roll4life

iTrader: (2)

i was wondering whats the difference between these two...most people seem to prefer the springs/struts combo better..but are there any other reasons other than the price for this? the d2 coilovers cost about 1k and the springs/struts cost maybe $860? (illuminas are about $600 from stillen and eibach springs are $260 also from stillen) so about $860 vs.1000...are the coilovers that much better in performance? or do people buy them just because they are height adjustable..plus i heard there are many problems with the coilovers? so overall whats better? i mean $140 difference isn't THAT much of a difference

Tek-Niq

iTrader: (3)

see if this is still going on and save 160 dollars..

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=380493

Tek-Niq

iTrader: (3)

better yet don't I see they have a prob there......

LA02MAX

iTrader: (3)

why would you buy from stillen?? they are really overpriced...i think the springs/struts would be a lot less than the $860 you claim (438 for illuminas and 220 for H-tech springs), which is the reason why i'm planning on buying the springs/struts....thats a pretty big price difference...although i have heard some great things about the coilovers, i think in the long run, the springs/struts are the better value..just my opinion though

irish44j

iTrader: (38)

springs/struts generall = better ride quality. The only adjustability you have is the strut (if you get an adjustable strut, that is)

coilovers are generally considered more for high-performance applications, and they have height adjustability. In general, you sacrifice ride quality for adjustability.

of course, those are only generalizations and are not necessarily always true....

roll4life

iTrader: (2)

all right i see..yeah i understand that stillen is overpriced that was just an example..but how come most of you guys prefer the springs/strut combo? so far the factors i see are just the ride quality and price, im not saying those are little factors..but adjusting the ride height seems like a nice plus... and anyways are there really that many problems with the d2 coilovers?

"In general, you sacrifice ride quality for adjustability."

irish..but cant you adjust the coilovers so the ride is nice or are they made to be more rough and for performance purposes?


"i think in the long run, the springs/struts are the better value.."

maxilvr what do you mean by that? why are they a better value in the long run? do they last longer?

im not trying to attack anyone here im just wondering the difference between the two..because adjusting the ride height seems like a huge plus to me and since the price difference isn't that great..im looking at my choices in the future

LA02MAX

iTrader: (3)

i guess "in the long run" wasn't exactly the right term to use...i was just saying that i dont think that the adjustability is enough to persuade me to spend the extra $400 or so for the coilovers, and that the spings/sturts will be just as good, if not better (ride quality) overall than the coilovers...if you really want performance, you can spend the extra money on a LTB, an RSB, an FSTB or RSTB, and even SFCs (not all of those at once, of course) if you dont already have any of those and that will give you really tight, relatively smooth ride...

irish44j

iTrader: (38)

I've never felt a need/desire to adjust my ride height, personally. Most of the guys around here with coilovers set them to the height they want and just leave em there.....
read the sticky thread (if it's still a sticky) and you'll have the answer to that. Or just pm dblrr90 (rob) and ask him

It's not so much the ride quality that's adjustable, but the height and stiffness. Even at the "top" settings, no coilover out there will have as comfortable a ride as mid-line spring sets (Illumina + H&R/Maxspeed/Progress/H-Tech).


coilovers use a more tightly-compressed spring that is "part" of the strut assembly - i.e. you don't need a spring compressor and all that good stuff to install them, necessarily, as you would for a spring/strut combo. Independent springs are larger and cushier, in almost every case. As I said above, the height adjustment is not a big factor for most people.

Frankly, if you just drive your car around the street, spring/strut combo is probably what you want. If, though, your car is used for "performance driving" (i.e. auto-x, track, alot of twisty country roads), then coilovers are a good choice..

roll4life

iTrader: (2)

I see..thanks a lot for the replys guys...im going to think about it and consider what i want to fill my needs and wants at the same time..id like to get coilovers but they are more expensive. i still think the height adjustment could play a role, for example in the winter you could raise the car a little and if you're going to a show you can lower the car..but if the coilover idea doesn't work for me or i change my mind, then im going with illuminas+progress setup..thanks again

BlackBIRDVQ

iTrader: (15)

frankd121 will be online later on tonite- and will let you know what my old combo- GroundControll coilovers on Koni Yellow front and KYB AGX in the rear feel like. After a short drive he told me they where comfy and at the same time just a little bit stiffer than his old SE suspension. We just got done installing the suspension on his car 1 hour ago, I sold it for 400 bux.

JICs are fairly comfortable if you adjust them correctly, and allow you to change aligment settings, height of car, and stiffness. Personally I wouldn't ever go back to normal springs and shocks on my Maxima. D2s are not all that, Teins suck, and JIC is the ONLY way to go coilover on a 5th gen- make sure its got the new redesigned front inverted struts.

roll4life

iTrader: (2)

http://www.jic-magic.com/productsjic_susp.htm

this link has like 5 diff choices..which ones are you talking about?

njmaxseltd

iTrader: (19)

The idea behind coilovers is to properly set up your suspension by corner weighing your car. That's how you get maximum handling out of the cars suspension, by balancing left to right. Most people just buy them for the ability to go low and keep a descent amount of suspension travel. Without setting them up via corner weighing the vehicle, your not really getting any benefit over a coil spring and strut set up.

BlackBIRDVQ

iTrader: (15)

FLTA2s are the ones for our Maximas. They also make FLTA1s for ours also I belive. And you are correct, corner weighin the car is THE best way to set up a car. NO aftermarket lowering spring can do that.

ColdSHO

iTrader: (25)

i change my ride height more oftent han most, depending on season and suck, the problem i noticed with most springs on the 5th gens is that the car doesnt seem even, and i like my front a little lower for a more aggresive stance, no spring setup will allow me that. my other car has eibachs on tokico blues and i think it rides better than my jic's but i dont like the drop as far as looks go.