Most of you guys suggest RSB and FSTBs as the first suspension mods for SE owners. But lots of us GXE owners (hey, we're putting kids through college, OK?)wonder if you'd recommend Toks/H&Rs or Eibachs as the first mods for our woefully undersprung, underdamped pins? Or will the RSB and FSTB make such a huge improvement that it's still first? I'd like to hear from GXE drivers who've upgraded, SE folks who stuck with the OEM suspension and SE drivers who upgraded. Or any other combination/permutation. Thanks in advance.


Love the car, hate the paint.

Well, I have an SE so i can't speak much from the GXE/GLE perspective, but the FSTB and RSB make a pretty significant difference when combined. This would most likley be true for any other maxima model also since the RSB mainly affects body roll and makes handling more neutral.

I have an SE too but I would say RSB and FSTB improved handling more than my eibachs and tokicos. Plus ride quality doesn't suffer with them.

FSTB and RSB
 

I went with the FSTB to stiffen up the front. The Y pipe is next, then the RSB. Yeah I would have to agree the ride sucks in this car with crappy roads.

Re: FSTB and RSB
 

well, i have a GXE...
the first mod ever for my car was actually an intake.
next i got set of 17s for my car, and then i bought the eibachs. after that i bought the front strut tower, the y-pipe, and the rear sway for my car. the tokicos did not come into factor until early this year. so far, i'd say the ride is stiffer than with stock shocks, but i can't complain.

i'd say the most bang for the buck mod i bought so far are the sway bar and the y-pipe...
i think the sway bar is far better suspension mod than the front strut bar...

I have an SE and did the FSTB first - partly to keep the body shell tight, but I was amazed at the improvement. Then I went with the Addco RSB and found that a big help too. The SE is underdamped as well as the GXE, especially at the rear, so shocks will come when the KYB AGX are available, no spring change though as I have already scraped quite a few times. I have a friend with a GXE and he has done the same mods and realized seemingly even more improvement - especially his RSB. He still plans springs and shocks as the GXE is even more underdamped than the SE.

wdave

If you want to go for hardcore handling right off the bat, I say get coilovers (Cattman or Ground Control). These will make the ride quality really bad, but will give you outstanding handling.

Springs and struts will give you great handling, but not as good as the coilovers. You can say they're the stage 2 in Maxima suspension modification.

I recommend getting the RSB and FSTB first.

wuts stage three? :naughty:

The first paragraph. :p

I don't know how to differentiate the stages, but that's how I think of it.

so it goes:

Stage I : RSB and FSTB, maybe RSTB
Stage II : Springs and struts
Stage III : Coilovers and adjustable struts

Exactly... you can probably add engine mounts to number........ 3?

we can call that Stage III.5 :gapteeth:
engine mounts are like the last thing people upgrade, I guess...modding your car is like Gran Turismo....hehehehehe

I have a GXE and I put the FSTB and RSB on at the same time, so I couldn't tell you which one made more of a difference, but the addition of both felt awesome on the car. I've been taking almost every turn a hell of a lot faster, not because I'm trying, but because it feels almost the same. Definitely my recommendation for your first two mods, especially on a GXE.

so i'm guessing people are saying rsb first????

i'm only really planning on one mod right now, but i know once i start i can't stop. so i'm leaning toward the addco rsb. i know people say there are problems but i think i'm pretty good with cars that i can tweak it so i don't have problems.

I have the Addco, and I did feel the infamous "clunking" at first, but after a few days, I retightened everything back down, and it's fine. Don't know how much of a performance difference there is with the Stillen.

i think rsb made more difference than the fstb...
when i installed the fstb, the difference was very minimal.
the rsb tho, was a definite difference right off the bat.

GXE upgrade
 

I have a GXE and the 1st mod I made was the FSTB. It did make a large difference in the tracking of the car around sweeping curves. I then made the JWT pop charger change. Car breathes better noticed a slight increase in pull of the car nothing major. It can wait. I have the Addco rsb I haven't installed as the bracket snapped on install. Not good. But I contacted addco and they were cool about sending me new ones. I ya gotta wait a little to do FSTB and TSB do it. The GXE needs as many handling mods as you can stick on it