TXT-1

iTrader: (1)

I know I've ragged on my Maxima's suspension design and handling characteristics, but this weekend, that suspension saved me from a horrible accident. I was on the way home from the DC area merging onto 495 N from I-95 when a huge black SUV cut into my lane without signaling or looking. All I saw was this huge black wall next to me and I instinctively jerked my steering wheel to the right to avoid being sideswiped. We were going about 70 MPH and the car went across two lanes, everything was in slow motion at this point and I thought I was gonna go off the road but somehow I saved it and regained control. Not once did I feel the car lose traction, nor did I ever think it was going to spin. The suspension just felt controlled and solid at that point. I have a stock SE suspension running on Falken 512's by the way.

imxelite

iTrader: (2)

I think you own your life to those tires mainly. I don't want to think about what might happen with the deathtenza's

NYPD-Arnold

iTrader: (8)

I'd say it's the Falkens that saved you. That's just me, though.

Edit: I hate imxelite.

imxelite

iTrader: (2)

.............................................

NisMo-Max

iTrader: (40)

Stock Nissan Suspension Sucks. Thank the Tires!!!

steven88

iTrader: (28)

I'm not sure if this is true...but I heard the TIRE improves the handling characteristics of a car the most....even over sway bars+coilovers....correct me if I am wrong

If this is in fact true...then I can peacefully say that those falkens helped save your life...

Metal Maxima

iTrader: (30)

Yep, I think that's pretty true. There have been a few times where I have had to stop short and the tires never jumped or anything of that nature...just remained glued to the asphalt (Michelen Pilot Sport A/S)

F23A4

Now I'm even happier to have 512s.

DaBoxSE

iTrader: (5)

Good thing you are ok! Thank god you didnt have the stock tires on, you'd be writing a different story...

Imwearingpants

I luv my 512s....cept in the snow. Wait, If the tires matter most in normal circumstances, do they still matter most in like snow?

FanaticMadMax

wow, at least you dodged a bullet from getting a car accident. People are ingorant when they don't know how to use a turn signal

screamindman

Everybody sh*ts on the Maxima's OE suspension. Granted, there is a lot of roll in the back, but the stock 02' SE has a pretty good speed through the 400 ft slalom. There were not many cars that did it this fast, unless you had a Vette or something like that. I forgot the exact MPH through the slalom, but it was up in the mid to high sixties for our cars. A Vette was like 71MPH or something like that. Glad your OK man. It's our tires that are the weak link on our cars. If you changed the tires and nothing else, you'd get a night and day difference in handling.

LA02MAX

iTrader: (3)

yeah this makes me want to change my tires even more...this morning it was wet out on my way to school, and i drive on a fairly twisty road with a speed limit of 40...i always slow down to about 25 going around curves when it's wet out (notice i said FAIRLY curvy...most of the lifted F-350s can take these turns going the speed limit)...anyways this morning i was going around a pretty short radiused curve doing about 20 and i felt my car sliding the whole way, and i saw another car coming toward me in the other lane...i didnt want to panic and lose control so i just sort of turned the wheel a little bit more in a slow movement and finally felt the tires gain control and was able to stay in my lane...now if i were going any faster, i know i would have lost control and had an accident...

the moral of the story is: be thankful you weren't riding on the deathtenzas...you probably would not be driving the max still...

TXT-1

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for all the comments about this. I did not realize how crucial a part the actual tires play in the handling of the car. I am very thankful that I had the tires changed and don't even want to think about what would have happened if I procrastinated about getting the Potenzas replaced.

F23A4

While scoping out some other cars at a local dealership, there was a 2k3 Maxima on the lot with stock RE92s. Needless to say, I had a Vampire-Garlic/Cross reaction to seeing those things.

Chris.s

I had a Simmilar experience with a Van. Snowing hard, 4" of slush on the shoulder. going round 55 on the highway over the hill there is a car stopped in her lane (there were deffinate warning signs of trouble if she were paying attention). She was ahead of me in the lane to my right and she smashed the breakes and pulled right infornt of me. Needless to say I was forced out onto the (luckily) full shoulder into deep snow and slush. The Max didnt hesitate or loose traction at anytime. No fish tailing or anytng. By far one of the most inpressive avoidance manuvers I have ever seen. My GF almost died. But when your driving you rarely take to the time to realize exactly what is going on untill your clear. Was an 02 SE with winter tires or course.

screamindman

My uncle used to be a mechanic on racecars, and he said that tires are one of the most important pieces of the whole suspension puzzle. They are the only contact to the ground on the whole car, they are the only thing that you are riding on. He told me that before I change anything else on my car, change the tires first. I sort of took his advice, and did the intake and HKS rear section, then rims and tires, then the rear sway & fstb, then Eibach's with Tokico blues, and then my brakes. (Leaving out a bunch of other mods.)