Just picked up a 3rd gen; have a few questions..
09-23-2006, 10:18 AM
#1
Just picked up a 3rd gen; have a few questions..
Hey guys,
I've mostly only posted in the 4th gen forums but I just picked up a white '92 GXE (I believe, has the chrome grille and non-SE wheels, cloth, etc) for the princely sum of $0. I plan on getting it driveable and eventually giving it to my little brother.
Now onto my questions. One of the things that bothers me about the car is the chrome grille. A friend of mine had a '90 SE that's now sitting in a local junkyard and it has the body colored grille. Are the grilles a direct swap among 3rd gens, or are some modifications needed like the 4th gens?
My other main question is suspension related. The main reason the car isn't driveable right now (other than the fact that it's been sitting since March) is a bent control arm on the front driver's side from sliding into a curb, so the wheel is pushed back. Can I replace that control arm with one from any 3rd gen, or are they specific by year?
Thanks for any help, and I look forward to posting in this forum. Looks a lot less focused on "bling" and more on performance mods.
Chris
I've mostly only posted in the 4th gen forums but I just picked up a white '92 GXE (I believe, has the chrome grille and non-SE wheels, cloth, etc) for the princely sum of $0. I plan on getting it driveable and eventually giving it to my little brother.
Now onto my questions. One of the things that bothers me about the car is the chrome grille. A friend of mine had a '90 SE that's now sitting in a local junkyard and it has the body colored grille. Are the grilles a direct swap among 3rd gens, or are some modifications needed like the 4th gens?
My other main question is suspension related. The main reason the car isn't driveable right now (other than the fact that it's been sitting since March) is a bent control arm on the front driver's side from sliding into a curb, so the wheel is pushed back. Can I replace that control arm with one from any 3rd gen, or are they specific by year?
Thanks for any help, and I look forward to posting in this forum. Looks a lot less focused on "bling" and more on performance mods.
Chris
09-23-2006, 10:26 AM
#3
Originally Posted by nearthisbridge
Are the grilles a direct swap among 3rd gens, or are some modifications needed like the 4th gens?
As far as I know they are a direct *bolt* on from any year. BUUUT if you are lazy just rattle can it Black and be done.
...from sliding into a curb...
so the wheel is pushed back.
http://www.internetautosupply.com/catalog/Keep in mind that other stuff may be broken; we will need pics to be for sure.
Looks a lot less focused on "bling" and more on performance mods.
Have fun working on it, there are many known issues that will need to be looked after too.
09-23-2006, 10:53 AM
#4
All this stuff you need to be done is easy, quick, and relatively cheap along with the car already being free to begin with. Good luck finding decent control arms at a JY, I didnt find good ones out of like 8 maximas at that time, either the bushings are bad of the control arm is rusted to crap. I just bought mine from Brian (internetautomat) with bushings AND ball joints for almost what they would charge at the JY. As for the grill if you're handy and crafty just spray paint it like 89blackse said, or not...just get it at a JY too
09-23-2006, 05:22 PM
#5
Thanks for the replies guys.
I did a little work on it today, got it running with a jump and some fresh gas. I had to move it about 500 feet from it's parking spot and ran into one little snag; the rear passenger wheel is locked up. I was hoping to pop it free by moving the car but alas, all I left was a nice one-wheel skidmark through half of the apartment complex I'm storing it at. I'm assuming it's the e-brake that's stuck because you can barely pull the handle up.
I never even realized Maxima's came with drum brakes so as you can guess I've never done any work on them. Anyone have any idea before I pick up a manual on how difficult it is to service them?
I did a little work on it today, got it running with a jump and some fresh gas. I had to move it about 500 feet from it's parking spot and ran into one little snag; the rear passenger wheel is locked up. I was hoping to pop it free by moving the car but alas, all I left was a nice one-wheel skidmark through half of the apartment complex I'm storing it at. I'm assuming it's the e-brake that's stuck because you can barely pull the handle up.
I never even realized Maxima's came with drum brakes so as you can guess I've never done any work on them. Anyone have any idea before I pick up a manual on how difficult it is to service them?
09-23-2006, 05:55 PM
#6
service drum brakes? or Maximas..well for drum brakes they're not too bad its just the damn lil springs (hardware kit) thats a ***** to pull and put in to the shoes. other that that its fairly simple 
09-23-2006, 07:02 PM
#7
Originally Posted by ColombianMax
service drum brakes? or Maximas..well for drum brakes they're not too bad its just the damn lil springs (hardware kit) thats a ***** to pull and put in to the shoes. other that that its fairly simple
09-24-2006, 03:30 AM
#8
Originally Posted by nearthisbridge
Just the brakes, I've done most of my own work on my '99 but since that's 4-wheel disc that didn't give me a whole lot of experience with drum brakes.
Drum brakes a fawking ***** compared to disk brakes. You will need to get a drum brake repair kit from someplace (harborfreight) and some tools namely a hammer and crowbar.
BUT it’s going to be a nightmare to get that drum housing off if it has locked up like that, AND most of the time with a drum locks up, isnt the e-brake easy to pull up instead of hard?
09-24-2006, 03:35 AM
#9
Nah dude, dont let it get to ya..its not that bad...nothing a hammer and a torch cant handle I think the ***** would be pulling and placing the springs in the holes where they belong but as long as you got tools you'll be fine. If you're gonna work on drums for the first time at least find out how its done instead of figuring it out on your own..or if you DO plan on learning like that do one wheel at a time (assuming you have someone helping) and lay all the springs and shoes on the ground exactly how they go on the car so you dont mess anything up You should be fine. Plus we got Greenmax here to post some pictures if anything.
I think the ***** would be pulling and placing the springs in the holes where they belong but as long as you got tools you'll be fine. If you're gonna work on drums for the first time at least find out how its done instead of figuring it out on your own..or if you DO plan on learning like that do one wheel at a time (assuming you have someone helping) and lay all the springs and shoes on the ground exactly how they go on the car so you dont mess anything up You should be fine. Plus we got Greenmax here to post some pictures if anything.
09-24-2006, 03:52 AM
#10
Originally Posted by ColombianMax
Nah dude, dont let it get to ya..its not that bad...nothing a hammer and a torch cant handle I think the ***** would be pulling and placing the springs in the holes where they belong but as long as you got tools you'll be fine. If you're gonna work on drums for the first time at least find out how its done instead of figuring it out on your own..or if you DO plan on learning like that do one wheel at a time (assuming you have someone helping) and lay all the springs and shoes on the ground exactly how they go on the car so you dont mess anything up You should be fine. Plus we got Greenmax here to post some pictures if anything.
I think the ***** would be pulling and placing the springs in the holes where they belong but as long as you got tools you'll be fine. If you're gonna work on drums for the first time at least find out how its done instead of figuring it out on your own..or if you DO plan on learning like that do one wheel at a time (assuming you have someone helping) and lay all the springs and shoes on the ground exactly how they go on the car so you dont mess anything up You should be fine. Plus we got Greenmax here to post some pictures if anything.YES he is right. Pull the drum housing from both and work one at a time and go over to the other side if you have any question...or ask us.
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