I have a 98 max with 85k miles.

When I go over small bumps (or big ones), my rear end moves side-to side...as thought the car only weighes 5 pounds. When it rains, it gets 10x worse!!!!

Also when I hit a bump, my steering wheel gets a mind of its own, and it feels like I'm hydroplaning.

Its worse whnen going left around a curve (liek an entrance ram to the hiway). It gets REAL squirrely and it takes good driving to stay alive.

4 hours at a local shop and nothing....

Where should I have someone look when diagnosing this problem? everything is visibly intact.

 

have a shop tech take it for a test drive, maybe he'll crash, then collect off his insurance

 

Assuming your car has stock suspension, I'd check the struts on all four corners. At 90k, they're probably ready for replacement. Something a little more stiff like KYB GR-2's should help.

Also check the inner and outer tie-rods and replace the end link bushings.

Other things worth trying:
- Adding a rear sway bar.
- Adding a front strut bar.

 

ttt please


any more ideas?

i will replace struts for sure

 

for the front, check the strut bearings - pop the hood, and start rocking the car - if the strut top moves freely, thats propably the cause for the front-end issue. but it looks like all your struts/shocks are worn out.

 

Just take it to another shop, explain the problem, and trust their diagnosis. Having us try to guess why your car is jumping off the road is not very effective. You'll end up like me, having spent a nearly two grand trying to fix the cruddy steering and still have the problem.

Dave

 

My wifes 98 was like that. The rear shocks were completely blown. I drove it for a minute just playing and the back end would hop over into the next lane. Yeah pretty damn dangerous. Get that looked at ASAP.

 

Blown struts FTL.

 

Would kyb gr2's be similar to a stock feel? For the price (270 shipped on ebay for all 4) i dont think thats too bad. Are the tokico blues worth another 50 bucks for a stock feel? Stock everything....springs etc


what else should i order when replacing all struts? Boots? mounts? bearings? or should i just let my shop determine which of those items need fixed?


thanks

 

the boots for sure. i think at 85k miles ur boots are prolly torn. mine looked absolutely disgusting and i only had 3 bump stops left at 190k.

i doubt u need mounts. maybe the bearings though.

 

The GR2s will be a little stiffer. People say about 15% stiffer.
(Not sure how they got that number, but in my experience they are stiffer)
Definitely get new oem boots. At 125k, my boots were completely shredded.
The rest the shop will need to figure out when they take it apart.

 

I was having the same problem untill i changed the struts on it. a rear sway bar would help big time.

 

SO, the shop I just took it to said everything is very tight, but the axles have a little play in them....but nothing to worry about.


They say tires are the problem. they claim (i havent inspected closely) that there's cord showing in the back, and the fronts are cupped. I recall seeing a lot of tread the other day, but I'll look again.

I am a bit leary of the garage I took it to, so I'm driving 40 miles to a friend's goodyear shop. He says he can install some nice stock sized Kumho's for about 200. sounds like a deal.

Jason

 

OMFG! He just called me back....205/65/15's, kumho, $165 installed all 4. They have em at the shop, someone ordered and never picked them up.

 

Sweet. I'd still plan on replacing the struts soon, but nice deal.

Good luck.

 

i was going for tires. i had a chunky sidewall 225/65/15. i got a set of used wheels with tires 215/55/16. handles a LOT better. still a little wandering on the highway, but i'll have to get at the suspension another time.

 

Kumhos are good tyres. I've had them on my Sentra and they have lasted really well. Not prone to sidewall lumps either.

 

Got a Question. SOme one mentioned boots. My question is what boots?

also, this thread may also help... http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=470706

 

My '97 w/ 140k+ miles had pretty bad wiggle in the corners on the highway (i.e. long sweepers where the highway curves). It was rather planted and steady while actual in the corner, but as soon as I'd touch a bump that would change the load or completely unload the suspension I'd have to adjust my steering angle to keep the car going through the corner at the same position...

I did a complete suspension swap on mine, but the actual shocks/springs in the front were not blown... a friend/mechanic commented my rears were on the way out, but weren't shot...

This I would recommend checking...

Front Sway Bar End Links & Bushings
Front Lower Control Arm (LCA) Ball Joints
Outer Tie Rod End Ball Joints (for steering slop)
Front Lower Control Arm Pivot Bushings

All of those parts can be replaced for under $100 is you shop smart... I purchased Energy Suspension Bushings where I could, and picked up the rest of the parts off eBay. I could have done just the LCA ball joints, but my LCAs were rather rusty (my Maxima started its life in Chicago before I bought it and drove it back down to Virginia Beach). So I opted to just replace the entire LCA and installed the new ES Bushings onto them before installing them.

Endlinks are ~$40
Sway Bar Bushings are $6
ES LCA bushings are $34
Ball Joints are like $20 or so (not sure, I bought a set of LCAs for $115 shipped)
Outer Tie Rod ends run ~$20 on eBay plus shipping

So that would be a bit over $100... but not by much. =)

 

Bad bushings, worn strut bearings, blown struts, or sway bar issues could cause that stuff. Also check your tie rod ends for play.

For the record, I give a VERY BIG for the idea of adding a rear sway bar in this situation. If you think you're running off the road now, that would kill you for sure. Besides, adding a part is NEVER a substitute for replacing a worn one.

A front strut tower bar couldn't hurt, but it won't fix the problem.

 

I AGREE WITH dOOdfOOd, ESPECIALLY WITH A STILLEN SWAY BAR LIKE MINE! IF YOU SET IT UP WRONG YOUR REAREND WILL REALLY COME AROUND. YOU WILL BE POINTING THE WRONG DIRECTION! STRUTS ARE MORE THAN LIKELY YOUR PROBLEM. GOOD LUCK!

 

jeez. I hope this suspension issue isnt just a maxiama thing....

I got popping noise driving staright and turning sometimes, fishtailing when hitting turns(car jumps into newer funner lanes), feel every bump on the damn road.

This is gonna cost me cus it looks like from all the threads Ive been visiting, that Im getting all new suspension for everything except the springs.

gotta a big freakin list here.

KYB GR2 struts
Strut Bearings / Strut Mounts

Front Sway Bar & End Links Bushings
Front sway Link stabilizers
Front strut brace bar

Rear sway bar

Front Lower Control Arm (LCA) Ball Joints
Outer Tie Rod End Ball Joints (for steering slop)
Front Lower Control Arm Pivot Bushings
(Inner Outer Tie Rods???)

4 Wheel alignment to finish it off

Gotta do this **** right in 1 go. ...this is a lot of ****.

 

Don't do that. I've been replacing all the components in the front of my car and it hasn't gotten better. I've just gotten a ligther wallet. Spend your effort finding the bad component or finding a garage good at locating the problem.

Dave

 

I have the same problem. Can anyone put a list together of trouble zones, places where they can be purchased as well as price.? Thanks.

 

I think all the "trouble zones" have been covered in this thread. as to where you can get the parts, there are a lot of places such as dealerships, local parts houses and on line. pick one.