I wonder how the Motivational Rear Strut mounts affect a lowered car with a RSB... It adds much needed suspention travel from what I've read...Don't know how much of a difference it actually makes.

 

This might be a stupid question.... but how would the bracings take the place of a RSB? The body would still roll almost the same, no? Just roll w/o flexing but from what I have picked up so far the body flex is not the cause of much of the roll.

I did the Eibach springs and RSB at the same time, like an idiot...

It does seem a bit slower to turn in

 

well if u didnt know the last two digits is the liter of the motor Ie:525= 2.5 liter v6 motor. and all the 525,325,328,323,and the late models 530 are all v6.

 

umm...what was the point of this thread? Yeah, they can be dangerous if you aren't capable of correcting a fishtail, and I know not everyone has experienced it in any vehicle, let alone a FWD vehicle. I guess I'm just under the impression that Addco and Stillen manufactured these as performance modifications, primarily to be used in a autocross car, and not necessarily by someone who is getting their jollies off while violating traffic laws (not that I'm saying that people are doing that when they fishtail). Personally, I lock up the rear in emergency situations because I know how to correct the rear slide to avoid a bad situation (it saved me from nailing a telephone pole in the snow on a outward-slanted country road...car started sliding sideways off the road at 30mph). I guess this has come from driving my pop's Z like an a$$ while I was in highschool. Personally, I'd love it if my car could do that. Of course, I rarely drive on the highway any more except for late at night (I hate traffic). I do think that this has sparked a good point, and I will say that Addco and Stillen should put a warning on the product, but personally, I assumed that it would do that before I read about anyone having that problem. To me, it seems logical that when you stiffen the rear, it prevents flex, and that flexing of the rear helps to keep the tires planted.

 

OK guys. Let me hear your thoughts on this real quick.

The problem with the fishtailing is that the front suspension becomes much softer than the rear after adding the rear sway bar. Thus the body roll causes the front tires to grab more than the rears since the rear tires are much more stable. I also believe that another reason the Max understeers is because it has a narrower track in the rear of the vehicle than it does in the front. Nissan does this for a much tighter turning radius. This would also cause the car to be much more succeptable to steering corrections at the vehicles threshold.

So... Is it possible, by adding the H&R 15mm spacers to the rear wheels to correct the narrow rear track problem? Yes. Is it also possible to correct the soft Front sway bar problem by changing the bushings with Urethane bushings? Yes. Will doing these two mods make enough difference to even out the control issues of the rear of the vehicle and the front of the vehicle to correct the oversteering problem? I don't know. My sway bar will be here this week. I can get the Urethane bushings cheap, so I will pick those up next week. We'll see what happens, And I will let you know. As for now, I don't really have the money for the spacers. Maybe in the future.

David

 

Actually, applying power to straighten out a fishtailing works for FWD as well as RWD. Fishtailing, or oversteer as it's technically called, is caused by the rear end being too light, therefore the rear tires lose grip and start sliding. Every car, no matter if it's FWD or RWD, when it accelerates, transfers weight to the back. Now, the RWD BMW will be easier to correct than the FWD Maxima b/c of the front and rear balance is better on the BMW, but accelerating will plant the rears better. If you brake while fishtailing, you are only making things worse because your are transferring even more weight to the front, making the fishtailing more severe.

You guys with RSB should check these settings:

1. Front and rear tire pressure. Don't make it the same. B/C of the Maxima's heavy FWD weight distribution, you should make it like 35 psi in the fronts and like 30 psi in the rear. It'll make your tail more solid. High rear tire pressure adds to the RSBs tendency to oversteer, making your Maxima a tail happy and freaky ride.

2. If you are in a situation where you are fishtailing, try accelerating. You'll be surprised at how the tail will tuck itself back in. Don't floor it, just nudge the accelerator forward and see what happens. It's freaky because you instinctively want to slow down and you're doing the opposite. You should obviously try this in an area where you don't risk carshing into others etc.

DW

 

Ahh..so much to learn young Grasshoppa. BMW uses 6 cylinder motors, but they are not "V" style motors, they're "inline" style motors which means all the cylinders are in a line of 6 hence "inline 6". The "V" style motors BMW makes are the V8, V12, and upcoming M5 V10.


Dave

 

The motivational rear strut mounts do add some space to allow more suspension travel. However, I don't think this will not help in this particular situation simply it is a very rare occasion that the rear will bottom out (reaching the bumpstop) severely (in my car that is, still with RSB), unless there is a big bump during turning.

Having said that, the mount will help tremendously if your car is without RSB and taking those unsmoothen roads......you know, the one with big bumps, big and small near the apex.

 

David,

This is a good thought.....about adding spacers to widen rear track. I would imagine that the car will be very stubborn to turn though, almost like you have to turn much heavier car. This will translate to stability to some, but it would be a lost cause for others since this will make the car turn very slow.

Especially since a stock SE would probably outhandle you in certain turns due to the stock car being more "lively" than the wide-track Maxima.

 

sorry i was aware its an inline six but i wanst aware that the v6 meant for v style motors. so i apologize

 

For those new to modding cars and wanting to make your car handle a little better, these mods are great. I have stock suspension, FTSB, and an Addco RSB. Under normal driving (ie maybe 5-15 mph over the limit), you'll have no problems at all. On rainy days and ONLY on tight corners will give you a *slight* fishtail, which can be very easily corrected with some throttle and steering.

The only time I had major fishtailing was before I had all these mods, and driving on the highway making a lane change without checking my blindspot (dumbass move), I swerved out of the way and ended up about three lanes off from where I started. Luckily I listened to my driver's ed teacher to always steer towards the turning. It worked, and I'm alive and well.

I may also add for those reluctant/hesistant to get this mod, i say go get it if you want better handling. just don't drive stupid. know your car and you will live with your car.

 

When I was a (I still am), I had a Honduh friend tell me that the "v" in the "v6" or whatever stood for the "vtech" and ONLY for vtech. So when you talk about your engine just say how many "cylinders" because the "v" stands for "vtech".... I was dumb enough to believe him for a while.

 

I had the privilege of feeling fishtailing for the first time this summer with the addco rsb. Initially, when I had installed it, things were great. It's a really good performance upgrade. The problem appeared after I had taken out my box with 2 12"'s. Before the car used to stay planted to the ground, now I feel like it's on a trampoline on sharp bumpy turns. Btw, I have kyb agx's on 4, with stock gle springs. Bottom line, if you have heavy stuff in the trunk, it will help alot with preventing fishtailing. I heard that people used to put sand bags in the back of camaros to keep them straight during the winter. Its pretty much the same concept.....except for the RWD thing.

 

skeelo34,

I also had the priviledge to drive from Milwaukee to NYC with 5 people aboard and three of them weigh more than 200 lbs. The car was more stable with more weight in the back (although it's not necessarily entertaining to accelerate/brake on the road).

 

i guess i have an odd car... i've tried to get the rear of my car around and i just can't. i thought it was just b/c i didn't have a RSB, but i've had mine for a month or two, and still the same result, except for that the front end doesn't plow much at all anymore... this is paired with AGX's set @ 8.

 

I wonder what 1/4 mile time would be with those people.......

 

So are you guys sayin the RSWB doesnt help much, i just did the group deal beacuse of a expeiriance i had on the highway(nothing serious cause i got lucky) . Does it help at all in lower speed turns?? im confused

 

you will feel an immediate difference in low speed as well as high speed turning. i've never experienced fishtailing as many others on here have... my car feels very balanced through the turns... not a lot of oversteer or understeer... especially on exit ramps @ high speeds... my car will begin to slide a little... but it is very neutral (all 4 wheels) and controlled. but at the same time, i've been in Marcdown's maxima... same turn... same speed... and the rear of his car has drifted out a little... and it is a little scary... but it is also very correctable if you are a good driver.

 

thanks,
just curious , what springs and shocks do you have?

 

i have KYB AGX's

 

JUST READJUSTED MY ADDCO...

i moved moved the u clamps closer to eachother. on the passener side, there is this extra beam that is welded to the multilink beam.. so i moved the u clamp right up against that thing. then i juste measuted it and re mounted the other u clamp the same distance from the center.

drove about 150 miles since then. I took my normal on/off ramp turns just like i use to. the car did feel a little more secure while turning.. ill post again when i try to take it a lil faster than normal when its late at night or soemting.

one thing i like is i still dont feel boaty when making fast lane changes going freeway speeds. so those of you who were fearing that. fear not. re adjsuting the sway bar that much wont bring back the boat..

im guess readjusting that rsb that much only affects the stiffness towards the beams limit. so the normal rsb feeling will still be there, except on pretty deep and fast turns. i did feel a lil extra sway on the onn off ramps, barely noticeable, but i felt like i had more control.. is it all in my head since i had to go thru all the trouble of changeing it???..mayb!!!.. but will i change it back to the previous setting. heck NO. .. im keeping it like this.

 

I fishtailed once on a freeway on ramp going 50 mph when the posted speed was 25. I ended up with half the car hanging from the cliff and a bent axle.

 

Interesting...

 

don't know how you guys are doing this... there is an exit ramp i take often at 80mph where the posted limit is 35mph i think... its an S-turn... so there is a lot of weight transfer through it... an never have i thought i would lose the rear end