The verdict on suspension: stock or aftermarket?
10-02-2006, 05:45 AM
#1
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The verdict on suspension: stock or aftermarket?
Ok, so I've read all these suspension threads which have been currently flooding the forum and now I'm a bit concerned. I'd like to think I'm not the only inexpereinced guy around here and that others would share this concern as well. As such, please bear with me with ANOTHER suspension thread.
I am currently on OEM struts and springs which I'm pretty sure have been on the car for its current 114K mi life-span. The handling is good and with my W-rated Avon techs, the grip is amazing. I really don't have complaints about the ride quality, but sometimes it can be a bit jarring living in Baltimore City....but then again, I don't know if that's because of the AGE of the suspension or the suspension itself.
As many of you may be aware following my threads with suspension inquiries, I was thinking about an Illumina/Progress set-up. Now, I don't go to the track, but do appreciate a well-handling car. Also, I want the lowered look, but damn, I don't want the ride so damn harsh that I will be second-guessing my decision. Put another way, a near $700 decision for me. From one of the threads active right now, it seemed many people went with AGX or Illuminas and then back to stock, more so in the spring department. And I'm scratching my head here wondering, damn, am I making the right decision to go aftermarket and lower?
My concern, succintly put, is that if I get the Illumina and Progress set-up, will my ride quality suffer significantly? Of course I expect it to be somewhat stiffer, but I'm asking you guys with your plethora of expereince to let me know what I can really expect.
As always, your help is greatly appreciated
I am currently on OEM struts and springs which I'm pretty sure have been on the car for its current 114K mi life-span. The handling is good and with my W-rated Avon techs, the grip is amazing. I really don't have complaints about the ride quality, but sometimes it can be a bit jarring living in Baltimore City....but then again, I don't know if that's because of the AGE of the suspension or the suspension itself.
As many of you may be aware following my threads with suspension inquiries, I was thinking about an Illumina/Progress set-up. Now, I don't go to the track, but do appreciate a well-handling car. Also, I want the lowered look, but damn, I don't want the ride so damn harsh that I will be second-guessing my decision. Put another way, a near $700 decision for me. From one of the threads active right now, it seemed many people went with AGX or Illuminas and then back to stock, more so in the spring department. And I'm scratching my head here wondering, damn, am I making the right decision to go aftermarket and lower?
My concern, succintly put, is that if I get the Illumina and Progress set-up, will my ride quality suffer significantly? Of course I expect it to be somewhat stiffer, but I'm asking you guys with your plethora of expereince to let me know what I can really expect.
As always, your help is greatly appreciated
10-02-2006, 06:21 AM
#2
your jarring is prolly cause ur stock struts are blown....swtiching to Progress and Illunminas wont make it any better....of course new struts will make it barable on progress springs....I have progress and Koni and its not to bad but no where near stock ride quality...if u want a mild drop and get as close as possible to stock ride....H&Rs and Illuminas are ur friend...if u want stock...get some new OEM struts and call it a day normally i would recommend KONIs at all times....but everytime i do i get people saying they are too expensive and dont want the install hassle...to me nothing comes close to KONIs interms of handling and ride
10-02-2006, 06:32 AM
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so if we were using the stock SE suspension stiffness and ride quality as our reference point, how would you rate the ride quality of a progress/illumina set-up from a scale of 1 - 10, 1 being closest to stock and 10 being pretty damn uncomfortable
10-02-2006, 08:28 AM
#5
Originally Posted by natty99
so if we were using the stock SE suspension stiffness and ride quality as our reference point, how would you rate the ride quality of a progress/illumina set-up from a scale of 1 - 10, 1 being closest to stock and 10 being pretty damn uncomfortable
Progress although not uber stiff....they are considerable stiffer than stock
10-02-2006, 12:32 PM
#6
What about Cattman Pedders suspension? Isn't that supposed to to give better ahndling and an 'amlost luxury' level of comfort? I am personally thinking of giveing them a try, but I'm hoping to hear from a few people who have tried it first...
10-02-2006, 03:05 PM
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Originally Posted by natty99
My concern, succintly put, is that if I get the Illumina and Progress set-up, will my ride quality suffer significantly? Of course I expect it to be somewhat stiffer, but I'm asking you guys with your plethora of expereince to let me know what I can really expect.
As always, your help is greatly appreciated
As always, your help is greatly appreciated
If you'd like to put that new car like ride back into your car, keep the stock springs and put a set of Tokico Blue performance struts and rear shocks in it.
Your Avons are great tires, you don't need sport spings to make a car handle well, just keep the suspension in good shape.
10-02-2006, 05:15 PM
#8
I recently got the Illumina/H&R setup. No, the ride quality is nowhere near stock, but it is very bearable. For my personal taste it is a little bit harsh but I actually got used to it pretty quickly. I'd say a 4 or 5. The handling however is incredibly better. The H&R drop is very mild, probably the least drop of any reputable spring. You don't really notice that it's lowered, it's about where the car should have been in the first place. You said that your car handles well; you don't have any reference point to know what good handling is on that car never having tried any other setup. If you were to put the Illumina/H&R setup on it, you would see that the handling improvement is night and day. I'd say a 7 or 8 compared to stock. I also have a FSTB and just installed a Progress RSB. From my viewpoint with this setup, the Progress RSB actully did not help handling at all and I think it's a bit worse. After the RSB install the car seems to have noticeably more body roll in fast corners than before, the rear end is far less predictable when not on perfectly smooth pavement, and there is genreally less steering feel and more oversteer than before its installation. I've only had it on for a week but have driven a lot of miles with it. I don't hate it enough to take it off yet, I'll give it about a month before deciding but my overall first impression with this setup is that the RSB is the only thing I'd change, ther rest of the setup is fantastic and I doubt you'd be disappointed with it. My .02.
10-03-2006, 07:39 AM
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thanks for the input guys....I DO expect the ride to be more harsh than stock if I were to get the aforementioned set-up. I really just don't want the car to be so uncomfortable that my passengers would complain, that I feel EVERY pebble on the road. I'm looking for bearable, rather decent ride quality. I don't expect it to be near stock. It's a given that ride quality will be sacrificed for better handling, but that doesn' t mean I want a set-up that I throws ride quality out the window IN LIEU of performance.
So for those that responded...what do your passengers think? Their opinions would be relatively more unbiased, I think.
For those that are reading this thread, please chime in with your experiences.
BTW, White Shadow...I know what you were trying to say, but I do know what a great handling car feels like....My old man's got a 2000 BMW M5 and I drive that puppy whenever I get home to AZ
I was just saying that for an old 4-door family car, I thought the stock Maxima handles pretty well.
So for those that responded...what do your passengers think? Their opinions would be relatively more unbiased, I think.
For those that are reading this thread, please chime in with your experiences.
BTW, White Shadow...I know what you were trying to say, but I do know what a great handling car feels like....My old man's got a 2000 BMW M5 and I drive that puppy whenever I get home to AZ
I was just saying that for an old 4-door family car, I thought the stock Maxima handles pretty well.
10-03-2006, 08:48 AM
#11
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[QUOTE=natty99]thanks for the input guys....
So for those that responded...what do your passengers think? Their opinions would be relatively more unbiased, I think.QUOTE]
I have the H&R springs and AGX setup with a front strut bar, a rear sway bar and 225 Michelin Pilots on 17" wheels. With the AGX's set on 1 and the tire pressure at 32 front and 28 rear it is a reasonable combination. With one or more passengers onboard it actually get a bit better. Not as supple as stock, but the handling is awesome. I would not want springs any stiffer than the H&R's. When I pull a bass boat with this combo the ride is much better.
jjam
So for those that responded...what do your passengers think? Their opinions would be relatively more unbiased, I think.QUOTE]
I have the H&R springs and AGX setup with a front strut bar, a rear sway bar and 225 Michelin Pilots on 17" wheels. With the AGX's set on 1 and the tire pressure at 32 front and 28 rear it is a reasonable combination. With one or more passengers onboard it actually get a bit better. Not as supple as stock, but the handling is awesome. I would not want springs any stiffer than the H&R's. When I pull a bass boat with this combo the ride is much better.
jjam
10-03-2006, 05:15 PM
#13
Originally Posted by njmaxseltd
Any lower sport spring setup will ride harsher then your current stock setup.
If you'd like to put that new car like ride back into your car, keep the stock springs and put a set of Tokico Blue performance struts and rear shocks in it.
Your Avons are great tires, you don't need sport spings to make a car handle well, just keep the suspension in good shape.
If you'd like to put that new car like ride back into your car, keep the stock springs and put a set of Tokico Blue performance struts and rear shocks in it.
Your Avons are great tires, you don't need sport spings to make a car handle well, just keep the suspension in good shape.
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