oakes57

iTrader: (1)

I finally can't stand it anymore, after over a year of bouncing around and having to listen to the noises of these things I must do something different. I even had times where I would hit a bump and my head would hit the roof. The ride quality is unbearable and I can't take it anymore. I have 18" 350z wheels so I really don't want to have to go back to stock. I also don't want to spend alot of money. What is a good combination to put on the car to try and regain the factory ride yet keep it dropped some so it doesn't look horrible like factory sitting way up in the air with huge wheel gap. Please help, I loved my Max at first then put D2's on and have hated it ever since!! Looks good sitting still though.

Larrio Motors

iTrader: (23)

you could try a standard spring/strut combo. I'd go with something like Eibach for springs and struts that can be dampening adjusted

boondoxmax

iTrader: (1)

^^I agree. I am not one for lowering springs, but from all the threads I've read about k sports/D2 seems like the makes lots of noise and ride like crap. Seems pretty expensive to have all that noise and a rough ride.......

nadeemp8

iTrader: (5)

I went from D2's to Illuminas/S-Techs and now am about to put on some H&R's. I have 18's too and was fed up with the ride but loved the dropped look so went to the next lowest which was the S-Techs. Even with the Illuminas they are still pretty rough, so now will be going to H&R's, which are supposed to be the closest to stock. I'll let you know how it feels comparatively....

upstatemax

iTrader: (15)

How do you have them set up?

I don't have nearly that many problems with mine...


I have found some tinkering with them can make some big changes.

maxS

that's funny... i've had h&rs and s-techs with illuminas and after that coilovers... so, the coilovers appear to be able to provide the LEAST bouncy ride.

super6

iTrader: (5)

i feel ya dude, i went from JIC A1s to h techs and illuminas. id recomend that or illuminas with eibachs. its sooooo much better now, of course it will never handel as well but its well worth the change.

maxS

just an idea here... why not try going with 17" wheels first, taller sidewall tires?

TopSpeedNY

iTrader: (16)

My S techs are to bouncy as well but handleing is way better i want to go back to a bit higher in the front to match the back what you think of that ?

vsamoylov

i currently have d2 coilovers on my maxima. i personally enjoy the way rides. when they first were installed they were quite. then the noises started to apper (clunking mostly). one problem with the d2 coilovers are the horrible spring isolators that are on there. i probably put less then 500 miles on them and the spring isolators are tore up. i ordered some es spring isolators which are much better. we will see how the car will ride and if the noises went away. but overall i am satisfied.

maxS

well, all you need is 8 mm hat spacers for the front.

vsamoylov

wait dont you sell those?

oakes57

iTrader: (1)

Like doing what to them, I can't imagine what I could do that would make that much difference. It is completely ridiculous, the nosie isn't as bad after they have broken in, but there has always been virtually no suspension travel and they ride horrible, pick up every bump, there is nothing to absorb the bumps so they all transfer to the body of the car. Larger bumps in the road, literally pick the back end of the car off the ground and slam my sub into the roof of the trunk and my *** off the seat, so if you have some suggestions that would drastically fix all this I would sure love to hear them, but after almost two years of this stuff I am done with it, I haven't really enjoyed my car and I paid for this!! I have thought about just getting a different car, but can't think of anything I want that baddly, so I might just drop some money and to making my Maxima enjoyable again and go that route

Larrio Motors

iTrader: (23)

The more you drop your car with lowering springs, the less suspension travel you're going to have. Hence the recommendation for the Eibach, H&R's, or Tein-H techs to keep things moderately comfortable.

Either that or you can actually try a higher grade coilover setup that has better shocks and an actual customer service support system. That way someone can assist you AFTER they sell it to you

doublea

iTrader: (7)

I mean coilover is race driven, what did you expect from the D2 ? I have been running the D2 since the first group deal and the handling is way much better. At first the noise was killing me but I ordered some ES coil spring isolator and so far so good it seem to cure the noise. I'm running 17" wheel with 235-45-17 and the ride is acceptable, not exactly the caddy ride but the best of both world.

FriscoMaxima

iTrader: (1)

or just get tein ss coilovers and forget all your problems...

Stardust

iTrader: (10)

I've ridden in a Boss Chen equipped 5.5 and the ride was GREAT, it wasn’t much different then an Eibach equipped car with NO noise.

oakes57

iTrader: (1)

I don't doubt the handling is much better, but I think everyone is missing the point, I am just tired of these things and want the cheapest way to get my car back to normal without going back to factory. My car isn't worth much now, so I don't want to put much money in it. Will anyone buy these D2's used? Please just give me some sugestions that will keep no more then two inch wheel gap and get me back as close to the factory ride as possible. I don't care about handling anymore. Thanks

GBAUER

iTrader: (2)

You can always sell them in the "for sale" section or on E-bay. I would try to trade someone for their strut/spring combo + cash.


as far as setting them up: I found that about a 1/2" of pre-tension on the rear spring and the fronts being just snug will straighten out the spring tension. I usually set the rear struts at full strength and the front at 1/3 to 2/3's turn. In order to change the height properly, you need to take the bottom of the strut off and screw it into the body to lower, out to raise it.

upstatemax

iTrader: (15)

I have my dampning set right in the middle, and the BIG one is to have ZERO preload on the springs. I actually have a gap of about an inch that I can move the spring up and down when the car lifted off the ground.

For everyone that has torn up spring isolators... Do you have pre-load on your springs? I have had mine for well over a year and they still look good.

Bluesbrekr

iTrader: (4)

I have mine set the same. No noise, no torn isolators and the ride is very comfortable (except on the largest of bumps). Everyone who rode in my car at Maxus couldn't believe I was running coilovers.....the ride was that good.

alpinestars™

iTrader: (6)

I am so glad I went with my KSports. I love the ride.

oakes57

iTrader: (1)

No kidding!! So mine might be so bouncey cause I have my springs compressed too much. I was affraid to leave them loose. You actually have an inch gap and there are no problems when you hit deep bumps or holes where the coilover would flex all the way out and the spring would be loose and able to slip side to side? I might have to try this! What are these things worth though?

alpinestars™

iTrader: (6)

You just have to tinker with them as was metioned above. It can take a LONG time to get them where you want, in the end they will ride better than ANY spring and strut combo. If you have the money take it to a tuner shop and have them lay out some configurations for you...

oakes57

iTrader: (1)

Is the general thought to have about an inch of gap between the spring when lifted in the air and to have the shock setting at about the middle?

steven88

iTrader: (28)

wait, if you have zero preload...doesn't that mean there is no gap to move the spring up and down? you mentioned you can move the spring an inch, while its lifted in the air? to me that sounds like negative preload?

oh yeah, my D2s isolators tore up pretty bad...like within a month...I however, was running preload (didn't know **** about coilovers)

steven88

iTrader: (28)

Oakes, exactly how much did you compress the spring? The general rule with D2/Ksports, is to loosen the spring completely...then start tightening it until it becomes "snugged" and has no more play when you try to move the spring up or down...DO NOT go further than this...once you start to spin the collers further than this, the ride WILL become stiff....and yes, your wheels will lift up off the ground (especially the rear wheels)...I know, becuz I use to ride like this...

upstatemax

iTrader: (15)

If that is called negative pre-load, then yeah I guess I have negative pre-load... I just call it an inch gap.

For Oakes57- I had the same concerns when I first heard about this method but I decided to try anyway... I have had no problems with the spring staying seated at all. I have yet to get my car airborne...

steven88

iTrader: (28)

haha, i dunno if its called negative preload either...i just named it that becuz the general idea is to put ZERO preload on the coilovers....but if you decide to put more, i called it positive...and less, negative...

what made you decide to go with negative preload? especially 1 inch?...i have not ventured into the territory of negative 1 inch preload (but have tried maybe 1/8th?)...but wouldn't the ride become too loose at this point?

upstatemax

iTrader: (15)

I only did it to try new things... I ended up liking how it rode so I kept it. I went with an inch because when I orginally heard about this they said two inches and I wanted to try one first... I am to lazy to re-adjust again since I like the ride to try two.

steven88

iTrader: (28)

damn are you serious!?! two inches of play!?! thats a freakin butt load isn't it? especially coming from ZERO preload...hmm, where does it say?

upstatemax

iTrader: (15)

I don't remember the thread it came from. One of the old Coilover threads, It was a LONG time ago...

I was not really comfortable with two inches of gap either...

joebangaa

iTrader: (3)

andrew... i have an inch gap

nadeemp8

iTrader: (5)

Did that already, was only a minimal difference. The main problem I have is if I hit an irregularity or pot hole in the crappy roads here in Houston, you can really feel it....

vsamoylov

avoid them or you can say goodbye to your coilovers.

Larrio Motors

iTrader: (23)

Only other option is to try and soften up the spring rate or buy some replacement shocks that have higher dampening