98maxse5spd

iTrader: (5)

So I've search and studied and read the suspension faq. From what I can tell the Maxima is limited by a short suspension travel and limited aftermarket support and alot of people that drop their cars experience so-so ride quality at best with frequent bottoming out over moderate bumps.

My 99 came with a RSB, H&R springs and blown stock shocks which need to be replaced. I'm trying to figure out what the best shock choice would be for me and I'm willing to buy decent shocks and stick with the H&Rs or go back to stock springs.

I really like the way the car handles now and would prefer to keep the H&Rs but I hate how bone jarring the car is now over rough roads when I hit the bump stops (they are cut). I can deal with a firm ride but this thing seems to bottom out so easily and that has got to go.

- I figure AGXs are out since most say they ride rough.

- Can Illuminas keep up with lowering springs? I've read conflicting reports on these. I like the price and the fact that they bolt on unlike Konis.

- I'm tempted to go with Koni but the modifications required seem like a real PITA.

Can I get some comments from people who have gone down this road? Has anyone tried to drop your car but keep a decent ride and did it work out?

hectorc

iTrader: (4)

Just get the Illuminas. the bone jarring is due to the blown struts. Iluminas will handle it. The drop on H&R's is not low enough to put that much stress on Illuminas

98maxse5spd

iTrader: (5)

I should have made this a poll on Illuminas. I've read comments like hectorc's and then conflicting info like this:

http://forums.maxima.org/5006337-post17.html

"Well I had tokico springs with H&R springs. Lets just say now i'm trying to get OEM springs again. I liked the drop but the ride quality goes way down. You'll see. On the highway it was great but that it. the moment there was an imperfection in the road you will feel it. I wish i would have save my money and bough the air stut kit"

TLMNICK

iTrader: (1)

For over two years, I had TEIN H-tech springs with stock SE struts, and I had no problems. The ride was actually quite comfortable, and not much different from stock.

98maxse5spd

iTrader: (5)

Was it comfortable over good sized bumps?

ouzo99max

iTrader: (2)

(in regard to the title)



probably not

ChrisMan287

iTrader: (34)

Depends on the drop. Anything over 2" will blow the struts, resulting in an absolutely horrible ride. Below that your fine, and the ride will be just ok.

Just a few examples:
Eibach and H&R's have slight drops. Progress and Tokico are a little more mild. Tein S-Tech's are just too agressive, and would need performance struts.

mtnbikeair

iTrader: (4)

I have the H&R springs on tokico blue struts and its a very nice ride, not bone jarring at all.

98maxse5spd

iTrader: (5)

Question about Konis - with the less aggressive drop of the H&Rs would it be ok to run Konis without shortening them?

If it's ok, would it be noticeably better with them shortened?

98maxse5spd

iTrader: (5)

Here are some good links I've found on Illuminas vs Konis and how to install and shorten Konis. The 2nd link has some great pictures by Jsutter.

http://forums.maxima.org/4th-generat...i-yellows.html

http://s130.photobucket.com/albums/p...oni/?start=all

http://www.sr20forum.com/chassis-sus...iscussion.html

http://www.sr20forum.com/technical-i...ni-struts.html

Flava_24/7

iTrader: (46)

I rode on AGXs and Sprints for years and that was one rough ride, more so in the winters. I liked the look but boy was it harsh.
Ive ridden in a buddies ride with the Tokico springs the Illuminas and the ride was much better then mine, the drop wasnt as low however.
Im now on Tein Basic coilovers and this ride is the best Ive felt so far. Still a bit stiff due to being lowered which is a factor that will always be there going with a lowering setup but its much more comfortable and bumps and etc. dont bother me at all now. I wish they were available a long time ago because I would have went this route to begin with.


When my shocks blew, the ride wasnt really bone jarring to me, just bouncy and floaty on the highway.

MOHFpro90

iTrader: (11)

Agreed with flava. Blown struts actually cause the opposite of 'bone jarring'. They make everything softer and bouncier. I hate blown struts.

98maxse5spd

iTrader: (5)

I've got the best of both worlds. My rear shocks are very blown so the back end is all bouncy, plus I seem to bottom out front and rear over moderate bumps. I'm hoping that with better shocks it won't bottom out as easy.

soccerplr19

iTrader: (1)

my car rides like a$$, kyb agx all around and progress springs with 18" rims it rides nice on smooth roads once i hit the regular NJ roads its over.

TLMNICK

iTrader: (1)

It was still comfortable over large bumps....speed bumps, dips in the road, driveways. It was comfortable over all of those.

The drop wasnt Great...but WAAAY better than stock ride height. With the H-techs, the car almost looks like it should've come that way from the factory....and it made the wheel gap even out between the front and rear.

gatsugansu

iTrader: (3)

The lower you go the less comfort. It's a simple trade off. I have H&Rs paired with AGXs, not as low as I'd like it but very close to stock setup comfort.

1HotA32

iTrader: (2)

not to theadjack but im lowering mine soon on s techs and i called tokico and they told me not to get illumina's or blues b/c of the drop being so drastic they said they would just blow and i also called stillen to see what they say and they told me blues were fine and the guy at stillen started to get irrated with me when i told him what tokico told me and he said that they wouldnt do that. also i have read all the faq's and what not and searched im starting to get irratated with this whole process lol. I know some of you guys run the illumina's and say the ride is fine but i was just dumbfounded when the manufacturer told me not to run them.


i emailed kyb and this is what they said b/c i thought that maybe they would hold up better so this is what they said.

Sorry Jaymi, but our units are designed using the oem strut body specs. The units will break when the vehicle is lowered 2".

Tim

________________________________

From: Jaymi Tillman [mailto:jaymi_tillman@yahoo.com]
Sent: Wed 2/11/2009 10:21 AM
To: Tech Support
Subject: question about struts


I have a 99 se nissan maxima that i am purchasing a set of tein s tech's which will lower it 2 inches all the way around and i am wondering if the agx's would be a good strut to use with that..


Thanks in advance
Jaymi Tillman

98maxse5spd

iTrader: (5)

Tokico and KYB aren't going to tell you it's ok because if they do blow they don't want you coming back to them all "you said in this email blah blah blah".

From what I've read you'll get plenty of miles out of either of them but with a 2" drop ride quality is going to be poor at best no matter what you do.

danmack34

iTrader: (7)

i used the h&R springs With KYB AGX's And My Ride Is Amazing

1HotA32

iTrader: (2)

[quote=98maxse5spd;6865460]Tokico and KYB aren't going to tell you it's ok because if they do blow they don't want you coming back to them all "you said in this email blah blah blah".

You have a point mess on it im just gonna get the illumina and run them with the s tech's..

IlyaK

iTrader: (47)

I dunno about 2" but my Tokico Illumina + H&R setup is amazing for being almost 1.5". Same ride as my stock SE ride was.

QNO_A32

iTrader: (7)

2 inch drop on basics or something will ride better than 1.5" drop on something else. depending on the setup you can go lower and still ride better.

mowgli29

iTrader: (21)

1. IMO, don't drop it more than 1.5".
2. Idk about ALL aftermarket springs, but for the most part, I'd imagine you'll sacrifice a little ride quality no matter what.
3. Don't F***ing get s-techs. They might look good, but riding on bumpstops is FTMFL in regards to performance AND comfort.
4.To get good damping and proper body control with the least amount of harshness, get Koni Yellows.


...just my 2 cents

edit: just saw your mention of Konis....don't fret. if you have common sense, some tools, and are mechanically inclined, you can do it. I was scared ****less, but it worked out great. One of the best decisions I've made in regard to this car.

mowgli29

iTrader: (21)

I see your point, but with bumpsteer in mind, why the HELL would you want to go lower than 1.5"?
I've been 2+" lower before and the bumpsteer was UNBEARABLE.

and if you live in the sticks like me, you need to retain SOME ground clearance...

gatsugansu

iTrader: (3)

Yeah, if you always drive straight on a perfect roads.

Hobhob26

iTrader: (3)

i had tein s techs on tokico blues and they drove like sh-t i changed my springs to the tokico ones its higher but better ride quality.
my new max has kyb agx's on apexi springs and the car drives much better than my old one.

maxim82

iTrader: (2)

ive got illuminas with H&R's and it handles really good, drop is just right and not a hard ride at all. i would say its as close to a stock feel as you can get, only without that rediculous gap between the tire and fenders.

NetFurie

I got the illumina kit off ebay about 5 years ago. Coming from a stock setup and having never had a lowered car before, it took a little getting used to. But in my opinion it is still a comfortable ride and handles very, very well. The struts are adjustable and I find the 3F 2R setting the best.

ROCKART

iTrader: (23)

good thread. subscribed.

nismology

iTrader: (8)

Address the chassis if you want to make a lowered ride more bearable in an A32.

JSutter

iTrader: (46)

Illuminas are ok. AGX are harsh. Konis own. Travel is key here but Ive been thinking about using non 4th gen parts to lower the car.


I know how to lower the rear a couple of different ways with out of the box parts. Rear struts from a P11 99-02 G20 or B14 95-99 Sentra are 1" shorter. I have used them with GC coilovers so they bolt right in. The stock 4th gen spring should fit the perch fine. My only concern is topping the strut piston out over bumps and dips. The other method is to use the springs off the G20 or Sentra with 4th gen struts. Some Sentra or G20 models may have a good spring rate for our use. Perhaps an aftermarket set is soft yet stiff enough. I don't know the specs but I have had both OEM G20 springs and Sentra springs. They looked the same as a 4th gen. Problem is I wouldn't know how low any of the springs would be and if they are overly soft and bottom out. Its also possible to use B15 00-06 Sentra struts with 00-06 springs. They should be shorter also, but the lower perch is smaller like a 5th gen.

I haven't gotten to the front yet but I have ideas. I think 3rd gen springs and/or struts would fit. I had members measure both SE and GXE springs. They are different lengths but about the same diameter. I don't know the strut bolt pattern or if it would cause alignment issues or tire fitment issues.

Where there is a will there is a way.

mowgli29

iTrader: (21)

Speaking of which, how important is cross bracing for SFCs?

I don't imagine the cross bracing would do much in the way of comfor, but it seems the triangulated bracing would really help reduce lateral flex, yet nobody makes a point of saying that the cross bracing makes big difference.

98maxse5spd

iTrader: (5)

Yeah, it would be nice if there was a Koni option that didn't involve all the cutting.

A couple questions for you guys with Koni experience:

1. If I was to install Konis w/o cutting them down is it possible to get them back out to cut them later?

2. Say I didn't want to mess with the extra large opening in the strut and the bike headstock spacer thing. Would it work to cut the end of the Koni some and cut the bolt some to shorten the insert a little while still allowing a typical installation? I would think that would be simpler and give some of the benefit of cutting them down.

mowgli29

iTrader: (21)

1. Yes.
I accidentally inserted one into the housing before I cut it, and I was able to get it back out.

2. I suppose so.
This was more popular on the original Koni's, but since the design has changed, the stub on the end became shorter and there was less to trim. I doubt you'd gain much travel at all without poking the insert thru the bottom of the oem housing. Sticking the koni thru the bottom and using a headset spacer/washers is not as hard as you might think. Worked perfectly for me with some washers from lowes.

98maxse5spd

iTrader: (5)

I would appreciate a thread jack on this topic

mowgli29

iTrader: (21)

Haha, sorry. Wasn't trying to jack, just thought it was slightly relevant

98maxse5spd

iTrader: (5)

No, I'm saying I want that discussion in here. Very relevant and I'd like more info on bracing.

Flava_24/7

iTrader: (46)

Everyone Ive spoken has told me that the SFCs actually made the car more rigid going ove bumps and etc. were more noticable.

NickStam

iTrader: (3)

FWIW, I'm not a really handy person, and my friends and I cut open the OEM's to put in the Koni's about 5 years ago. We broke a few pipe cutter blades, and some other tools, but it was fun.

I never had a problem with the struts, but they did blow after about 3 years (not really surprising). I had sprint springs at the time and I believe they had one of the biggest drops available at the time (2"). I never used the adjustable dampening feature of the Koni's, but I bought them because they were touted as being able to handle a bigger drop than the tokikos.

I don't think anyone should expect to drop a car and keep the same ride comfort. But it's worth it.

98maxse5spd

iTrader: (5)

I think I'm going to order Konis. www.shox.com has them for $578 shipped, is there a better place to buy them? I looked for a forum sponsor that might sell them and haven't found one.