OK, before I get blasted for even mentioning doing this on a 40k car let me say I am more curious than actually intent on doing this. But I saw on another site (can't seem to find it now) that someone took the plastic spring purch on either a g35 or 350z and cut about 1/4 to a 1/2 inch off which facilitated a very small incremental drop in ride height.

I am curious if this is possible on the newer cars (G37) and if so, would this be an alternative to a full 1-inch drop via new springs. I am playing around with some minor tweaks; wider tires, wheel spacers and the likes that keep the stock appearence but just make things look a little more together.

In playing around in Photoshop, a full 1-inch or even the lowest amount you would get from say and EiBach or other aftermarket spring would be too much for the OEM wheels and wouldn't look right, in my opinion. If springs are out that leaves one paying $1000-$2000 for a set of coil overs (when they become available) that would give you greater adjustability on ride height and possibly allow you to dial in the amount of drop you want under 1inch. All things consider the cutting of the purch if it worked sounded like a viable option. However, I am wondering what, if any rider quality will be sacrificed if this can even be done? Would this mod lower the amount of suspension travel, etc?

 

GHETTO!!!dont do it!! its RICE!

 

so far the only bad effects of cut springs that ive heard about is that they can be really bouncy. but the only cars that i know of that have cut springs are civics and mini trucks. the spring quality and suspension should be different on the G so i say try it and see how it goes

just try to ignore all the negative feed back that im sure you are going to get for posting this.

 

I dont think the OP was talking about actually cutting the springs themselves. If so, then that is extremely dangerous and irresponsible as well as ghetto; it weakens the springs so that they might actually break under load when you need them most. Cutting springs is never a good idea no matter what you may have heard to the contrary.

The spring perch is a differnt part, but I'd say cutting it is still not the way to go. There are other ways to drop a car using springs if you don't want too much of a drop. The Tanabe NFS springs have a very mild drop and are said to maintain ride quality near stock. if you search you'll find that there is a post about it. Hve you considered lowering springs and a spring rubber underneath them to decrease the drop?

 

I am aware of all the issues with cutting springs and as was pointed out that was not what I was contemplating.

I am aware of at least four different springs that are on the market now for our cars that would lower the car, but am simply asking is there a way, for under the $1500 it would cost for coil-overs to get about a 1/2 at most drop on the car.... 1-inch is to much in my opinion. This is more of a cosmetic thing than a performance boost in handle, but by no means do I want to negatively impact the quality of the ride, or performance in any way. Thus why I was asking.

I have never before heard of cutting the spring perch myself, but the article I saw (and of course can't find) was a step-by-step of how to do it it on I beleive a 350, thus my inquiry was to the feasibility of it on our car and impact.

If anyone knows of a spring for the $300 or so the Eibachs or others cost that would only lower the car 1/2 an inch, I would be interested, but I am not aware of such a beast exsisting.

 

Since the Eibach's aren't out yet, the next best thing is the Tanabe NF210

https://www.myg37.com/forums/brakes-and-suspension/177426-tanabe-nf210-installed-with-pics.html

 

its ok to do it on cheap cars but on cars like the g37 etc. dont do it!!!!!!!

 

I think you all lost my original intent for asking about this whole thing... We all have our own taste. I am not looking for a slammed ricer look, just a more finished sporty look and in my eyes there is about a 1/4 to 1/2 inch to much gap between the tire and the wheel well. Obviously the answer is new springs, or better yet coil over shocks which you could dial in the exact amount of height and stiffeness you want, but I don't want to spend $1500 on coil-overs and feel the amount of drop that you get with the springs is too much for OEM wheels.

This is my car after installing 275/35/19 tires on the rear and the stock sized 245/40/19 on the front. I have 8mm wheel spacers on the front to push the wheels out just a little, the amount of space between the wheel and tire is what I would like to "slighly reduce"..... specifically up front.


Hey, there is a reason why it is call personalization.

 

Hey quart I think I know what you are talking about. From what I can tell, you can only cut the back spring perch. There is a cup that the rear spring sits in and you can cut a good 1/2 inch off of it. I don't think you can do it to the front spring because it is a coil-over. I have just replaced the front springs and there is only about a 1/2 an inch of the rubber cushion there. The spring would sit wrong if you cut all of that out.

 

That sounds like what I saw... if it is only in the back it wouldn' to a balanced lowering, but it was worth a look. I am curious still, if the 1/2 was done in the rear what the end result would be as far as ride. Seems to me that it might be sacrificed some, and you might bottom out the suspension, but I am no expert.

 

Quart, I like how you modified your setup without lowering. It actually looks like it has a bit of a drop. I think you should have put the spacer on the rear though. Your front looks kind of pushed out now and that is odd to me on a RWD car. Most springs setups at the moment are too low for your taste, but the Tanabe is probably the closest out there. Good luck with the setup, I like your tire configuration a lot.

 

Thanks... the only reason the front has the spacer and the rear doesn't is I didn't have but one set available. I have since dumped the cheapo ebay ones I was using for test purposes and have on order two sets of Eibach Pro-Spacers (10mm for rear and 5mm front), will post pictures when they are installed.

 

I know this thread is rather old, but I finally found the posting that had the original article I had seen. Since it was from another forum and I wasn't sure of the rules, I printed it out (below).

It doesn't say weather or not this only works on the front or rear, but photos do only show rear. It is on a G35 instead of a G37 but when I did my sway bars, I recall seeing similar perches on our cars and in the front as well. I was even amazed at the fact that they were plastic or similar compound and not what I expected.

I tend to agree that this is a suitable mod for a Honda Civic, or other sub-$20k car and not a $40K plus like ours, but if in fact it would be a means to getting a slight drop, say in the front on stock springs... what is the feasibility to getting a manufacturer to product some slightly shorter ones? On my own car, after doing bigger tires in rear, sway bars all the way around and wheel spacers in rear. The wheel gap on the front is about 1/2 to much, making things look only slightly off.

I'll answer my own question, none... but makes for an interesting proposition none the less.

 

i would do springs or go with BC coilovers. BC's will run you around a Grand. you might be able tow ork a deal to with them.

 

I don't think there is any problem with cutting the perch. I think a lot of 350z and even some G35 people do it. I would say go for it, should have almost no effect on the ride, but a little more wear on the struts.

You can just take the perch and cut it, heck if I didn't want mine, id give it to you. May be some one else with coilovers won't mind giving it to you.