I have a recently purchased 2000 maxima GLE with 40k miles on it. I like my ride to be smooth with low road noise / shock.

Since i bought it a few weeks ago, i have driven it about 2000 miles over ugly pot-hole ridden roads of new york, and now i feel that the shocks are not what they were.

I think they're not as soft as they used to be (its a GLE), and also they make noise when passing over holes/bumps/rough road. The noise is sort of like dull thuds, and I believe is coming from the front shocks.

1. Is there something I can check to make sure the suspension is ok?

2. What would make the noise?

3. Does the suspension take a beating on rough roads?

4. Could I buy some sort of suspension which would give me a smooth ride on rough roads, and also hold its own?

Thanks

HH

 

If the car has been driven in the same type of conditons since new, the struts are surely worn to the point that you need to replace them. The suspension does take a beating on rough roads. If you feel like your suspension is bottoming out when you hit a pothole or dip in the road, it's time to replace the worn parts. The stock GLE suspension is probably a smooth ride when new compared to the SE's suspension.

 

The GLE is definitely smoother than an SE, also has smaller rims.

I guess I don't really understand suspension physics, so can you tell me what exactly happens to a suspension on rough roads? Is it the struct that gets damaged, or the spring?

What kind (or brand) of struct (or spring) should I get it replaced with to preserve good ride quality? What should I expect my cost to be?

Thanks

HH

 

What you describe is a known problem that affect some of the early 2000 Maxima GLEs (mine was built 5/99)... It's kind of a "clunking" noise you're hearing? Mine started that at about 4k and has done it for the life of the car. This spring I'm going to finally replace my shocks/springs etc...

There is a TSB on this, however the TSB does not cover 100% of the situations. It says the cruise control actuator bracket bolt contacts the spring seat when the suspension flexes, but that only applies to one side anyways, and both my front shocks make the noise.

The noise is similar to what you get when you don't "wrap" the end of new springs when they are installed. A new set of shocks/springs will fix the problem, other than that it's just real annoying. You do tune it out after awhile

I do have a strut tower brace and that helps this setup tremendously, it actually is a very tight setup with good road smoothness / comfort.

... just lettin ya know you're not alone!

 

The struts control the springs which help you maintain control of the car. Without struts (shocks), the car would bounce all over the place. The struts rebound and compress when you go over irregularities in the road surface. They compress when the wheel goes up and rebound when the wheel goes down. If you want a factory like ride, you'll probably need to buy OEM (Nissan) parts. Check the parts list sticky to see what your other options are. You'll have to price shop to get an idea of costs.

 

Hey thanks

What's a strut tower brace, and how does it help?

HH

 

I have heard that some luxury cars use gas shocks, which apparently make the ride quality smoother, and allow adjustability..

How much of this is true, and how is this as a solution for Maximas?

 

I believe all cars use gas shocks.