d00df00d

iTrader: (4)

In general, dampers will not totally change the behavior of the car. They will just make the car better (or worse) at doing what it does. Even with Koni Yellows, which make the car MUCH better, you wouldn't forget that you're still driving a Maxima.

Of course, it'd be a different story if we were talking about switching out stockers for a $10,000 set of Motons or something. But I don't think anyone's doing that, so....

trialt

idk i just have H tech springs, tokico non adjustables, suspension techniques rear sway bar, fstb, rstb. the ride is actually still very smooth and i still can hang turns just as good if not better than the highly overpriced g35

z32drifter

I have the S (suck) Techs with AGXs, the ride is crappy and the handling is only better on super smooth surfaces. Transition was better than stock but that's about it. I ran the car at an autoX stock (225/50 z tires) lots of understeer and inside wheel lifting. I ran it again on the current setup and the car was much better, good enough for 2nd in DSP ( I sure the 255/40 "R" compounds helped..lol) I really wish I had just spent the extra money for coilovers. On a positive note, the current Maxima setup convinced me to do the Z right.

d00df00d

iTrader: (4)

No you can't.

Fr33way™

iTrader: (23)

No. Ever driven one of those "over-priced" G35s?

devilz05

iTrader: (2)

can someone link me to the maxima suspension page where it lists all the suspension mods...

Formatted my HD and lost the link. Thanks

JSutter

iTrader: (46)

google maxmods for the exact link

MaximaSE96

iTrader: (8)

ummmmmm.....NO.....only if a 70 yr old man was driving...put one of us on that overpriced G35 and all u will be seeing is the bright LED tails of that G35

Fr33way™

iTrader: (23)

Braking is for *censored*.

mbandi

iTrader: (1)

http://maxmods.dyndns.org/index.php

Blackwind

iTrader: (9)

so how do you feel about the h&r kyb gr2 combo?

Sounbwoy

iTrader: (2)

This is one of the best threads on the Org lately.
I'm still in a quandry about whether to get a Tockico suspension (springs and Illuminas), Eibachs and Illuminas, or stock springs and Konis or Illuminas. I didn't want the extra hassle the Konis (cartridge) brings when installing, but....
Koni Yellows are what I had on my old CRX when I used to run ITA, and along with 500lb springs on the back, I could still drive the car on the street (yes, it was still street legal).
Keeping the stock springs may be just what the doctor ordered, but IF there was track use involved, maybe lowering springs would still have a small advantage. However, I've seen some French and Italians cars on track, and while they lean like crazy, they stay planted in the corners.

BlackCat

iTrader: (6)

I went from stock SE springs to Eibachs to Springtechs/CMS and now I want to go full circle to the SE springs with Koni Yellows all the way around.

If I did that, wouldn't the Stillen body kit look funny on the Max with stock SE springs?

I'd only go back to the Eibachs to get the lowered look but I can do without the teethgrinding ride.

JSutter

iTrader: (46)

^^^ shorten the front struts and youll be fine.

BlackCat

iTrader: (6)

You can do that? How's it done?
I've never ever seen anyone post here about doing that to the front struts.

d00df00d

iTrader: (4)

Good springs, bad struts (for lowering). AGX is a minimum, Illumina is better, Koni is best by far.


You can only do it with Konis.

MaximaSE96

iTrader: (8)

Yea u have to cut the threaded part of the cartridge and drill the bolt hole larger so it pops thru the houseing....and u get 1" of travel....it my winter project

ewuzh

iTrader: (20)

Funny this thread came up. After ruining a set of raxles in less than a year, I recently raised my car a bit and noticed an improvement both in ride quality and handling. I'm now sitting at a ride height of 26.25". It's about a 2 finger gap (barely). Before I raised it up, it was less than a 1 finger gap. Looked cool, but I'm over it. Tired of going through axles and having to avoid every pothole/speed bump on the road.

95maxrider

iTrader: (32)

I'm confused. You put on SE springs, and they lowered your car? I remember in an old PM you recommended Eibachs as an alternative to my H&R's. Has your opinion changed?
For some reason, 4th genners have a vastly different opinion of Eibachs than 5th genners. I think I want them to be my next springs, but I'm not sure. I think my car will smooth them out a bit with the SFC's. I would also love to try the shortened Konis.
I thought this was a great thread about Konis.....
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....shortened+koni

But I'm also confused about shortening 3rd vs 4th gen Koni Yellows. You said it would be possible to gain about 1" travel by cutting the 4th gen yellows, but about 1.5" but doing the same to 3rd gen yellows. Is cutting the 4th gen yellows more difficult?

[Dreaming]
Shortened 3rd gen Yellows up front
4th gen Yellows in rear
Eibachs? H-Techs?
foam chassis
My SFCs, LTB, TB's, bushings, FSTB......
[/Dream sequence]

d00df00d

iTrader: (4)

He used springs from a 5-speed, which are shorter than springs from an auto.

MaximaSE96

iTrader: (8)

no 3rd gens are shorter to begin with

BlackCat

iTrader: (6)

So that's the trick? Using the 4th gen 5-speed springs all around?

Btw I'm already on Konis.

Blackwind

iTrader: (9)

i did not have to do this, but now that i think of it, when i go over a speed bump my rear bounces a little more than it should.

MaximaSE96

iTrader: (8)

then what did u do...this is for extended travel

Sounbwoy

iTrader: (2)

This is only for the fronts, IIRC....

MaximaSE96

iTrader: (8)

yes for the fronts

d00df00d

iTrader: (4)

Rear springs are the same between auto and 5-speed. They're only different among SE, GXE, and GLE.

RDroz

Does installing a rear sway bar actually increase grip, or just cause the rear end to lose grip earlier, resulting in less percieved understeer?

Not sure I can see why it would decrease understeer....installed on the rear and all.

MaximaSE96

iTrader: (8)

its supposd to keep the rear planted better.....i think its great

d00df00d

iTrader: (4)

These are gross oversimplifications, but they get the point across.

You can think of understeer as resulting from the rear having more grip than the front. So, in short, Maximas understeer heavily because the rear has much more grip than the front.

In those terms, a rear sway bar is as a way to take grip away from the rear and add it to the front. Theoretically your total grip reserves are lower because the RSB will take more than it adds. But, in a car like the Maxima, the rear has so much more grip than the front that you never get to use it all because the front slides so easily. It's like you have a ton of reserves that you'll never use. A RSB simply takes those reserves and adds them to the front: you can corner faster because the front is gripping better, and you still have enough rear grip that it won't easily run out.

So, the net effect is that you theoretically have less total grip but more usable grip.

Of course, things might be slightly different if you're not on stock suspension. But that's another discussion.

Eyemfaster

iTrader: (2)

+1, hitting the brakes transferred weight to the front end.

Sounbwoy

iTrader: (2)

Yeah, but TOO MUCH weight transfer also invokes understeer. Remember, understeer is something inherent in FWD cars, by nature AND design. It's all a compromise. Even F1 cars push too.

nosispower

If I had hit the brakes going into the corner, the rear would have definetely broken loose. A couple of times on fast offramps, the rear end has caught me by surprise, but it's always still a lot of fun to straighten it out again.

BTW, I started this thread just to show how relatively cheap it could be to have a car that doesn't handle like a FWD grocery getter at all...for a few hundred dollars, I was able to turn an understeering monster into something a lot more neutral feeling.

MaximaSE96

iTrader: (8)

the rear isnt breaking loose....its comming around in a controled movement...most people just dont know how to handle it....and most f is caused by lifting the throttle...Its called throttle lift oversteer.....although i sure ur car Rides pretty good.... and handles a little better....but its no where near great handling.....i know thats not what ur getting at....but i jsut wanted to say that

MorpheusZero

iTrader: (10)

Alright, so what symptoms would shortening front Konis solve? From what I've seen, they bottom out before the car reaches the bumpstops, so "shortening" them would entail shortening the rod and doing something to let it extend down further? I'm on Progress springs right now, it seems like I'd probably see a benefit...?

And I'd be surprised if they made Motons for A32s, or any year Maxima really.

d00df00d

iTrader: (4)

Dead on about the benefits, but not the procedure. What you do is essentially position the insert lower in your damper body so that the top of the piston's stroke corresponds to the top of your suspension's travel.

They easily could if anyone wanted them to, but no, they currently don't. Can't imagine why...

......

But yeah, I was just using them as an example.

MaximaSE96

iTrader: (8)

ok to shorten Koni's u essentailly relocate the cartridge in the housing about an inch lower bu enlarging the bolt hole and trimming the cartrige...thus allowing the shaft to actually have an inch more o extension when al assemble on the car...kind of like increasing stroke on con rods

MorpheusZero

iTrader: (10)

So you're giving them greater downward/extension travel, not compression travel. I haven't really experienced problems where my front wheels leave the pavement..?

d00df00d

iTrader: (4)

Progress springs are about a 2" drop, so let's use that: When you're at rest, your damper piston actually has 2" more compression than it would have at rest with stock springs, which means it has 2" less travel before it bottoms out. Shortening the strut by moving the cartridge downward effectively raises the spring perch in relation to the piston stroke, recovering some of that lost travel.

...Does that make sense?

dr-rjp

iTrader: (4)

I had to raise my FSTB up by placing washers underneath the left and right bolts closest to the engine.