My 370Z driving experience, spacers now added

[MrMartinPGrant]

I've had my 370Z just over a year now, and to be honest the handling is @*!# compared to my last two 350Zs, the back felt light and there was understeer,

although to be fair both my 350Zs were lowered with plenty of good camber

so i had an idea, it was to stick 20mm spacers on the back wheels,

did it earlier tonight and spent the last 30 minutes out driving the car with spacers added,

i don't know how else to explain this but the handling is now as i would like it to be, the car handles far better and im happy,

 

 

 

[nissanman312]

I felt the same

Anti roll bars and kws later it's a dream

[MrMartinPGrant]

I felt the same

Anti roll bars and kws later it's a dream

i think in my case i was just spoiled by my modified 350Zs lol

and this is the GT edition which apparently has upgraded suspension and such, OMG was it @*!# haha

[370Ad]

 

 

Spacers are the devils work!

Edited March 8, 2016 by 370Ad

[MrMartinPGrant]

 

 

Spacers are the devils work!

spacers FTW

[Richf]

I hate the way my car handles with spacers, i have 25mm all round and it bump steers, tramlines and wanders all over the place. It looks sooo much better though but i think they are going to have to come off

[Ebized]

I hate the way my car handles with spacers, i have 25mm all round and it bump steers, tramlines and wanders all over the place. It looks sooo much better though but i think they are going to have to come off

 

I recall I had the tramlining with the Potenzas but not wth the Sesstanas or the MPSS.

 

Not saying it handled any better with spacers than without but I really did not notice any significant difference when pushing on and those who know me will confirm I don't hang around in the twisties.

 

But I do recall it was suggested the rear toe-in be altered soon after I fitted the spacers, but I no longer have the alignment read-outs to say exactly what that was, but I did ask for that setting to be kept each year I had an alignment done - one of the most important checks, as you will know, that Zeds regularly should have that done.

 

No doubt the MPSS inspired so much confidence compared to previous tyres, and with the spacers the stance just looked so much better..... the original reason for putting them on.

 

 

[nissanman312]

I only have them on the rear

[Mark@Abbey m/s]

Fitting spacers upsets the steering geometry.

 

Basically adding a spacer reduces the ET offset on the wheel so moving the Scrub radius (this is moving the pivot point for the wheel fro where it has be designed to work with KPI (King Pin inclination)

 

Below is a good little diagram to help you understand what I am talking about ( this is a generic drawing)

 

 

Trying to understand how the rear spacer will make the car feel and drive better thou.

Edited March 9, 2016 by Mark@Abbey m/s

[Tricky-Ricky]

Don't forget that changing your wheels to a different ET will do just the same, so all those that are running non std wheels with a higher offset are in effect running spacers, I have done similar on several different cars and while on some the effect is negative, on some its quite positive.

[Richf]

I did know the spacers would impact the geometry and the handling ,when pushing on I dont really notice the wandering its when I'm cruising and taking it easy , its just not relaxing to drive since it jinks around so much

[Ebized]

Come to think of it Mark, I seem to recall you suggested the rear toeing in a little more than standard on the 370 when doing an alignment to help the turn-ins, and I would have had the spacers the 23mm combination* on the front then and just 20mm on the rear.

 

(* the width necessary to seat the front wheels on the hubs due to the limited recess depth in them to take the OEM studs with 20mm spacers.)

[MrMartinPGrant]

fitting most after market wheels is going to do the same, as it be different from oem geomerty,

all i know is the back wheels now sit the same distance from the arch as the front wheels do and the car handles how i'd want it to