Trimming moog 5662 springs

[LT1 Regal]

I have an 86 regal with a V8. I installed the moog 5662 springs in the front and cc627 in the rear. My front is about 3in. too high now . I am also using bilstein shocks all around. I would like to know if I can trim the 5662 springs and about how much should I trim to lower about 3 inches?

Thanks in advance.

 

[CopGn]

I have the same problem. My concern is will the ride to hard if I cut.

 

[LT1 Regal]

CopGn, are you going to try to trim them? If you are, how much?

 

[CopGn]

I am going to basically measure how much the front has to drop to match the dropped rear done with drop springs. Then add 1/2 inch to the amount measured and cut this amount off the springs. I am adding the 1/2 inch as cutting the springs will increase the spring rate raising the front end.

 

[BJM]

Just something to consider in case you found it harsh already.

The 5662 is a really stiff spring ~700 lb/in versus 420 stock. Cutting it will stiffen it more, especially a 3" drop, I estimated about 820 lb/in. You will almost have doubled the net stiffness from stock. I have 5660's in the front and plan to change to a 5658. On these cars a super stiff spring really compromises ride quality and does not help handling very much. Do not use a stiff sway bar with these springs. The other thing is this, the Bilsteins are designed to match something close to the stock stiffness. Since the stiffer springs reduce the travel of the spring and hence the shock you really need a stiffer shock in there to complement the spring. The shock is valved for certain piston velocities to occur, the stiffer spring nearly makes the shock useless, especially in the case of a shortened 5662.

Just don't want you to hate the ride when you are done.

 

[LT1 Regal]

Thanks for the advice guys. I was not aware of that with the shocks. The ride quality now is actually pretty good. It is stiffer than most cars, but rides much better than my friends 01 vette. Do you have any advice on some shorter springs that I can put in the front to make the car more level?

Thanks

 

[BJM]

The 5660's in my car did not change the height one bit, it could be the stockers were sagged a bit because 5660's normally drop the car a little bit. I would recommend them and they could be trimmed without going crazy on the stiffness. I notice that the Bilsteins on mine are slightly less than optimal because they are 50% stiffer than stock. The shocks seemed better with the stock springs. I am going to put in the 5658's which are right between stock and the 5660.

 

[87GN&98VET]

I've heard that trimming the spring X amount will drop the car 2X. I've got the Eibach pro kit springs that have a 1" / 0.8" drop with Bilstein shocks. I love the ride but I'm going to get 1.5" drop rear springs and trim 1/4" off my fronts to get a 1.5" front drop when I add the Baer brake kit.

 

[Bens87tr]

BJM,
So what moog spring would you run in the rear to match the slight drop of the 5660? Also what shocks are close to stock?

 

[BJM]

Sorry for the slow response, I had to dig up my notes.

I could never find a single rate spring that had the right expected height with the 5660 so I used a cargo coil. I used the Moog cc627. The height is perfectly matched for the 5660's in the front. The only thing is that the spring rate is 107 lb/in at ride height versus 118 lb/in stock. Compressed it reaches 161 lb/in which is fine. On small bumps at high speed the front is noticeably more firm than the rear which I don't like. Bigger bumps put the rear springs at a stiffer setting which seems to the match the fronts quite well.

 

[Nemesis]

Old thread but I went with the 5662 spring thinking it would drop the front and instead it raised it. Any further thought on cutting the springs? Will this raise the spring rate? What front springs will lower the front end the most? Someone has to have a low rider.