Perhaps someone else can weigh in on this, but from my experience Ksports and D2s ride and handle so similarly that the distinction isn't really worth making.

I'm not sure which Tokico struts you're talking about (Illumina, HP, etc.), but either way Ksports and D2s will make you feel the bumps more. There will be less bouncing and wallowing, though, and virtually no chance of hitting the bumpstops. So, basically, the bumps will hit harder, but your car will take less time to settle afterwards and won't flop around.

Which one rides better, though, is a matter of preference. Some want the more controlled ride of the coilovers, some want the softness of springs/struts. Your call.

 

Where are the K-Sports made ?
Where are the D2's made ?
Where are JIC's made ??

I almost made the plung and bought JIC's about a year and half ago. I would really love to get them on my car but after reading this thread, it may just be worth it to go with the K-Sports. JIC's are really nice though

-matt

 

Ksport and I think JIC are Japanese; D2 is Taiwanese.

 

D2 = K-Sport = Hayame = Megan

All made by the same manufacturer (all different companies though), BCEC in Taiwan (do they have another manufacturer in Japan?) http://www.bcec.com.tw/

I ran a few searches and all the brands looks similiar as are the specifications...considering these or the Teins.........

 

Well, even though they're made in the same place, they could all still be technically different products.

BTW, the JIC FLT-A2s have the same spring rates as the Ksports...

 

could anyone having k-sport coilovers provide a measurement from the upper spring perch to the lower spring perch with the car on the ground (this would be the length of the spring in a compressed state) for the front and rear. i need some idea of how much these things will compress under the load of car so i can get a good static starting point for the inital set-up of the coil-over lengths. thanks in advance for any help on this...

 

Very good question. This would be an excellent thing to know. I wouldn't have time to get you an answer at least until tomorrow night, but maybe someone else can step in...

 

I have a couple questions about my D2's and since they are pretty much the same as ksports maybe you can help me out.

I have 18x8 rims, with 235-40 tires on them and they are rubbing like crazy. Ive played around with the dampening settings and still on even the smallest dips in the road my tires will rub. The car isnt even that low, abotu a finger drop in the front. Im assuming that I just need some stiffer springs if I want to continnue to be that low without rubbing correct? Im going ot take them all appart tomorrow and check everything else out. Right now the colars are just holding the spring in so it doesnt move, I dont have any preload set on it. Im going ot re check that and tighten up everything.

Basically what im asking is; I want a really stiff ridged ride without my tires rubbing, what kind of spring rate would work best? Ive ridden in cars even lower than mine and they werent having rubbing problems, one car was running GCs and the other JICs.

one last question; when adjusting the dampening, which way do you turn to increase the stiffness. I always thought you turn it clockwise to stiffen it, but then I read somewhere on here that its counterclockwise to stiffen it and I did that and it didnt feel stiffer to me.

 

I have D2's with 18x8 rims and 245/40 tires. I have a zero finger gap, even a bit tucked and I have no rubbing at all. My spring rates are 9/7. You didn't say what yours are. With your gap, I'm surprised you have that rubbing.

You are correct, turning the dial clockwise will increase the dampening/stiffness. At least that's what I do. I have mine set about half way between soft and stiff.

 

Vlasic and Bluesbrekr - What are the offsets on your wheels?

 

Yea Vlasic it sounds like the offset of your rims is the culprit, not the coilovers.

 

My offset is 38.

 

ok.. so im getting a big ol CLUNK every time i go over a decent size bump coming from my rear right coilover.. could it be the same problem as yours doodfood?

 

Only one way to verify and make sure. Hopefully it's not, but if it is K-sport cust service (when they pick up) is actually very good.

BTW taking out the carpet in a 4th gen is so much LESS of a PIA than in the 5th, as well as getting to the strut mount bolts in the trunk.

 

Yeah on my bros 2002 Max I noticed that there are those extra brackets blocking the top of the rear strut mounts. Glad I don't have those, although they might help chassis stiffness. 5th gens also have a much bigger trunk pass-through.

 

Hopefully not. Just yank out those trunk carpets and check.

 

d00df00d...have you had a chance to measure your k-sport springs with your car on the ground yet? looks like no one else sees any value in having these numbers...however as many responses as possible would be appreciated just to see if the k-sport springs all settle at a fairly common number, or if they vary to any appreciable degree. thanks...

 

I dont know my offset, ill have to measure it.


Another question tho. My ride has been feeling kind of bouncy and I have the dampening set to the stiffest setting. I have a feeling that the preload is not set properly and need to knwo how to fix this. Im spending today pulling my coilovers out and im going to clean and tighten everything. Ive been told that to set the preload I just turn the collars enough to make the spring snug and not move around, but im wondering if I should a little bit of load to make the ride just a little more stiff. Or would this just make it even more bouncy?

 

more preload would make the car ride stiffer. I suffer from a slightly bouncy front aslo. I just adjusted the dampening a little stiffer but adjusting the preload is my next step if this bouncyness doesnt cease.

 

i have a question about my k-sport......when i turn the wheel from lock to lock the whole time all i hear is like 20 cluck/click noises. It sounds the springs are making noises. what could this be and is anyone experiancnig this.

also i do not know what happened but i went over a hump in the road and the car down down hard it did not go air born or anything the suspension i guess just rose and came back down real fast but now my passeneger side front wheel feels like it is bouncing up and down. I took the rimt oa shop, and it is not a bent rim but that is how it feels. It onoly vibrates when i am pressing on the gas. these are brand new and everyone in the 4th gen forum said that i probely blew a strut and i just find that hard to belive. what eles could this be?

 

Hey guys..im not on k sports...actually on D2s..but i hope you guys can help me...when my car is in reverse with my foot on the brake..there is something vibrating in the rear..this started happening when they were installed..anyone else have this problem?..any solution?
thanks

 

doesnt sound like the coilovers are causing the problem. If the car isnt moving I dont think it can be the coilovers.

If this vibrations is only present in reverse, could be a tranny related problem.

 

Well today I took out the fornt coilovers and cleaned everything. Put everything back together ad added about 3 turns of preload to the spring. Also tightened up the pillow ball mount, and re-installed and tightened my strut bar with the car in the air. Now there is absolutely NO noise fomr the coilovers and it feels much stiffer now but still not enough. Next weekend Im going to add a little bit more ad re-check everything and possibly tighten the back also. But its feeling much better now and with the tightening of my strut bar the front end is so much more responsive now. Thanks MDeezy.

 

no problemo

 

for the clicking, tighten your collars. they come loose. when i tighten mine the sound disappears...for awhile at least. if you can feel the collar without taking your wheels off(just to check it), try loosening it with your hand. the looser they are, the more they click.
at least for me.

this is actually kind of annoying me, that i am having to retighten them weekly.
what are you guys cleaning them with?

 

About the preload:

Yes it will make your ride stiffer. But don't forget that you get bounce when you don't have enough rebound dampening for your spring rates, so adding preload might give you a little more bounce since it simulates a stiffer spring.


About the cleaning:

Grab some brake cleaner and just start spraying. You can get it for $2 a can (sometimes less), so be liberal about it. Just make sure it dries before you tighten everything. If you have some stubborn grease on there that the brake cleaner somehow doesn't take off, use shop towels or try engine degreaser (it's not more powerful but sometimes it can work better on certain kinds of gunk).

 

How many of you guys are actually corner weighting your coilovers? And if so how much are you paying for the corner weighting?

 

ok so i just checked the rear struts, and they look perfectly fine, but i am getting a freaking clunk noise... i dont know what to do... any other suggestions?

 

Tightening FSTB/RSTB with the car in the air makes a huge difference, at least until they loosen themselves after a bit of driving.

 

Good question. I don't think any of these guys are but if anyone does I'd be curious to know what "settings" they come up with.

 

what was the conclusion of that discussion? I remember the thread and the many points being made, but I cant remember a conclusive decision

 

Well, since I was the one who started the thread , I know that it works. However, after a month or so, the effect went away. I believe the relatively low torque of the bolts on the strut bar aren't enough to hold the chassis/body and strut towers where they are when you tighten it. Bottom line: just get SFCs to stiffen your chassis big-time, but if you have a few minutes, try it yourself and I bet you'll feel a difference.

Oh, also I bet a non-hinged strut bar would make more of a difference than the typical cheap strut bar with hinged brackets. Those hinges allow a LOT of play.

 

Ya I can say it makes a big difference too. I had always thought it would be better but never got around to doing it. Most of my friends still dont believe it tho.

 

I didn't know people were using strut bars with the coilovers, do yall suggest I get one for even better handling?
What did yall torque the top mount bolts to under the hood. (-m guessing where the strut bars get bolted to.
And how tight for the camber screws?

 

http://forums.maxima.org/showpost.ph...&postcount=349

A FSTB probably won't actually make you able to take corners faster. What it will do is make your handling more consistent and stable. It will also help prevent your handling from being disturbed by bumps and such, and might actually smooth out your ride in some cases.

After I got my FSTB, I torqued my top mount nuts to around 65 lbs-ft, which is quite a good freakin' bit more than spec (which is about 40 lb-ft IIRC), just to make extra sure the FSTB stayed put.

The camber screws I just tightened as much as I could with a hex key and my hand.

 

Wow, that's a lot d00df00d. I guess it's worth trying; you obviously don't seem worried about overtorquing them. Spec is 29 to 40.

 

See if the tightness goes away in a week or two. I don't drive much but in a month I noticed it gradually reverted to the stock feel. Could have been my imagination, but probably not.

 

I had that clunk from my right rear coilover since late last summer (they were installed last May). I thought it might have been my rusting exhaust/hangers but last week the issue came to a head. I pulled the wheel to investigate and when I rolled it away I had a decent sized puddle of oil. Shock oil. The shock ruptured and had rendered itself useless. I called K-sport who told me to send it back to them for repair. They should have received it just today so I don't know the diagnosis. Looks like K-Sport has some QC issues they need to work out.

 

what if my collars are already tight? what could be making that spring noise everytime i turn the wheel? it is getting to the point where i am getting pissed.

someone needs to make a diagram of the coilover, listing all the parts that we are talking about

 

I just wasted 2 hours of my life reading through these posts only to find out at the end that these things are NO WHERE near reliable enough for me to put it on my car. Almost everyone has had clicking noise, now there have been several of them that broke. Others leaked oil... My car is my daily driver and roads around me are pretty crappy. I dont like the idea of having my ride be bouncy if I hit some bumps at 75.
I was really buying into this but seriously I dont like dealing with constant BS when it comes to my mods (one reason I'll never buy a turbo kit for the max) It seems like there are constantly issues with coilovers where as issues with spring/strut combo are minimal.