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To those thinking of dropping the Max

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Old Apr 30, 2005 | 09:07 PM
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To those thinking of dropping the Max

I am going to have to agree with everyone else that praises the illumina/hr setup. I have only had it on my car for a week and only had a chance to drive the car about twice in the last week but I will say this. It feels like I got a new car. I now feel connected with the road without having a harsh ride. The ability to adjust the shocks is awesome. Just click whatever flavor you like. I know that this setup is old news on the org but I just had to share my joy with my suspension. I had my setup installed by njmaxseltd. He is a great person to deal with and he takes pride in his work. Def. an model orger. Thanks Tom!
Old Apr 30, 2005 | 10:18 PM
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im gonna do this setup most likely. Did you find out why it was sagging in the rear, i dont want none of that sagging stuff. How much of a drop did you get ?
Old Apr 30, 2005 | 10:36 PM
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well, I slapped it on the day before I went away on vacation last week. I came home today and noticed that there seemed to be a bit of a sag. Nothing aweful, but I am an **** bastard. If you look at the cars wheel base in realtion to the ground, and forget about the wheel gap, the car does indeed look even, but I think on the fourth gen the wheel wells are not the symetrical front and back and it kinda throws off your perception. I noticed that the fender lip sticks out a bit more in the rear which might give the appearence of the wheel being more "swallowed" BTW. I have stock SE rims
Old Apr 30, 2005 | 10:43 PM
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i guess i'd have to see a picture, im a perfectionist myself. and if it is 50 pound sub i guess its not hard to believe, these are comfortable springs right? I like a comfortable ride. I read its 1.3 inch in back and 1.4 in front. What measurements are you getting? Just curious about the drop adverage
Old Apr 30, 2005 | 10:45 PM
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It has always looked dead even to me. If you're doing this for looks, no one but another Maxima owner will be able to tell unless you're parked next to a stock 4th gen. The drop ends up about what a stock BMW looks like.
Old Apr 30, 2005 | 11:41 PM
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I appreciate ur advice to those of us who aren't lowered yet. I had to get some bodywork done to my car, so i figured i would go ahead and get a M-bumper. I wanted to get s-techs, but after driving on stock susp...i didn't think i wanted lower 2". So I have been debating whether to pair my illuminas w/ either h&Rs or H-techs. I haven't really heard that much about the H-techs, so I guess its +1 for H&Rs.
Old May 1, 2005 | 03:22 AM
  #7  
Armani
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Originally Posted by FormorAccordMan
I am going to have to agree with everyone else that praises the illumina/hr setup. I have only had it on my car for a week and only had a chance to drive the car about twice in the last week but I will say this. It feels like I got a new car. I now feel connected with the road without having a harsh ride. The ability to adjust the shocks is awesome. Just click whatever flavor you like. I know that this setup is old news on the org but I just had to share my joy with my suspension. I had my setup installed by njmaxseltd. He is a great person to deal with and he takes pride in his work. Def. an model orger. Thanks Tom!

**** yes! H&R and illumina is by far the best suspension setup for the 4th gen Maxima. I have had it on for approx 4 months now.

The amazing part is that while it handles 100000000x better, I honestly cannot tell the difference in stiffness between this setup and the stock SE one.

Adjusting the shocks is even more amazing. Takes only a couple seconds to turn the Max from a Sunday car to a real race car like feel.

Many have claimed that the drop isn't low enough. I disagree. The drop of 1.5 front and 1.3 rear is the most perfect drop of all. Anything lower of a drop is too low and makes the Max look unproportional IMO. Anything higher makes it a 4x4...need I say more?

Congrats on your setup....you'll like it even more with time.
Old May 1, 2005 | 06:18 AM
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My plan is still to someday change out my AGX's for some Illuminas. Whenever I feel that finally I am getting used to them, there is always a bad road that reminds me otherwise .
Old May 1, 2005 | 06:18 AM
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Originally Posted by Armani

**** yes! H&R and illumina is by far the best suspension setup for the 4th gen Maxima. I have had it on for approx 4 months now.
Adjusting the shocks is even more amazing. Takes only a couple seconds to turn the Max from a Sunday car to a real race car like feel.
Well as "best" is always subjective, I've been looking at the illumina/ eibach setup. I've been under the impression that eibach is the best for a solid race feel. Does anyone know how they combine together? Not sure if anyone has that setup.
Old May 1, 2005 | 06:19 AM
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Originally Posted by chillin014
im gonna do this setup most likely. Did you find out why it was sagging in the rear, i dont want none of that sagging stuff. How much of a drop did you get ?
I don t know what height I was at before, but i will measure various points on the car and then we can take it from there. I guess we will just have to take the average height of a stock SE max for the control.
Old May 1, 2005 | 08:45 AM
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question....is this the Tokico Illumina suspension kit I see around(and reviewed on the site)?...or did you buy the Illuminas and springs separately?Also,I've always wondered,is the adjustment on the Illuminas via a screw at the top of the shock?Thanks.
Old May 1, 2005 | 09:03 AM
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Originally Posted by StevieB
question....is this the Tokico Illumina suspension kit I see around(and reviewed on the site)?...or did you buy the Illuminas and springs separately?Also,I've always wondered,is the adjustment on the Illuminas via a screw at the top of the shock?Thanks.
i have the illumina kit and it is fantastic, the drop is perfect and probably a comparable ride and drop to the h&r's (similar spring rates from what ive heard, correct me if im wrong) (they say 1.25 but i measured about 1.5-1.6 and 1.4ish in the rear. yes they adjust from the top via a flathead screw, its really easy
Old May 1, 2005 | 10:10 AM
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Well, the peeps with 5 speed trannys, prefer the H-Techs. They give a little lower drop in the front due to the lighter 5 speed over the auto tranny. I have a 5 speed and many have suggested going with the H-Techs over the H&Rs. Just my .02.
Old May 19, 2005 | 08:34 PM
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Is the drop even on 5spd Maximas with the Illumina Suspention kit?
Old May 19, 2005 | 09:53 PM
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ok this is the noobest question i kno.. i deserve to get flamed.. but what exactly are the h&r's? are they coilovers or springs? and how does it go along with the illuminas? also maybe a link to where i cna look at them? i was lookin at ground control coilovers but you guys make me wanna think otherwise
Old May 19, 2005 | 09:56 PM
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http://maxmods.dyndns.org/
Old May 19, 2005 | 10:05 PM
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oh ok but lets say i get the illumina shocks.. i'd have to get the springs right? yes i kno more noob questions
Old May 19, 2005 | 10:05 PM
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its up to you

usually its the opposite, the springs is what determines the lowness of the drop, while the struts are for comfort
Old May 19, 2005 | 10:06 PM
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if i dont buy the springs does that mean id be using stock springs?
Old May 19, 2005 | 10:09 PM
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why would u do that?
Old May 19, 2005 | 10:35 PM
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I'm planning to do a drop soon as well... I'm set upon the illuminas but I can't decide between the s-tech, h-tech, and h&r's. Anyone have reason why one of these springs is better than the others?
Old May 20, 2005 | 03:14 PM
  #22  
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Oh btw, how often does everyone change the settings on the illuminas?
Old May 20, 2005 | 11:04 PM
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I'm so confused about whether I should go for k sport coilovers or the illuminar/hr set up. Do you really bottom out that much with the illuminas?
Old May 21, 2005 | 09:49 PM
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hey are the blues the same as illuminas permanently set to one of the 5 settings? lookin to save some bux!
Old May 21, 2005 | 09:56 PM
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the hp's are very much like stock, slightly firmer (15%?) they will blow out very quickly wih lowering springs. not sure how they compare to any one of the Illuminas settings.
Old May 21, 2005 | 11:46 PM
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i would say maybe setting 2 out of5 on the stiffness? maybe even 1... i found that in between 1 and 2 is the "stock" like feel
Old May 22, 2005 | 09:49 AM
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How comfortable is this ride? Better then stock? With my 17'" rims I feel every nook and cranny on the road and I wanna get away from that and Im running stock rims.

If I drop and I was thinking about the hr's and illuminas, I just want a comfortable ride. I know I have to atleast increase my tire size a little :P

Proph
Old May 22, 2005 | 10:20 AM
  #28  
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the illuminas + tokico springs is very comfortable and well worth the 520 bucks you can get them for on ebay
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