The rear shocks on my 87 standard Maxima are both
leaking oil. I want to replace these. The shocks are not adjustable from inside my car.

With an old 67 Mercury, years ago, I had a bad
experience. I replaced 4 shocks and the resulting ride was very stiff and uncomfortable, felt every stone on road. The garage assured me those
replacement shocks were going to produce the same comfortable ride as shocks being replaced. This did not happen.

Now I must buy new shocks and want to try to buy new ones that will also give me same comfortable ride as before. Should I buy from Nissan, the
recommended replacement shocks for my 87 Maxima? OR, should I buy after market shocks. A mechanic I use often, recommnded after market shocks. Can you
recommend a brand/model?

Thank you for any suggestions.
Dave Shalita

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Dave Shalita
The rear shocks on my 87 standard Maxima are both
leaking oil. I want to replace these. The shocks are not adjustable from inside my car.

With an old 67 Mercury, years ago, I had a bad
experience. I replaced 4 shocks and the resulting ride was very stiff and uncomfortable, felt every stone on road. The garage assured me those
replacement shocks were going to produce the same comfortable ride as shocks being replaced. This did not happen.

Now I must buy new shocks and want to try to buy new ones that will also give me same comfortable ride as before. Should I buy from Nissan, the
recommended replacement shocks for my 87 Maxima? OR, should I buy after market shocks. A mechanic I use often, recommnded after market shocks. Can you
recommend a brand/model?



Thank you for any suggestions.
Dave Shalita [/QUOTE

You sure they just didn't put steel rods in your mercury??


Depends how much you wanna spend, aftermarket are not as expensive as factory.

 

I just replaced mine with KYB GR2's last week. They're very nice, they give a decent ride so you don't feel many bumps, yet you'll have no problem handling the bends well. They're probably pretty similar to the stock ones, I'm not sure how well the stock ones handled because when I got my car at 60K, they were already kind of worn and rusted. Just don't get Gabriel's, Monroe's or anything like that, your car will handle like sh*t and ride like a boat.

-C-

 

Just wanted to let you know you have struts my friend But I got your point

 

I recently put new struts on my W-body Cutlass. The old shot ones had a nice old American luxury car boat ride feel to them, but on long rides there was a tendency to need Dramamine. The new ones stiffened it up, but not uncomfortably so. It still feels like the borderline luxury car it is supposed to be. In my little British cars I have the suspensions set so I know I'm going to feel every contour in the pavement (I recharged the lever arm dampers with 40wt shock oil ). I have also had the awakening recently that the material the bushings are made from will vary the ride tremendously! I went from stock rubber to polyurethane, big difference(!) and now am in the process of machining ALL new ones out of nylatron. Back to my point, what you choose should suit how you want the car to ride and handle. The Maxima being both a luxury and sport car it's a difficult balancing act. Don't make your decision in haste and without all the information taken into account. Just my 2 pence. Cheers!

 

Dave,
I just replaced the stock, electronically controlled struts in my '86 with the KYB's and the ride is great. Both struts on the '86 collapsed on themselves when I removed the strut caps, both leaking badly. Next up will be the front. Using the KYB for about $100 each was much less the 500+ for each from Nissan for the electronic ones.

 

The aftermarkets are usually too firm. We have replaced shocks in the past and found this out. Factory ones are better, but more expensive. I have heard the Monroe-Sensa-tracs give a smooth factory type ride. Actually, I need to replace the rear struts on my 94 Chevrolet Lumina, but they are $90. each at the dealer and one dealer even wanted $150. each. Do not buy the cheapest ones no matter what, as oddly, they are the firmest. We had a 85 Buick Regal and replaced with Gabriels? - and it rode like a wagon. Not Buick-like at all. Also same thing happened to my dads 88 Nissan 4WD Desert Runner. Rode fine when brand new, as my uncle bought it brand new and I remember it rode like a Cadillac- almost - but it got bouncy few years later- then he replaced with aftermarkets - a performance brand and now it really rides like a truck. Good luck.