this might be a dumb question. so dont make fun of me if it is. but i was wonderig if there is a difference in the suspension between a 90 se and a 90 gxe. my friend has a stock 97 gxe, and that can't hold the road for sh*t. my stock 90 se sticks pretty good, much better that his 97 (or at leas that's what i think). but anyways, just wondering if there was a difference between the 90 se and gxe.

 

a stock 3rd gen SE will handle a little better than a stock 3rd gen GXE

stock vs stock, 3rd gens will handle better than 4th gens because of the rear suspension setup

3rd gen POWER

 

What CraigB said...
3rd gens have an independent rear suspension, 4th gens don't.

 

uhhh kids, his questions was about differences between 90 GXE and SE, not 3rd gen vs. 4th gen.


so here's your answer....

1. overall design is the same.
2. SE gets rear disc brakes, GXE has drums- unless it has ABS, then it gets discs also. (But it's easy to convert a GXE with drums to the disc brakes). see my website. look for "rear_disc_conversion" www.ee.utulsa.edu/~mblehm/faq/

3. SE springs are a bit stiffer for more responsive handling.
4. SE struts are valved stiffer than GXE
5. SE sway bars are stiffer than GXE.

All the SE parts will bolt right onto the GXE.

The GXE was built for a squishy, smooth ride. the SE was built for a smooth, sporty ride. there's not any physical appearance difference, but just enough internally that they handle like completely different cars.

 

I was confused:

"90 se and a 90 gxe"
"...stock 97 gxe"
"stock 90 se... his 97"
"90 se and gxe"

Surely you can understand?

 

he was indirectly asking that too so I answered both

so you think you're better than me just because you're a moderator, well you're fired and you will never be allowed to drive a maxima again

- Super Moderator, Craig

 

i thought 4th gens were supposed to have a pimper setup with the I beam suspension or whatever they have on the back. . . . supposedly it's better. . . i don't really believe it. my car feels like i can toss it around easier than a 4th gen. sorry, i wasn't trying to get off topic. has anyone ever driven a stock GXE and a stock SE? are the differences noticeable?

 

I used to drive a stock 91 SE, and then I bought my current car, a 94 GXE, it was completely stock when I bought it, and I could tell a pretty big difference in the suspensions, and the engine. The SE was alot firmer and tighter in turns, the GXE was very "floaty", too floaty, I have eibachs and tokicos now....much better

 

DUUD!! you just hella talked **** to a mod man!! shame on you!!!!

ha..your gonna get banned!!!!

 

 

There's actually a couple other differences too between the GXE and SE. (BTW, I heard in the 91-92 changeover, the SE models are a bit different suspension-wise because of the 4DSC package offered 89-91. 92's and up apparently have "most" of the 4DSC items, whatever that may mean.)

According to my 92 FSM the front sways are identical, while the rear SE sway is a whopping 1.2 mm larger. Suspension bushings like in the control arms are a bit stiffer - NOT urethane, but a tiny bit stiffer. I believe the steering is also firmer in the SE model. I believe this since it's not numb or overassisted by any measure. I've driven a '87 (2nd Gen) GXE and THAT is typical luxury car "turn with one finger" light. If my SE's steering was any stiffer I'd wish for a tad more assist. It's perfect and gives good feel.

 

i have a 91 se and my dad leased a 97 gxe a few years ago
he hated the handling, but loved the engine
i didnt get to drive that one, but they ride was much more supple
and i definately agree about the effort need to turn the se's
i love it but its pretty tough sometimes, but i gets much better at high speeds

 

3rd gen GXEs handle like boats compared to SEs.
the steering is WAY overboosted (turn w/ one finger) type of crap.. the struts are floaty, even when new.
I put brand new OEM struts on my uncle's car a few weeks ago, and honestly couldn't tell a difference between those and his 95k mile old struts. he was really ****ed when it cost him $450 for new OEM struts and the car still floated all over the highway.

a 4th gen suspension has a huge beam holding the rear wheels together.. how would that be better than independent rear suspension? (i.e. 4th gen suspension setup is what minivans and TRUCKS have!) Any car that's built to handle well needs to have independent suspension.

the 3rd gen SE suspension is stiffer all around. stiffer rubber bushings, springs, struts, sway bars (front one on my 93SE was a bit heavier than my GXE when I had them both off the car).

and Craig... you WILL die for that. I'll kick your a$$ when you come to my wedding this summer.

 

I know someone who isn't getting a wedding gift now

I used to have a stock 89GXE and then got my stock 93SE (was stock, now has FSTB and eibachs)
the SE did handle better stock vs stock
and like Matt said, the steering feels very different too

if you're really interested in the differences, find some people in the local paper selling and go take a test drive

 

just get him a cheap toaster.

 

matt, dude, i'm totally not contradicting you on this, so don't take it that way. but i have heard that the I beam on the rear of the 4th gens make the car handle because when you get suspension flex, the direction that the wheels travel is more efficient for cornering. That when they take a bend the rear I beam causes the other wheel to move so that more rubber hits the ground. . . .

ok that's just what i've been told, but that's also from 4th gen guys. . . i think i'll post and ask them a question on the 4th gen board. . . .

 

Believe me Ryan, the lateral beam rear suspension was created for cost-saving. Double A-arms and independent suspensions have always done the best job of maintaining proper caster/camber angles for the most effective cornering. Otherwise high performance sports cars would use this system. The only sports cars that come close to those either use live axles to handle the torque of the engines or use a lateral leaf spring in conjunction with an Independent rear like the 'Vette.
-Justin

 

There is your answer. You think they are going to say the 3rd gen handles better?

 

Don't some/all of the GXEs come with electronic ride leveler? I have never owned a GXE so I'm not sure on this...