RSB is definately a must. Get a beefy one unless you really want to trailbrake.
As far as ride is concerned... you get used to a stiff ride after a while

 

So I've decided that the first thing I'm going to invest in is the brakes. As of right now, the cheapo pads I have on are barely adequate for around town and frankly I wouldn't even trust them to stop me in an emergency. They are downright terrible. So pads are first and I'm debating what to go with. I've heard recommendations of Hawk HPS but everywhere I go they are pretty pricey. How do Axxis Ultimate's stack up to them? Are they even in the same league? Does anyone have experience with them?

Also, are stainless lines really worth the money? I'm aware of their purpose, but am I really going to notice them even during spirited street driving?

 

I put a set of the Axxis's on a friends focus and they performed much better. Powerslots went on with them. They did however squeek a bit. Not too much for the little I drove it though.

 

Hawk HPS are great. So are Porterfield R4-S which I use. Axxis ULT are good cool weather pads but tend to both eat and score rotors under higher temps in summer and multiple runs.

 

why wouldn't you want to trailbrake?

 

I completely agree with this....you have all this **** on your car...but still don't know how to drive it's going to make you feel more foolish and not less.

I've never yet been to an autocross where the first timer that shows up completely stock, and just wants to learn, or just experience auto-x, isn't given a lot of help and advice (if you ask for it). Typically there is a noob walk through before the meet acutally starts to give pointers.

I would say show up and drive...crappy pads, crappy tires, crappy whatever....as long as it's safe...no one cares and you'll still have fun. Plus if you drive on **** first...you'll really notice when you start putting stuff into the car.

 

Yeah I think the seat time suggestion you guys are making is what I am going for here. I got out of drag racing for good this weekend after seeing that I couldn't drive my car at the drag strip to save my life. I may go back and try my hand at it again sometime in the future, but the car is going to have less power. That's another reason I am demodding a little...I want to learn to TRULY drive this car. I'm hoping that the end result is that I will be a much better driver and that will more than make up for my slight lacking in power compared to what I have now. The car IS getting lowered, though, and I am putting on some better brake pads.

Speaking of lowering the car...I am still really undecided on a setup. I am used to pushing the car on the stock suspension right now, so any kind of added handling ability is going to be a plus to me. I want it lowered enough to get rid of the wheel gap, have a little more solid handling, and I DO NOT want a stiff ride. I can handle something a little stiffer than stock, but I don't want to jar my teeth. I don't think I need anything adjustable, as I am not THAT serious about this car. I also don't want to spend a ton of money (is $500 or around that point unreasonable for a good non-coilover setup?).

 

Pretty close on the budget. Either of these combo's will start transforming your car by eliminating most body roll, sqat, dive, etc. You might save $100 with non adjustable but why bother? I've learned the hard way, do it right the first time lest do it all over again for double that.

Eibach Progressive + Koni Yellow = $641 TireRack
KYB AGX + Progress = $550 Cattman

 

How's the ride on each of those struts? I don't want anything that's going to be uncomfortable, especially around town.

 

Koni yellow's become harsh in cold winter. Can't speak to AGX - anybody.

 

arent they both adjustable?

 

AGX's are ok, I was going to set them softer for winter....but just never got around to it.....

really depends on what your daily roads look like

 

For the most part I travel "main" public roads but there's the occasional uneven pavement. It was a lot worse where I used to live

How easy is it to adjust AGX's? What's the procedure, exactly?

 

It's easy, little screwdrivers on the fronts, and just a dial on the back.

Haven't changed them since I got them, I think in the middle.

 

Looks like I am pretty much sold on some AGX's then. Now to decide springs...in terms of level of drop I'm thinking S-Techs. Is that on the lower height end of the spectrum (outside of coilovers)?

 

I don't think many people use S-Tech for auto-x though.....

progress, eibach I'm sure there is others

 

I'm not REAL concerned about pure performance with the springs. Obviously I want improved handling, but autocross is something on the weekends once and a while, like <1% of my driving.

 

Eibachs will give you a better ride than the S-techs as well as giving you some of the best handling from a spring/strut combo.

 

what is this with getting suspension stuff man? i thought you were "demodding" lol

 

Noted
I am for the most part. The suspension, however, NEEDS done. I'm pretty convinced one of the rear shocks is blown and the suspension as a whole is getting pretty old so it needs changed. I figured I may as well lower the car while I am at it for a little extra $. Wouldn't you?

 

yeh i guess. i can't stand riding on clouds and having that 4x4 look...

 

Then imagine how I felt chasing an STi on stock suspension

 

psh haha. what were you doing chasing an STi in the first place?
STi's are beastly at auto-crosses...

 

"Cruise" with the university's car club that I am a part of. I'd tell you to read the original post but it all got cut. IM me if you want to know more about it.

 

You're definitely on the right track with more aggressive brake pads - I run EBC Green Stuff which have great cold bite and hold their own during high speed auto cross events, but do dust alot. I have AGX shocks and stock springs (hate the look, but love the comfortable ride). They are a bit temperature sensitive (especially in the winter), but the adjustability makes a big difference with steering response. I added an Addco RSB a couple years ago. The RSB tranformed the car in the corners (even on the street) and didn't affect the ride at all - highly recommend this mod. I added an e-bay FSTB which added some much needed steering feel. I've been to two HSAX events (obviously need more seat time), but I've found that my Pirelli P Zero Nero M+S (UHP All Seasons) are not quite up to the task (lots of understeer). For what it's worth, I say get a RSB and get yourself some used rims and tires ($500 for something way better than what you have).

Good luck man!

 

Eibach

Koni

5MT

4AT

/thread

 

DIAF...kthxbye.

jk

 

Well I have the S-techs and AGXs on my car. The AGXs are much stiffer in the cold, and I live in Florida (we see 30s some mornings in the winter) This is not a setup I would suggest for performance, more of a looks setup. The S-techs are too low and soft and the AGXs have a lot of low speed damping but suffer at higher piston speeds, rebound is not to bad. I've run autoXs and burned up the back roads on the setup, bumps in the wrong places kind of "pogo" the car off the bump stops. If I had it to do over again I would not make the same choices. On the plus side the S-techs make the car look better than any other spring setup, and learning on the Maxima made my Z better. After putting coilovers on my Z32 I don't think I will even be happy with a spring/shock package again.

 

I just did my first autoX in my girl's G Coupe (see sig). Only my first time doing it but I had a blast and made some observations really just for myself.

1. If your going to autoX an automatic car it's gotta have manual mode. The G35 has an issue right now where if I put it manual mode and put it back in auto it stays in manual mode for some reason. Well at the autoX it reversed itself. It went back to auto but as I was getting ready for one of my runs it wouldn't go back to manual. That run sucked terribly doing it in automatic mode. It was my 2nd run while I was only off a tenth of my first run it still sucked. I highly recommend either find a manual transmission or get in a car with a manual mode.

2. My Maxima is down at the moment, seems like problem after problem. But before I did my first autoX I started deciding I was going to fix some things, and then start adding more things to what I already have to the car to make it a fairly competitive car for autoX. But after driving a RWD car I'm not sure if I want to race with a FWD car now. While I'm sure I will still have a blast it will be nothing like a RWD car. Maybe some guys who have done both can put some input in.

Everybody's .02 in this thread is spot on. Brake pads are a MUST. I was worried about the Coupe's brakes holding up but forgot a few months ago I put some Hawk HPS pads on and they did a tremendous job.

I must agree with Z32Drifter about the spring/strut to coilover comparison. On my automatic max I had sprint/illumina setup. My current car has JICs and what a difference. It's like going from halogen to a retrofit projector, you just don't go back.

At the moment I am on the fence about autocrossing the Maxima. I have basically everything that has been mentioned. JIC Coilovers, RSB, FSTB, BBK. A local has some sub-frame connectors that I am thinking about picking up to make the car even stiffer. Some input on running FWD to RWD would be great.

 

You know it to be true

 

This is generally a good property (regressive damping). You want body motion to be controlled while undulations should be absorbed.

Same with my setup, Eibachs and unshortened Konis, although generally I only smack the bump stops once, there's not much oscillation. Shorten the struts (pretty much impossible with anything but Konis) and this will be much less of an issue.

Unfortunately no coilover can really match the quality of Koni dampers. Quality coilovers are a good deal more than any spring/strut setup (for good reason). But they are really the only way to get camber plates.

Of course, damper quality is not necessarily a larger factor than incessant strut bottoming. I like pushing my car on all sorts of roads, and slowing down for juts so I don't smack the bump stops and jar the car is very annoying. Shortening the Konis will mostly fix that but coilovers will be a more straightforward solution. Then again there is also the extra G or so that you have to shell out for a good set of coilovers, and the problem with JIC's customer support, etc...

 

Spot on, friend, spot on.

In my case it started out as a "work with what you're given" deal. Now I just really like my car and like keeping up with "real" cars using it.

My $.02 at least.

Coilovers are sstttiiffff/fiiirrmmm, I just did some ricer math and 9kg/mm for the front is a little above a 2Hz natural oscillation frequency. Street cars tend to use about 1Hz, sports cars use around 1.5Hz-2Hz, race cars generally use 2Hz and above. I do not know if they would be acceptable for a hot date etc.

Here are the cyclic rates of a few cars for reference:

1990 Mazda Miata ~ 1.15hz front, 1.01hz rear
Mitsubishi Evo VIII ~ 1.3hz front, 1.2hz rear
Honda S2000 ~ 1.3hz front, 1.4hz rear
GD Subaru WRX STI ~ 1.6hz front, 1.8hz rear
Lotus Elise ~ 1.8hz front and rear
C4 Corvette ~ 2.0hz front and rear
Mazda RX-7 ~ 1.22hz front, 1.16hz rear
Acura NSX ~ 1.6hz front, 1.5hz rear


How do you mean?

 

^ I think he means for those that have drive both, which do you prefer and why?

You can probably guess that I think you should bring the Maxima out! I've been the only one out there for a while now, especially after the father/son team went the dark way of the Miata.

I agree about the the auto versus manual, some type of shift mode is a must! At least if I could bring out my dad's I35, it'd have a notched shifter. I've had some unfortunate accidental shifts where I slipped from 1 to D instead of 1 to 2 in some of the PSTCC straightaways. The AT doesn't like that much at 45+ MPH...

 

Correct sorry for the bad phrasing.

I haven't been on here as much as I use to be, but the more I read the 'all motor' section lately the more I want to fix my car the way I wanted to begin with and bring it to some autoX events.

For some reason I thought your car was a 5spd

 

I haven't personally autocrossed either my maxima or any of the RWD cars I've driven, but I have driven most of them very hard, so here goes anyway.

RWD cars are generally easier to get to rotate, and honestly the vast majority of FWD cars, maximas very much included, are not set up to turn very well (i.e. use all four tires to turn instead of just the front two) and doing so will require a lot of work. As for corner exit there is not much you can do short of finding a Quaife to get a Maxima not to just push around the exit. I drive my car HARD in first, second and third and the fastest way to exit a corner frequently leaves the front wheels turned hard and wailing for their mother.

Do you wish it didn't behave like that? Yes. Is it fun as hell anyway? Yes.

Once you get a moderately-powered RWD car with an LSD though, all bets are off. There is nothing like using the front wheels to balance the car to do what you want under full throttle upon exiting.

When all is said and done, it really just depends on the car you are using, but RWD cars tend to have a good advantage in autox unless you are running some ridiculous civic or mini or something.

 

See these are the thoughts I was having.

I've driven my Maxima through the dragon, it's a blast but definitely doesn't have the balance like the G35 does.

Right now I'm on the fence. I'm worried if I dump money into the Maxima I'll go out there and regret not using a RWD car like the coupe. I had a blast driving it. Give it just a bit of gas to rotate around some when needed or lift and get tons of grip to the front and hard on the gas to exit out of the corner. No worry about plowing off mid-turn like most FWD cars will probably end up doing.

I guess I'll need to put in a new water pump, go autox the Maxima and then make my decision from there. But I have a feeling I'll be trying to find something RWD.

 

ZHP. 'Nuff said.

 

i heard that .

 

One of the only cars I'd consider replacing the max with...

Anyway, back OT. Tatanko, I forgot your name, but you gotta do stuff.

 

I gotta do stuff? What stuff?