H&R has advertised lowering springs however I'm not quite sure if they are actually available yet. Is anyone planning to lower their vert?

cereal2k wrote:H&R has advertised lowering springs however I'm not quite sure if they are actually available yet. Is anyone planning to lower their vert?

I would love to but I dont want to be the Guinea Pig

bschurr wrote: I would love to but I dont want to be the Guinea Pig

LOL. I hear you on that. I don't want to have to change my driving style regarding dips and speed bumps. Well speed bumps I can deal with but unforeseen dips and potential movement of the top while folded down scare me a bit. The H&Rs on the coupe supposedly drop 2 inchs as opposed to the stated 1.5 in the front and 1.4 in the back. So I dunno. I'd like someone to be the guinea pig too with regards to lowering the rear. I plan to do the front if all goes well since its just like a coupe. Mild drop with the NF210s to remove the gap.

I am suspicous of new springs or any suspension mod unless it is actually different. Bear in mind that the rear suspension is unique to the convertible. The spring rate is going to be higher and the length will be lower. Be careful when considering modifying the vert.

There are many companies that make great looking picture cars (I saw one on here that had been modded to a point at which the car is no longer relevant)

Thanks for the feedback Steve. Here were some thoughts.


I'm looking for some opinions on a possible drop for the vert (specifically on the rear).

Goals.
1. Not to be slammed, just a mild drop+ remove the front wheel gap. 1 inch on the rear, 1.5 on the front.
2. I'd still be on stock 19 sport rims.
3. Hoping to not need a camber kit for the front or rear.
4. Taking into account the vert curb weight 4,077lb (from the website) I'm thinking maybe the eibach g37x coupe springs would be better to try. 3,830lb is the curb weight on the x coupe.

My near term plan was to just lower the front with the NF210 to match the rear 1 inch wheel gap on stock wheels.

Or another option is just to wait and save up for coilovers which don't exist yet for the vert.

I think the awd coupe springs are off the list as it's a 1.6inch drop in the rear.

The only way to assure a "proper" drop is to get height-adjustable coilovers. Otherwise, it's guesswork with replacing springs. I thought about doing it when I got the car, but I am going to save my money for other hobbies!

Yeah I hear you. Someone recently dropped their vert with the eibach coupe springs. So far no adverse effects. I'll be giving it a try shortly. Supposedly the Megan Racing coilovers will work, but I've yet to get a confirmation from them. After all my other hobbies this is now the new one LOL. I definitely don't plan to go overboard with the drop though.

I'm not a big fan of the slammed look - definitely don't like cars that look like they'd have a problem with a speed bump. I'd also be concerned about the necessary increase in stiffness to deal with the smaller spring travel and the impact on ride quality - particularly if you have a sport suspension already. But if you live where they've got great roads and you won't break your spine going over a pothole...

Peter

pwlorraine wrote:I'm not a big fan of the slammed look - definitely don't like cars that look like they'd have a problem with a speed bump. I'd also be concerned about the necessary increase in stiffness to deal with the smaller spring travel and the impact on ride quality - particularly if you have a sport suspension already. But if you live where they've got great roads and you won't break your spine going over a pothole...

Peter

I like the slammed look on other cars. It should not be slammed with the eibach coupe springs once it's done. I've weighed the pros and cons and the only practical pro is that I should be driving within the speed limit now, paying more attention to up coming road conditions LOL. I'll see how speed bumps at the mall go.

I had Eibach sport springs on my previous Audi A6 2.7T - it looked great but caught up at the base of my driveway if I took it straight on. It would also catch at my dry cleaner, the local liquor store, and convenience store. I was only down 1.5" vs the non-sport setup and was surprised how restricting it was. You could edge into these lots diagonally and just clear. I lived in fear at ski resort parking lots which tend to be unpaved and to get rutted up pretty bad. My Audi would also help plow the road when it snowed in the winter. I lived with it and had my front bumper covering (low down where a splitter would be) painted every once in a while. Ride quality improved when I replaced the stock struts with ones designed to match the Eibach springs - the ride quality ultimately was the best feature of the car. Stock dampers were too harsh. I just don't see the visual need on the g37 to do this. I'd put the money towards a separate set of winter wheels and tires - or if I was feeling flush the iron-man mod for headlights.

I drove a lamborghini a year back and it had a control to raise the front to deal with steeper driveways.

Peter

Thanks for the insights and considerations Peter. I'll see how it goes. I'm expecting the 1.2 inch drop on the front and 0.8 inch drop on the rear. I'll see how it goes on my regularly traveled routes. I've already mapped out which bridge transitions to take safe on and where the dips are Yeah my package store has speed bumps,(in a mini mall) so that's one I'll need to practice going over. No plans for a splitter so I won't have to worry about that.

I can't imagine lowering a g37 at all especially after reading the posts about how careful you have to be so you don't scrape bottom. A 50k car and you want to cripple it? I just purchased one last month and it looks cool as is. Different strokes as they say.

foxwiz wrote:I can't imagine lowering a g37 at all especially after reading the posts about how careful you have to be so you don't scrape bottom. A 50k car and you want to cripple it? I just purchased one last month and it looks cool as is. Different strokes as they say.

The car would only be "crippled" based on how good the roads are in your area. I had planned on just removing the 2.5 inch wheel gap on the front to even it out with the rear but I'll be getting the rear done too. The other aspect would be how low would it be lowered. It will not be a drastic lowering, so I perceive very few issues (fingers crossed). It would look just a little bit better in my opinion

Nothing improves the look of a car more than a modest lowering (1-1.5"). It makes the car look longer, and the visual relationship between wheels and body is more integrated. In lots of cases, all you are doing is taking out the extra inch or two that was added when sending the car to the US market (particularl true of euro cars). I've had 3 lowered cars, and if you increase your spring rates, you will not increase your nose-crunching. A big speed bump might be an issue if you go too fast.

So just an FYI for anyone looking to lower their vert.

Seems there are no after market camber arms for it. (yet?)

Yikes, why are so many people so paranoid over a mild drop? Lowering a car 1-1.5" will have almost no negative effects whatsoever. No bottoming out, no camber adjustment needed. I lowered my BMW vert like 8 years ago with Eibach springs and it actually rides even better than it did with the OEM springs, yet it handles a lot better. I does not bottom out on speed bumps, but it will scrape a bit on the front air deflector underneath the car going up steep inclines (like driveways and parking lot entrances) if you don't go in at a good diagonal angle. This is VERY rare, however.

I have been so happy with my lowered BMW all these years that I just ordered a set of Pro-Kit springs for my G37 sedan. I'll put them in sometime after the holiday and I'll post up some reviews.

Bottom line... Don't be scared of the springs. There are many choices from many reputable companies that have been designing springs for years and are custom made for each particular car and purpose. Almost any "street" spring you choose is going to give you enhanced looks and performance without any significant compromise.

Tim30250 wrote:Yikes, why are so many people so paranoid over a mild drop? Lowering a car 1-1.5" will have almost no negative effects whatsoever. No bottoming out, no camber adjustment needed. I lowered my BMW vert like 8 years ago with Eibach springs and it actually rides even better than it did with the OEM springs, yet it handles a lot better. I does not bottom out on speed bumps, but it will scrape a bit on the front air deflector underneath the car going up steep inclines (like driveways and parking lot entrances) if you don't go in at a good diagonal angle. This is VERY rare, however.

I have been so happy with my lowered BMW all these years that I just ordered a set of Pro-Kit springs for my G37 sedan. I'll put them in sometime after the holiday and I'll post up some reviews.

Bottom line... Don't be scared of the springs. There are many choices from many reputable companies that have been designing springs for years and are custom made for each particular car and purpose. Almost any "street" spring you choose is going to give you enhanced looks and performance without any significant compromise.

Hi Tim, thanks for your feedback on your experience. There are valid concerns for using springs not designed for the vehicle. In this specific case, there is no mild drop spring designed specifically for the vert.

So the considerations are
1. running out of spec negative camber on the rear. The front is minimally out of spec.
2. running without a camber kit since none is designed for the vert as of june 2010
3. occasional rubbing on the liner with the stock wheels. The liner is really that much closer and I've not gotten around to making an adjustment to it.

My new concern now is rotating the tires from left to right, but dismounting them and swapping them side to side, so wear will be evened out.

The the RE050As are asymmetrical but they do have label indicating which side should be the outside. I'm contemplating doing the switch and having the outside label be on the inside if that's not going to be a major issue (maybe just traction wise).

Hey guys, so here is an update.

1. Still no H&R spring availability. still doing "R&D" which is good in the long run.

2
Basically there is no demand and if you want it developed you will need
to send an inquiry to the the respective companies

-tein. After 2 inquiries, they have no plan as there is no customer request except mine
-eibach. We all know what happened here, they plan to do one and withdrew it
-bc racing coilovers. They are looking into it to see what's different on the rear, as of Oct. 2010.
-SPL. So SPL says check back in 3-4 months. I'm assuming just for a status update. So we'll see. This was the response on 10/26/10
-SPC. Inquired, sent pics, they say it's compatible but they provided no follow up to my query to prove that it's compatible. i.e. no actual R&D.


So for your active vert guys who really want to get the best performance and look out of the car with proper as close to spec suspension setup (other than stock, haha) please shoot an inquiry email to the above companies so they know there is demand.

The eibach coupe springs are not best in the long run.
Someone may want to try the NF210, but again if it's not designed for the weight of the car I suspect the same issues.

Has the rear started to settle on your car?

I have been watching this thread from the beginning and had been waiting to see what would happen with great anticipation. I am a skeptic of the long term durability of aftermarket components vs factory but sometimes they work out, as seen in the M.

I wonder if IPL will offer anything?

SteveTheTech wrote:Has the rear started to settle on your car?

I have been watching this thread from the beginning and had been waiting to see what would happen with great anticipation. I am a skeptic of the long term durability of aftermarket components vs factory but sometimes they work out, as seen in the M.

I wonder if IPL will offer anything?

Steve, I did another check after 4 months and this was the result


1. The rear has dropped some more after 4 months

"G37 Coupe stock ride height (measured from level ground to highest point of fender):
Front: 28.15" sport, 28.03" non sport Rear: 27.76" sport, 27.64" non sport"



front
right hand side front height 26.5 inches
left hand side front height 26.125 inches

rear
right hand side rear height 25.5 inches
left hand side rear height 25.9 inches


2. The stock tires lasted 4 months + one aggressive mountain cruise.
The stock tires are non directional as you know so no dismounting from the rim, then swapping side to side was possible.

This was after the mountain run





I've just switched to directional tires on the rear, so i'll be rotating with the procedure above a bit more often until there are some rear camber adjustability options.

3. The specs after 2 weeks of settling were



This is after two different shops, same chain though that does alignments for lowered cars.
Someone on another forum mentioned they got the camber at 2.5 degrees, so I'll likely see if the dealer can do any better. Not many places know what to do with a lowered car or get it on a lift properly or just refuse to actually do alignment on lowered cars.

So, i'll await the H&Rs and camber kit for about 6mths and i'll likely either go back to stock rear and NF210 front.

If there are any IPL parts for sale outside of buying an IPL vert, I'l all for it. The pictures of the IPL vert have the drop at the right height. I guess I'll have to wait and see but that would be ideal with OEM lowered springs.

I was looking at those tires (before I scrolled down) and I was thinking you were about a degree under on your rear camber. I am honestly surprised to see that you camber is actually >-2*.

With tires you should really look at what the M3 guys are using. Those cars run crazy negative camber for handling. The negative camber might actually benefit your center of gravity with the top stowed but you need to find a tire that has an appropriate inner shoulder design to accommodate the wear.

I have been reading the Tesla forums and reading up on the care and maintenance of Roadster. Their alignment setup is designed for the absolute lowest mu. They tear through tires at 8-10k intervals, but like the vert they have an unsual unsprung mass to factor.

How about these

http://www.conceptzperformance.com/Cart ... .21.188.21
At least these are cheap enough to take a gamble on and they should work.

I would set it to maybe -1.5

I wonder what the difference in rear camber is with the top stowed vs up...

I actually found a video guide of a camber arm install on a g37 coupe.
it's nothing like the suspension setup on the vert or

So going from the pic it's not the same. The placement of the parts may be different but I can't get any confirmation without one of these companies doing some R and D and letting me know and providing some install instructions for the shop that will do it.

some pics i sent to SPC and SPL

Those links replace the front drag link on the G37.

The fat silver ones pictured in the below pic.



I suspect you will not make it more than 10 maybe 15k out of those rear tires. The Kumhos tend to be kind of soft.

What the after market companies refer to as a lower control arm is what Infiniti call a drag link.

Steve, thanks for the clarification on the part name It looks like that piece would be what would get adjusted. I will see how long the kumhos last. I was going by the treadwear rating when selecting it. I'll see how it goes. I was thinking to get it rotated every 3000 miles.

I am not an owner just an enthusiast but it looks like that might work or at least give your new tires a fighting chance.

They may have a tread wear rating that exceeds the majority of the others...however your suspension is A typical. Your rear camber is so negative you can see it.

Take this image from 1 meter back and about half a meter higher.

How are you planning on rotating these?
I wonder about rotating them in the reverse condition to counteract any early...although that will not do anything for the camber. The car is riding on the inside 1/4 of the tread face.

There are many possibilities.
What is your tire pressure?
Tires like these are prone to cupping in good conditions, and I will bet you a beer you have early signs before your first rotation.

SteveTheTech wrote:I am not an owner just an enthusiast but it looks like that might work or at least give your new tires a fighting chance.

They may have a tread wear rating that exceeds the majority of the others...however your suspension is A typical. Your rear camber is so negative you can see it.

Take this image from 1 meter back and about half a meter higher.

How are you planning on rotating these?

I wonder about rotating them in the reverse condition to counteract any early...although that will not do anything for the camber. The car is riding on the inside 1/4 of the tread face.

Yeah, until there is some after market vert specific camber adjustability I'll live with it for 6 more months or so I'll see what's out there and tested/proven before putting the stock rear springs back.
The plan is dismounting from the rim, then swapping side to side in the same direction as they are now directional tires (as opposed to the stock tires)

SteveTheTech wrote: There are many possibilities.
What is your tire pressure?
Tires like these are prone to cupping in good conditions, and I will bet you a beer you have early signs before your first rotation.

39psi , the load rating is 100 which is higher than the stock rating so the weight can be handled.