I usually just close my eyes and hope for the best.

But seriously, I can't see how it would crush your hand. Your hand shouldn't really be anywhere near the spring. If you cut about 90% of the way through then just harass it a bit with a big pry bar it should just snap. That way your fingers are no where near it.

True, just the last time I did it I used a grinder, and didn't want the whole compressed spring firing down, whether my hand was there or not, just scares me a little

what! dont you people take the spring off?!

If it weren't such a ball-ache to get the spring off a mk3 I would.

It isn't. At least,not to open the spring to take away the tension.

Simply undo the top mount bolt either side in the engine bay,then jack the car up at the front both sides,spring is then relaxed and loose,and can subsequently then be cut. Then reverse proceedure.

Rear is the same.

i thought of this wen i was poor but i waited n got phi j kit hmmm

doit mate upload pics and show us how you get on

m.o.t fail mind but i heard peoples to pass evan with cut springs haha

^^ Its only an Mot fail if the spring sits loose,meaning you've cut more than the preload. You can cut 1.5 coils from the bottom and the spring will still be secure and pass the Mot.

Cut more than two coils and you're on your own.

(These figures for the front of a pre-94 Polo)

haha a friend of mine jacked up each corner of a car, and just heated the springs with a torch and just let it off the jack so it sagged loads :L easy lows haha

ok, so would it be ok to go at this with a hacksaw?

and would it be best to cut the spring where it seats at the moment or just go straight at it when I've got the wheel off?

bearing in mind I'm going to be doing it on campus at uni!

possible to do in a day?

Suppose you can do it with a hacksaw if you have a lot of time and a lot of blades.

Easiest way is to do it with a grinder. I don't take the spring off. I've done it loads of times and its always been okay. Just gotta pay attention to what you are doing, if your not paying attention you'll probably get hurt.

I chopped the spring on my 2 tonne Volvo and life was all good. Drove shit, but it was a cruising barge anyway. God I miss my Volvo.

that volvo was the most pimptastic barge ever

Made me want one haha

well i have a day off

and i'm only planning on just doing a little bit off the fronts for now just so the car sits a bit nicer!

only problem is.. i don't have access to power outside and don't have an angle grinder!

oh and i'm on a student budget of.. about a fiver.. which is why I'm not just buying springs!

if i undo top mount bolts to ease the tension on the spring will i need to compress the spring to tighten them back up?

sorry for all the questions! new to this and just dont want to f*** things up!

Edited 15 November, 201015 yr by adam_f

Stop being a cheap skate and go buy a grinder and an extension. Its not going to happen with hand tools.

ok. grinder it is!