't want it slammed out, it does get a lot of daily driving/drag racing and some mild autocross racing (maybe 3 events a year).

Going to replace the shocks/struts soon with KYB GR2 or do the Fluid upgrade on my stock units.

I am thinking 1.5 coils in front and 1 coil in the rear. Will this give me what I am looking for. No available GT's near me at all if I mess it up. I don't have a strut press so I don't want to cut a 1/2 coil and put back in until I am satisfied. Going to use some redneck rigging to make a strut press to begin this process.

All feedback is welcome please.

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start with one coil if you dont have a compressor. you dont need it.

take your time and do it right, dont start out chopping it off too much.

cut a half a coil off the second time if its not enough.

remember, its supposed to be fun doing this crap.

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LOL I hope it is fun. Thanks for the info.

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Projects.

1993 Geo Metro LSi
1994 Toyota Pickup

My Car Club Website. Check out Videos of my Swift and all the other Cars in my Club.
http://www.youtube.com/simplexcreationz

Forgot to mention I am Running 14 inch rims with 195/60 tires and my fenders are already rolled.

When I put Intrax Lowering Springs on my last GTi I went to my father in-laws shop and used his strut press. But I have since moved farther away from him now.

_________________
Projects.

1993 Geo Metro LSi
1994 Toyota Pickup

My Car Club Website. Check out Videos of my Swift and all the other Cars in my Club.
http://www.youtube.com/simplexcreationz

i wish we had some hard facts on the spring rates of the diff models.

i would say go to the salvage and get some 4 door 4cyl auto trans 2000 chevy metro springs

keep your stock ones and chop up the junkers.

i bet the spring rate is higher on the newer 4 door stuff

thats what i used and my car looked like a damn 4 wheel drive truck until i made several cuts

the car still sits to high but it bottoms out with the bumpers trimmed down so i cant chop more until i figure out how im going to fix that issue

the rear is going to get the tab removed off of the body of the kyb to regain some lost travel

the front will get a custom strut top mount for starters, and someday custom adjustable coil overs

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Cant find any cars like that in the junk yards that are near me. Most just get left to rot in some pasture at some old farmers house. I have never seen a 4 door at the local salvage. He has bunches of 2 door cars.

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Projects.

1993 Geo Metro LSi
1994 Toyota Pickup

My Car Club Website. Check out Videos of my Swift and all the other Cars in my Club.
http://www.youtube.com/simplexcreationz