What's the most comfortable and cheapest set up?
 

I'm very interested in getting a new set of suspensions because I'm getting tired of feeling every little thing on the road, getting tailwhipped a bit, and sometimes feel like I'm going to lose control. I know it's got something to do with the toe, but I'll get that checked later on (not exactly sure how though..) Anyway, I'm not sure on what brands to get or how they go well together.

KYB GR2 struts ($225) and Eibach Pro-Kit Lowering Springs (~$100?? I have no idea!) Does that sound like a good setup? I'm not looking for anything special, just a comfortable ride.
Any suggestions? Price is a factor for me too. Looking not to spend more than ~$400.

Thanks!

if you're looking for comfort over performance and on a budget, i would recommend H&R versus the Eibach's. I don't know how long the GR2's will last on performance springs, but i know my struts are absolutely fine after close to 3 years with sprints. You may not necessarily need to even change shocks if yours are still in good condition.

New OEM sprng/shock combo:naughty: ?

Just making sure I'm understanding this: me feeling every bumb and crack on the road, I would just need to change my springs only? I can just stay with stock shocks? How do I know if they're still in good condition?

hayai240sx beat me to it. If you want comfortable + cheap, you want stock. Period.

What's your current setup?

Stock...it's really uncomfortable. Are you just talking about sticking to stock shocks; or the whole stock shock/spring setup? And what would be "next best" to stock?

WE DONT HAVE SHOCKS....and ur springs are fine get tokico HP STRUTS and call it a day if u want comfort

Actually the best word is "dampers". ;) Struts are just in front.


Well if you find stock uncomfortable, this is going to be tough.


Next questions:

1. How many miles are on your current springs and dampers?

2. Exactly what is it about how your car rides that you want to change? Do bumps hit you too hard? Is there too much bouncing up and down after you hit a bump? Are you getting too much vibration on rough surfaces? Does the car wallow and flop around?

2. What's your budget?

no struts are rear too.....if they were shocks the spring would not be intergral part of the combo...the damper would be totally independant and not touch the spring at all

Spring Shock set-up
http://www.chris-longhurst.com/carbi.../multilink.jpg

Spring and MACPHEARSON STRUT
http://www.chris-longhurst.com/carbi.../mcpherson.gif

Spring Normal Strut like our rear combo
http://www.chris-longhurst.com/carbi...s/beamaxle.jpg

Coil Over Spring Shock Combo...notice how the shocks are still within the confinds of the spring but dont mount or touch teh spring..the beam has spring pearches not the damper
http://www.chris-longhurst.com/carbi...dediontube.jpg

aznstormin, check out this link, it will answer most of your questions: http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=479647

Tokico HP with the Tokico springs = cheap and comfortable
Tokico HP with stock springs = cheaper and most comfortable
Tokico HP with H&R springs = little more money but also very comfortable

Eibach = stiffest regular spring
GR-2 = stiffest non adjustable strut

1. 160xxx is on the car.. they've never been changed.

2. I feel the car is hitting bumps too hard because my parent's '92 Camry feels much more comfortable driving on the same roads. What I want to change is a less bumpier ride. Not too much bouncing up/down after hitting bumps -- I guess that answers the question about the springs?
Yes there's also a lot of vibrations on rough surfaces.
"Just looking at getting rid of the very dangerous (personal feeling) rear swaying that the vehicle has when hitting a bump while driving on the highway" -- as stated by whodatt1 in the other forum; not necessarily on the highway..but other than that, it's exactly what I feel too (in addition to feeling the bumps an stuff).

3. Budget: less than $400. Pref, $300 or less.

And if I could get a little drop too [no more than 1.5"], then that'd be pretty cool. If not, it's all good.

Thanks DrKlop for that thread! It's very helpful.

So I should just go ahead and replace both the struts and the springs?

May as well, I don't $400 is be enough. Check the For Sale section for used parts.

You're thinking of coil-over vs. non-coil-over.

A strut suspension is one in which the knuckle is connected to the frame by a control arm at the bottom and the damper or damper/spring assembly at the top (as opposed to, say, a double-wishbone suspension with control arms top and bottom).

I wouldn't. From reading your description of the problem(s), I really think new dampers would be all you need.

Tokico Blues would definitely be your best bet, and would keep you well within your budget.

a Strut contains a spring pearch and springs and dampers are one unit...a shock does not have a spring pearch and not a complete unit...ur definition is a MacPhearson strut...there are other forms of struts...but for now on we will call them dampers...but back to the matter at hand.....springs dont generally wear out...replace ur dampers with tokico blues and be done

Awesome! Thanks for all your help guys!
I'll buy a set of HP Blues from jdmwerks13 soon. ($300 shipped)

http://www.monroe.com/tech_support/tec_struts.asp
Virtually all struts do integrate a damper and a spring, so I guess it's immaterial anyway. But that's not the essential feature of a strut.

so ur agreeing with me because our rears have no upper control arm or ball-joints...the strut mounts to the unibody just liek the front....and essentially the rear beam is a lower control arm in a way....and the other feature og the MacPearson strut is the way it mounts to the knuckle...other forms of struts exist....but either way we will call them dampers form now on

whatever i dont care anymore