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djfrestyl's DEFINITIVE "I HAVE A SUSPENSION QUESTION" THREAD!!!

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Old 03-20-2015, 06:17 PM
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Originally Posted by djfrestyl
12" sub tells me nothing. I've seen low quality 12" subs that weigh 5 lbs. I've seen high quality 12" subs that weigh 75 lbs. This is a poor measure to determine dampening setting. And frankly, dampening setting is a very personal preference.

You can go full clockwise till no clicking then back out, or full counter-clockwise then forwards. Either will give you a baseline of what is maxed or nothing, then you can count your dampening settings from there accordingly.
# dampener settings #
Looks like I did that right then . If I went clockwise I would've had to go counterclockwise 16 times to get to stiffest right because all the way clockwise would've been maintenance.

# height adjustment #
Okay simplify. Nothing in the trunk. 4/3 is enough? Basically I put the lowest collar at about 3 for front and lowest collar at about 4 for rear

Last edited by george__; 03-20-2015 at 06:24 PM.
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Old 03-20-2015, 06:20 PM
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Originally Posted by george__
Okay simplify. Nothing in the trunk. 4/3 is enough?
No. See my edit. You're not being clear enough in your description. Right now all I hear is
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Old 03-20-2015, 06:37 PM
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Originally Posted by djfrestyl
No. See my edit. You're not being clear enough in your description. Right now all I hear is
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Old 03-21-2015, 10:54 AM
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Here some pictures.













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Old 03-21-2015, 10:55 AM
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nice fridge
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Old 03-21-2015, 11:19 AM
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Ha ha. Thanks George.
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Old 04-16-2015, 10:11 PM
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Hi difrestyl,

I have a question about purchasing ball joints. I'm looking to get the Moog K9818 ball joints, the problem solver line, but when I order them from RockAuto they kept sending me generic looking ones with no identification of make and it looks nothing like the one in there catalog and it's in a moog box. Do you know a reliable source where I can get this kind of ball joints here in the link?
http://www.energysuspensionparts.com...rod=MOOG-K9818
Thanks.
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Old 04-17-2015, 05:51 AM
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Sounds like RockAuto is trying to push a generic equivalent.

Try Amazon.
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Old 04-23-2015, 08:53 PM
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02 6dpeed...So I've a couple questions... I got 9 month old Monroe quick struts, and I want to lower her. Kind of eye balling the ksport springs but not real sure if I should do it with the strut from the quick strut, 2nd would the strut mount from the quick strut work if I decided to do the tein street advance co's
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Old 04-24-2015, 04:58 AM
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How many miles on the quick struts?

Agree that the right way to go is NOT to use the Quick struts with lowering springs.

Depending on the mileage, you may/may not be ok using the mounts from the quick strut assembly.
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Old 04-24-2015, 08:37 PM
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Roughly 10k on them, previous owner put them on a week before I bought it. I'm sure the qs's are the cheapest crap Monroe makes, and they make all kinds of racket now... But that's mostly the dirt road i live on causing that...i don't even know y i asked, I'm a suspension guy, just trying to figure out what I can use with what I got..I really need to get rid of the front gap...i want too look and handle good and not sacrifice to much ride quality going down my 2 mile stretch of az dirt road twice a day every day.Any suggestions, for a spring/strut combo? Excels with Megan, htechs, stechs, ksport, d2's?
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Old 04-24-2015, 08:43 PM
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The best setup is H&R Springs with KYB GR-2 struts.
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Old 04-24-2015, 09:14 PM
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Awesome DJ, I'm perusing all the random threads about other spring/strut combos and the general consensus seems to be save for some coilovers... I'll wind up paying $600-700 for springs, struts and mounts when I can just put in a little bit more and be completely satisfied... They should be OK in the dirt, I don't plan on 'slamming' it... So on that note which coilovers would u suggest for a crappy diet road?
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Old 04-24-2015, 09:18 PM
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I don't. Whatever consensus you're gathering, that's the opinion of others, based on their situation. Yours is different. Dirt roads will completely trash your coils.

How do you know you'll be 'completely satisfied' with coils? I know PLENTY of people who have hated coils and gone back to lowering spring/strut. I did the installs myself on these individuals...both times!
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Old 04-24-2015, 09:34 PM
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I don't really know, just what I've read, from other members, I've only had coils on my civic and neon and they where much nicer then the eibachs or progress i had before... But this is a much bigger and heavier car... H&R's with excels it is...I hate this road, but I love the house. Im limited on the mods that I love doing because of it
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Old 04-24-2015, 09:37 PM
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Good choice
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Old 04-25-2015, 06:33 AM
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Hi djfrestyl,
I have a 00 SE that has 140000 miles. I am redoing most of the suspension. It's easier to list what I am not doing. But anyways, to my question. I am putting on Vogtland springs that are dropping it a little more than an inch, how far will this push my rear beam out of center and how will that really effect me until I change to a panhard bar?
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Old 04-25-2015, 07:39 PM
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Not much. Barely noticeable in fact. With a mild drop like that most people don't worry about it or bother re-centering the beam.
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Old 05-06-2015, 12:58 PM
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Hey there, I have a 2002 maxima that I just installed shocks and struts on a few months ago.
Tein H-Tech's
KYB Excel-G's
New Boots and mounts

Now my question is, is there a better shock to pair these h-techs to? The ride is hard as a rock.
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Old 05-06-2015, 01:45 PM
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Originally Posted by VQ35maxima=Beast
Hey there, I have a 2002 maxima that I just installed shocks and struts on a few months ago.
Tein H-Tech's
KYB Excel-G's
New Boots and mounts

Now my question is, is there a better shock to pair these h-techs to? The ride is hard as a rock.
I'm using KYB GR2 and same thing, hard as a rock... Coilovers are softer

What about those ones with the adjusting dampener struts?
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Old 05-06-2015, 03:06 PM
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Originally Posted by george__
I'm using KYB GR2 and same thing, hard as a rock... Coilovers are softer

What about those ones with the adjusting dampener struts?
Coilovers *CAN* be softer, but aren't necessarily softer.

You're referring to Tokico Illuminas which have the adjustable dampening.

The H-Tech springs are actually your culprit, not the struts. They're fairly stiff springs.
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Old 05-06-2015, 03:27 PM
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So should I drop the springs and find something else? or just replace the current KYB Excel-g's with Illuminas?

Thanks for the help!
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Old 05-06-2015, 03:39 PM
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My pleasure.

It's really your call. Personally I'd go with H&R springs. They're not as low, but very comfortable and work great with GR-2's. It's also the cheaper route.

If you must stick with the same ride height, then go with the Illuminas.

With either of the above options, your installation cost/effort is pretty much the same.
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Old 05-11-2015, 02:58 AM
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New KYB/H&R install issues...

Front passenger side started to have a clunk noise. Took car back to installer and he said strut mount was broken so they replaced. (Moog) Still have issue with difference in ride height and some looseness over bumps on that side. So I jacked up the car and remove the front wheel. With some force using both hands I can turn the spring side to side a little. Then I noticed the factory writing on the spring is turned upside down. I checked the driver side that has no issues and the writing is turned upwards so it's readable. Did they install the spring upside down? Could that be the cause of my issue.
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Old 05-11-2015, 07:48 AM
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Turning the spring is not a major issue - although the end of the coil should sit nicely in the lower spring perch on the strut so movement should be minimal.

It being upside down can cause noise due to positioning.

I would also double check the "OUT" stamp on the upper perch. That often causes noise if not aligned. You can't see the lettering when it's installed, but there should be a small half-moon notch cut out in the perch that you should be able to see. From the picture you posted, just go up a bit and should be visible.
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Old 05-13-2015, 11:36 AM
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Do 5th gen maxima have upper control arms if so looking for adjustable ones
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Old 05-13-2015, 11:48 AM
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Also where you located in ny?
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Old 05-13-2015, 11:50 AM
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Originally Posted by Queenstmax90
Do 5th gen maxima have upper control arms if so looking for adjustable ones
No, and myself and someone else already mentioned this in your other thread.

Originally Posted by Queenstmax90
Also where you located in ny?
Central NJ. PM me your phone #.
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Old 05-13-2015, 12:56 PM
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Cool gotcha so quick question my steering feels off & everything new as for the lower control arm,tie rods,wheel Axle & I done an wheel alignment something must be wrong....
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Old 05-13-2015, 12:59 PM
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What about sway bar links and sway bar bushings? What's the condition of your struts, strut mounts, and strut bearings?
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Old 05-15-2015, 06:23 AM
  #1231  
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Originally Posted by djfrestyl
The best setup is H&R Springs with KYB GR-2 struts.
I will second this. I have it and love the ride.
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Old 05-18-2015, 09:48 AM
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Hi, I have a suspension question. I have this clunking in the passenger wheel that comes and goes and sounds a lot like a failing strut but I could never get it to duplicate it when my main mechanic looked at it. Another one of the mechanics at the shop heard it after test driving a front brakes install, but everything looked normal.

Now a couple months later, I can feel the passenger front wheel "flutter" when running over multiple shallow pot holes and ripples in the road. Does it sound like a failing strut or something else? The current strut is a Tokico Blue with about 50k miles, sitting on H&R springs.
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Old 05-18-2015, 09:53 AM
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Passenger side...Are you sure it's not your transverse motor mount?

If not, it could be the strut mount.
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Old 05-18-2015, 10:21 AM
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Originally Posted by djfrestyl
Passenger side...Are you sure it's not your transverse motor mount?

If not, it could be the strut mount.
Motor mount is the polyeurothane one from the guy on here who made them. Torque mounts are pretty new name brand (forget the name at the moment).

Strut mounts are moog. Driver's side one is making that rubber moaning sound. They were replaced with the struts about 40-50k miles ago.
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Old 05-18-2015, 10:36 AM
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So either you sacrafice looks for comfort or comfort for looks, because the h&r springs dont hold a candle to the looks of teins
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Old 05-18-2015, 10:58 AM
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Originally Posted by TallTom
Motor mount is the polyeurothane one from the guy on here who made them. Torque mounts are pretty new name brand (forget the name at the moment).

Strut mounts are moog. Driver's side one is making that rubber moaning sound. They were replaced with the struts about 40-50k miles ago.
On rare occasions I've seen faulty Moog mounts out of the box. Could be that..or your strut. Not sure what else it could be.
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Old 06-06-2015, 09:45 AM
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I have an incredibly newbie question, I've had my max for almost 2 years now and I don't think the struts have ever been replaced on it (211k miles). Obviously it's quite a bumpy ride, so my question is... do i need to replace shocks + springs together? Or just the shocks?

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Old 06-06-2015, 03:08 PM
  #1238  
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Struts, mounts, boots. Not springs.
Same as has been mentioned multiple times in this thread.
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Old 06-08-2015, 09:25 AM
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Is it normal for the rear suspension to be a bit bouncy in these cars? Hitting a bump while turning can be a bit frightening, and if I push the back of the car down it bounces once or twice after I let go. New shocks needed?
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Old 06-08-2015, 09:28 AM
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Sounds like a textbook example of a blown rear strut (or both).
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