Lowering Springs!

[Retro_Boy_G]

Hey guys,

I've recently purchased a second MR2 in which I aim to keep clean, standard but low with a better wheel offset.. (spacers haha).

I used to run the Apex lowering springs which I found amazing.. They genuinely made the car look a lot lower than standard but felt great too.

As I'm planning on running the standard wheels I'm wanting to drop it as low as I can on springs and the 30mm drop on the Apex just seems like it might still sit a bit high for my liking..

I know it's only 5mm difference (every mm helps eh) but has anyone tried these springs?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TOYOTA-MR2-Mk ... 1874wt_825

They seem to be quite a small company but state that it will drop the car 35mm..

Should I scrap the 5mm and get what I know is a decent set of springs or run the risk of getting the 35mm ones and the car feels like a bag of spanners and still sits at standard height?

HELPPPPP!!!

[elbon50]

Its a case of venturing into the unknown unless another member has tried them & reports back Retro

I have a set of almost new Jamex 30 mill springs that I bought from another member. Havn't got around to fitting em yet. Am wondering how I will feel about the end result

Looking forward to trying it though

Peter

[PW@Woodsport]

Peter, throw the Jamex straight in the bin, they are terrible! We stopped fitting Jamex many years ago, the biggest problem is the top 2 and lower 3 coils on the front springs all end up clashing each other, they are just about touching each other with the weight of the car on them.

Whoever designed them needs shooting in all honesty.

(this is going back a good few years, i don't know, maybe they changed the design since then)

[Retro_Boy_G]

I think I'm just going to go with the APEX again.. Which is gutting as I sold some like new ones about 1 month ago for a bargain price!

Sods law..

[elbon50]

I think I'm just going to go with the APEX again.. Which is gutting as I sold some like new ones about 1 month ago for a bargain price!

Sods law..

Safest to go with something you know will work well Retro

Looks like I have made a mistake with the Jamex

Peter

[elbon50]

Peter, throw the Jamex straight in the bin, they are terrible! We stopped fitting Jamex many years ago, the biggest problem is the top 2 and lower 3 coils on the front springs all end up clashing each other, they are just about touching each other with the weight of the car on them.

Whoever designed them needs shooting in all honesty.

(this is going back a good few years, i don't know, maybe they changed the design since then)

The Jamex fronts have a lot of coils Paul

Seven, whereas the originals have only five

Will take a pic & put up on here

Peter

[Retro_Boy_G]

Peter, You might as well stick them on and give them a bash if you have them in your possession.

If you know how to do the job then it can be done in a few hours anyway and you never know, you might like them!

[elbon50]

Peter, You might as well stick them on and give them a bash if you have them in your possession.

If you know how to do the job then it can be done in a few hours anyway and you never know, you might like them!

Yes will definately bung em on Retro

If I try em I'll know for certain one way or t'other

Peter

[pk_090]

now this may get me ridiculed, laughed at or maybe even banned or whatever but here goes.
As its being used as a daily driver and you want it low as humainly possible by the sounds of it why not cut the springs or find alternate fitting springs?

[kaiowas]

We've only just got the lid back on that can of worms!

http://www.imoc.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=149821

[pk_090]

ah ok ill fade gradually back into the back again then!
Just to add the cars with cut springs i have dealt with they have been cut properly, given abuse on track and nuthing has happened to them. If cut right they are not dangerous and are also not an MOT fail.

[elbon50]

ah ok ill fade gradually back into the back again then!
Just to add the cars with cut springs i have dealt with they have been cut properly, given abuse on track and nuthing has happened to them. If cut right they are not dangerous and are also not an MOT fail.

He he he, it was me that opened the worm-can that Kaiowas & others have been trying to get the lid back onto

There is a thread from earlier in the year with a long discussion about this

Now I seem to have bought some professionally produced ones that may be a problem

When I get it wrong I really get it wrong

Bumped that other thread up so you can see Alex

Peter

[Retro_Boy_G]

You know I have thought about cut springs but If the part is affordable to me then I thought I might as well buy it.. I don't want it silly low, just lower than standard.

The springs are probably over 20 years old now so could probably do with a swap over.

[cartledge_uk]

I believe thsi was the post

http://www.imoc.co.uk/forums/viewtopic. ... 21&start=0

[PW@Woodsport]

Peter if you fit the Jamex you will see how close the coils are from touching each other with just the weight of the car, now imagine hitting any sort of bump, the coils hit each other and the suspension effectively becomes "springbound"

I wouldn't put them on a pogo stick in all honesty.

[pk_090]

cutting already lowered springs i wouldnt do, but standard springs maybe, depending in the spring and how its been coiled. If the spring has flats at either the top or bottom where it rests with the shocker or the inserts at the top i wouldnt, but if its just a normal open coil i cant see the problem, as long as it is a clean cut thought directly below where the spring ends, hence keeping the same shape. Any sharp edges t be removed and then touched up with paint to stop corrosion. If you nick another coil with the grinder, render the coil useless as that will be a weakness plain and will fracture at that point. Plus more and more things. We cut the springs on a bmw 325 drift car last weekend, gave it a full thrashing at oulton park last weekend plus even more, not a problem whatsoever, made such a differance and no problems or troubles whatsoever. Yes your saxo and corsa boys who will grind the springs down until there is no coil left i dont like as stated the back end just has to loose weight over a bump and the springs can fly out but only dropping the one coil and making sure the spring is still tight against the swing arm i cant see a problem with. Anyway differant people differant oppinions. Personally i wouldnt do it on my car but then again ive seen alot worse stuff done to cars.
Alex

[PW@Woodsport]

I'm not even going to get drawn into the cutting springs discussion again, it's a very silly thing for anyone with half a brain to even consider it a good or safe thing to do to a car.

People do it a lot, and get away with it but it's not for me ta

[Nails]

i once did it myself, i was inbetween coilovers (typical group buy taking forever) and wanted my car low for a show (wasnt an mr2)
so i cut the coils down from something like 7 coils to 3, then I shortened the damper by cutting the end off, stuck it in the lathe to turn the ends down, used a die to put a thread on and put it back together so it was nice and tight and no chance of the spring falling out.
it was the worst ride ever down to jae at eastern showground bouncing all over the road at anything about 60mph. lol.

a mate has also cut his springs on his tramp drift volvo but he done it sensibly and theyre safe and ride fine., hes only done that though as there are no lowering springs for his car.

[ross-taylor]

when i got my mr2 the springs that was on it had been cut down and it was sitting low, this made for the worst ride ever, the back used to skip out in a strait line when i hit a little bump and the handling was shocking. im running 35mm lowering springs now and the ride is lovely. looked better lower but drives alot better now. i would say cutting springs is not a good idea.

Ross

[elbon50]

Peter if you fit the Jamex you will see how close the coils are from touching each other with just the weight of the car, now imagine hitting any sort of bump, the coils hit each other and the suspension effectively becomes "springbound"

I wouldn't put them on a pogo stick in all honesty.

Yes I do understand what you are saying Paul & am not arguing against in any way at all

Having looked at the Jamex fronts again today I can see what you mean. There are too many coils (seven) whereas the original has only five, while being considerably taller

However, since I have them here I intend to try them on the car. Then I can report back from a position of first hand experience

The car isn't used much for ordinary road driving

Ok lets face it I'm stubborn & I like to try things out, right or wrong

Peter