absoundlab

I washed my car and when I was cleaning the wheels I noticed that the driver side sits lower than the passanger side. I can fit one finger between the body and the top of the tire on the drivers side and on the passanger side I can fit 2 fingers. Also the drivers saide wheel is cambered alot more than the passanger side.

I remember someone was talking about you can adjust the rear beam to correct the problem. I cant seam to find that thread.

Pri63

check this post...I'm gonna try to the adjustment this weekend.

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=498982

00MaxSE

iTrader: (25)

Yup, I'm going to do it in the spring though.

absoundlab

You have to re-center the rear beam. Basically due to the linkage on the rear beam, our solid axle pivots upwards and to the right side under compression.

Now the bushings and such were designed for a car at stock ride height. When you lower the car, you start to deform and constrict the bushings since the suspension angle is changing in relation to the chassis. In the FSM you will find segments on how to re-align the beam. Take a peak next time when the car is on a flat surface and you will see the bushings are bent sideways

What you have to do:
1. measure your rear vehicle ride height
2. jack up the car and place jack stands
3. unbolt the bottom bolts holding your rear shocks to the beam
4. loosen the bolt going through the bushing on your beam (there is one on each side, two total)
5. jack up the beam until it is at the ride height you measured earlier
6. tighten the two bolts you loosened
7. tighten the rear suspension bolts back on
8. lower and drive around

you'll find the rear end of the car will feel awesome because the bushings are not binding anymore and the car won't rub either

absoundlab

which is the bolt that you have to loosen?

00MaxSE

iTrader: (25)

^^ I think it's the far left one. I dunno why they didn't make that how-to thread into a sticky. Everyone that changes their suspension should do this mod IMO.

NewLoveI30

Damn, wish I would have seen this a couple months ago when I replaced my entire rear beam. Would have been very easy to do at that time.

BTW, I've never noticed anything weird with the bushings or this rubbing. Anyone know what this is refering to?

MetaOrbit

iTrader: (19)

Over time, especially with lowered suspension, the bushings in the rear beam (left one in that pic) will kinda tilt/bind/etc. This in turn shifts the beam towards the passenger side of the car. Most people only notice it when using spacers or wider wheels & tires when it rubs on that side.

This helps re-center the beam.

absoundlab

has anyone done this

00MaxSE

iTrader: (25)

Not yet...

Shogunsc4

iTrader: (2)

I'm bumping this thread up...anyone in CA did this or know how to do this? I might need some help here.

absoundlab

can someone make a detailed write up about this with pictures?

MetaOrbit

iTrader: (19)

You already posted a pretty detailed write-up. The link in the thread has even more info/pictures if you need it.

steven88

iTrader: (28)

What you have to do:
1. measure your rear vehicle ride height

Exactly where are you measuring the vehicle whille its on the ground? This is the confusing part...and also step 5 "jack up the beam until it is at the ride height you measured earlier"

sorry if i am missing something...but i'm confused on this step

absoundlab

ya the thing is i dont want to go try this until im 100% sure on how to do it.

OHH NOES

iTrader: (3)

When done right, the back feels 10x better and it elimated all of my rubbing (rears on 245/45/18) You can measure from the top of the center cap on your rim to the fender. take that measurement then put your car on jack stands (make sure you dont put the jack stands under the rear beam, it needs to be free.) Then after youve unbolted the bottom mount on both of the shocks from the rear beam and loosened the bushings (make sure you loosen them from the side facing the back of the car, it will make youre life ten times easier to tighten them once the rear beam is compressed) you place a jack under the rear beam and jack up the beam until the measurement between the center cap and the fender is the same as when the car is on the ground (this means after you unbolt the shocks you have to put the tires back so when you jack up the rear beam you can get the measurement. Also make sure you jack up the rear beam in the middle otherwise it will be slightly off.) When the measurement is the same, tighten up the bushings (it's going to be harder to tighten them since the rear beam is compressed because there will be a lot of stuff in your way. You'll need a wrench for the driver's side.) then lower the rear beam again, take off the wheels, reattach shocks, put wheels back on, lower car and youre done.

steven88

iTrader: (28)

thanks! i was confused becuz there was no mention of putting the tires back on...so i didnt know where exactly to measure from

Ephraim

iTrader: (15)

well this is pretty sweet, i always wondered if it was just the sun playing a trick on my eyes when i noticed the slight difference.

irish44j

iTrader: (38)

I would take one, but it's pouring rain here. It might be useful for someone to post up a picture of exactly which bolts should be loosened (maybe with some arrows pointing to them)

LA02MAX

iTrader: (3)

alright people, I got some pictures. It's really not that hard once you just get under your car and look, so hopefully this will help

This is looking toward the front of the car. (toward the left)

Here's a closeup of the bushing:

This is looking toward the front of the car. (toward the right)

And a closeup of the bushing itself:



Hopefully these are correct. I'm sure irish can confirm it. I haven't done it myself, but eventually I'll get around to it.

OHH NOES

iTrader: (3)

Yep those pictures are correct LA02MAX. Im sure those pics will be helpful

steven88

iTrader: (28)

can't wait to align this bi+ch!

irish44j

iTrader: (38)

well, I finally gotaround to doing this today. It's really quite simple.

the good: ride quality is improved, particularly over speed bumps and uneven entrances.

the bad: car feels "mushier" in the back, almost like I took my RSB off. Understeer is increased, and the rear end just doesn't feel as responsive.

overall, not sure if I like the change or not. I'll have to play with my strut settings to compensate in the rear.

Shogunsc4

iTrader: (2)

would the bushings be damaged after leaving it not aligned after dropping the car for a long time?

OOmaxSE

iTrader: (19)

I don't think the bushings will be damaged but perhaps it will be more "stressed." Reason I say this is because not many people replace these bushings, unless they go for ES poly... but then again, could be replacing them because of worn bushings.

Irish, do you have ES bushings in the rear? If not, maybe this will help considering that you said your rear end feels mushy. Re-aligning the beams seems to give the bushing less stress which means more mushy feeling.

steven88

iTrader: (28)

es doesn't make those beam bushings...they do however, make the trailing arm bushings

Maxima9750

The rear beam suspension was one of the worst things on the 5th gens. That and the turning radius on 02-03 SE and GLE models (GXEs had smaller tires and turned tighter).

irish44j

iTrader: (38)

404: statement without explanation =

The rear beam has its advantages and disadvantages...but the 5th gen beam setup is far superior to that of the 4th gen, reducing snap oversteer in particular.

Come with justification, or don't come at all.....

Rube0023

iTrader: (1)

I have a question regarding doing this procedure concerning if it will help my situation. I replaced my rear beam with a junkyard beam on my 01 SE with a beam from another 01 SE with about 52k miles. I used the junkyard beam and the rear struts it came with....but after I installed it I noticed if I hit certain bumps (like sharp dips or ruts) the rear of the car bottoms out with just me in it and the trunk empty. So i installed my original rear struts (about 65k miles) thinking that was the problem but it still does it. It NEVER did this before I replaced the beam and the rear struts are not worn. Anyone know what else it could be? or would trying to recenter the rear beam may do it?
Thanks

absoundlab

So let me see if I fully understand this.

Jack up the car from the rear beam.
Then place jack stands under the body of the car.
Remove the jack.
Remove the lower strut mount bolt on both sides of the car.
Loosen the far left and the far right bolts on the rear beam from the rear of the car.

And then this is here im lost.
What do I do next?

OHH NOES

iTrader: (3)

Read post #16. It has detailed step by step instructions

steven88

iTrader: (28)

first you have to measure from the center cap, to the fender...take that measurement and remember it....THEN you proceed with the steps you listed...

after you loosen both bushings on the far left and right of the beam, you put the rim back onto the car...then jack up the beam until you get to the measurement you did earlier...once it is reached, go back down and tighten those two bushings on the rear beam...

absoundlab

oh ok I didnt know you had to take the wheels off.

steven88

iTrader: (28)

I suppose you can try leaving the wheel on there...i'm not sure if there will be enough clearance to fit a breaker bar down there with the wheels on though...give it a shot and report back

absoundlab

Oh alright I gotcha. Yes you can do this without taking the rear wheels off. So you measure from the center of the center cap to the fender before you start everything. Also what if one side is lower than the other or something like that?

after you loosen the bottom bolts on the struts and loosen the left and right side bolts on the rear beam. Is the next step to place the jack under the rear beam and jack the beam up until your measurements match up. Do you jack up the rear beam to the exact measurement you got before starting?

steven88

iTrader: (28)

your last paragraph is correct...

as for your first paragraph...i'm wondering this as well...since our beams have been shifted...i notice my pass side being lower than my drivers side...so before i begin everything and take measurements, i already know the pass side is lower...how far should i jack up the beam? should i take both measurements and combine them...then divide it by 2, and use that height?

OHH NOES

iTrader: (3)

yes you jack up the rear beam to the exact measurement you got before starting. You should read post 16. I wrote a step by step how to that includes everything.

OOmaxSE

iTrader: (19)

That's a great question, as I've noticed that my rears aren't exactly the same height as each other. To avoid doing this again, which would be a pain and it's good to get things the first time, I would do what seems to make sense. Take the average of both heights and adjust from there.

Larrio Motors

iTrader: (23)

Optimally, you want the rear shock assembly out so it doesn't place any load on the beam when you jack it up. Of course this isn't too easy to do on 5th gens so this whole process can be done with the wheels on the car.

You only have to measure the wheel gap at normal ride height and simulate that with the jack by pushing up on the beam when the car is placed on jack stands.

Reference: ESM SU-21 & 22 (suspension pdf)

absoundlab

whats that : Reference: ESM SU-21 & 22 (suspension pdf)?