Hey guys,
Long time no talk on here. Cars been just wonderful. Reached 168k on my GLE and still purring. Here around in NY Long island the roads are pretty bad and im noticing more and more that I need new shocks.. And being a professional kart and race car driver it is bugging me more and more. I have about 200 pounds of audio equipment in the trunk (to keep in mind).
Three questions:
-Going to replace front and rear shocks (OEM) eventually ....but what would you do first? Front or rear?
-Simple installation from the looks?
-Since the rear is dropped (from the audio wt.) about an inch from the front which really affects the stance of the car, could I cut a determined amount from the front springs to help the split and hopefully level the car out while i have them out of the car?

Thanks guys

 

front= struts

replace those first. you'll feel the ride quality improvement most in the front since you're the one driving i assume

if you want adjustable, get tokico illumnas. they're adjustable, and a full set (front/rear) costs only about $400ish.

http://www.shiftice.com/spring_strut_decision.html

 

Yes I am the driver...And thinking about it now because of the shock being nonexistant, i think that would explain the direction in which the car veers when you run over a sever pothole or bump. I would think the front would make the most impact untill I get a full set. Then again, I might just get a full set.

Friend said I would need a spring compressor to install these things?

 

yes you will. and its always best to do all 4 shocks/struts at the same time.

Its a really easy job to do just rather time consuming.

 

Up for the challenge. I have a full work shop and plenty of time to spair thanks guys!

 

Spring compression/uncompression takes the longest if you don't have air or electric tools. I bought a cheap Great Neck $60 electric impact wrench from Pep Boys which I can (safely) compress in under 5 minutes....compared to like an hour with a (short) ratchet.

The thing that sucks about the rears is that they can only go in the upper mount one way and since there's no easy rotation device (like the bearing on the front struts), you should try to test fit them in their upper & lower mounts while the spring is still compressed. Otherwise you'll have to recompress the strings just to rotate the top mount.

Fronts will give you the most instant gratification. Rears...I can hardly tell the difference, but my car wasn't bouncy before.

 

Do all of them together as one set....

 

If you can't afford the full set either get fronts for the time being or just wait and save up for the full set.

 

Thanks guys. For sure I am doing as a set....Can't wait!

 

Not sure if this thread still gets any action, but as a follow up, I just did my fronts on my 2003 SE, and aside from the spring compression pain in the butt, was pretty easy. Just wondering if I have to do the rears, or it's really a nice too. I have 104k and the right front was SHOT. So far, it drives much better, although I still have to wonder what doing the rears would give me.

 

Changing them is easy, hope ya replaced the dust boot and bump stops because it would be pointless. Also make sure if you use the impact use the 1/2 in extension makes life much easier trust me. If you dont know how to do it, hit me up, I'm nyc bound. lol

 

this is also a 2 year old thread...i'm quite sure his struts are replaced by now....

 

That's one reason I didn't change the rear is I need the dust boots/bumps. For Front, yes, used the OEM's from Nissan. Struts/Mounts KYB. Have one set of Rear KYB's and was looking for an advance auto coupon to pickup my second set, but NOT the dust boot/bump. I heard the rears are more often re usable. Can't see the damn thing to know though. So as for doing the rear even though not really necessary, it's 104k and fronts just done so do it? Or don't fix what isn't broken? Just trying to leverage renting the spring compressor more than anything.

 

I say change ALL 4 same time .. Stick to OEM boots

 

Don't cut the springs.

 

Got it, keep the compressor, fix all 4 at once with OEM covers. Is there any chance KYB covers wiilll work for the back 104 or 106, i forget, or are they completely unacceptable there too.

 

I did shocks/springs in about 2.5 hours yesterday. It went really smoothly actually except for doing the first front shock.. the spring compressors were interfering with lining everything up.

Tip for the rear; Eyeball and mark the top hat of the suspension in line with the shock eye hole. I did this, and they went back together perfectly on both sides on the first try.

My rear boots are destroyed, and I will have to take it back apart to replace them unfortunately. I should have checked first. Tire rack has them for 12 bucks each.

 

Tire Rack has KYB? OEM? Which brand because that price is rocking!

 

Oh and thanks for the tip on lining up the top hat to hole also!!!!

 

^ I learned that years ago and it saves a TON of time and headache.

Here is the link to the KYB boots; http://www.tirerack.com/suspension/s...0&autoModClar=

 

Wowwww! Do all @ the sametime......

 

Okay, I went back and forth about it and think I still have to stick OEM. Apparently the SB 108's for the rear are smaller and have to be rigged a bit. Courtesy Nissan has the rear for 32 a pop, which is still way to much in my opinion for something that REALLY appears to have failed all around. Checked the rears last night and a pile of rings just like the front. For my 2003 SE exact numbers are (as 12 flavors come up for 55240 for example):


54050-2y002 Front

55240-2y000 Rear


One last question: when I put on the front I had to pry the all-in-one boot/bumpstop from the top hat. I assume that this naturally happens at your first good bump and it lodges itself in that crevice, with the boot then hanging down to protect the rest of the shaft. In other words, you don't ATTACH the top to anything other than place on the shaft. And more importantly (as it doesn't even have a bump or secure point period), the bottom of the boot is not secured either. It just floats over the strut shaft. Just want to make sure I'm not allowing in debris here. I see looking at the KYB SB108 that it comes with a zip tie, which I did not even think of using with the OEM's (and it didn't come with anything).

 

Sorry I missed this on refresh. I assume you mean wowww because 104 is the right time? Driving it around with just the fronts done right now doesn't seem to ride any differently (albeit much better than the banging before from the right front).

As a new Nissan owner, I'm a little surprised how often these things seem to be failing and folks are okay with replacing them.

 

Shock boots see a lot of abuse. Maxima's are cake to maintain compared to my 2001 530i that I had before this car. Those boots would have failed, and cost 50/corner LOL.

I think you are way over thinking this whole dilemma. The only purpose of the boot is to keep crap off of the shock rod so the seals don't get damaged. Choose whatever you are comfortable with and order it. No reason to have a discussion about it. I am going to use the KYB's. They are cheaper than OEM and it wouldn't shock me if KYB made the oem boots anyway.

 

As I say all the time, in every install I perform, I use OEM boots only. The hole for the shaft in the KYB's is small and on occasion has caused an awful creaking sound as they move.

sdineen, you're VERY local to me. PM me if you have questions or need advice.

 

Great info. Just bought an 03 Maxima myself. Thanks!

 

Now that's useful information.

 

Sorry folks. Continuing to abuse this last post on the topic as I can't post yet as a maxima newbie. I am having a hell of a time with the rear struts on this 2003 maxima SE. The bolt on the bottom just spins, although the retaining nut is NOT spinning. It is also a major effort to turn as it appears to be turning the rubber/plastic cylinder of the strut it attaches through??? The other side/strut came off in about 1 minute, but this one is 2 hours and counting.

I took off the rotor and caliper and tried hole punching the bolt through, but no dice. I also tried to jack just the strut a bit to see if that took pressure off the strut. This really sucks and any input or ideas would be super appreciated. Going to go back out and turn a few more times with the breaker bar, but at this point I don't think its moving and I've tried to leverage 8 ways from tuesday with large screwdrivers etc to slide this thing out.

 

Did the bolt pull back at all or is it still flush on the one side?

If it pulled back, vice grip and a hammer. If it didn't, then something might be broken - but most likely it's stripped within the nut.

 

If you can see the bolt tip is spinning on the nut then the bolt isn't broken but probably stripped threads.

Only other way I can think of is saw the bolt head and get the strut out of there, then you can see what's going on. Make sure you order this bolt from dealer though. I'd replace the Nut also.

 

The nut will have to be cut out. Angle grinder is needed. I've had this occur before - an extra 10 minutes of work to cut it out.

Wish the guy had come to me for the install...only lives 20 minutes away

 

Thanks gentleman. Yeah, I guess it is stripped threads. THis thing is killing me, but not sure what else to do but the cut. I'm going go give it another 20 turns and if no dice fire up a dremel or sawzall. Sucks becuase if I need a bolt, I'm down a car for a few days with the weekend coming. Thanks again!!

 

Yeah, sorry, fronts went so well I guess I got cocky. You have any spare rear bolts/nuts I can pick up from you?

 

I might, I have to check when I get home.

Otherwise you can definitely get them from Ace hardware - which is 3 minutes from my house.

My advice to you - don't cut it off until you have replacement hardware.

 

Got some good Grade 8 hardened steel replacements in a 3 inch 7/16's flavor, Not a 100% match but pretty damn close and hoping it should be drivable for some time. Going to hit it tomorrow. I thinK i will sawzall the two ends of the bolt at each end of the strut (but within the holding housing) and hope it comes apart nicely from there. Thanks again!

 

Good luck - PM me if you have issues.

 

Rears are all put back. Only thing of a concern is that each top hat is not at 58-88 NM torque. I have the car lowered and the shaft is just spinning. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to get a torque wrench on this thing if I have to hold the top of a shafe with a pliers, etc. I have the nut threaded with about 5/8 of an inch of threads exposed and on each side and I ASSume that should be enough based on same how the previous looked. Any ideas? Tightening on each side now is just a waste of time spinning shaft/rubber/washer, etc.

 

The center nut or the mounting nuts? I'm assuming you're talking about center nut since you're talking about the strut shaft spinning.

I wouldn't worry about proper torque spec on the center nut, I never do. Just zip it down till it's tight. You'll see the rubber bushings compress/squash. As long as there's no vertical movement you're fine.

 

Okay, gotcha. I am definitely good then. Thanks djfrestyl!

 

My pleasure.

Buy a spare tire cover...now!