Nissan 370Z Suspension: How to Upgrade (2009-2020)

A Nissan 370Z suspension upgrade is the single most cost-effective way to sharpen how the Z34 drives — tightening body roll, dropping the fender gap, and turning a soft factory chassis into a precise, planted sports car. The 2009–2020 370Z left the factory with a genuinely good double-wishbone front and multi-link rear layout, but soft dampers, tall ride height, and compliant bushings hold it back on a canyon road or track day. This guide walks you through the exact four-stage upgrade path we use in our Tampa, FL shop, the parts that fit, real drop numbers, and a step-by-step coilover install so you can do it in your own garage.

Why the 370Z (Z34) Needs a Suspension Upgrade

The 2009–2020 Nissan 370Z rides on the Z34 platform and weighs roughly 3,232–3,370 lb depending on trim, with a near 53/47 front-to-rear weight balance and the 3.7L VQ37VHR V6 making 332 hp (350 hp in the Nismo). The chassis hardware is strong, but Nissan tuned the factory dampers and springs for comfort and warranty-friendly ride height. The result is a car that leans noticeably mid-corner, has a large wheel gap, and floats over crests at speed.

Upgrading the suspension attacks all three problems at once. Stiffer, shorter springs lower the center of gravity and reduce body roll; better dampers control that spring motion so the tire stays loaded; and thicker sway bars balance front and rear grip. The 370Z responds dramatically to these changes because the underlying geometry is already sound — you are simply unlocking it. Below, we break the job into four stages so you can spend exactly where it matters for your driving.

The 370Z Suspension Upgrade Path: 4 Stages

There is a logical order to modifying a 370Z chassis. Follow these four stages in sequence and every dollar builds on the last. You can stop at any stage — a set of lowering springs alone is a legitimate finished setup for a street car.

Stage 1: Lowering Springs (Best Budget Entry)

Lowering springs are the entry point: they reuse your factory dampers and drop the car roughly 1.0–1.4 in. for a cleaner stance and less roll, typically for around $500. H&R Sport Springs are the proven pick for the 370Z — a progressive-rate design that keeps ride quality civil while removing the worst of the wheel gap. The trade-off is that you are still relying on the soft OE shocks, which limits how much extra body control you gain and can wear faster with the added spring rate.

Stage 2: Coilovers (The Core Upgrade)

Coilovers are where the 370Z chassis truly wakes up. A full coilover kit replaces the strut, spring, and damper as one assembly, adds independent ride-height adjustment, and lets you corner-balance the car. Our top pick is the ST XTA: it uses stainless-steel strut bodies, 36-way rebound damping adjustment, and camber-adjustable top mounts, so you can dial in anything from a mild street drop to an aggressive track alignment. Expect roughly 0.8–2.0 in. of usable drop while preserving shock travel.

If you want a plug-and-play street coilover with no adjustment to fuss over, the H&R Street Performance kit is monotube-damped, galvanized for corrosion resistance, and tuned by H&R for a firm-but-livable ride at around $1,400. And if budget is the deciding factor, the BLOX Street Series II is a genuine full-bodied coilover with height adjustment for well under $600 — a huge step up from worn factory struts.

370Z Coilover & Spring Comparison

Here is how the main Stage 1 and Stage 2 options compare on kit type, adjustability, and drop. Prices update live from our store, so check each product page for the current figure.

Stage 3: Sway Bars & Chassis Bracing

Once ride height and damping are sorted, sway bars are the next handling gain. Thicker, adjustable anti-roll bars flatten the car in corners and let you bias grip toward the front or rear by moving the end-link position. The Whiteline Grip Series Kit bundles front and rear adjustable sway bars into one package designed specifically for the Z34, and it stacks perfectly on top of springs or coilovers for a noticeably more responsive turn-in.

Stage 4: Alignment & Camber Correction Arms

This is the stage most owners skip — and it is the one that protects your tires. When you lower a 370Z, front camber goes negative and caster changes, which chews the inside edge of your tires and can leave you unable to reach factory alignment specs. SPL Parts Front Upper Camber/Caster Arms use motorsport-grade spherical bearings and CNC-machined 4340 chromoly to restore full adjustment range so an alignment shop can dial the car back to spec. If you have coilovers or springs on the car, these arms belong on your list.

How to Install 370Z Coilovers: Step-by-Step

Installing coilovers on a 370Z is a realistic weekend job for an experienced DIYer. Plan on roughly 4–6 hours for all four corners the first time, and finish with a professional alignment. Here is the workflow we follow in our Tampa shop.

1. Gather tools. You need a floor jack, two jack stands, a metric socket set, combination wrenches (14–19mm), a spring-perch/collar wrench (usually included), penetrating oil, and a torque wrench.
2. Lift and secure. Loosen the lug nuts, raise one end of the car, support it on jack stands, and remove the wheels. Never work under a car held only by a jack.
3. Pre-set your ride height. Before installing, thread the lower mounts so both front units match and both rears match. Setting height on the bench saves hours later.
4. Remove the factory struts. Disconnect the sway-bar end link, ABS/brake line brackets, and the lower strut bolts, then the three upper strut-tower nuts. The front assembly drops out; the rear separates into a shock and a separate spring.
5. Install the coilovers. Fit the new units in reverse order, hand-threading all fasteners first. Torque the upper mount and lower bolts to factory spec (front lower strut bolts are roughly 100–110 lb-ft; always confirm in the service manual).
6. Reconnect and reassemble. Reattach end links and brake-line brackets, reinstall the wheels, and torque lug nuts to 80 lb-ft.
7. Set final height and align. Roll the car, measure fender-to-hub at each corner, fine-tune, then drive straight to an alignment shop. Ask for a mild street alignment (about -1.5 to -2.0 deg front camber) or an aggressive track spec if you have camber arms installed.

Choosing the Right 370Z Suspension for How You Drive

The best 370Z suspension setup depends entirely on how you use the car. In our Tampa shop we build these three configurations more than any other, and matching the parts to the mission is what keeps owners happy long-term.

Daily Driver & Show Stance

If the Z34 is your daily and you mostly want a cleaner stance with sharper response, H&R Sport Springs on the factory dampers or the H&R Street Performance coilovers set to about 1.0–1.3 in. of drop are ideal. Keep the alignment mild — around -1.0 to -1.5 deg of front camber — so tire wear stays even and the ride stays comfortable over Florida's expansion joints and speed bumps.

Weekend Canyon & Spirited Street

For an owner chasing back-road pace, the ST XTA coilovers around the middle of their 36-way rebound range, plus the Whiteline Grip Series adjustable sway bars, deliver flat, confident cornering that still tolerates a daily commute. Add the SPL Front Upper Camber/Caster Arms and target roughly -1.5 to -2.0 deg front camber for meaningfully more front-end grip without destroying tire life.

Track Days & Autocross

Serious track use calls for the ST XTA turned toward the firm end, an aggressive alignment of about -2.5 to -3.0 deg front camber, and both front and rear adjustable sway bars so you can tune understeer and oversteer between sessions. At this level the SPL camber and toe arms are non-negotiable — they are the only way to reach competitive alignment numbers on a lowered Z34 and to hold toe settings under hard cornering loads.