Maxspeed vs. H&R -- Part 2... with review inside.
Maxspeed vs. H&R -- Part 2... with review inside.
UPDATED:
H&R Review...stance: 26 1/4''
Ride Comfort: 9/10 -- This is about as close to stock as you'll get when you have OEM Tokicos up front paired with H&Rs, it just feels like a dream. The car glides over everything now. It's everybit as smooth the FX35, and smoother than my uncle's G35x. The spring itself is a stiffer spring, and it's obvious. It required more pressure to be compressed, where as the Maxspeed required quite a bit less pressure. This contributes significantly to the ride as it lets the struts do their proper job.
Twisty Roads: 8.5 -- I said before there was a lack of precision with the Maxspeeds, like this somewhat weird feeling that my front end will just lose it and whack itself into a wall. But the H&Rs get rid of most of that. The car feels so damn precise and controlled. It's almost like a knife cutting through butter. The steering response is astounding and the flex is quite minimal -- more so than the Maxspeeds. The only room left for improvement would be tie bars and an RSB. Otherwise, this is terrific.
Sharp/Looping exit in NYC: 8.5 -- At 30MPH the car used to lean over quite a bit with the Maxspeeds. But the H&Rs simmer all of that down and make it far less noticeable, and far more comfortable. The car is poised at all times and likely with just an RSB and FSTB (or perhaps just a stage 1 LTB), we've got ourselves a car that's got outstanding handling. At this point, with my setup I've got a great handling car and I intend to get it to that "outstanding" point.
Sudden Lane Changes: 8.5 -- This. Is. It. This is where the magic happened. This was the test that really sparked me and blew a fuse in my brain. I really didn't like the float when I would change lanes in the Maxspeeds, but now 3/4 of that is gone. Absolutely gone. You've got this ever tiny bit of lift if you whip the wheel hard enough, but it's nothing like what it felt with the Maxspeeds.
S-Turn: 9/10 -- Because the H&Rs prevent so much lift over the Maxspeeds, doing quick S-turns becomes far more effortless and a lot less scary. The car just slices right into them -- in and then out. There's just so much more composure and the car is so much more fun to drive. Basically, everything about this suspension is just "tight" and with a few more minor additions here and there, I think that it'll give most cars a run for their money.
Overall: 43.5/50
Clearly this setup with my H&Rs is far more dominant than having Maxspeeds all around.
--------------
At 2:30 my H&Rs will be installed up front and my Maxspeeds will be removed out of the front. I just measured my stance and my car sits from (ground to fender) 26 1/4'' with the Maxspeeds in the front.
I said I'd do some tests before I removed the Maxspeeds and here is what I came up with (all tests will be re-done for H&R at the same speed):
Sharp/looping exit in NYC: 7/10 -- decent amount of resistance from the chassis. And sharp rebound with no swaying side-to-side.
Ride comfort: 8/10 -- with the OEM struts sitting up front, the spring rate of the Maxspeeds seems to work a lot better that way, allowing the strut to do a fair amount of work. Certain bumps may be a bit harsh, but if I were to be honest, the car now is every bit as smooth as the FX35. I look forward to a progressive spring evening some more of that turbulance out, though.
Twisty roads: 7/10 -- it's not bad, but there's a certain lack of precision. The chassis is holding up, but the steering response seems to be putting a damper on things. But it's still not bad and can get quite enjoyable.
Sudden lane changes: 6.5/10 -- Meh. A bit too much lift, and I was keeping the changes mild too. Hopefully the H&Rs correct this -- this is probably my biggest peeve with the Maxspeeds.
Sharp S-turn 8/10: I have a very quick and tight S-turn here in my area. It's basically a 90-degree left with a 65-degree right. The suspension performs quite well on this quirky little turn (I'll take pics of it when I do it again with the H&Rs). At about 20MPH a quick throw to the left and then to the right feels absolutely solid.
Maxspeed Score: 36.5/50
H&R Review...stance: 26 1/4''
Ride Comfort: 9/10 -- This is about as close to stock as you'll get when you have OEM Tokicos up front paired with H&Rs, it just feels like a dream. The car glides over everything now. It's everybit as smooth the FX35, and smoother than my uncle's G35x. The spring itself is a stiffer spring, and it's obvious. It required more pressure to be compressed, where as the Maxspeed required quite a bit less pressure. This contributes significantly to the ride as it lets the struts do their proper job.
Twisty Roads: 8.5 -- I said before there was a lack of precision with the Maxspeeds, like this somewhat weird feeling that my front end will just lose it and whack itself into a wall. But the H&Rs get rid of most of that. The car feels so damn precise and controlled. It's almost like a knife cutting through butter. The steering response is astounding and the flex is quite minimal -- more so than the Maxspeeds. The only room left for improvement would be tie bars and an RSB. Otherwise, this is terrific.
Sharp/Looping exit in NYC: 8.5 -- At 30MPH the car used to lean over quite a bit with the Maxspeeds. But the H&Rs simmer all of that down and make it far less noticeable, and far more comfortable. The car is poised at all times and likely with just an RSB and FSTB (or perhaps just a stage 1 LTB), we've got ourselves a car that's got outstanding handling. At this point, with my setup I've got a great handling car and I intend to get it to that "outstanding" point.
Sudden Lane Changes: 8.5 -- This. Is. It. This is where the magic happened. This was the test that really sparked me and blew a fuse in my brain. I really didn't like the float when I would change lanes in the Maxspeeds, but now 3/4 of that is gone. Absolutely gone. You've got this ever tiny bit of lift if you whip the wheel hard enough, but it's nothing like what it felt with the Maxspeeds.
S-Turn: 9/10 -- Because the H&Rs prevent so much lift over the Maxspeeds, doing quick S-turns becomes far more effortless and a lot less scary. The car just slices right into them -- in and then out. There's just so much more composure and the car is so much more fun to drive. Basically, everything about this suspension is just "tight" and with a few more minor additions here and there, I think that it'll give most cars a run for their money.
Overall: 43.5/50
Clearly this setup with my H&Rs is far more dominant than having Maxspeeds all around.
--------------
At 2:30 my H&Rs will be installed up front and my Maxspeeds will be removed out of the front. I just measured my stance and my car sits from (ground to fender) 26 1/4'' with the Maxspeeds in the front.
I said I'd do some tests before I removed the Maxspeeds and here is what I came up with (all tests will be re-done for H&R at the same speed):
Sharp/looping exit in NYC: 7/10 -- decent amount of resistance from the chassis. And sharp rebound with no swaying side-to-side.
Ride comfort: 8/10 -- with the OEM struts sitting up front, the spring rate of the Maxspeeds seems to work a lot better that way, allowing the strut to do a fair amount of work. Certain bumps may be a bit harsh, but if I were to be honest, the car now is every bit as smooth as the FX35. I look forward to a progressive spring evening some more of that turbulance out, though.
Twisty roads: 7/10 -- it's not bad, but there's a certain lack of precision. The chassis is holding up, but the steering response seems to be putting a damper on things. But it's still not bad and can get quite enjoyable.
Sudden lane changes: 6.5/10 -- Meh. A bit too much lift, and I was keeping the changes mild too. Hopefully the H&Rs correct this -- this is probably my biggest peeve with the Maxspeeds.
Sharp S-turn 8/10: I have a very quick and tight S-turn here in my area. It's basically a 90-degree left with a 65-degree right. The suspension performs quite well on this quirky little turn (I'll take pics of it when I do it again with the H&Rs). At about 20MPH a quick throw to the left and then to the right feels absolutely solid.
Maxspeed Score: 36.5/50
Oooooo... let's see if H&Rs will beat that score!!!
So your Maxspeeds are sitting at 26 1/4" in the front? I think H&Rs will be a bit higher than that though, mine were 26 1/2" in the front but who knows yours could be different.
Ohhh yeah bro don't forget to make some pics as well.
So your Maxspeeds are sitting at 26 1/4" in the front? I think H&Rs will be a bit higher than that though, mine were 26 1/2" in the front but who knows yours could be different.
Ohhh yeah bro don't forget to make some pics as well.
It will fluctuate between 26 1/4 and 26 1/2 all depending on if gas tank is full or empty. To be perfectly precise, with my gas tank at 1/4 I measured the drop today at 26 4/10. So it'll fluctuate between 26 1/4 and 1/2. I will definitely take pics of the differences -- but I'd think you need one very sharp eye to notice a difference. Thankfully these springs have been broken in a teeny bit, so settling shouldn't be an issue -- but we'll see.
Fellas...I'm back. And I'm astounded. Absolutely, positively, downright floored. The setup feels incredible, thus far. The entire car ride home I was squealing like a little ***** because I was so excited. A full review will come around shortly. Stay posted for a follow up reply on my ride stance -- to the naked eye the wheel gap looks pretty much identical -- but we'll see.
Dr Klop: By rebound I mean how fast the car evens itself out after it flexes left or right. And OEM only up front.
Dr Klop: By rebound I mean how fast the car evens itself out after it flexes left or right. And OEM only up front.
H&R Review...stance: 26 1/4''
Ride Comfort: 9/10 -- This is about as close to stock as you'll get when you have OEM Tokicos up front paired with H&Rs, it just feels like a dream. The car glides over everything now. It's everybit as smooth the FX35, and smoother than my uncle's G35x. The spring itself is a stiffer spring, and it's obvious. It required more pressure to be compressed, where as the Maxspeed required quite a bit less pressure. This contributes significantly to the ride as it lets the struts do their proper job.
Twisty Roads: 8.5 -- I said before there was a lack of precision with the Maxspeeds, like this somewhat weird feeling that my front end will just lose it and whack itself into a wall. But the H&Rs get rid of most of that. The car feels so damn precise and controlled. It's almost like a knife cutting through butter. The steering response is astounding and the flex is quite minimal -- more so than the Maxspeeds. The only room left for improvement would be tie bars and an RSB. Otherwise, this is terrific.
Sharp/Looping exit in NYC: 8.5 -- At 30MPH the car used to lean over quite a bit with the Maxspeeds. But the H&Rs simmer all of that down and make it far less noticeable, and far more comfortable. The car is poised at all times and likely with just an RSB and FSTB (or perhaps just a stage 1 LTB), we've got ourselves a car that's got outstanding handling. At this point, with my setup I've got a great handling car and I intend to get it to that "outstanding" point.
Sudden Lane Changes: 8.5 -- This. Is. It. This is where the magic happened. This was the test that really sparked me and blew a fuse in my brain. I really didn't like the float when I would change lanes in the Maxspeeds, but now 3/4 of that is gone. Absolutely gone. You've got this ever tiny bit of lift if you whip the wheel hard enough, but it's nothing like what it felt with the Maxspeeds.
S-Turn: 9/10 -- Because the H&Rs prevent so much lift over the Maxspeeds, doing quick S-turns becomes far more effortless and a lot less scary. The car just slices right into them -- in and then out. There's just so much more composure and the car is so much more fun to drive. Basically, everything about this suspension is just "tight" and with a few more minor additions here and there, I think that it'll give most cars a run for their money.
Overall: 43.5/50
Clearly this setup with my H&Rs is far more dominant than having Maxspeeds all around.
Ride Comfort: 9/10 -- This is about as close to stock as you'll get when you have OEM Tokicos up front paired with H&Rs, it just feels like a dream. The car glides over everything now. It's everybit as smooth the FX35, and smoother than my uncle's G35x. The spring itself is a stiffer spring, and it's obvious. It required more pressure to be compressed, where as the Maxspeed required quite a bit less pressure. This contributes significantly to the ride as it lets the struts do their proper job.
Twisty Roads: 8.5 -- I said before there was a lack of precision with the Maxspeeds, like this somewhat weird feeling that my front end will just lose it and whack itself into a wall. But the H&Rs get rid of most of that. The car feels so damn precise and controlled. It's almost like a knife cutting through butter. The steering response is astounding and the flex is quite minimal -- more so than the Maxspeeds. The only room left for improvement would be tie bars and an RSB. Otherwise, this is terrific.
Sharp/Looping exit in NYC: 8.5 -- At 30MPH the car used to lean over quite a bit with the Maxspeeds. But the H&Rs simmer all of that down and make it far less noticeable, and far more comfortable. The car is poised at all times and likely with just an RSB and FSTB (or perhaps just a stage 1 LTB), we've got ourselves a car that's got outstanding handling. At this point, with my setup I've got a great handling car and I intend to get it to that "outstanding" point.
Sudden Lane Changes: 8.5 -- This. Is. It. This is where the magic happened. This was the test that really sparked me and blew a fuse in my brain. I really didn't like the float when I would change lanes in the Maxspeeds, but now 3/4 of that is gone. Absolutely gone. You've got this ever tiny bit of lift if you whip the wheel hard enough, but it's nothing like what it felt with the Maxspeeds.
S-Turn: 9/10 -- Because the H&Rs prevent so much lift over the Maxspeeds, doing quick S-turns becomes far more effortless and a lot less scary. The car just slices right into them -- in and then out. There's just so much more composure and the car is so much more fun to drive. Basically, everything about this suspension is just "tight" and with a few more minor additions here and there, I think that it'll give most cars a run for their money.
Overall: 43.5/50
Clearly this setup with my H&Rs is far more dominant than having Maxspeeds all around.
Hahaha I knew Maxspeeds wouldn't stand a chance. People say they're so alike that it doen't worth buying H&Rs for like $100 more. Yeah right!!! The proverb "you get what you pay for" is realy a true thing in most of the cases huh. 
You just need to test it more deeply!!!
Well great job Arnold, great test and the whole write up is awsome. Not a bunch of ppl do that here.
You just need to test it more deeply!!!Well great job Arnold, great test and the whole write up is awsome. Not a bunch of ppl do that here.
nothing like a quality thread. i recently got maxspeed springs and i am going to be putting them up front only, so i will be looking at this again and comparing, probably not compare-posting, unless you think it would be helpful
Originally Posted by shurik
Hahaha I knew Maxspeeds wouldn't stand a chance. People say they're so alike that it doen't worth buying H&Rs for like $100 more. Yeah right!!! The proverb "you get what you pay for" is realy a true thing in most of the cases huh. You just need to test it more deeply!!!
Well great job Arnold, great test and the whole write up is awsome. Not a bunch of ppl do that here.
You just need to test it more deeply!!!Well great job Arnold, great test and the whole write up is awsome. Not a bunch of ppl do that here.
Ephraim: Thanks for the words.
Originally Posted by NYPD-Arnold
Yup. Thanks, bro. Good lookin' out on the springs. I'm definitely happy with the selection and the setup. It's nice to also have a setup that no one else has, but also a setup that works this well.
Ephraim: Thanks for the words.
Ephraim: Thanks for the words.
So you're running H&Rs in the front and Maxspeed in the rear? Tokiko blues all around right?
BTW do you have pics of this set up anywhere at this point?
Don't you think some of these changes could also be attributed to putting new struts up front with the H&R's, as opposed to the old (original?) OEM struts with the Maxspeeds?
unless you did the H&R's with the old OEM struts
or
the Maxspeeds with the Tok Blues
then
invalid test found!
Not saying that H&Rs aren't superior to maxspeeds...they likely are, but still, a comparison test isn't really accurate if the struts are different in addition to the springs, IMO.
unless you did the H&R's with the old OEM struts
or
the Maxspeeds with the Tok Blues
then
invalid test found!
Not saying that H&Rs aren't superior to maxspeeds...they likely are, but still, a comparison test isn't really accurate if the struts are different in addition to the springs, IMO.
Originally Posted by MetaOrbit
If I remember correctly, he ran the OEM struts with the Maxspeeds (up front) for a little while before switching the front springs with the H&Rs.
Originally Posted by NYPD-Arnold
Shurik...if I posted pics, you wouldn't be able to tell a difference. Trust me. 
But I might make a run to a large parking lot and take some shots just for the hell of it.
But I might make a run to a large parking lot and take some shots just for the hell of it.
cool, thanks! Here's the link: http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=459517
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
derekinthez
7th Generation Classifieds (2009-2015)
2
Nov 13, 2022 04:00 PM
MR2 T'd
5th Generation Classifieds (2000-2003)
6
Jul 9, 2021 05:06 AM
