MAXIMARK

...roughly eight hours under the car and success! I dropped my MAX using KYBs and B&Gs. I seem to have dodged the dreaded "B&G sag", although I can see the rear "appearing" ever so slightly lower due to the large front wheelwells. When I afix a magnetic level under the door sils I get a level reading. I spent the extra cash and used all new OEM upper strut insulators, spring seats, and as well the polyurethane (tube) spring insulators. Also I used the motivational rear strut mounts. The results are outstanding - and quite. The car feels like a 300ZX in the turns.

Now moving on to the rims and tires... I bought a set of 17 inch stock '02SE rims with OEM (RE 92) 225/50/17 Potenza tires. After making the purchase I began reading in the fifth gen forum about how terrible the RE92s are (one .org member used the term "death donuts"!) After searching and reading I have decided to replace the RE92s with the new Kuhmo KH11s. Moving up one size to 235/50/17 (.39 inchs taller) will I experience any rubbing on the wheel edges or interior wheelwell plastic? I could actually go with a lower profile tire (.53" shorter) by using the 235/45/17 but then this is a wider tire and I again I want to avoid any rubbing. I understand this is not an "authorized" tire on the seven inch wide rims although many are using them. I just wanted to ask if anyone has had any problems with rubbing running the 235/50/17 or 235/45/17 on a forth gen lowered MAX. I don't want to make another purchase only to find I have a contact problem. I noticed previewing this post I now need to update my Mods list... Be Safe, Mark V.

GreaseMonkeY

My car is not lowered but I have 235/45/17 rubber on 17" 350Z rims. There is no rubbing. I lent my rims+tires to my friends (whose car is lowered), he does notice any rubbing either.

njmaxseltd

iTrader: (19)

Good job, and a very wise decision to use the upper mounts.

Lime

usually the people who have rubbing are running 18+ inch wheels.

nismos14

iTrader: (56)

if you went with 45's there would be even less chance of rubbing because there would be less sidewall to flex during hard cornering, if u had the 50 there would be more sidewall and more likelyness of rubbing due to more flex in the sidewall, but as they said i wouldnt worry with 17's

MAXIMARK

... I posted this thread originally to ask a guestion about tire rubbing. Now my concern is that I may have the rear springs installed UPSIDE DOWN. The dead cols are stacked together on the bottom of the spring. Who would think B&G would have the printing on the spring with the words facing downward? Oh well one more trip to the Skills Development Center (Automotive Hobby Shop) and I'll get it right... Be Safe, Mark V.

Lime

what the heck is with all these people and installing things upside-down!?!?!??!?!??!?!!

B&G springs are progressively rated. As there is more pressure, they have a tighter reaction. It's not hard to figure out, regardless of how writing is printed on something.

Here are some links to suspension information:
http://www.everythingcelica.com/tech...REASSEMBLE.pdf

http://www.rx7turboturbo.com/robrobinette/shocks.htm

and this ones has a good picture of progression in a dirtbike spring
http://www.bluecoilspring.com/progressive.htm

MAXIMARK

... in all my searching and reading BEFORE my first trip to install my B&G springs I must have missed the one simple instruction, to "place the dead coils (tighter wrapped coils) at the top". Not insurmountable though - just another trip to the auto hobby shop. Fearfully now I must ask, is the front the same? I did not notice tighter wrapped coils on the front springs. I will be going in to put the 02SE wheels on my MAX this week and will take the time to reinstall the springs "rightside up". It was that year in South Korea, 365 days at 180 degrees out... I am going to again contact B&G to ask why no instructions came with the springs and how about simply adding the words, top and bottom - to make the install idiot proof!? Safely, Mark V.

MAXIMARK

...Blimey, in all my searching and reading BEFORE my first trip to install my B&G springs I must have missed the one simple instruction, to "place the dead coils (tighter wrapped coils) at the top". Not insurmountable though - just another trip to the auto hobby shop. Fearfully now I must ask, is the front the same? I did not notice tighter wrapped coils on the front springs. I will be going in to put the 02SE wheels on my MAX this week and will take the time to reinstall the springs "rightside up". It was that year in South Korea, 365 days at 180 degrees out... I am going to again contact B&G to ask why no instructions came with the springs and how about simply adding the words, top and bottom - to make the install idiot proof!? Safely, Mark V.

Lime

Heh! Good luck. Maybe if we showed them the multiple instances of people screwing up installs...wait...they will just say a pro will know how to do it. Well, good luck on that. IMO, they will probably ignore you, but for what it's worth I'd sign my name to the letter. I am sick of people badmouthing their suspension setups when in truth, the people badmouthing them fubared their installs.

One thing, when you're running around with an incorrect setup, you run the risk of killing your shocks/struts...if the springs are allowing the shocks and struts to bottom out, you're asking for a blown seal.

Vesaijan

iTrader: (1)

The recommended size is 235/45 for a 17 to maintain factory gear ratios on 4g's. So technically you are currently running tall right now (as am I). NB: taller equals slower acceleration b/c of mechanically disadvantaged gearing-levers and fulcrums, same energy used to do work, just more force required when fulcrum is farther from the "output" end of the lever-and increased rotational inertia. Somebody correct me if I'm blowing a whole lot of boo-boo out my ****.

I would say don't go up to 235/50. Either stick with the 225/50s, go to 225/45's for shorter gearing than stock, or if you're not a too obsessed about wider is better, go 215/50.

RL