Compressed springs? Chopped?

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Compressed springs? Chopped?

Postby Tecnik » Wed Aug 25, 2004 9:29 pm

Hey everyone.

Im wondering how to lower my Corolla. Ive read about compression on this forum, but am wondering how to get my car sittin closer to the ground, without mass $bling$ expense. I know compression & choppies are easy to get thru a warrant, with a standard set of springs or painting htem yellow and quoting "king springs".... but the problem is, if i have a crash; the crash investigators will pick up on the cut springs very very quick... and then Ill have no insurance and could get blamed for a crash..

King Springs = $400 = too much
Choppies/Compression = Not -really- legit = No insurance

In the WOF manual... which has nicely been put on www.ltsa.govt.nz it says you can't compress or cut springs at all :(

Im stuck. Any ideas?

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Postby Al » Wed Aug 25, 2004 9:35 pm

Well the question has to be asked, if you cant afford to modify your car...why are you still trying to?
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Postby low_rider » Wed Aug 25, 2004 9:36 pm

you can get springs compressed and it will still be legal it costs about 100-200 to get it done well thats what i was quoted to do it
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Postby Tecnik » Wed Aug 25, 2004 9:41 pm

Al wrote:Well the question has to be asked, if you cant afford to modify your car...why are you still trying to?


I never said I couldn't afford to modify my car. I said I don't have loads of money to do it with. I can afford $200 for compressed springs, and also could save up $550 for king springs fitted... But im mainly just after the looks, so $550 is over my budget. Good one if you wanna just blow the money and not find a cheaper way :lol:

low_rider, how dya know its legal? thats bloody good news if it is
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Postby low_rider » Wed Aug 25, 2004 9:44 pm

ive looked into compressing springs alot and if you get a proper place to do it its legal

what the ltsa mean is like you cant do it at home by jus heating them and compressing them because they have a tendancy to snap and not be very safe at all but if you get the pros to do it it is legit.

for 300 bucks you could cut the springs and get a cert aswell then it would be legal
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Postby kingcorolla » Wed Aug 25, 2004 9:50 pm

as soon as u alter ure current springs eg. choppd, compressed, a cert is required, because it also alters steering angles, which changes the cars handling and steering ability.

and choppd springs through a warrent??? when techs wof ure car, it goes on a hoist, which instantly is noticed, not only buy the chingling sound of ure cutties falling out of capture, but also wen they get to the underbody check and see springs hangin off the bottom spring seats!! PLUS if its RWD corolla, ure rear springs might fall out wile going over a speed bump, coz they just sittn on a live axle.

anyway ill answer ure question... i had a KE70, and i just compressed them and shorten the shocks. flew through wof everytime. (all ONE of them sorry :oops: )

plus TS absolutely FLAME if u talk about ure cutties.
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Postby low_rider » Wed Aug 25, 2004 9:52 pm

actually you dont have to get compressed springs certed if there done by a professional
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Postby kingcorolla » Wed Aug 25, 2004 9:55 pm

low_rider wrote:what the ltsa mean is like you cant do it at home by jus heating them and compressing them because they have a tendancy to snap and not be very safe at all but if you get the pros to do it it is legit.


yea but they limit the height of them, i cant remember the exact measurement, but it aint much.

the way around this is simply go in with ure springs, and tell them they are for a racecar. then they allow any height.
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Postby low_rider » Wed Aug 25, 2004 9:57 pm

i think its 10mm gap per coil is the lowest you can go
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Postby badidas » Wed Aug 25, 2004 9:59 pm

ive had a few cars with chopies back in the day and all i had to do was shorten the shocks and it got a testing station wof but theve changed all the laws now eh i recon as long as there captive its ok
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Postby kingcorolla » Wed Aug 25, 2004 10:02 pm

low_rider wrote:actually you dont have to get compressed springs certed if there done by a professional


U SED IT URE SELF!!!!!!!
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Postby rxtoy » Wed Aug 25, 2004 10:27 pm

there isn't really a cheap way to get a decent drop, i just got my EX lancer springs compressed 3" and it looks pretty good but it doesn't handle that well, mainly cause i've got a few things i've still got to do.

its pretty much on the bump stops in the back (easy enough to get round, shorten the bump stops cause the factory ones are huge) and there's a fair bit of bump steer.

i've also had to put shorter shocks in all round, this wasn't too hard for me cause i did all the work myself (plus the rear ones are pick a part 8$ bargains til i can afford new ones) but if you can't do your own work then it would get expensive.

a short list would include:
- new shortened shocks all round at about $100 a corner (or you can just have your stock shocks shortened on a lathe, not the ideal way)
- custom spacers for your front shocks (or you can get shortened shocks made to fit but more $)
- roll centre adjusters to eliminate bump steer (i'm hanging to make some of these up, its a pretty lively drive at the moment)

and then the cert. i'm not too worried about the cert for the suspension, the car needs one anyway to cover the 2 litre turbo conversion but if you just need one for the suspension factor in another $300.

when it comes down to it king springs (or jamex or whatever pretty colour you prefer) are probably going to work out cheaper, they're made to be trapped by your current shocks (check this with the supplier so if they're not you can take them back) and at least you won't have to worry about the cert and all the other stuff.
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Postby kingcorolla » Wed Aug 25, 2004 11:20 pm

kingcorolla wrote:
low_rider wrote:actually you dont have to get compressed springs certed if there done by a professional


U SED IT URE SELF!!!!!!!


viewtopic.php?t=20839
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Postby low_rider » Wed Aug 25, 2004 11:24 pm

wat are you on about bro?
yeah you do have to get your car certed if its lower the 100mm of the ground no matter what springs you have
this thread aint about that though is it its about getting springs compressed which you dont have to get a cert for unless it makes your car go lower than 100m off the ground which :) EVERYONE knows
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Postby wde_bdy » Thu Aug 26, 2004 12:46 am

low_rider wrote:wat are you on about bro?
yeah you do have to get your car certed if its lower the 100mm of the ground no matter what springs you have
this thread aint about that though is it its about getting springs compressed which you dont have to get a cert for unless it makes your car go lower than 100m off the ground which :) EVERYONE knows


Maybe you should actually read the rules rather than just making them up?

Springs and shock absorbers • the springs or shock absorbers are direct replacements, and
• replacement springs fit and maintain contact with un-modified OE seats throughout
full suspension travel, and
• replacement springs are self-retaining in their seats at full extension, without the use
of non-standard devices such as wire-ties, straps, or external spring locators, and
replacement springs have not been heated or cut, and
• springs and spring seats are not height adjustable (unless OE), and
• replacement shock absorbers fit un-modified OE mountings, and
• suspension maintains sufficient travel for safe operation when fully laden, and
• suspension components maintain sufficient clearance from unmodified bumpstops
when fully laden, and
• a minimum of 100 mm ground clearance exists below any part of the vehicle
structure, or any steering, braking, or suspension component1, and
• the normal relationship between front and rear suspension height is not unduly affected.

Notice the AND at the end of each of those points? You have to meet all the requirement not just the ones you like. If you don't meet all of them it has to be certed.

http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/publications/vir-manual/general/2-1a-steering-and-suspension-sys.pdf

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Postby low_rider » Thu Aug 26, 2004 9:55 am

fuk why do i bother :roll:

IF YOU GET IT DONE BY PROS YOU DONT HAVE TO GET A CERT

how bout you go round and talk to people in this sort of bussiness or even ltsa and explain to them that you want to get your springs compresed by a certified place like snells and they will tell you that you dont need a cert :roll:
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Postby wde_bdy » Thu Aug 26, 2004 10:58 am

low_rider wrote:IF YOU GET IT DONE BY PROS YOU DONT HAVE TO GET A CERT

how bout you go round and talk to people in this sort of bussiness or even ltsa and explain to them that you want to get your springs compresed by a certified place like snells and they will tell you that you dont need a cert :roll:


Ok, he was worried about insurance if he went with heated or cut springs. Since the manual provides the legal basis for issuing WoF's his insurance company and the cops can bend him over and root him if he has an accident and his car doesn't comply. Just because you have a verbal ok for it doesn't mean shit. Lots of stuff can go through WoF's that isn't legal.
If the LTSA want's people to use professionally compressed springs it should be listed in the manual. How do you prove they were compressed by Snells or anyone else?

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Postby scotts2hot » Thu Aug 26, 2004 11:09 am

So is it legal to get springs out of a different car which will lower your car as long as they aren't cut compressed and remain captive? That could be a cheaper and more legal option.
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Postby low_rider » Thu Aug 26, 2004 3:20 pm

you would just have to provide proof that they were done by a certified place and everything would be sweet.
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Postby kingcorolla » Thu Aug 26, 2004 8:21 pm

low_rider wrote:...but if you get the pros to do it it is legit.


this is wat confused me! :?
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