12340987

I can't find it.

Basically i lowered my focus on standard shocks on some 50mm springs i got cheap, brand new in box so i know they are 50mm.

The front sits perfect, there is a tight 2 fingers width of a gap between tyre top and the arch liner/wing which im happy with.

But the back, you can get three fingers in and thats 3 fingers loosely, it looks like a dragster or somethings broke on it, it looks sloping down at the front, now they were only cheap springs and the rears arent pigtail, there flat coils, and yes i know they were designed to be that way and cutting them will mess up the spring rate and its dangerous, but they sit almost 2 inches into the rear subframe/wishbone/swingarm.

They are all seated and fitted correctly, so will cutting a coil or two off the back ones level it out a bit if i cut the bottom of the coils that sit inside the subframe/wishbone/swingarm? I cant really see the harm it will do, id put very good money they cant and they wouldnt jump out of where they are seated as it was a bastard to get the old springs out, involved standing on two pry bars,springs clamps and 3 men to get them out and near enough the same process to get the lowered ones in as all i did was undo the shock inside the boot as all the other bolts seized/rounded off, and another pro point is it will bring the front up a tad i imagine if the back drops a little lower.

Everyones noticed it, ive even had people say have i fitted the back springs yet?

Handles amazing, looks awful because its uneven !

slammedorion

Chop away! You'll be fine with 1 or 2 coils off.

12340987

Im trying to get my mate to do it, the guy is off his nut, he changed all 4 springs in about 25 minutes flat, using airguns, brute force, it took me 6 hours to remove one spring ! he will get the backs out cut them and get them back in within 15 minutes.. trying to get hold of him is another thing ! cheers mate

tee-rex

Right up to the point where it fails an mot.

R1c

i cut a coil off a set of lowering springs on my last car and it went through the mot no problems at all

botters

iTrader: (2)

as said in the other thread the reason it sits higher at the back is because
1, front wheel drive cars handle better like this
2, it would have been higher at the back as standard so lowering the back and front 50mm will result in the back remaining higher

just cut them if they have an even gap between coils as they will not be a progressive spring rate so wont affect the spring much

and if it took you 6 hours to change one spring your doing something wrong lol it is about 15-20 minutes per corner of a job and thats with bolts siezed in bushes!!

12340987

Well you tell me how you got the rear springs out then? i undid the shock inside the boot, jacked the back end up, removed wheels, clamped the springs, got someone to stand on the rear disk, used 2 pry bars and still had a struggle getting them out?

botters

iTrader: (2)

undo shock, put jack under lower arm, undo inner bolt on lower arm ,lower jack pull spring out . simples! never had to use spring clamps on them

studabear

focus's can be a major headache when the bolts seize into the bushes on the rear suspension

12340987

Well botters you must have struck lucky because mine and every other focus ive seen or heard people have tried lowering the wishbone/lower arm bolts are seized in to the point where they minds aswell be welded in ! a picture or idea of which bolt you mean would be good too, think theres 2 on the wheel end (bolts) and one at the other.