Has anybody used the k sport coilovers on their third gens? What were the results? I just bought a 4th gen with some coilovers (unkown brand). I really like the ride/handling makes the fourth bareable (you know solid beam rear suspension and all). I'd like to low ride in third gen without the dip diving I get running on Eibachs and KYBs. Someone told me Koni yellows will stiff up my suspension considerably. Who knows first hand? Let me know.

 

1. no k-sports (or any other coil overs) for the third gen.
2. no koni yellows either

 

yuh-huh!!!
http://www.andysautosport.com/nissan.../coilovers/d2/
dunno if they are any good, though...
true. they are reds.

 

Try again. those are for A31 (Cefiro), not J30 Maxima.

 

True Story. No coilovers have ever been mass produced for the 3rd gen, and there is virtually no chance a commercially available setup will ever be made.

 

ok. just going off what was advertised. an 89-94 maxima, from a site who's offices are here in the US....












$#@$ing stupid false advertisment.

 

waaaitt....
this guy is selling them for the 1989-94 maxima here in the GD section

http://forums.maxima.org/group-deals...free-ship.html

is he full of it, or misinformed?

 

no way can we have coil overs unless it`s for the front only. Our rear suspension have the spindle,strut and coils as 1 unit. 4th and 5th use a separate setup. Thast y they make em for those cars. If the made em for out cars.. the cost would be astronomical

 

One company that i called up a few months back said D2 makes them for the 3rd Gens and they have them in stock, price is about $850 shipped i believe. But that was a while ago so who knows where that stands now...

 

All you people that say they're out there, GO BUY THEM AND TRY TO PUT THEM ON. THEN COME BACK AND TELL US THEY HAVE THEM. Stop telling us "they have them listed on their website so they must have them". The older members here have been there, done that. All of the coilovers out there are for the A31 Cefiro, NOT the J30 Maxima. The A31 Cefiro is listed as 89-95. the A32 Maxima is 95-99. They ASSUME just because it says A31 and since the A32 Maxima is a Cefiro elsewhere that the A31 Cefiro must be a 3rd gen Maxima. IT IS NOT. completely different car and chassis.

The places that say they have them in stock don't. They're RESELLERS. They don't even keep **** in their warehouse. "In stock" really means "My wholesale distributor in Japan says he can get them from the factory".

 

I know, matt
(we have gone over this before, at least twice since I got here.)

 

Well i emailed D2 and see what they have to say. I actually forsee the chances of it being based on a J30 chassis as about as good as me getting a Nissan GTR.

I'm putting most of my money to either a rip off design of TEIN's or like Matt thinks, it was designed from the A31.

Though I'd be surprised if they even email me back... I did ask them if it was designed off TEIN's coilovers

 

Ok now we've established the no coilovers for third gens. Whats the next best thing? I have coilovers in my fourth and I love the ride. How can I get close with the third?

 

eibachs and konis? best setup you can get (supposedly, can't afford to try 'em)

 

i run eibach /tokico . doing the koni`s require the oem strut i think. i was shocked to see it is a cartidge setup

 

I just installed the Koni's and Eibachs (on the front only, so far) and used an aftermarket strut housing to drill out and install them into. So, no, you don't need the OEM housings. I have mine set on about half firm, but think that I will turn them all the way firm next time. I'm sure it will help when I get the rears done and upgrade my sway bars too. But so far the Eibach/Konis are riding awesome!

 

you mean they require the OEM front one as well, and you insert the cartridge into that?

 

i'm on eibachs and konis and got it almost all the way firm and it's a firm ride. not bonejarring but the guy who did the alignment said "i can feel every bump"..LOL

 

The Konis are inserts all around. That means that the fronts require OEM or Aftermarket housings (I used old aftermarket struts from my parts car that were shot. They are blue, not Tokicos, I think from Mexico) which you cut off the top, using an angle grinder or sawzall or similar, but before you do that you want to drill a pilot hole (probably 3/8" bit) in the bottom end-center and follow it up with a big drill bit (14mm or 9/14" which will probably require a 1/2" shaft drill). Drilling the hole in the bottom of the assembly eases the hydrolic/gas pressure and lets out some fluid. It also allows you to secure the new insert later using the provided 14mm allen screw and lock washer. Once you cut the top off right where the shaft becomes level/even then you can drain the rest of the innards and fluid. You then want to clean out the inside with a lot of degreaser and a brush. I used Purple Power and an old Toilet Brush followed by a high pressure hose spray. There is also a nub inside the strut housing that needs to be filed down or drilled out before the Koni insert can be installed. I also greased the outside of the Koni insert with White Lithium grease just to make it easier to insert. There is a rubber boot that fits over the top of the housing just under the lip of the insert, I assume to protect the insert from dust and to secure and finish the top fit. Install the white plastic leveled washer over the shaft (I believe it functions as a free play platform for the bump stop in case you bottom out on a corner of something), then the boot with bump stop (make sure you use the right bump stop which is shorter for the fronts than the rear ones), then the compressed spring with spring seat cushions ( I used sliced heater hose), and finally the top spring seat, bearing, strut mount and top nut. After tightening the nut and releasing the spring you are all ready for install on the car.

It's not too difficult. It just sound complicated the first time you read about or do it.

Oh, also, before you install the spring be sure to adjust the firmness of the Koni insert by first compressing the shaft all the way in. I used an old strut mount to push and turn the shaft. You then slowly rotate the shaft counter clock wise until it clunks down another centimeter or so. That's when you know that the adjustment device is engaged. You then keep turning it left to make sure it is all the way on the softest setting. The directions say that is should turn approximately 5 half turns to the right (clockwise) with each degree making it firmer. I could only get a little less than two complete turns (~4 half turns) so I don't know if mine are different from anyone else's. Anyway, I turned mine 2 half turns (or half way firm) and find that the ride is taught but not too jarring. I still get a bit of lean in the corners but that may be from not having the rears done yet, still having the stock GXE sway bar, having a lot of weight in the car still from moving, and/or still needing an alignment and tires balanced. I may go for full firm setting soon. I'll let you all know how it feels/performs.

Does it feel like you are shaking up and down a little with each little bump down the highway when it is set firm? Mine feels a little like that and I only have the fronts done and on halfway firm. I'm not sure I would like it too "bumpy".

Also, DanNY, how long have you had the Eibach/Konis and how long on firm? Just curious if you get used to the firmness over time. Is there much lean in the corners?

 

Update

Well here is a question for everyone. Has anyone bothered to talk the people at D2? Because apparently they are interested in designing a coilover for J30, and are looking for someone to help them out. They are going to sell a complete set at a really good discount for helping with R&D. I would do it as I have plenty of extra funds right now, but I live no where near North Carolina.

 

I'm in NC....... where in NC are they? Raleigh/Durham/ChapelHill?

 

you know when you hit a bump on the road it's a thump thump..it's just like that.
it's not so stiff that the car is rattling and bouncing all over the place. i had it for about a year and i took the car off the road for some work. after a few weeks i got used to it. it handles nice on the smooth roads when you turn...it is a little painful when you hit a big pothole in NYC...but i got used to it so it's ok.

go with 1/2 firm and go from there.

 

They should talk to Matt93SE. He's the one on here with the most 3rd Gen "Coilover" experience/knowledge.

 

I agree, they should talk to Matt some, but I don't if Matt wants to talk to them... LOL

Here's the info for D2 Racing for the person that asked. I believe the name of the guy I was talking to was Jeremy. I'm not sure as I can't access my hotmail account right now. I will check it when I get home.

D2 Racing Sports North America
2300 Englert Dr Ste C1
Durham, NC 27713
Phone: 919-544-4171

Just be aware they are probably going to want your car for a month if not more. I could easily handle that as I have 3 other vehicles.

 

Wow, I am horrible with names. Here's a copy of the email I got. I've talked to Mike and their research designer. I've explained as much as I can about the rear suspension setup. The designer supposedly has a neighbor with a 3rd gen and is going to take a look at it and call me back.

Ben,


Our kit is indeed for the A31 chassis. We are very interested in designing a kit for your vehicle and are willing to offer an A31 kit for a deeply discounted price if you are willing to help us make the necessary design changes. We have had a handful of similar inquires in the past and have offered this to other customers but none of them have taken us up on it. If this is something you are interested in please let me know and we can discuss this in more detail.



Michael Hinderliter

D2 Racing NA>>> www.d2racing.com <http://www.d2racing.com/>

Ph: 919.544.4171

Fax:919.544.4041

 

durham is about a half-hour from where I live right now... and will be about 20 minutes from where i'm trying to move to. Raleigh and Durham share an airport (RDU).

therefore, IF i get a job at the shop that i want to work at, and move into the apartment i want to live at, then i'll be within walking distance of work, so D2 can use my car as R&D if i can just walk to and from work... but I am not interested in actually having coilovers (not with the other priorities in my life), therefore if you want to sponsor my car as the test car and maybe a small fee for me being w/o a car for a month... then sure they can use my car for R&D.

 

well they are already starting on the wrong track.
the A31 is RWD vs our FWD setup.
they should start with A32 fronts, and then figure out which car will have a compatible rear spindle seperate from the strut to use.
I discussed it with another company before, but I never looked into finding the right rear spindle setup to make it all work

 

well supposedly they have found a car for R&D already. They're going to take a look at the rear suspension and see what they can come up with.

As far as talking with them both, it was made pretty clear from the beginning that the J30 was nothing like the A31 so it was a matter of figuring out how to fab up the rear since the front was so straight forward.

I'm pretty sure that if Matt ever popped on here he would start ripping out his hair. "I've told you all so many times... it's not going to happen!"

 

I'd love to see it happen. Hopefully someone with a better reputation for high quality parts will step up and make some as well as D2. Unfortunately D2's stuff has been known to have certain 'compromises' or 'flaws' in construction technique or build quality. Thus, I wouldn't be interested in a set of D2s unless they came with a lifetime warranty on the shock assemblies- which nobody is going to offer on a coilover.


That said, it "can" happen. I really hope it will. I just don't see it being something these guys are going to mass produce. the rear axle shaft assembly is a $$$$ part to machine, so I forsee a limited sales market out there simply due to cost of the parts.

 

They will probably do the threaded sleeve over the stock housing deal...at least for the rears.

 

that's what I figured there. I was hoping for a complete replacement, but such is life.
the sleeve-over stuff works fine for the rears. front needs a redesigned strut assembly because the freaking struts on the 3 gen are so short up front.

 

you kinda answered before but not entirely... as far as strut length, what is bad about having one as short as ours? compared to how a longer one will behave? Everyone says that the 3g has crappy suspension travel, but with most of these cars being dropped, there's only so much travel you can have before it bottoms out... or do you mean that the strut can't extend enough and thus causes the tires to lift off the ground?

 

Does anybody actually believe they're ACTUALLY interested in making coilovers for 3rd gens? I don't. That e-mail from D2 sounds just like the replies everybody else got over the years and nothing came from it (aka.. 'offering' to make a set and acting like all they need is a donor car). I mean, really, this isn't sub-Sarahan Africa. There are 3rd gens EVERYWHERE in this country. All those guys probably have easy access to 3rd gens via friends, family, etc. Heck, they could even buy a junked 3rd gen for a few hundred dollars to "R&D" on if they really wanted. It's pure BS that they all say something like "Yeah, we'd do it, we just don't have access to a test car". So I wouldn't hold your breath guys.

That being said, somebody in NC go out there and call their bluff.

 

I'm still waiting to hear back, and the email is usual rederick, that's why I called them and talked to them on the phone. I honestly think that the "my neighbor has one and we'll take a look at it" is BS just to get me off the phone. I could honestly care less if they called back or not, as I have a set of Koni's w/ Eibachs already. I would just like to be on the R&D to get one of the first sets out.

The sleeve is honestly the only way I could see it actually happening as well. And I would prefer it if TEIN picked up on actually making them than D2.

 

Flame question coming...

What are coilovers? and what are they for?

I've seen threads that talked about installing them, but never defining them, because they and everyone else knew what they are.

 

as they are being referred to here, they are an adjustable height strut and spring assembly. typically they also have an adjustment for compression as well.

 

People still ice skating uphill

 

Google..... Wiki.... Tools that save cyber space.

 

Ok... yeah Google and Wiki won. I guess I could try first next time.
But along with ambiguity, mal-sites, and sites flooding search engines with "reccomend my page." I just think it saves bandwidth with someone like internetautomar will give a nice simple answer instead of searching through pages of search results. I mean, Wiki isn't the encyclopedia of the world, because I have searched for info that did not exist on Wiki. And google isn't the "quicksort" of all info needed.

Just today, you all added into Google that there are no coilovers for J30 Maxima. Try googling coilovers and Maxima, before the original question was asked, in which the person will have to read through less straightforward answers and false advertisments.

That's why "A teacher is worth more than two books [, or websites]." And that's why you all are important sources for information because of your experience.

Sorry, I'm just ranting my info experiences with you.

 

well like i said if i start working at the shop i want to work at, and am living at the apartment i want to live at, i'll be riding a bicycle to work unless it's raining, so my car will not be absolutely necessary as a DD, so i can let them measure it up then. but if I don't get that job.... then it won't be happening.