I've got a '98 GLE and I'd like to improve the way it corners. I'm not gonna go and win any races or anything but I'd still like to take off ramps with a little more speed and comfort. One more catch (besides budget), I'd like to keep the road noise and the ride harshness to a minimum.

I want to upgrade my wheels and tires so I'm guessing that would be a good time to mess with the springs. How do I know what combo works well together? How do I know what size (17 or 18 dia, 7 or 8 or 8.5 or 9 width, etc...). I did find the link to the chart about wheel sizes so that will be helpful. But what are the advantages/disadvantages to a 17" or an 18"? I'm guessing that I'd want to stay with a thinner width tire since I live in Minnesota.

Please bounce some thoughts off of me!

 

Adcco Rear Sway bar. $120 and its one of the best things you can do. You should do that before upgrading wheels, springs, etc....

 

If your on a tight spending for handling your number 1 mod is the Strut Bar. You can a decent one for 24 bucks shipped on ebay.

I was on a tight budget too when it was time to get springs and struts... I ended up going w/ the Eibach pro-kit and I kept my stock struts. I've had no problems grounding out or blowing a strut. Trust me, I've driven this car on really bumpy roads and i average bout 40-50 miles a day w/ my work/school commute. The ride is stiffer and I don't think it's harsh at all.

As for tires or other springs/shock selections... other ORG members have plenty of advice on that. Good luck w/ your suspension choice.

edit: About the road noise, the only choice you'd have for that is getting your doors lined w/ Dynamat or any other sound-deadening material. The only other thing that would affect road noise w/ the suspensions aspect is the kind of tires you get and how much noise they make when you're takin a turn that's on the threshold of losing traction.

 

Thanks for the information guys! I'll look into getting those two items first. Are there any brand names I should stay away from?

Nadir_s, how did you decide on 17s? I was thinking I'd go with the 17s, too, but I really had no reason to justify my decision. Other than the fact that they're cheaper than 18s. Did the new springs lower your car at all?

 

Actually it wasn't my decision, the rims came w/ the car. After talking to the previous owner tho, he told me it was hard to find an aluminium version of the rims because now OZ makes em black. As for the springs, it did lower it a little more than an inch. If you check my website (http://npx1.cjb.net) you can get a visual of the drop. I do wish I had 18"s tho, it would fill up a little bit of the space in the wheel well. If you do go w/ my setup, get 18"s.

 

You can't really go wrong with any strut bar. The difference in designs are mostly cosmetic. You probably won't notice a huge difference between different bars.

As for a RSB, personally, I prefer Addco. Mostly because it does the same thing as the Stillen RSB but at a much cheaper price.

 

Check www.custommaxima.com for both items...

 

Once again, thanks for the help! However, it looks like I can't order the RSB or the FSB (I hope I got that lingo right... ) yet? Or is the website just not up to date? I plan on sending them an email with questions

 

Try E-bay instead. They have them on there all the time for FSB's

SuDZ

 

yeah i jus put on my fsb and u feel a luvly diff. can't wait till i get the rear now.....

 

Front strut tower bar : eBay $20-30

New endlinks and sway bar bushings: courtesyparts.com ~$30

Addco Rear Sway bar: custommaxima.com, cattmanperformance.com, southwestautoworks.com, vortexperformance.com $120-130

Lowering springs: Various places $100-250 per set depending on brand

New Struts: KYB GR2 tirerack.com $270/set....KYB AGX eBay, GD forum, etc. $340-350/set

Various suspension parts (boots, mounts, spacers, isolators): ~$100

New tires: Consensus on the Org for best bang for the buck is Dunlop Sport A2 $58 each for 215/60/15 at tirerack.com___NOTE: Tire prices will most likely double or triple if you go to 17-18"+ wheels.

New Wheels: depends on your preference and size. $400-2000+

Prices do not include installation.

I think that's about right..

Have fun.

 

Like the others have suggested, definitely get an FSTB and an RSB.

As for the wheels and tires, the bigger wheels you get, the more road noise you will pick up. Your car will not be as quiet as it is now with its 15s. 18s are louder than 17s which are louder than 15s etc. Since you don't want to go too wide, then your choice will be limited to a 7" rim width, and that width is mostly available in 17s. So, with a 17x7 rim, you should get a 225/45/17 size tire. That tire is slightly wider than the stock 215 on the Maxima SE with 16s. This will give you increased cornering ability, much steadier high speed cruising, and a bit more noise than your 15s. Wet traction and bad weather ability will not be compromised too much either. If you go with bigger rims, what you gain in dry traction, you lose more in adverse conditions.

DW

 

I agree with almost everything you said...the last 2 statements are

Start with the rear sway bar and front strut tower brace. THey won't add any noise, but will help control the car during cornering.

 

Good 17" tires are at least $100 each, if not more.
I've seen 20" chrome wheels for close to $2k per set. Depends on where you buy them and what brand and size. Too many factors to make a real estimate.

On a side note: My 15" Enkeis only cost me $200 last year. clearance sale on discounttire.com