I have a 02 infiniti I35. I previously owned an 01 max which handled great on the highway but horrible on harsh roads. I'm searching for a balance between great handling and comfort. Once you venture into the city(NYC) its almost inevitable to come across potholes.

From asking a few friends and doing a little research I have come to the conclusion that buying high quality CO will be the best bet. my question is what else do I need to upgrade/modify? I have read several thread debating the effectiveness of RBS once you've upgraded your suspension.

This may be a dumb question but is there a way to improve my turning radius? Any feedback would greatly be appreciated.

 

Only way you can improve your turning radius is to pull hard on the handbrake while turning. It takes a little bit of practice but it works

 

A good set of coilovers is the first step. The rest of the mods do help address the handling but a proper coilover makes the biggest difference.

 

Reducing turning radius...easiest solution is installing a smaller diameter steering wheel and shaving your wheel stops. Next would be welding in a steering quickener like a Coleman into the column. Lastly one might find a different pinion gear to put in the rack. Our PR26AD is found in other models also like the 300Z and 350Z so maybe they have something usable.

 

The best solution to turning radius: buy a RWD car...

 

Agreed people say the Teins are nery comfortable or all out JICs super comfortable...

 

Agreed people say the Teins are very comfortable or all out JICs super comfortable...

 

Look into subframe collars in addition to the coilovers.

 

All by themselves, it's a worthy little mod.

But yeah... coilovers.

 

Yup...

 

This may be a dumb question but is there a way to improve my turning radius? Any feedback would greatly be appreciated.

I completely eliminated the stopper bolts last summer, as the turning radius was a problem when parking in the tight interior garage space of my condo. It helps for parking, but I'm careful as I approach full steering lock. So far so good.
(I used to wonder why some people had so much trouble parking between the lines in shopping centers...until I got the 02 Max..)

 

Sorry, forgot tire size makes a difference too. Actually I couldn't believe it when I read it but 16" tires = 35.4ft and 17" = 40ft? Anybody have a brochure to confirm? What effect does upgrading to 19" have?

 

Improving my turning radius seems to be a lost cause. As for the coilovers, I'm looking at BC's, and Tein's right now. Thanks for your input guys!

 

If you can afford Tein's go for Tein's. BC's are a good replacement to save a couple hundred, and Megan's are pretty much the cheapest you should go - right around 800/850.

Subframe collars - definite must.

Also a nice addition are sway bar links and sway bar bushings.

Lastly, since you're in NYC, I implore you to come to me for the installation

 

Actually the easiest solution is getting a wheel that is not as wide, and has a higher offset. This will effectively move the wheels toward the centerline of the car, which reduces your turning radius.

Changing the steering wheel makes absolutely NO difference to the turning radius, it just changes the Ratio (how many turns of the steering wheel it takes to get to full 'stop'.

As far as the guys recommending cutting your bump stops, DON'T do this. There is a little bit of adjustment to be had there, because the factory sets it with a little bit of extra room for safety, but it's minimal. If you don't know what you're doing, you can destroy your steering rack.

Someone mentioned a 16" to 17" wheel, let me clarify, the height of the wheel makes no difference here. The offset and width are the only factors that will negate any measurable difference in turning radius.


Oh, and like everyone else said, Coilovers. Actually, if you have around 1g you can PM me. I'm selling my Tein SS in the spring but would be willing to take a deposit from someone to put their name on them.

 

what is with all these suggestions for Subframe Collars .yeah they are probably great..and I would personally consider them but.. did everyone forget about Subframe Connectors! they seem to be best overall comfort/handling mod. and based on what they are designed to do they have to be far superior than a few washers (collars).

and if you want to keep the car for a while on this setup spend the few extra 100s on the real deal TEINS

 

^^ No denying that, but it's more involved than something that is easily bolted on and relatively inexpensive.