Lowering with Clamps

KevinACrider

KevinACrider

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I know this is not something you guys recommend but I've done quite a bit of research on this and contrary to what many people say, it doesn't seem to be dangerous. I'm not talking about cutting a coil off the spring as that is obviously far more dangerous when the spring is not properly seated on the strut. I did see some clamp at the store though and they were not standard u-bolts. They were 4 piece clamps designed for lowering and raising a vehicle by either compressing 2 coils or by expanding 2 coils. If one were to use 2 clamps per spring, on opposite sides, and clamp 2 full coils together, what is the amount of drop you can expect?

I expect the majority of the people here will just flame away and that's fine but I want to hear why you don't suggest it instead of just a flaming. For the record, I'm doing this purely for looks of lowering the vehicle and removing wheel gap. I do not race, I don't even go over the speed limit. My LS is purely luxury and that's how I plan to keep it. I won't be flying around corners, racing through twisty's or anything else. I purely want to lower the car and find it a bit extreme to purchase a sport suspension just to get the look I'm after.

Let the debate begin...
 
Ive never seen or heard of these but isnt there something like this for trucks?

You should post some more info about them from a website or something.
 
What happens when you hit a dip in the highway? Your car is just going to jump off the ground. How are the clamps going to allow the spring to uncompress so that doesn't happen?

Sounds like a great idea for a trailer queen, not for something that's driven.
 
In the research you did were the people using clamps driving daily with them? Ive never really heard of this but it makes sense to me that you would use them to lower a truck temporarily to get its hitch under a trailer or something, but i cant see it smart or safe to leave clamps on your springs during daily driving :confused:
 
You would probably damage your shocks pretty quick. I would rather see you cut the dead coils. Not recomended but that would stiffen up your suspension way to much I think.
 
The people I spoke with were all using them on daily drivers. Some had the fox body mustangs, I few Mazdas and other random cars. The difference can't be any different than cutting them, it would actually be safer. By cutting the deal coils, you don't have a complete coil seated in the perch of your strut and it could bounce out of the strut extremely easy. Clamping just 2 coils together is only removing 1 complete coil and shouldn't make a difference at all when hitting a small dip in the road (compared to cutting coils). The rest of the coils are still able to fully compress and expand. I've not had the car off the ground in a little while but from what I remember there are a lot of coils on these springs.
 
Brendan, why don't you just go somewhere else where your comments are appreciated. We're trying to have a normal discussion without you're retarded comments. It's :q:q:q:q like this that causes people to not even bother with this forum.
 
But you see you will get a softer ride with the cut, but if you clamped the springs wouldnt it make it harder? And I would think harder and shorter wouldnt feel good on the suspension at all. IMO
 
I had the clamps on my 95 SHO for 2 years with no problems, the clamps eventually broke apart, due to rusting, but nothing gets damaged.

You just go out and buy new clamps. Just make sure they dont rub on anything when compressing or decompressing.
 
Hey you said you wanted to stay purely luxury. All im saying is why go with a cheap work around that has potential for problems.
 
02V8Sport,

The clamps I was looking at were not very bulky at all. If I placed on on the front and one on the back, as opposed to placing one on the inside and one on the outside, I don't think there would be a chance of rubbing. I would also be cutting off the excess bolt once the spring is completely clamped. Perhaps even welding the nut to the bolt so it does not come loose.

How was the ride quality when you did this?

How much of a drop would I get from clamping 2 coils together. About an inch or so? Will the vehicle pass an inspection with them installed?

Brendan,

I did say that I was looking for luxury rather than sport. I was making reference that I don't need the characteristics of lowering springs, only the look they provide. From the outside, besides a small drop and some rims, I will not look any different from any other LS rolling around. I'm focusing all of my styling on the interior, where most luxury styling is applied.
 
I used this system to lower an old '67 Galaxy years ago, and it worked perfectly fine. I also used a twist in spring separator, to rais ride hts. but they poped out allot. The only thing I ran into, for whatever reason, thru many comp/rebound cycles over the course of a couple of weeks, I would have to jack the axle up, loosen the clamp, and rotate it back 180 degrees from the other one, they tended to walk arount the spring a bit, and I couldnt tighten them enough. But, I liked the look, and was willing to keep up on it. The old Galaxy's had a trailing arm/coil spring rear suspension.
I just installed the Eibach Pro spring kit, and even if you dont even drive spiritedly, you will still like the fact that they wont bind, or bottom as fast as clamping the springs will. In other words, it will be a better ride....IMHO
 
Having just installed the new springs, there is one more thing to think about. The rear assemblies mount up into a tube, and there is only a very small amount of spring showing below it...about 4-5" out of a spring that is about a foot long. This tube, in my opinion does not give you enough travel, or clearance to do the clamps. After just looking under the car, I wouldnt do it, because I would be afraid it would bind on the tube, and cause other problems.
 
KevinACrider said:
02V8Sport,
How was the ride quality when you did this?

How much of a drop would I get from clamping 2 coils together. About an inch or so? Will the vehicle pass an inspection with them installed?
Click to expand...

Ride wasnt terrible, no worse than lowering springs.

Inspection, dont see why it would matter. But then again I dont know much about them, dont have them in IL.

You should use 2 clamps per coil, 1 will snap off after a few big bumps. You will have to clamp the spring on opposite side of eachother on the same coil.

I bet you will get a 1" drop minimum.
 
$200 will get you a 1.6" drop, and you wont have to worry about them rusting out and snapping, $200 is a small price to pay for luxury.
 
Clamps are usually $10 per pair for each coil, so thats $40 toward springs to do it right and not worry later.
 
The other reason I'm opting for clamps and not springs is so I can remove them in the winter. I appreciate your input and I got my questions answered. I'll be installing the clamps when my rims arrive.
 
what about welding the nut on? wouldn't that make it a tad bit harder to remove them in winter?
 
I'll just use a tack weld. Just enough to stop the nut from vibrating loose but small enough to quickly grind it off. I may not even weld them at all. I may just use a form of loc-tite.
 
KevinACrider said:
What's the difference with the RED and the BLUE?
Click to expand...

The red is stronger Since you are using it on suspension parts I would go with the strongest I could find that is removable. I also think there is one that you have to use heat to loosen which would be even better. Do some research on which would be the best.
 
I guess if I cut the excess bolts off I'll have to buy an extra set to compress the spring each time i put them back on.

I think I'll go with the red. I don't want to have to use heat to get them off it's going to be cold already when it's time for them to come off.
 
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