maxcosity

5th Gen'rs who have MaxSpeed springs, how do you rate your comfort level and what shocks are you using?

I have the yellow MaxSpeed springs. They lowered my car very little (about 1") and provide a VERY HARSH ride. In fact, it feels so damn harsh, I might go back to stock springs. Every little bump is a jolt, not a bounce. I'm not sure what is happening. My shocks (OEM) don't appear to be bottoming out, as there is a good bit of travel, but I fear they are compressed so much already (from the shorter springs) and it is causing them to be more resistive, and thus, harsher. I can tell because when I push on my trunk to test the travel, I have to push really hard to get it to move.

I'm thinking about going back to stock springs or getting aftermarket shocks. Which do you all recommend? I won't mind a little harsher ride, but this is rediculous.

One tidbit - I found if I have a passenger in the car, it isn't so bad..

So what shocks do you have, and how is your suspension (compared to stock).

Thanks for taking the time to reply,
Kevin

Bluesbrekr

iTrader: (4)

I have the Maxspeeds with the stock shocks also, but my ride is not harsh at all. I put them on with about 7000 miles on the car and now have 14,000. The ride is a bit harsher than stock, but not by much.

My drop was only a bit more than one inch also. I'll be looking to go lower within a year. I'm hoping the stock struts will last that long. Not sure which springs I'll get, but I want to go with the Illuminas when I switch.

maxcosity

Hmm, then I wonder what could have happened? I checked the bolts/nuts and they are all tight. I didn't torque them down or anything, but I made sure they are not getting looser. Plus there's no noises except for the faint sound of air/gas rushing out of the strut (that's normal though) when I hit a bump or something.

maxcosity

Did you get an alignment after? I never did... hmmmm.

looslip

iTrader: (3)

I think the word "harsh" is relative. I've got Maxspeeds on GR2's and I think that it is definately harsher than stock. However, I can imagine that some setup are even harsher than this.
BTW, I never had an alignment either.

fishhouse

iTrader: (1)

i agree. "harsh" for one may be "comfortable" for someone else!

i put MaxSpeeds on stock struts about 4k miles ago. no problems to date. yes, the ride is a bit more bumpy. and i believe my front drop was more that 1". maybe 1.5" or so. rear may of been only 1", though.

i have been told on here to get an alignment after lowering springs. but i had just had one done days before installing the springs and don't feel like spending the $ for another. my car doesn't pull - so i don't see the rush. i'll do it in another few oil changes. just my .02!

white m3 guy

iTrader: (6)

well if you think maxspeeds are harsh then dont know what to say, maxspeeds and teins h-tech give the best ride quality with springs

MaximaSe2002

i have the maxspeeds and didn't find them to be harsh at all (although my car before this was a specv and that road really stiff) i was riding on stock struts too but they didn't last long and i got tokico blues now the ride is stiffer but i like it that way and the car doesn't bounce anymore

Gooey

iTrader: (8)

i have maxspeeds on stock struts for almost 13k miles now and ig otta say they suck pretty bad but thats my fault for not buyin struts....its very comfy if theres no bumps or anything on the road but every little thing you hit youll feel

slag

Funny, I have maxspeeds (yellow) on stock struts and the ride is very very close to stock.

Stock struts are just fine with Maxspeeds. I have 17k on my car now and its great. Any drop greater than what the maxspeeds have would make the car look ghetto and riced out. I cannot stand cars that have the wheels sucked up in the wheel wells. I think that looks riced out. As it is, with maxspeeds, the gap is uniform all around the wheel well in relation to the tire which is what the desired effect is.

maxcosity

Well I think the stock shocks just can't handle it, so I will be going back to stock this weekend. F it. The MaxSpeeds aren't that low anyways, so I guess if I am going to do it right (again), I may as well wait and get a good setup, like some coilovers or something...

Thanks for your input/help.

scopium

give your springs some time to settle in.... however... your ride is never gonna be like stock it is goin to be a little harsher....i have tockico blue on mine

tockico or gr2 are both good shocks

KLOOGY

iTrader: (12)

If you think Maxspeeds are Harsh...try riding on Teins.....I know a few friends who have gone from Maxs, to teins....

If you want the lowest drop, teins or course.

theMax

I have maxspeeds and stock SE struts on for about 20K and 2 years.

No problems and struts are doing just fine! The ride is about the same as stock but harsher over bumps. If you live in an area with crappy roads these springs would feel harsh.

Maybe get some adjustable struts and leave them on the soft setting for crusing around town.

maxcosity

Riding around yesterday with no stereo on, I hear that my dash is beginning to squeak and make all kinds of noises, that were not there before. It sounds like this harshness is rattling my car apart..

I wonder if perhaps my tires could be a problem as well. Maybe it's the just mix of tires and suspension, that is making this ride so harsh? Is that possible?

I have 235/40/18 on my 18x8.5s.

theMax

Possible but I doubt it. Lots of people with out suspension mods complaign of squeaking and rattling (there is even a TSB for it). Its part of the cheaper build of lots of new car interiors.

If you want to get rid of it you have to take the dash apart and put some tape inbetween the parts that now rub or rattle.

Triple8Sol

iTrader: (29)

"Harsh" is so relative, but I didn't feel Maxspeeds on stock shocks were harsh at all. With my current Tein/Gr-2 setup, it actually feels worse when my car is full of people.

scopium

the car is mostly smooth

its just a b it ch when i hid road bumps or pot holes
so uncomforable.. by that way does that gonna make my shocks blow

Lumbee1

Maxspeeds and stock struts are a bad combination. I take one really nasty road to work every morning and my stock struts are completely shot. When the springs were first installed it wasn't too bad, but after 18000 miles they suck. For those with a harsh ride, install new struts. I haven't done it yet because I am considering toser coilovers. If that falls through I will purchase some teins and GR2's because I want a lower profile.

maxcosity

Does anyone have input on my wheel/tire setup? Does 235/40/18 seem small for an 18x.85 wheel? It's as close to overall height as stock wheel/tire; however, it's less sidewall. I wonder if that is why it is so harsh. It seems like it gets even worse when my air pressure is low...

irish44j

iTrader: (38)

there is a noob thread a little ways down. Ask your question there please.

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=365289

Jess

iTrader: (33)

Wrong place to ask this question. I'll answer it to be nice lol.

But for a 5.5 Gen go with 245/45/18 and yes less side wall or low profile tires equal a harsher ride.

Think of as less air to cushion the road beneath you.

This thread is 5 years old wow! So to stay on topic here.

I'm considering JIC VIP now after all the setups I've been thorough lol. Can't have it as low as you like with springs without sacrificing ride comfort. H&Rs ride GREAT, but just aren't as low as I'd like. So look into those too if anyone else comes across this thread.

2k3TitaniumSe

iTrader: (3)

wow how did this thread get bumped after 4 years lol

anyways nothing will be less harsh than maxspeeds other than stock springs imo

SEmy2K2go

iTrader: (10)

Not sure if he's going to see the responses.

maxcosity maxcosity is offline
Senior Member

Last Activity: 08-10-2006

Jess

iTrader: (33)

LOL!!! Good catch. I was looking at Irish's post. What was that about??!?

Wow.

SEmy2K2go

iTrader: (10)

The person's post who bumped the thread was deleted.

Irish commented & directed them to the noob thread.