HEY WHATS UP...
well yeah I cut my springs and regret it hahaha
thinking about ordering some springs (manzo springs,,, just for fun and giggles without breaking the bank.)
Unfortunately there are not a lot of options in Guatemala where im located, casually found some Monroe OE spectrums but wondering if they are worth the try or if they ride like crap. If not I could order KYBs but this will double the price since shipping will screw me.

Yes I know that you can blow the shocks when lowering, (ask me how I know LOL), On this new shocks I plan to machine down the piston rod the same drop amount of spring, so they ride on the same spot where stock shocks ride without bottoming down.
Yes I will get the insulators bump stops and what not aswell

thank you in advance, still learning a bit on this 4th gens. Pic for fun

I replaced both front/rear struts/shocks with Monroe's 3 years ago and they are riding smooth. Cant say i have any complaints about them as the ride quality was definitely an improvement. It took a few hundred miles for me to break them in but overall it was worth the price. I am still riding on stock height btw and i have 18s

Also very nice looking Maxima good job taking care of it

Just double checked, i ended up installing the Roadmatic versions, not the OE spectrum.

Here are the part numbers i found
Monroe 181682, 181683 & 181293

Good luck with your search

Thank you, ill see what i can find locally. If not I will order and ship down. Unfortunately a $300 buy in the US ends up being around $600 here..
And thanks i try to keep it clean since 39k on the clock exactly today lol

Koni Orange Struts (STR.T) are pretty reasonable and tolerate shortened springs with no premature failure. Doesn't void the warranty (lifetime) here in the USA. Koni is International so hopefully, they should be easier to get. Ride tight and well. Just a little harder than OEM SE suspension. Which is good for shorter springs. Hopefully, you refreshed or will refresh all the OEM Consumables with new OEM. Use the SE Top Strut Mount, bearings and so on. Better and tougher than the GXE and GLE ones. Nissan OEM consumables get you back to what you'd want better than all the other so called sport suppliers. Went through 3 sets of aftermarket assemblies to rebuild all OEM except the Koni Struts. What an improvement. Full size SE springs. CS_AR did the same with shortened springs and had the same results.

We both used Heavy walled Heat Shrink tubing on the springs at each end as insulators, not OEM. Permanent and no falling off after the miles.

I’ve run Monroes, FCS and Gabriels (all just the struts, not the full assemblies) in combination with H&R springs.

Of those, if you can get them, I recommend the Gabriels.

yeah that would be amazing, but then again, I dont have konis in Guatemala Central America, I would have to ship them. Taxes, currier, and everything is more expensive than the shocks them selves. which sucks and really dont want to drop $1500.00 on shipping plus shocks.
so what I can find locally are monroes... guessed might ask, or if they are really crap id guees id have to spend, either way im taking your advice

how did monroes feel?

As I recall, with the lowering springs, just a tad harsh(ish).

But my complaint was really more that I don’t think I got any more than about 2, maybe 2-1/2 years out of them.

I realize that an OE replacement strut in combo with 1.5” lowering spring isn’t gonna last it’s expected life-time but the Gabriels I’m running now have far out lasted the Monroes.