shortening struts

[scope]

if springs are uncaptive so you go ahead and shorten struts, if you shorten them by too much does it lower the car as well? for example, springs are uncaptive by 20mm, if the struts are shortened by 25mm does the car go 5mm lower?

thanks in advance

[gordon77]

if springs are uncaptive so you go ahead and shorten struts, if you shorten them by too much does it lower the car as well? for example, springs are uncaptive by 20mm, if the struts are shortened by 25mm does the car go 5mm lower?

thanks in advance

i am no suspention guru but i thought the springs determend the height, so it wouldnt lower your car

correct me if im wrong...

[scope]

i am no suspention guru but i thought the springs determend the height, so it wouldnt lower your car

correct me if im wrong...

but then i thought of it as this.. from 20mm down the springs couldn't force the strut up anymore as it will be maxed out therefore lowering the car more..? sorry if you don't understnad im' a bit intoxicated

[Punter]

i am no suspention guru but i thought the springs determend the height, so it wouldnt lower your car

correct me if im wrong...

but then i thought of it as this.. from 20mm down the springs couldn't force the strut up anymore as it will be maxed out therefore lowering the car more..? sorry if you don't understnad im' a bit intoxicated

when people say "captive" that means the spring is held in place when the suspension is at full travel (like when you jack the car up) shortening the shocks won't effect you ride height.

[Ae92typeX]

although generally springs do determine height, shortening the struts drastically can lower the car.
In your case however, I dont think it will as you also have to take into account how much it compresses when the weight of the car is on it. Many standard springs are much higher than the strut length, hence the need to use spring compressors to fit them.
it will however mean, when you jack it up, the tyres will leave the ground slightly earlier than before you had it shortened (not that that matters in terms of this topic at all )

[Fraud]

Shortened my shocks by 10mm, lowered it a further 5mm.
Short answer, yes, shortening shocks can lower your car further.
*Depending on the appication*

Its not used to lower cars more, as much as keep shorter springs captive, if that makes sense?

[vhpacer]

Sorry to go off topic but can a car with captive cut springs get a wof?

[Emperor]

Sorry to go off topic but can a car with captive cut springs get a wof?

Aslong as they are captive, yes.

[pervert]

Sorry to go off topic but can a car with captive cut springs get a wof?

Not technically, it is illegal to have chopped springs full stop, but many garages will give a warrent to a car with captive cut springs, I get all mine fine and the backs have been chopped.

[vhpacer]

O sweet. So just go to a wof station out of the city

[pervert]

O sweet. So just go to a wof station out of the city

I find most places are OK, as longas you don't use testing station type places...the average 'couple of older guys running a random garage' are fine with it...

[l1ttle_d3vil]

Sorry to go off topic but can a car with captive cut springs get a wof?

as already said, it is illegal to have cut springs at all, but if they are captive most places won't tell the difference. you just have to make sure they still sit right in the top hat as that is moulded to suit the shape etc.

and im guessing shortening the struts would lower the car. my springs are captive at the moment but I need to lower the car about 30mm more.
so if I shorten the struts by that much when I bolt it all back together the springs should get compressed by another 30mm right? I may be wrong but that was my understanding...

[scope]

and im guessing shortening the struts would lower the car. my springs are captive at the moment but I need to lower the car about 30mm more.
so if I shorten the struts by that much when I bolt it all back together the springs should get compressed by another 30mm right? I may be wrong but that was my understanding...

that is what i thought also and why i asked to see if it was right

[wde_bdy]

The only thing that will change your ride height is the spring or the spring seat (unless your car is bottomed out at ride height).
At ride height your strut insert piston sits around the middle of the strut body (approximately). As your suspension move up and down so does the piston, since the shaft and piston is attached to the car and the strut body is attached to the wheel. When you bottom out either the shaft/piston hits the bottom of the strut body (very very bad) or the top of the strut body hits the car/bumpstop. When you jack the car up the shaft/piston is pulled out of the strut body as far as it will go, if the shaft is too long it will pull out far enough for the spring to un-tension itself. By shortening this shaft you reduce the amount it can pull out and therefore keep the spring under tension. It has the added bonus of reducing the chances of the shock shaft bottoming out in the shock body.
Technically shortening shocks requires a cert the same as modifying most other suspension components (think what would happen if the shaft was machined to thin and broke) however it is unlikely to be picked up at a WoF inspection. The best method though is to find inserts that already have a shorter stroke and use those in your factory strut casings, no cert is required for this. To go seriously low you need to shorten your strut casings, generally done with proper coilover setups (obviously this requires cert).

Callum

[Fraud]

Sorry to go off topic but can a car with captive cut springs get a wof?

as already said, it is illegal to have cut springs at all, but if they are captive most places won't tell the difference. you just have to make sure they still sit right in the top hat as that is moulded to suit the shape etc.

and im guessing shortening the struts would lower the car. my springs are captive at the moment but I need to lower the car about 30mm more.
so if I shorten the struts by that much when I bolt it all back together the springs should get compressed by another 30mm right? I may be wrong but that was my understanding...

No shortening your shocks by 30mm will not lower your car an additional 30mm, or, as above, when I shortened my shocks my car would have been lower by 10mm, not 5mm.
The idea of shortening shocks is to re-tension the coils, when the shock is at its maximum out-stroke (extended as far as it can). You may, when shortening your shocks, ultimately end up lower than before, due to several different reasons, not solely because the shoke stroke is now shorter.
The only way shortening shocks would make your car lower, is by shortening them by a HUGE amount so that when your strut is repositioned, it has compressed the springs MORE than the usual weight of the car would. And that would be good if you wanted a very solid ride, but not good for your suspension travel (or alot of your suspension components!)
Hope this makes sense?

[bad20v]

Just remember:

'Springs hold a vehicle up, Shocks keep a vehicle down'

Shortening your shocks will not lower your vehicle dramatically, however it will release some of the pressure that may have built up in the base of the shock below the piston seat, this will lower the vehicle a little more.
The only way to realistically lower a vehicle is to alter the springs
that hold it up.... or get some of your fat mates to sit in it.

[Distrb]

Sorry to go off topic but can a car with captive cut springs get a wof?

Not technically, it is illegal to have chopped springs full stop, but many garages will give a warrent to a car with captive cut springs, I get all mine fine and the backs have been chopped.

i've seen a car that has had cut springs certified and noted on the cert plate...

[vhpacer]

How old was the cert though?

[Distrb]

How old was the cert though?

around 2000, 01 i think

[pervert]

Yes, I believe you used to be able to get cut springs certified, but alas, not anymore...