Scraping on bumps - TTE springs ride height

[VN]

Hello everyone,

My car is scraping over those split speed bumps everywhere. I don't even want to drive it anywhere near me because of how much thought needs to be put into what roads are safe to go on and which aren't.

It's currently on TTE springs, was thinking of doing what Carolyn had done and cut some OEM springs very slightly to get a -20mm ride height instead of the -30mm (correct me if I am wrong about the TTE springs ride height) that I think the car currently has compared to stock. I quite like the way it sits right now with the TTE springs but they really are too low for the speed bumps in my area. I think I need maybe another 10-20mm extra ground clearance. I think I should be able to get away with +10mm.

I have been hesitant to buy the KYBs springs because wouldn't cutting them change the spring rate in a way which I have little control over? As in they won't be matched closely like they would without cutting? Is this a non-issue?

Also wouldn't cutting a coil off mess up how it sits within the strut? Something about the spring having a square end, which when cut might leave the spring able to de-seat itself? I am guessing the way to cut it is angle grinder and let it cool down frequently. Is cutting the spring a straight forward process? Just cut and done? No special steps or anything?

I kinda don't want to mess with coilovers yet even though the adjustable ride height would be pretty nice.

Also found out that spring spacers are a thing. Is this a viable option for the facelift ZZW30?

What do you all think? Should I get the KYB springs and start cutting?

I can't get much conclusive info on whether other springs like the Teins, H&R or other ones that I have missed out on are lower than the TTE springs or higher. I thought maybe the H&R's were -20mm but not sure.

Any help would be much appreciated. Having the car raised a little bit will let me not worry about bumps as much.

Also don't want to spend more money than needed haha.

[Ardent]

Not much help I'm afraid but it seems not all speed bumps are created equal.

I try my best to time things were I can drive between the 2 bumps but obviously cannot always.

I regularly scrape 1 but not the others.
Having a passenger can also make the difference between scraping or not.

[Gaz mr-s]

All the lowering springs give similar ride-height.  They are approx 33% stiffer than o/e.

I look forward to Carolyn's detail on std spring cutting, I may do the same.

[Bugster_MR2]

Cutting springs are illegal for a reason. At least where I am from. Do not recommend. 

Why not just go stock ride height and enjoy the ride on behalf of looks?

[105e]

I normally like to fit a 25mm or so lowered spring to my cars, i have cut springs before,  i just make sure they cannot dislocate on full droop and i use heat to reform the cut end to pre cut look. How ever having had my mr2 for over 6 years now its  still standard ride height because of the state of the roads with pot holes and speed humps every where..

[Carolyn]

I cut 1/2 a coil off the front ones and ground a small flat to help them seat.  I think it took less than 20mm off the ride height.  Closer to 15mm.

I used an angle grinder.  The cut , done with a 1mm cutting disc barely puts any heat into the spring.  The grinding just needs to be slow and in stages to avoid loads of heat.   I didn't grind much off.

The ride is not harsh, mainly because I didn't cut much off. 

I never ground out on the road, but I do have to come out of my driveway at an angle due to a slope on the pavement and a very steep camber on the road.

Having said that, in my mind the stock ride height is just fine.

[Iain]

Id just fit OEM springs and not worry about hitting anything. Will drive very similar as now but you just lose a bit in the looks.

[VN]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Can I just buy any KYBs springs for that say they fit the ZZW30? I noticed that there are some listings on eBay for 02-04 ZZW30 and some for 00-07, some for 00-04. My car seems to have been made in 2002-2005 so what do I pick?

Are the spring rates the same?

I can post the links to the listings if anyone knows which ones would be right.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/236417841510
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363486830954

Which one???


Also should I buy some pretty used OEM springs to try cutting them and see if that's good? Or should I buy the KYBs ones and just put them on, see what its like and then see if I should lower it more by cutting?

[Gaz mr-s]

Reportedly FL springs are very slightly longer.  Ordering KYB they might be, but aftermarket are likely to be the same '99 - '06.

The TTE springs wear out dampers faster than the std springs.  Unless the struts are low miles, they're likely to be tired.

[VN]

Reportedly FL springs are very slightly longer.  Ordering KYB they might be, but aftermarket are likely to be the same '99 - '06.

The TTE springs wear out dampers faster than the std springs.  Unless the struts are low miles, they're likely to be tired.

The car has around 45,000 miles. Can't really tell if it needs a refresh or not. I think it's ok? I can get the while your in there might aswell change everything, but is it needed?

Past couple years it seems like the car wasn't driven much at all. Maybe only a few thousand miles over the past 10 years. Most of the miles done where in the first few years of the cars life.

[VN]

I cut 1/2 a coil off the front ones and ground a small flat to help them seat.  I think it took less than 20mm off the ride height.  Closer to 15mm.

Do you think I can cut the front and rear springs by 1/2 a coil to get that 15mm lowering? Never really done this before so I don't know if it is something that can be easily messed up. Seems simple but then 105e is talking about seeing if they dislocated on full droop and using heat? That doesn't seem as fool proof.

As for 1/2 a coil at the front only, how much rake does that add? I know in another thread that Petrus cut something like 1 coil front and 1/2 rear. If it looks a bit strange though I probably won't do it. Any pictures showing more rake on these cars?

Just as a general question. How bad is scraping? The only thing that I feel could break is the rear underbody engine cover, which isn't ideal either but yk... Is it really that bad?

[Carolyn]

My fronts do not come loose on full droop.  Tein lowering springs definitely do, but it doesn't seem to matter.  Though I've never liked the idea of the strut losing tension like that.

Getting spring steel hot is not good for its temper.

The big problem with scraping a lot, is the one hump that takes your sump out!

[Beachbum957]

We ran a set of lowering springs that lowered about 45mm in front and the car bottomed the frame rails on almost all speed bumps and many other places.  The distance from the jacking points on the side rail to ground was about 115 (4.5 inch) mm.  A MR2 with stock springs has no problem anywhere and the same measurement at the front jacking point is about 155-160mm (6.125-6.25 inch).  All measurements were with OEM diameter tires.

We now run different lowering springs which are closer to 25 mm drop measured at the front jacking point on the sill (130 mm - 5.125 inch).  It will still bottom the chassis on some speed bumps, but not many.  Specs for TTE are limited, but the claim was about 30mm drop.  You can measure from the jacking point to ground to verify.

[Ardent]

The big problem with scraping a lot, is the one hump that takes your sump out!

Round my way, that's why I try to drive between the 2 bumps. Failing that. I go left wheels in the gutter and right wheels over the hump, the lesser of the 2 evils as I'm looking to protect the intercooler that sits low left.

[SurreyMR2]

My fronts do not come loose on full droop.  Tein lowering springs definitely do, but it doesn't seem to matter.  Though I've never liked the idea of the strut losing tension like that.

Getting spring steel hot is not good for its temper.

The big problem with scraping a lot, is the one hump that takes your sump out!

Hi Carolyn

I had Tein lowering springs fitted on my PFL but I had issues with speed bumps & also felt they didn't improve the handing either so I fitted the original springs back on and they work very well & car is comfortable, not crashy and handles well. But I loved the way it looked on the Tein springs.

Your 1/2 a coil mod sounds like a plan as I even have a spare set of PFL springs that I was gifted so can revert back to standard if needed.

I get cutting bit by bit so as to not heat up the springs, but I have a couple of questions.

Is it 1/2 a coil removal front & rear?

What would use to get grind a flat for seating?

I have an angle grinder with a 1mm disk.

[Carolyn]

I just did the fronts.

Get a thicker grinding disc to go in your angle grinder.

[SurreyMR2]

I just did the fronts.

Get a thicker grinding disc to go in your angle grinder.

Thank you