Hello,
A couple of years ago I replaced my shocks/struts/springs and related components with KYB GR-2's, Moog mounts, and Moog coil springs. After I completed this job, I stopped driving my Maxima for the most part as my son has been using it to go back and forth to college. Fast forward to now. I've been taking more joy rides in it due to current stay-at-home situation and I felt like it doesn't feel as sure footed as it once did. As-in, bumps at interstate speeds and cornering in general feels uneasy and not crisp. No weird noises or anything like that however. In a troubleshooting effort, I engaged Moog this morning to check on spring rates. To my surprise, and the tech I spoke with, their published spring rates for the fronts are 130 lbs/in and whereas their rears are 232 lbs/in. I informed him that I believed the stock SE springs were 250 lbs/in and he seemed to believe me given their rears were published at 232 lbs/in. The Moog tech did think what I was describing with the handling could be attributed to too low spring rate in the front. I'm not skilled enough with suspensions to know if this is accurate or not.

Anyways, that's a long way of saying that I'm looking for SE Like stock springs setup and if you have a recommendation other than Moog, I'd welcome such. I checked with Husky and they don't publish their spring rates and I've emailed ACDelco to determine the spring rate ranges on their progressive springs, but they have not responded yet. If I can't find any, I may go back to my stock SE springs but prefer not to do so given they have over 250k miles on them and while I was not having issues, it felt like the smart thing to replace them when I installed the KYB GR-2's. I'm not interested at all in lowering springs. Thanks in advance for any guidance you can provide.

 

i have GLE stock springs with 74k on them.... just saying =). and u may be better off going aftermarket lowering springs at this point on our 20 year old cars, some lowering springs don't even really lower the car that much. i know what your thinking but yea 1" drop with the proper advanced performance struts will not cause many issues that you are thinking comes with lowering. now anything past 1.5" yea you will start to get the unwanted trade offs.

i haven't even heard about the springs you mentioned in your search, most of the guys around here always went lower. have you looked at House Cor shift ice spring comparisons
how about junk yards? maybe just get the real deal from a junk yard? can u find new oem? and also i could be wrong, but i never really thought of springs loosing any notable performance over time in normal circumstances. its everything else around and inside the springs that have a life to them.
i have been on "aftermarket" H&R springs for almost 200k now.

 

Thanks for the input Prophecy99. Funny you mention the H&R's as I was re-researching them last night. I've read they offer an even better ride than OEM springs but I'm not clear if that was in comparison to the GXE/GLE rides OR the SE ride. I also read that H&R's can also produce that bouncy/uneasy feeling when hitting a roadway transition, sort of like what I'm experiencing now. Have you experienced this with your setup? Also, what shocks/struts are you running with the H&R's? I'd prefer to re-use my KYB GR-2's with H&R's as I only have maybe 15K miles on them. I installed Progress springs on my previous 1995 Maxima and I do not recall me disliking them but it has been 17 years since I had that vehicle.

 

I had HR springs and KYB struts on my first maxima, it was a 4th gen but I imagine it wouldnt be much different. No complaints, there isnt anything negative that I can remember about that setup.

 

I am currently and have been on H&R and Illuminas (now completely discontinued) for almost 200k miles. i replaced the front illuminas probably half way thru. It's really been so long that I couldn't begin to try to remember how it was before the install to help w ur comparison to non SE springs. Generally speaking they are not bouncy at all. and if anything stiffer than stock springs. Illuminas have stiffness settings and from full stiffness to softness the springs are still pretty stiff. I can simply say i never really felt uneasy or bouncy on my set up. All I can think of with the uneasy feeling / or bouncy (not the right word) is that because they are lowering springs yes they will be stiffer and maybe that stiffness is what people felt with the roadway transitions. It's hard to say what those others have felt as well because they could have had stock shocks on lowering springs and that will always be a horrible combo with super bouncy and uneasy symptoms. soft shocks matched w stiff springs etc. As you know springs should always be considered along with what shocks they are being matched up with as they work directly together =)
and i think its great you had sometime on those Progess springs in the past, and if didn't hate those, you will not be disappointment with H&R.
+1 nothing negative i can really think of. and yea 4.5 gens have similar things with the 5th gen - A33 is the chassis =) i ordered Ultra Racing Side Lower Bars for A33 because i knew it would fit

 

If you get an answer please keep us updated. I'm in the same boat. I hate how soft my 02 is compared to my 00. I refuse to rob the suspension from that car but next half of sale at pick n pull I'll be looking for a 00 se to take them from.

There is a tsb for the 02 about bottoming out rear suspension when loaded. Updated springs per tsb. I've already called and they are discontinued and unavailable.

 

I have H&R and really like mine.

 

My 2001 GLE is all over the road too. I'm interested in what you guys have to say. Been looking at the Rock Auto Moog strut assembly $125.00 each side.

 

Sounds like you may need to jack up your car and inspect your suspension first....Then after you put your hands on it maybe ask some questions. It could be worn LCA bushings, worn tierod ends, worn rack bushings...

 

Invest in some Eibach they're user friendly....

 

Update. I ordered some H&R's and some new boots for front and rear yet the eBay seller of the H&R's cancelled my order after they determined he could not secure them. Since I had time at the homestead, I went about installing my stock SE springs along with the new OEM boots. I'm happy to report that the jittery feeling on bumps, transitions in roadways, etc is now gone. I did notice once I pulled the SE springs out of storage and compared them to the Moog's that were installed, the Moog's had an extra coil in the front and rear springs. I'm not sure exactly what that means but I can say I do not recommend Moog springs in combination with KYB GR-2's. Simply not good in my opinion.

 

H&R's are available at the Tirerack just in case you didn't know that...

 

No, I did not and if I decide to re-do this setup, that is where I will buy them from. Thx for the heads-up.