CS_AR

To continue the 98 model's midlife refresh, I'm getting everything ready to kick off the suspension phase.

The 98 already has some decent Tokico "Blue" HP struts that I moved to it from the I30. So I don't plan to replace struts for another 18 to 24 months.
Though lowering springs will be tempting when I get the new wheels installed next year. Let's see how it goes.

Suspension parts that I've accumulated for the refresh are listed below. Most all of it is MOOG Problem Solver line product.


Suspension Refresh – The cost is approximately $400 (with misc tax and shipping charges)

MOOG KIT62 (1) Front End Kit Bundle Total $214.99 - www.rockauto.com

Moog Part Kit Bundle

--- ES3438 – (2) Tie Rod Ends
--- EV352 – (2) Tie Rod End
--- CK620352 (1) Control Arm
--- CK620353 (1) Control Arm

Moog Stabilizer Bar Link Kit - www.rockauto.com
--- K9824 - (2) $ $38.10

Energy Suspension Parts – Total $48.57
--- Product ID: 7.1116 – Subframe Bushings
--- Product ID: 7.5118 – Sway Bar Bushings
--- Product ID: W21014 – Sway Bar End Link Bushings

Ricochet Polyurethane Technologies
--- N6 N7.90 Poly Rack Bushings @ $26 (new part) http://www.ricochetpt.com/

BECK/ARNLEY
---- 1032680 (103-2680)(2) Rack and Pinion Bellow $18.62 - www.rockauto.com
---- 102-6625 (1) Lateral Link $27.79 (first time for this part)


Sub-frame Experimentation Project - $135 (with shipping) – this work may result in kits for 2 cars. The idea for this part is to tighten up and remove any sub-frame movement "slop" that occurs when the car rolls over speed bumps and the like. I think I have all of the parts I need to make a real improvement in this area -- but I'm experimenting with some new parts on this one. I really won't know how this will turn out until I give it a try.

Super Pro
--- SPF3007l Polyurethane Suspension Bushings $56.48

Perrin
--- Sub-frame Lockdown Bushings $29.70

Z32, S13, S14 Aluminum Sub-frame Collars eBay
--- Aluminum Sub frame Collars - $36.97

Plus Existing Sub frame Spacer Kit Purchased Used (Last Year) - Also, I'm running one of these kits on the 99 model.

Wheels and Tires

Since the 98 came with tires that are in very good condition, I really need to wait a while before buying new tires. I've given away plenty of good tires over the years due to wheel style changes.

It turns out that I got the chance to buy the following set of new Nissan Juke wheels today for $250. A local guy bought his daughter a new 2016 Juke. After she got the car, she wanted black Nissan OEM wheels. So I bought the original silver wheels in the picture below for my daughter's 98 Maxima.

The wheels came packed in the Nissan part boxes for the new black wheels.

This will be my first set of 17" wheels on a 4th gen. The 99 model has 18" Maxima wheels.

JoshG

Throw some pics for us when you put those rims on !

pixelporsche

iTrader: (1)

Also waiting for an update!

CS_AR

Need a few days of good weather here. I can't wait to get started though..

I think I will replace the CV axles and seals at the same time. I will get a new set of new CSPs from the I30. Though I'm not crazy about using CSP again because the boots will only last 3 to 5 years.

M in KC

She's gonna be better than new after this surgery. Dayum, stole those rims for 2fiddy.

CS_AR

Here's a funny story. This really happened. So Grandma decided to stop driving her 2004 Honda Civic with 25,000 miles. She bought it new. She offered to give it to my daughter. My daughter drove it for about a week. Then she said to me, "Dad the Civic is a nice little car but I would rather keep the I30 with 250,000 miles." It has more power, the seats are more comfortable, and it has much better stereo. Well ok.. I'm glad you like it.

So her younger brother took the Civic and turned it into a semi-ricer. I don't like to work on it at all. So that's his project car, not mine.

dwapenyi

iTrader: (3)

Glad to see that the OEM 4th gen Bose is getting a bit of love.

By the way, those enhanced sub-frame connectors are going to make the ride more firm, and the upgrade to those pretty 17" rims will make the rider firmer still.

I hope that kind of ride/comfort level is what you are looking for.

CS_AR

Long story on how we're able to get along with the Bose unit. Many years ago on my G50/Q45, I installed multi layers of sound deadening material in the doors. Under the carpet was already thick, so I left it alone. After that sound deadening material, I discovered the old stock Bose unit wasn't so bad after all. The old A/C seemed to adequately cool after the insulation upgrade so I must have increased the r-value without thinking about it.

On the I30, I installed a product like DynoMat on the floor, behind the rear seat, and inside the doors. Then a couple of additional layers of sound deadening mat under the carpet. That really made a difference on how the car feels on the inside and lowered the road noise level. So with all the sound deadening work, and finding a new looking and working Bose unit from a wrecked I30, it all came together.

On the 99 Maxima, it only had a basic Clarion unit. So it didn't sound very good at the start and I didn't need to worry about a Bose to aftermarket conversion. So my son installed some high powered head unit with 10" subs in the trunk and a mix of Polk and Sony speakers in the doors. He didn't want to take the time to install sound insulation on the Maxima like I did on the I30. So when turning off or down the subs on Maxima to make a system-to-system comparison with the I30, guess which system sounds the best when driving?

When properly installed, a good multi-layer sound deadening enhancement will go a long way with one of the OEM Bose units. If you shop around and find where sound product "marketing companies" actually buy their materials and relabel it as their "super deadening material", you can save a lot of money by using an alternate product that was produced by the same company in Italy.

Last week I stopped by the Nissan dealer to pick up some parts. I drove the Q that day. The people who work there usually gather around that "funny looking car" that "sounds like a Titan truck" after I pull in. I've had the Q in there for an alignment, so they know it. The parts manager likes to open and close the doors on the Q when I stop by. All the sound material has given the old Q's doors a "bank vault" feel that reminds people of some old world European tank. I had to tell him it didn't feel like that when it was new.


Yep. We've got 18s on the 99 with H & R lowering springs, KYB AGX (setting 2), subframe spacers, NWP Torque Link, poly bushings, FSTB, and an Addco rear stabilizer. It's definitely wound up too be very tight.

For the 98, I'll most likely keep the softer blues or similar. The 17s should be a bit softer than the 18s. I may not put an Addco on this one. Though I do have a set of front and rear Stillen STBs that I've been saving for the 4th, 4th gen. Those will make it look better.

bloodthirstyemu

Are the sway bar end link bushings and sway bar bushings for an aftermarket sway bar or for something that comes stock on the 4th gen? I am also redoing my whole suspension, already have the Ksport Coilovers and the ES subframe and LCA bushings, and plan on liquid polying my motor mounts with ES's stuff. Are your tension rod ends and lateral link bad or are you replacing them since your redoing everything? Replacing these requires an alignment afterwards? Love your work, cant wait to hear how it rides afterwards!

CS_AR

Stock anti-sway bar.

I just picked up the lateral link along with other parts from www.rockauto.com. I will most likely replace the rest of the rear bushings when I go for some H & R lowering springs. That will be next year after new tires and I install the 17s.

The suspension is new MOOG LCAs, inner and outer tie rods, end links with ES bushings. I have it all town down right now. I got a real surprise the other day when I discovered it has a VLSD transmission. This is my first experience with a VLSD.

Today it got new wheel bearings and seals to go with the MOOG LCAs.

That little Harbor Freight Earthquake air impact tool is much easier to use than the old heavyweight impact driver that I've been using for years. The handle operated trigger control makes it easy reverse and change torque settings on the fly.



Fun Stuff

Now that I've figured out how to mix in some s-chassis suspension parts, I think I'll be satisfied.

This a picture of the rear sub-frame mount with an aluminum s-chassis collar on top. Then I used a big thick Perrin bushing for a Subaru WRX on the bottom. I'm still experimenting with this. For the 99 SE, I've been using some plastic sub-frame spacers that I bought in the classified section for a few years.

It will take a while to see how this mod performs and lasts.



For the front sub-frame mount, I will be testing an aluminum Nissan s-chassis spacer on top, with two big zinc structural washers that I bought at Fastenal. I tried three different types, and the ones you see in the picture are the strongest washers that Fastenal had in stock. I spent about $20 on washers just to find the ones that I think will be the strongest for the long haul. Now that I'm getting an idea of what might work, I'll get the details when I stop by Fastenal later in the week.

I wanted to put some type of thin and properly sized poly bushing material between the washers so it will offer a little amount of flex and reduce the risk of breaking one of the sub-frame studs. So I used a polyurethane bushing set from a Subaru performance part manufacturer in Australia for the front setup.

I don't know how this will perform or last in real life, but it sure has been fun putting together this weird combination of parts to tighten up the sub-frame.



Here's a picture of my first aluminum sub-frame and rear anti-sway work on the Q45. If you run s-chassis sub-frame spacers with an anti-sway bar from the active (hydraulic) suspension model, you can create one fun sleeper car.



On that one I replaced the OEM silicon filled tension rod bushings with ES bushings in the picture.



One of the last things I will do to the suspension will be to install an Addco rear anit-sway bar.

Front and rear Stillen strut tower bars will go at the end along with the Addco.

CS_AR

This afternoon I installed the new MOOG Problem Solver Lower Control Arms (LCAs), new MOOG Problem Solver inner and outer tie rod ends, new rack boots, and setup the driver side with the s-chassis sub-frame collars and bushings.

The old inner tie rods were beyond worn out. The one in the picture had so much slack that I could feel an excessive amount play in the steering wheel.



I like the MOOG Problem Solver product line because of the grease fittings. Also note the ball joint is held in place by a snap ring clip. It will be easy to replace the ball joint in the event I need replace one at some point in the future. But since I can grease the ball joints and other parts, I doubt they will wear out in the next decade.



The annoying suspension creaking and squeaking noises turned out to be from the sub-frame rubbing against the body as you can see in this picture.



I believe the aluminum s-chassis sub-frame spacer and lower bushings that I will be using to eliminate the movement will cure the noise problem.



Tomorrow I will install the MOOG Problem Solver end links, ES anti-sway bar bushings, poly end link bushings, new CV axles, along with some Wagner Thermoquiet ceramic brake pads.

M in KC

Love it, all of it! And that HF Earthquake impact gun is the business. I had to do a half shaft on my '94 Camry and my impact gun would not budge the ball joint fasteners. I used heat, three types penetrating oil, breaker bar with cheater pipe and in the end nothing but a cracked socket. Then I went to HF and bought an Earthquake and literally 2 seconds later the fasteners were off. I didn't get the fancy composite one like you got but son let me tell you those guns are a great tool for the value. Keep the updates coming!

JoshG

I'm curious how much CS AR is spending on this midlife refresh.. Its amazing to see, I wonder how the car runs after all the midlife stuff he has done.. I'm sure its close to a new car once again. Maybe turned 20yrs old into a 4yr old car.

komik

My goal for my '96 is to make it like new again... one day. Unfortunately there's only so much I can do in my apartment parking garage. *sigh*
In the meantime I will have to drool over Craig's shiny 4th gen parts pics with everyone else.

CS_AR

Here are some numbers that explain why I'm like keeping three young drivers in a 4th gen.

Average Cost to Purchase $1,500. Some have been less, one was more.

Average Cost to Refresh $1,500 -- This will put the car in good working order for 5 years or more.

So the total expense during the first 12 months works out to $3,000. After the refresh, the annual maintenance expense amounts to oil & filter changes, bulbs, A/C refrigerant, anti-freeze, and small incidental stuff like a new battery every 3 years, or a PS hose. Small stuff.

Car Insurance -- three young drivers in the household.

Cost to insure a 2004 Honda Civic - full coverage --> $549 every six months.

Cost to insure a 1998 Maxima - min coverage --> $198 every six months.

Insurance savings over 5 years (10 renewal cycles) on min coverage Maxima vs full coverage Civic $3,510.

The savings on insurance, license fees (based on age of vehicle), and state personal property tax, more than covers the cost of the car + refresh expense for the expected use cycle.

So it's like prepaying for a car (an asset) that you use for 5 years, that comes back to you in the form of money not spent on a fee expense item (insurance and taxes) that still has value to you as an asset at the end of the expected service use cycle.

Since the cars have already bottomed out from a market standpoint before I get them, I'm not absorbing any depreciation that comes with purchasing a newer vehicle. Also, should I decide to sell one at the end of 5 years, I know I will get my initial investment back.

Only in the case of the 1st 4th gen (Max I), was I not able to run the car for more than 2 years.

I paid $1,400 for Max I plus another $1,000 for new tires and partial midlife refresh. A texting SUV driver rear ended it and the insurance company declared it a total loss. The other party's insurance company paid $2,300 for damages. I kept the car and sold it for $700. Since I kept the car, the title was not blemished. I moved the new tires to Max II and started looking for Max III. Max III was another black on gray SE 5-speed that looks like Max I. After 6 years of service, Max II (a maroon on tan I30) is being replaced by Max IV (maroon on tan GLE) that is just starting a five-year use cycle.

The guy who bought Max I kept driving it with a damaged rear end for 4 years. A couple of months ago he moved to the St. Louis area and traded it in on for a much newer Toyota Tundra. He certainly got his money's worth out of it. Who knows, maybe Max I will show up on here someday..
Some people keep their SE 5MTs running forever.

CS_AR

While I'm waiting to go pick up the driver side CV axle, I want to post a couple of pictures of two additional parts that have been replaced with the MOOG Problem Solver line parts.

Viewer Discretion Advised

This end link "left the building" a very long time ago. It offered no protection and I suspect it would have eventually disintegrated. The boot did not appear to be all that bad from the outside. However, since the joint could not be lubricated with a grease fitting, it operated dry and most likely stored water for a long time.

MOOG Problem Solver end links allow the joint "ball and socket" to be lubricated to avoid this problem.

I removed the boot and found this inside.



This ball joint was not dry from the split boot, but it was heavily worn and floating around loosely in the socket. Again, this ball joint could not be lubricated.

If you ever been driving when a lower ball joint breaks loose from the socket, you will never forget the experience. Many years ago, I had a ball joint break loose while driving. Luckily, I was only moving 10 MPH at the time.
If the break had occurred a few minutes earlier when I was driving at a much higher speed, it may have resulted in a very serious accident.

CS_AR

Ok I'm done. Tonight I took it for a drive. This is a totally different driving car.

The suspension is tight, very tight. The play in the steering system is gone. No more strange suspension creaking noises. No more growl from a worn out wheel bearing.

Since I can't hear the old noises, I do hear a faint strut bearing noise. I remember that noise on the I30 before I moved those struts to the Maxima.

Next year I plan to replace the struts and give it some new H & R lowering springs. So the strut bearing can wait until then.

I do have a new problem though. The tires can't keep up with the car and suspension. I get the squishy riding on balloons feel.

The suspension is ready for action. The tires are ready for retirement.

So I'm thinking about some new Sumitomo tires for the 17s next spring.

Tomorrow, I take it to get a front end alignment by the s-chassis guy that I trust.
I will buy a lifetime alignment package since I will be replacing the struts and springs in a few months. Also, I will get the tires rotated and balanced.

I was able to complete this suspension phase in 2016 after all.

Now let it snow.. I'm looking forward to trying out this VLSD transmission on some snow covered mountain roads.

komik

Indeed. As a child about 12ish I remember riding in the front of my mother's old 1982 VW Rabbit sedan when the tie rod end separated from the wheel. The passenger wheel made a hard right turn, forcing the car over the curb and into a thankfully empty large grassy area just before an intersection.

Fast forward to 2012. My mother was staying with a friend out of state for a month. She was primarily driving my Maxima at the time, so I drove her and the trailered Maxima there and drove home. When I returned to pick her up she said the Maxima was pulling to the right when changing gears. I quickly discovered the outer tie rod end was missing a cotter pin. The castle nut was barely clinging to a few threads at the bottom. I conveniently had all my tools and assorted cotter pins in the truck, so it was an easy fix, but it ran very close to disaster. Uptown New Orleans does not have much emergency roadside space.

Prior to this I had recently installed new struts, control arms, inner and outer tie rods, etc. I of course took the car to a professional shop for an alignment afterwards. I can't prove that it was the shop who neglected the cotter pin, but I never used them again.

peb396

Questions:


1) Which Earthquake impact wrench do you have? They have one on sale this month for $75...is that the one?


2) I have everything for this (same parts...feeling pretty good about my choices about now...have had the parts for a couple of months, just haven't had the time/weather)...except the subframe bushings. How many sets of these do I need and how difficult is this to do?


3) You went with the Beck/Arnley lateral link...Rockauto has a Mevotech for about $15...is there a difference b/t the two?


As always, thanks for the help/answers/info in advance.

CS_AR

The Earthquake I have is the one listed for $99. Be sure to check Retailmenot for coupons.

http://www.harborfreight.com/super-c...nch-63064.html

I haven't replaced the lateral link yet. That will be part of work on the rear suspension. This will be my first lateral link job. I went with Beck based on the way it looks.

I would hold up on purchasing anything to do with the sub-frame that you see above unless it is for the center cross member. Those are the Energy Suspension parts.

I'm planning to install a Warpspeed Y-pipe when the weather warms, so I will replace the center cross member sub-frame and rack bushings during that job.

As far as the sub-frame spacers go, I'm still testing that mod. In the next couple of weeks, I plan to try two different types of ES poly bushings on the front spacer. I have another 4th gen where I will try the different bushing types. I think the 2nd iteration will be a little better and less costly. So let's see how it turns out before you buy anything in that area.

peb396

It is HF...I try not to do anything there without a coupon or it being on sale. The one I was looking at is the one on the back cover of this month's mailer, but it requires 6.0 cfm and my compressor doesn't do that. But looking at yours and reading the reviews, this one is a good fit for me. I like that it fits into places that others don't too. And, if it is working good for you, I have confidence in it...that helps when you are a novice like me.


I am going to be doing everything above the lateral link in your list when I do the y-pipe from the other thread. I am assuming that some of this will be easier with the y-pipe out of the way. I have lifetime alignment so getting that should be easy (and FREE!!! now at least). Anything else I should look at while down there?


I did not know about retailmenot...will be checking that out before getting the impact driver.


Again, thanks for the info and advice!

CS_AR

I have 1/2 inch 350 lb Kobalt that I bought from Lowes roughly two years ago for $34.99 that requires 7 CFM. I started using it with a small compressor and tank that is good for airing tires and running a staple gun. It works. It just takes the compressor a bit longer to recover after using the tool. After a couple of years, I upgraded to a much larger belt drive compressor from HF during a tent sale.

The Kobalt is heavy. When you're working under the car it gets to be like a boat anchor. The Earthquake is light and compact.

Much easier when you're working around the PS rack. When you remove the knuckles, spin the hubs and check your wheel bearings. I found one bad wheel bearing that was making noise and another that felt like it was on the edge.

I use the retailmenot phone app. https://www.retailmenot.com/mobile/

Then HF has the sale coupon database at http://www.hfqpdb.com/

If you scroll down the hfqpdb.com page, you will see the free merchandise they give away for visiting the store and making a purchase.

So I try to get 20% off on each item purchase with the coupons, then get a free magnetic bowl or flashlight when I go there.

Since Earthquakes are flying off the shelves these days, they can be exempt from from a coupon deal. So I would check the flyers and stores for a sale on those.

peb396

I know how you feel. I am in upstate South Carolina with temps in the lower 30s and snow and ice all over the place...I am still waiting on the Warpspeed, but I could be doing the suspension stuff...

bloodthirstyemu

Can't wait for more updates. Why did you decide to go with that particular rack and pinion bushing over the moog counterpart on rockauto? Is it worth the price premium? Those aluminum spacers, do they lower the body of the car at all closer to the subframe? Im loving the drop from my Ksport coilovers but I constantly have issues with clearance over speedbumps and potholes.

CS_AR

The Ricochet rack bushing is poly where the MOOG is a regular synthetic rubber type material. This will be the first time for me to use a poly rack bushing. I know people who run poly rack bushings on other cars and like them. So I will be giving it a try. Since the old rack bushings are ok, I plan to install the new poly rack and sub-frame cross-member bushings whenever I install a new y-pipe.

The aluminum sub-frame spacers really do not change the body height. It just tightens up how the front end and steering feels over speed bumps and dips compared to having a 1/4 inch upward and downward gap on the original worn bushing columns.

I have some plastic sub-frame spacers that I bought as part of a group deal offering a few years ago. Those help but still leave a 1/4 gap on the front mounting point. The upper C shaped collar has a tendency to work loose. I'm just working on a way to replace the plastic spacers.

A friend of mine from the Q45 club turned me on to s-chassis sub-frame spacers over six years ago. I've been running them on the Q45 for about that long. It takes some amount of modification to get this to work on an A32. I'm working on another set to replace the ones I'm running on the 99 model. I'm switching to an Energy Suspension flat bushing for the front to lower the overall cost. After I install the bushings on the 99 model, I will go back and make the ES mod to the ones on the 98 model. Its a fair amount of work for this mod. I don't see it being that popular.

I'm looking to only lower it 1.4" front and 1.3" rear with some H & R 53059 springs. We have some speed bumps and dips that do cause some bottoming out on the 99 model. IIRC the drop on that car is like 1.7" front and 1.4" rear. Not that the difference between springs will be a big deal. We just need to be aware that some dips or when pulling across a street gutter may cause something to rub. It's one of those performance vs. utility vehicle trade-offs.