Low-ri-da Metro?
 

Lol, well, not quite, but I've been considering lowering the ride height of my metro. Anyone have experience with this? What kind aerodynamic gains could be expected? Handling? Perhaps this would cut out some of my body roll too?

I have progressive springs in back (NO cutting) and struts up front, so that leaves clamps as my only option right? Are they an ok option?

The Metro has always sat high, but I've lightened the car up nearly 100 pounds and now its real high, especially in the back.

Thanks
Nic

baddog671 -

Other people have written that clamps are good for testing, but not long term use. Some people have even used rope instead of clamps!

CarloSW2

I'll be cutting my coils pretty soon, don't see why that shouldn't be an option.

https://www.teamswift.net/viewtopic.php?t=7070
https://www.teamswift.net/viewtopic.php?t=11403
https://www.teamswift.net/viewtopic.php?t=26246

Clamps will eventually wear through the coils, it takes a while. Here is the thread were my springs were cut. I have been very happy with the results. Takes a day to do, with the correct spring tools. There is a method of doing them in the car, but when I tried to many things like bearings fell out! It worked better for me to remove them. Follow down past the tire size change and you'll find the pics. of the cut springs.

https://www.gassavers.org/showthread.php?t=3550

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought you couldn't cut progressive rated springs....

I'm no suspension expert, but the mod was done a couple of months ago with no ill effects. Others on the site have been driving theirs much longer than I, any input by those of you who inspired me?

I'm currently redoing the suspension on my 67 so let me use that as an example, to help clear my head if I'm making a mistake here. On my 67, the springs are essentially straight, no variences. On my Metro, the springs are not the same. They 'taper' in towards the bottom of the spring till they mate with the control arms at the designated spot. If you were to cut a coil off of this, that would increase the diameter of the mating coil and not allow it to fit into the spot it is supposed to go into.

The 67 wouldn't have this problem since it is the same diameter the entire length. I was told that the tapered ones are progressive rated and cant be cut.

And you can't cut a strut anyways, correct?

The rear spring as the pic shows was one whole coil it was the easy one. The fronts were cut at a half a coil at both ends, because as you stated they would not fit correctly other wise.

I'm usually not a fan of cut coils--but I am a fan of lowered cars and have lowered every car I've owned since high school, forty five years ago. After-market lowering springs are a better choice. Intrax makes Geo coils and I'd guess others do too. Cut coils, while less expensive, are not as predictable as good-quality custom coils. My own choice is Eibach if they make them. The quality's there and the ride has always been good.

Having said that, I plan to put BellTech drop ball joints on my Colorado. They preserve front suspension travel that's lost in any spring solution.

Hmm, well, I don't really want to end up spending big bucks for new coils and having to take the time to replace them. I was looking for a quick fix:p