I've got about 31k miles on my 2001 Maxima and I am looking to replace my shocks. I installed H&R springs when I had about 2k miles on my car. After spending 3 years driving on the crappy roads in Washington, DC, I can tell it's time for new springs.

Can I get some recommendations on shocks and where to buy them? After browsing around for an hour the KYB Gas-Adjust shocks sound pretty good... but I'm looking for ideas.

Thanks guys!

 

those or Tokico Illuminas... check the Group Deal forum, they're running a sale I think. I have Illuminas and I like them (they're adjustable, 5 settings)

 

Illuminas, definitely.

 

In case ya need more info... check here... http://www.innerbean.com/housecor/sp..._decision.html

I have Tokico HPs (which I haven't even installed yet), which are OEM replacements but are 10% stiffer than stock. They're much cheaper than Illuminas, but are not adjustable. I got em cuz that was all I could afford, like these guys said, most people run Illuminas and if I have had the money I'd get those too....

 

am getting tokico hp also. i just want to fix the underdampened stock shocks problem and since hp are stiffer hopefully that will work. i am using stock springs so i don't see any point in getting illuminas. adjustability is a luxury but i don't really need that

 

They are more work to install, but I highly recommend the KONI yellows. They are outstanding. They are much more comfortable than the Tokico Illumina over large bumps and give much better road feel on smooth roads. I've personally used the following on my Maxima: Blues, GR2, OEM, KONI. I've used Illumina in a previous Honda I owned. IMHO KONI blows everthing else away hands down.

 

And Konis are in the Illumina price range, or maybe a lil more... just thought I'd throw that in... but they are good no doubt...

 

I just posted an extended reply here:

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=281189

 

How much money you got? Illuminas if you got more, KYB GR2 if you got less...

 

Get Tokico illuminas. If you want to save some money, get Tokico HPs. Illuminas are 5 way adjustable and stiffer than HPs.

 

Are adjustable struts even worth it if you are not getting much stiffer springs? Ideally you would like to have you struts as stiff are your springs so they match. If you were to buy H&RS (not too stiff of a spring) I would think the HP Blues would be perfect if you want a softer ride considering they are only 10% stiffer than stock and I think that would be enough to make up for the change in springs. Is my logic off ??

Mark

 

The cost isn't so much of a concern as getting what will suit my needs. The streets in DC are rough but with my worn OEM struts I am swaying and bouncing all over. I really want to stiffen it up. I have front and rear sway bars and right now they aren't being used. The Illuminas sound pretty good right now. Would be nice to adjust depending on the ride quality.

Do you just slide under the car to adjust them or do you have to jack the car up? Meaning... is the adjustability something that's easy to do?

 

In my experience for the best handling you do need to use the lowering springs. However, doing so does affect the ride quality. An adjustable strut set to a firm setting with the OEM spring will probably get you +80% of the performance benefit of the lowering spring + adjustable strut combo, but it will still provide a supple/compliant ride. The damping rates of the shocks has a very big impact on both handling and ride quality. In fact, I would argue that the shock has a much greater impact on overall handling than the typical spring which lowers the car around 1.5". In the case of a true coil over setup, I would expect the results to be different, but keeping an OEM style setup with aftermarket components, good shocks will have by far the greatest impact. Unless you absolutely hate the way the car looks on the OEM springs, I would recommend using the OEM spring and getting the best struts you can to mate with them . . . This will unquestionably give you the best compromise of handling and ride quality I've found to date (again excluding the coil-over options).

 

Yeah, almost 3 years ago I put on the H&R springs (that's the name right? I can't remember). I like the drop with them. But after 31,000 miles my shocks are worn. Therefore, I believe I need new shocks. Leaning towards the Illuminas based on advice here so far...

 

Illuminas should adjust from the top. I haven't used Illuminas on the Maxima, but I have on my old Civic. My issue with them was that they felt "floaty" unless I really turned up the settings on them. Once the settings were high, the ride became unbearably firm and extremely bouncy. It was impossible to find a setting that worked well. Also, regardless of firm or not firm settings, the struts always "crashed" into pot holes with a dramatic firmness not all that disimilar to the OEM struts. I would consider this to be a tell-tale characteristic of the Tokico designs in general. If you are in DC with really bad roads, I might recommend a KYB strut such as the AGX for you. One word of caution. The rear GR2 struts I used got pretty soft after around 20K and the front GR2s lasted to about 30K (when used with H&R lowering springs). They performed well up to those mileages here in NY and I also preferred the feel and handling characteristics of the KYB struts compared to the OEM struts by far.

 

Every strut has its own characteristics. I would expect the overall feel of the Illumina to be similar to the OEM strut. Here's how I'd describe it:

Smooth Roads: Cushy/Slightly Floaty/Smooth/Little loose/poor road feel
Expansion joints: Cushy/Slightly Floaty/Smooth/Little loose/poor road feel
Hilly, twisty back roads: controls body roll, non-linear feel (rapid soft to firm transition)
Small bumps in road with large spacing: compliant/controlled/firm
Small bumps in road with small spacing: not compliant/controlled/firm/jarring
Large bumps in road: excessively firm/non-compliant/jarring

The Tokico design becomes firm anytime the piston experiences rapid changes in velocity. This means that on a smooth straight road, the suspension doesn't move all that much and when it does it moves relatively slowly so the ride is really smooth with little road feel transmitted. On twisty roads, the suspension is moving faster and so is the shock piston so the shock firms up and helps control body roll as the weight of the car shifts from side to side. On bumpy roads and pot holes, etc., the suspension moves quickly and the struts firms up making the ride uncomfortable. The progression from soft to firm in these shocks is extremely non-linear, very rapid and can be dramatic. Personally, I do not care for this design.

Struts which I know have a more linear feel than the Tokico designs are the KONI and GR2 and (I would guess) the AGX as well. These struts give more road feel on smooth roads because they damp more than the Tokico designs with slow piston movement. They tend to handle big bumps better because they are more compliant than the Tokicos are during rapid piston movement. The handling is generally more predictable to the driver because the damping transitions within the shock are altogether more linear and gradual than those provided by the Tokico struts.

NOTE: If you car is slammed, then Tokico might make better sense since they will certainly help prevent the car from bottoming out on big bumps with their ultra firm high piston velocity damping configuration . . .

 

If you do most of the driving within DC, I would get the blues. If you live off DC and drive there, I would go w/ Illuminas. Blues will be more forgiving (softer) when going over potholes and bumps but it will be a little bouncy on smooth roads. Illuminas will hit potholes and pumps harder even on softest setting. Another thing to consider is when weather gets cold, Tokicos will get stiffer. I used both of them during winter times here in Michigan.

 

Ammi - What do you mean by "blues"?

Also, big thanks to ABS for the great response. I appreciate it!

 

Tokico HPs = Tokico "Blues"

 

OK, now we're getting somewhere. Thanks!

I know about the GD for the Illuminas, what about the KYBs - GR2 and AGX? Where can I get those for the best price?

 

I'd start by looking through the GDs... see who has sold em in the past and maybe see if they can still give you an "Org discount"... many of these vendors will, because they know you'll post positive comments about them on here.... talk to the guys at Southwest Autoworks for a start... I'm not sure if they carry KYBs but a lot people on the Org get stuff from them.

If ya wanna go the used route... the Classified forums usually have goodies if you can get to em fast enough... I got my HPs for 165 shipped with about 10k miles...

 

I Live In Ny and the roads are nutty... I Just Passed 30k On My 2k3 And It Feels Like My Tires Are Flat Everywhere I Drive I Need New Shocks?
Im Thinkin About Tokico Hp's And I Cant Decide On Springs From What I Understand I Should Change The Springs Only If I Want To Lower The Car Im Sure It Will Change The Feel When Driving Rite? Is It Dramatic Or Not?
i drive my friends altima all the time and i love the way it handles the road u feel the bumps but its totally different from the max so much softer thats what im trying to get it possible....

 

yeah, I can echo the sentiments regarding the Illuminas mentioned here. They do "crash" on potholes, but I actually like the floaty ride on smooth roads... makes the car feel somewhat luxurious. I keep them at 2f/3r and the ride to work is enjoyable (minus the *******ed shimmy/vibration I've been experiencing lately)

 

if u want the kyb agx you'll have to modify the strut mount bearing and cut the bottom peace of the strut where the bolts go through.

 

AGXs for 5th gens:
http://www.cattman.com/prod_struts_springs.html