I am not interested in engine upgrades since all it will do is let me reach the speed limit a little faster, but I think that my car would be a lot more fun to drive if I was able to eleminate most of the body roll issues that a factory maxima has.

I don't know much about car suspension so here are my questions:

1) What is a "coil-over"? This is probably a dumb question, but I would rather ask a dumb question than be a dumb person.

2) Are hydraulics (the switches) expensive?

3) Is there a good website that can help me learn about suspension technology?

4) I recently test drove an 04 max. Is it physicaly possible to make a 3'rd gen ride and handle anywhere near that good?

5) I know how sway bars and strut bars work, but how WELL do they really work?

6) Did anyone actually read all the way down to ths question?

7) (way way way off topic) What is the deal with that weak factory red for the 3'rd gen? It makes a max look like an old man car.

anyway thanks for the help . . . assuming that I actually get any help that is.

 

ill take a number two with large fries and a coke!

look to spend from 1000 to 3000 depending n the setup, goes the same for airbags

 

what do you have shaved?

I saw you page one day and I like that adjustability. Are all of your wheels syncronized or what, and how does it ride?

 

look at his sig, door handles and trunk and some other parts i shall not say

 

, oh wait, that's my car! car rode great on the 16's, too rough on the 18's. each wheel is independantly controlled, but i could have them go up together if i felt like it.

 

is yours hydraulic or air?

also are there normal shock/spring setups involved, or are the lifting mechanisims also what dampens the bumps?

 

everything is custom built, no shocks no springs, a nitrogen filled accumalator absorbs the road bumps. all there is is a hydraulic cylinder in place of the strut , hosed off to the hydraulic pump.

 

that's awesome.

what are some good websites to learn about that stuff on. And is the 1000 dollar low end estamate with labor or self installed because I would rather learn and do it myself.

 

what is the websites for 1 grand to install it by yourself ?

 

you are NOT going to get a decent system for $1k, installed or not. just ain't gonna happen.

 

http://www.americanhydraulics.com/ had their setup in lowrider for 699, plus shipping, new company, but they were back ordered for months. a simple black setup is probably like 800, like from ccehttp://www.coolcars.org/cceprices.htm

good site for installs is http://www.layitlow.com/

it's not a tough install to do your self, you just need to know how to weld,and weld good. you need a set of junk front struts to use the body.in addition to the setup, you need 2-4 marine batteries, (200 from costco) and 4 accumalators(2-400)that's it. full install took me approx 18 hrs first time around, from 6 at night to noon the next day, outside, fourth of july eve

 

hmm okay.. so those marine batteries.. are they 200 each, or 200 for 4? I've seen 'em go both ways, depending on the brand you get. let's say 200 for four, buying cheap batteries.
same witht he accumulators.. let's just say 400 for all 4, although I have no clue what they're worth (or what they are)

800 + 200 + 400 = $1400. blammo. blows that $1k right out of the water, Let alone the welding equipment if you don't have it.. there's another $500, easily.

 

maybe start off spelling "suspension" correctly?
jk..sorry couldn't resist

 

that's why i said 1000-3000.batteries at costco are like 50 bucks, sears i think are 65-75, accumalators are 400, but every once in a while on special for 200. and i forgot to mention a battery charger. i have a baby schumacker one that cost me 25 bucks and it does the trick, you can get one thast charges all four abtteries at once(48v) for 200, or get astreetcharger for 325 and if its a daily driver it charges as you drive. i have one, but i dont drive the car daily, so i cant vouch it works great since i usually dont drive long enough for it to do anything

 

So I assume that it's impossible to power the system directly from the engine. It seems really wasteful to me to have 4 deep cycle battiries in the trunk. Those weigh a ton (or actually about 220 pounds all together).

I know almost nothing about welding and I am not that enthusiastic about the height adjustment for my car. I just wanted to learn more about it.

well that's one question done. I still want to hear more on these:

3) Is there a good website that can help me learn about suspension technology?

4) I recently test drove an 04 max. Is it physicaly possible to make a 3'rd gen ride and handle anywhere near that good?

5) I know how sway bars and strut bars work, but how WELL do they really work?

and thanks to all for the info.

 

did you want to make a low rider or just a tight handling car? everyone who has responded is all into the lowrider thing. is this what you are talking about? i don't think that is completely what you asked about, ie, you asked about coilover suspension and anti-sway bars and such. and hydraulics, too, but in a way that felt like pure performance driving and not just cruising. i mean, it is all good, lowriders are cool, but what are you looking for? it seems like you are mixing things up.

beefed up anti-sway bars do make a difference. as does adding a front strut tower brace. and lowering the car, too, makes a dramatic change. i did all of that to my 3rd gen and it sticks like glue to the road, especially with the lo-profile Michelin Pilot H/X's in the front wrapped around Skyline GTS-t wheels.

coilover systems are race oriented, and are usually adjustable as to the firmness and sometimes the height depending on brand. they are generally stiffer and harsher than traditional struts and springs. if i am correct, the coilover units are all one thing, ie, springs are part of the strut assembly, thus the term "coilover." whereas hi-performance struts alone do not have the springs included and/or attached to them, and they are non-adjustable - you get what you get. you have more options with coilovers insofar as adjustment. and the better brands like TEIN are not as potentially harsh as some other brands. but you will pay for that pleasure in higher prices.

there is a lot more to it than what i have said, but this is getting too long.

 

thanks bonzelite.

You are right, I am mostly just looking for a tighter grip for my car. The lowrider info is interesting, but I would rather reserve that for a caddy. Thanks for the coilover info.

yesterday I took a 90 degree turn going 40 and the car barely held on with a turn radius of almost 50 feet. (Yes this was legal, it's a section of road with a sharp turn and plenty of room for error, and the speed limit is 40 but most people slow down for the turn)

 

kingcarnage,

i replied to you again, but i somehow made it a new thread. so you have another reply in this forum as the thread "bonz here again, for kingcarnage." the making a thread of it was a total mistake, but there it is anyway. maybe it will get some replies. suspension stories anyone>?

-bonzelite