Lately there have been tons of suspension questions coming up regarding things like coilovers, struts, springs, etc. I thought that maybe we could throw something together as a type of guide. I know that this will not be answering all of the questions out there or that this is the most definitive guide but it cant hurt. If anyone has anything that they can add to this for me then as you show me more info I will change it here. I don’t know if this thread will just die but might be helpful one day to people who are searching for info.
Springs
A few tips about springs cane be found at
hekp how do you make your turn signal blink faster?
But one tip there mentioned this for the springs, "SPECIAL noise reduction element: helical split electrical wire wrap and/or clear vinyl tubing (1/2” inside diameter) from Home Depot (Lowes does NOT HAVE the wire wrap)....Wrap the whatever-you-use around the springs' tops and bottoms."
H&R
Drop: 1.3 – 1.5 inches
Ride Quality: Closest to the stock SE spring. They will give you a nice drop without having a very harsh ride.
Part Number: 53059
Cost: MSRP $299.00
Sprint
Drop: 2 inches
Ride Quality: It is going to be more harsh for everyday driving that the others, due to its large drop.
Part Number: 9500
Cost: MSRP 264.00
Eibach
Drop 1.5 inches in the front 1.3 in the rear
Ride Quality: Comparable to H&R. The difference will be felt though. They are a harder spring then H&R.
Part Number: 6334.140
Cost:
Maxspeed
Drop: 1.7 inches in the front and 1.4 inches in the back.
Ride Quality: Almost like they were there stock SE springs.
Part Number:
Cost: ~ $100
B+G
Drop: 1.6 inches
Ride Quality: On back roads where it begins to get bumpy ride can become harsh. Smooth on flatter main/highway type roads.
Part Number:
Cost: 159.00
Intrax
Drop: 1.7 inches in front 1.6 in back
Ride Quality: Stiff feeling.
Part Number: 60.1.016
Cost: MSRP Around $200
Progress
Drop: 1.7 inches in front 1.5 in back
Ride Quality: Stiffer than stock but still a soft spring rate. So you will feel bumps more but still have a comfortable ride.
Part Number: 40.1520
Cost: MSRP Around $259
Suspention Techniques
Drop: 1.7" drop in the front and a 1.5" drop in the rear. Ride: relatively harsh over normal surfaces (worse than the Intrax), but never got worse over bigger bumps (better than the Intrax).
Part Number:
Price:
Matrix
Drop: 2" front and back
Ride: Yet to be determined
Part Number: Could not find part number but can be ordered at
www.2kracing.com
Price: $165
Struts
KYB – AGX
Right now they are one of the most common struts for the Maxima. They have a great reputation with these struts as far as lasting without any problems. They are 8 way adjustableon the back and 4 way adjustable on the front, which means that they have 4 or 8 separate settings on them to control how firm you want them. They firmness is changeable while still on the car unlike some others where you have to remove the wheels.
Cost: Around $400.00
KYB- GR2
Now a little bit older and seems to have taken a back seat to the AGX’s are the GR2’s. Still, it is not a bad strut that has had few complaints. They are nice for a replacement strut to go with a drop, but keep that stock ride feeling.
Cost: About $207
Koni
Again this another adjustable strut. Although one thing is to adjust the rear the wheels will have to be removed to do so. This strut was a long time favorite for the Maxima. It has a great reputation and comes with a lifetime warranty. It will however need to be modified before it can be installed. To find out what type of modifications it needs check out this link for more info,
http://vbxmaxima.8m.com/koni.html
Tokico
These are a direct OEM replacement for your Maxima. Basicly if a strut blows you can get them rplaced with thes under warranty. They are a strut that is not made for the extra work of a big drop but a bit more aggressive than stock. Since they have that somewhat stock side to them your not going to want a very big or harsh drop on these. for more info check uot this link.
http://www.tokicogasshocks.com/car/performance.html
Cost: Still looking
Coilovers
Ground Control
Ground control makes a per order coilover. What I mean by this is that they will make it custom for you as far as spring rates etc. Most people tell you they are very stiff or harsh. This is mainly because they have the stock spring ratio. The main difference between coilvers and springs is simple. You can raise and lower the coilovers. To lower them you use a special wrench tool that comes with them and you can set them by turning them to lower the stance. To raise them back up though, you will have to remove the wheels.
The cost is about $400 from Ground Control
Weapon R
They are based on the same idea as far as raising and lowering capabilities. These however can be lowered down further than the Ground Controls. Now as far as ride, this is a tough one. Many people say that the ride is rough and uncomfortable. But some people such as user pawn, actually have them on his car and he posts that he likes them all the time. You will want a higher grade strut with these though. My recommendation is go either KYB or Koni for the best results. The cost is around $300 for these coilovers.
OBX
Not alot of information was found on them either on this weboste or there own. They do however make a coilover kit for 95+ maximas. You can check this link here
http://www.obxracingsports.com/index2.htm and you will notice it is in the picture. Most of the posts I did find were a little weary of them though. Also no pricing was found on there page. Your best bet might be sending them an e-mail.
JIC-Magic
JIC makes full race coilovers. Also like the Ground control setup you can get different spring rates etc. They make setup mostly for Japeneese cars. They will run you around $1300 or so. This seems higher than the others but part of it might be because it is a full race suspension and also that it is imported.
Cattman
Well Cattman is now offering coilovers as well. Here is a paragraph from there page about them. "This Solo II race-proven suspension system provides phenomenal handling coupled with elegant street manners. Radically new design utilizes advanced coilover suspension technology, totally revamped from the first generation set and a Cattman Performance exclusive. This is a complete coilover suspension, including front camber fixtures, adjustable in every useful dimension for adaptation to every car and driving style. " They are running for $1800 and include shipping. There is also an upgrade package available for an additional $800. Check this link for more details
http://www.cattman.com/suspension_prod.shtml#coilovers
Other considerations
You may be wondering what else you want to change now that you have the new struts and springs on there. There are a few things you want to check while you have everything apart. Instead of listing them here I will give you a thread I found extremely helpfull. Here it is
what does this mean
Where to buy.
Some places with very good prices are the following
www.custommaxima.com
www.shox.com
www.ebay.com
www.eatricezone.com
http://www.importstudio.bigstep.com/
SuDZ