I'm going to have an Illumina/Progress set-up installed on the car and would like to know the items that require replacement when such a job is to be done. I've read many a post on suspensions and yes, I've read the links showing all the suspension parts that MAY be replaced. But I'm just interested in the necessary parts.

I know the bearings in the front need to be replaced, and I'll be buying OEM dust boots since those are shot as well. I'm the fourth owner of my maxima, and I don't think the suspension has ever been service/replaced. The car has 114K on it. Is there anything else that screams 'replace me!' ?

Also, for those of you who have this set-up and used OEM boots, how much do you cut off the bump-stops? Do they really need to be cut?

Thanks in advance, guys

 

spring compressor.....

 

don't bother cutting the bump stops.

And be sure to replace the entire upper mount. they're prone to wear out as well as the bearing. KYB sells them both as a set for about $40 per side. easy enough to just do that and you've got everything you need.

 

i didnt cut my bumpstops at all.....front mounts and bearings which u mentioned....some penetrating lube.....and tools....compressor only need for the fronts....u might want to check...ball joints...tie rods...and cv joints while ur there make sure they are nice and tight...if they have a lil bit a of play u are good for a lil bit but long on a lowered car

 

Is it common for members to modify the suspension themselves?

 

yes...its really easy to do...jsut got to take ur time and do it right

 

Ok, here's what gather from the responses:

Front:
- replace upper strut mount, which includes the bearing?
- replace dust boot

Rear:
-????

do any parts in the rear need replacing as well? I'm not too keen on the anatomy of the rear max suspension. Also, how do the KYB mounts compare to OEM?

Oh and VIP Max, thanks for the reply...smart a$$....just kidding

 

the rear has dustboots...but the mounts done have to rotate like the fronts so just get some rear dustboots as well and that should be it

 

^ agreed. It's all pretty straight foreward and very simple once you start tearing into things.

Just remember to take apart one strut at a time so you can check the other to make sure that you reassembled the strut mount in the right order.

 

thanks guys......is there a difference in quality between the KYB upper mounts vs. OEM? which one should I get?

 

Just a heads up, but if you're lowering you'll likely end up with too much negative camber on the front (that is unless you don't mind wearing out your front tires way too prematurely). Suggest camber adjusting eccentric bolts (such as from Eibach). You'll need to have the front end realigned anyway (and you'll need someone who knows more than just how to adjust the toe-in), and if he's any good he can install those bolts then. My ride's dropped about 1.5" and the Eibach bolts get my camber back to about -0.25°.

 

Hey curt....is the use of camber bolts the norm when lowering? I've read a lot of threads on the forum RE: aftermarkey suspensions and haven't heard this mentioned as a necessity. Of course I don't want my tires wearing unevenly and pre-maturely. Is it assumed that most guys that lower their car use these things?

 

some say u dotn absolutely need them if u stay under like a 1.7" drop....u will have negative camber but not a whole lot.....some people like the - camber for auto-x or track......the bolts will almost put in verticle

 

so with a illumina/progress set-up with 1.7fr and 1.5r drops, would you recommen them? I don't do track or auto-x, but I do drive in a rather spirited manner. ALSO, is there any downside to using the camber bolts?

 

Also pick up some gasket paper, there are gaskets on the top of all the mounts that are prob. screwed up.

 

For spring gaskets, mine were cracked. I didn't replace them at the time but I wish I did.

 

To a certain extent it'll depend upon the width of your tires. My front wheels are 8x17 and I was getting a lot of wear on the inside part of the tread. That's why I got them.
The camber bolts are pretty cheap (especially compared to the cost of the springs and shocks) and will give you the flexibility of having some adjustability of the camber. My best advice is to pick up a set and take them with you when you go for the initial alignment. Once you see what your camber is you can decide if you want the tech to install them. As I recall, they cost much less than an alignment. By the time I realized that my tires were wearing too fast and unevenly and went and got the bolts, it cost me a 2nd alignment.

 

does anyone have a part number for those so-called 'spring gaskets'? I have no idea what those things are, and how many I'll need.

Also, I assume I'll need spring isolators as well? I'm not sure if that's the correct name of the part, but it's the part that fits over the springs where it contacts the perches. Can someone tell me how many I'll need for front and rear?

Thanks again guys, really appreciate the help thus far.

 

u will need 2 isolators for each spring...i reused my stock ones cause they were in decent shape.....i made the "gaskets" out of craft foam i got at Michael's Craft Store for likw 2 bux

 

the craft foam works?

 

You only need the spring compressor for the fronts. The rear springs don't have much preload on them.

A lot of people with Eibach, Progress and H&R springs don't use camber bolts.

I used silicone caulk instead of the gaskets in the back. I figured it would seal better and I didn't have to buy anything special. I'm sure you could buy regular gasket material and cut your own and it would work fine.

Personally, I would suggest you try to get '95 Mustang/'95 Miata dust boots/bumpstops from an auto parts store where the boots are made from rubber. The KYB boots are some kind of plastic that I'm sure will fatigue faster than rubber. My front boots are NAPA parts, whch are rubber, and my rears are the KYB plastic boots. I get this wierd bendy-straw noise from the rear sometimes that I'm sure is the boot. Go with rubber if you can.

 

the OEM boots are not rubber? I can't tell from my car since my boots are so torn and deteriorated

 

Yes, the OEM boots are rubber, but not very good rubber from what I saw what was left of mine. Your stock boots have the bump stops integral to the boot. The aftermarket ones I've seen are all separate pieces. Maybe I'm wrong, but the stuff that the KYB boots are made from seems sketchy compared to rubber.

 

so which good quality rubber boots do you guys recommend?

 

Front boots = 1995 Mustang
Rear boots = 1995 Miata
Go to a regular auto parts store like Pep Boys, NAPA, AutoZone, Kragen, Checker, whatever, etc., and ask them for the boot/bump stop combination for the above cars. When they bring them out, open the box and see if the boot is rubber before buying. I personally had a hard time finding the Miata boots, which is why I ended up with the KYB boots inthe rear (which I'm really not fond of).

 

Instead of spring isolators you can buy a package of helix cut spiral wire wrap from Radio Shack for $1.50. Wrap the bottom 2 or 3 coils of your springs with it before installation to avoid grinding noises made when they compress under load and rub against each other. You'll be glad you did.

 

^^^^ That's a cool idea.
I wonder if that plastic will creep (because of how soft it is) under the pressure of the coil on the perch?

 

I've had mine on for a few months now and it's exactly where I put it. It's not my original idea, I picked it up from somewhere here on the forum. The stuff that is made specifically fot the application is basically the same thing. it works perfecrtly. A $2 cure to a very annoying noise.

 

so is there any difference in quality between KYB mounts and OEM ones?