V36 Sedan Exhaust Scraping

[Jeremy1607]

Hi guys,

I'm just looking around for tips or thoughts.I recently lowered my car about 45mm (lowering springs),

obviously I didn't tell my mum that I lowered it haha.I went to HJ's drive-thru and washed my car with her today and there was no way

I could've avoided the steep driveway at the end,then when I went inside the car wash machine,my exhaust also scraped the middle small bump

(like the metal that has all electrical stuff under it) on the floor from the second I entered the machine.

She has been in the car before it was lowered and said it wasn't like this before,so now she's really really curious and wants me to get it checked out haha.

What should I do ? I mean I'm looking to get an aftermarket exhaust system in the future but will most of them sit higher or even lower than stock exhaust ?

Or if I remove the resonators,cats and mufflers (I know it'll be illegal) and just put straight pipes,will they sit a little higher (less chance of scraping the exhaust) ?

P.S I know it sounds stupid but I lowered my old R34 before and she was mad and said like what's the point,waste of money bla bla bla,you know what I mean lol .

Thanks

[scotty nm35]

What's the point? It must handle like crap being that low. Did you get a wheel alignment afterwards?

Any aftermarket exhaust will hang lower than the stock system, unless you go custom and ask for it to be tucked up.

[T4NK]

should have gotten coilovers so i could lift it for when mummy goes for a drive and slam that bitch on its ass when ur out for a cruise. And welcome to the land of low scraping is something u have to get used to

[t5iv]

Who takes their car to an automatic car wash?!?!

Re scraping: Which part of the exhaust is scraping?

[Seano350GT]

Haha love that your mum is complaining about how low your car is. Every time i walk into my house with a hand full of car parts the bitching starts "you should be saving blah blah blah" I'm just like shut up it's my money.

Anyway, same question as Tony. Have you established what part is actually scraping? You might be able to get an exhaust shop to lift it and possibly reweld if you really really want to. But i'd just your just gonna have to get used to scraping.

The calcium in those automatic car washes are bad for your car by the way, can do more damage than good.

[Deep Dish V35]

mum wants you to save your money so you can move into your own place.... which is actually the best choice

[Seano350GT]

I spend probably 2 or 3 nights a week at that house anyway

[t5iv]

Moving out is the way to go.

[AlexanderWilde]

solution:

1st tell her the tires were over inflated before and so the car was sitting just slightly higher and at the last service you put the Tyre pressure at the correct one so now it touches

2nd tell her it may be the extra weight she put on. Or that you got heavy stuff in the boot like a new Wheel

3^rd just man up and tell her you modified your car cus you want it like that

Now for a bit of a drilling : car wash = Swirl marks, bad scratches and worst of all chemical wash = bad PH for the paint

all of these will half the life of your paint.

Lowering your car:

1 won’t make it faster or add any HP (the same way painting your calipers Red will add 5 hp )

2nd Direction needs to be checked as the camber will change and this brings a shitload of issues like Stability , under steer or over steer , and my pet hate uneven worn tires. give it 6 months like this and you will wake up with unused outer thread on the tire and ball rubber on the inside

Edited October 26, 2012 by AlexanderWilde

[Jeremy1607]

What's the point? It must handle like crap being that low. Did you get a wheel alignment afterwards?

Any aftermarket exhaust will hang lower than the stock system, unless you go custom and ask for it to be tucked up.

Yeah I sure did get the wheels and camber alligned.

Nah,it's actually alot better and stiffer than the stock springs.Less bodyroll,sway and stuff .

Haha love that your mum is complaining about how low your car is. Every time i walk into my house with a hand full of car parts the bitching starts "you should be saving blah blah blah" I'm just like shut up it's my money.

Anyway, same question as Tony. Have you established what part is actually scraping? You might be able to get an exhaust shop to lift it and possibly reweld if you really really want to. But i'd just your just gonna have to get used to scraping.

The calcium in those automatic car washes are bad for your car by the way, can do more damage than good.

Haha yeah,she even controls all my bank account (internet banking),credit card statement and stuff but after

she's still my mum lol and I mean it's true that no matter how much money you put into a car,you'll never get it back at the end.

I'm pretty sure the cat,I'll upload a picture in a minute and I didn't know automatic car wash is that bad .

I'll start washing it myself from next week,even the most expensive program don't wash / touch the wheels at all haha.

I spend probably 2 or 3 nights a week at that house anyway

So if you only spend 2-3 days at the house,where are you on the other 4 days of the week ? Lol

mum wants you to save your money so you can move into your own place.... which is actually the best choice

Yeah true but hey I'm only 19 and don't even have a girlfriend,still a long way to go to even decide buying a land

See it doesn't look that low right ? Haha

I think the cat or the Y-pipe maybe that scrapes the most ?

[scotty nm35]

That flex joint has already started to wear, give it a few more scrapes and it will have holes so I guess the exhaust will have to be changed soon...

The suspension being stiffer doesn't make the car handle better, the whole package has to be adjusted to suit. Higher spring rates, heavier dampening, stronger sway bars, bracing, the list goes on. Each will interact with the other parts and needs to be matched, even then ride height is usually not changed much. You have successfully made your car slower and more dangerous.

Without getting a proper wheel alignment you are in danger of causing an accident. Your wheels will be pointing off in the wrong direction like a lazy eyed relative. If you haven't done it, book it in now before you kill someone.

I don't care if you wear the tyres out in a few months as long as you change them. Bald tyres are very bad for your health. So in effect there are many reasons the police will be picking on you now, most of them safety related.

[Seano350GT]

I was told by the lady that does all the detailing for my work cars that the calcium in the automatic car washes leaves bad streaks on your windows and can damage paint so i beleive her.

I spend half the week at my girlfriends house, but i hate parking there because there's no garage (hate water spots in the morning after the moisture dries)

Damn that is low, as Scott says you will be up for a new exhaust if you do more damage. This is why i'm worried to put my springs on, 1.1'' lower than i already am and atm i have problems getting in my driveway and my partners driveway lol.

[Deep Dish V35]

girls will be more impressed if you have your own place rather than a more bumpy ride.

[Seano350GT]

If you knew how expensive it is in this town you would understand.

[Jeremy1607]

I was told by the lady that does all the detailing for my work cars that the calcium in the automatic car washes leaves bad streaks on your windows and can damage paint so i beleive her.

I spend half the week at my girlfriends house, but i hate parking there because there's no garage (hate water spots in the morning after the moisture dries)

Damn that is low, as Scott says you will be up for a new exhaust if you do more damage. This is why i'm worried to put my springs on, 1.1'' lower than i already am and atm i have problems getting in my driveway and my partners driveway lol.

Ahh I see.....I've had my previous cars detailed about 5 - 6 times before and none of the them told me about it !

Haha yeah I know what you mean,specially when you don't have a windscreen washer like my old R34 GT-T lol.

Not that I'm gonna scrape the exhaust more often on purpose but if it does get holes then I'll have an excuse to tell mum (for new aftermarket exhaust haha) .

[Jeremy1607]

girls will be more impressed if you have your own place rather than a more bumpy ride.

True that,own place + swimming pool = they'll even be more impressed haha

[The Max]

Things I never do:

1) Wash the car at a carwash. (Best to show the car some love and wash it by hand)

2) Lower it to an impractical height so that I scrape stuff wherever I drive. (I don't drive it on the circuit but if I did, I'd get coilovers so I can adjust for on and off the track)

You decide what's best for you but as it stands, I don't think you're doing the right thing by your car.

[GED59]

Things I never do:

1) Wash the car at a carwash. (Best to show the car some love and wash it by hand)

2) Lower it to an impractical height so that I scrape stuff wherever I drive. (I don't drive it on the circuit but if I did, I'd get coilovers so I can adjust for on and off the track)

You decide what's best for you but as it stands, I don't think you're doing the right thing by your car.

Nailed it

[Jeremy1607]

Things I never do:

1) Wash the car at a carwash. (Best to show the car some love and wash it by hand)

2) Lower it to an impractical height so that I scrape stuff wherever I drive. (I don't drive it on the circuit but if I did, I'd get coilovers so I can adjust for on and off the track)

You decide what's best for you but as it stands, I don't think you're doing the right thing by your car.

Yeah I didn't know about the automatic car wash before but as for lowering,45-48mm drop,is it considered low (Tein S.Tech springs btw) ?

I mean if you see Ford and Holden on the road sometimes,they're crazy.

I only scrape big speed bumps and steep driveways though.If I really go over with ridiculous angles then it's all good haha.

[SMOKEYV35]

As they say - 'low is a lifestyle' - it's not for everyone.

On the one hand, i find your post hilarious because your main concern is you mum. If that's the case, just tell her to mind her own business. Also, take control of your own finances ffs. You're 19 - you're a legal adult, act like one. Only thing that would change my stance on that is if your parents bought you your car.....which probably explains both previous points. In which case, toe the line and consider yourself spoilt. I got a $600 hand me down 1986 R31 Skyline. Which then got given to my brother.

But on the other hand, I can see everyone else's point on the low thing too. I have had cars with as little as 40mm of clearance - it looked 'sick' - but the impracticalities were out of control. When i was young and dumb, the inconvenience of it all didn't really matter. Not being able to get into driveways, multi level carparks, or mcdonalds was a price i was happy to pay. Having to make my mates jump out so I could clear speedhumps was no biggie.

But now, working full time and needing a reliable, legal car, with as few compromises as possible leads me to suggest you raise it and do away with the headaches.

Case in point - my car that i'm selling is going for it's second RWC this week as it failed the first for being 5mm too low. I shit you not. 95mm clearance - FAIL.

Edited October 31, 2012 by SMOKEYC34