When I had my 2000 Nissan Sentra GXE stock it felt floaty and uneasy (kind of bouncy).
Then I changed to Progress Sport Springs that had 1.7 f & 1.5 r drop with an spec V damper upgrade & Energy Suspension Bumpstops. The floaty feeling went away, but the bounciness is longer and quicker like boing boing boing, but no buttoming out when once hit a major pot hole. I think the springs rates were 190 f 240 r. I also upgraded my wheel & tires from stock 185 65 14 to 205 40 17s.
What do you think is the best solution to get the most comfortable ride without the uneasy floaty feeling at highway speed 55 mph and up?
1) Should I put back the stock springs and buy some Monroe sensatracs? Are the Sensatracs better than stock meaning that it's better valved eliminating the floaty uneasy feeling. I don't really care abou the wheel gap any more. I just want my brain bouncing up and down, I mean the headlight beams bounce so don't think i'm just paranoid. Has anyone here only changed their dampers with senstrac and left the stock springs alone? I don't want to waste my money if the sensatracs are just just a replacement. The do claim that they are better dampers than the OEM dampers.
2) Should I wait for KYB GR2 and use the stock spring?
3) What's so bad about getting eibach pro-kits? Would I bottom out?
4) For less $1,000 what do you think is the best option for the best comfort and some decent performance, like a 50/50 ratio or even 40/60. This is a daily driver so I won't be racing at all just need something that will be pleasant enough and fun enough to drive, is it possible to somehow find a middle road.
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00' QG18DE Radium
Progress Sport Springs - Spec V Dampers
2002 B15 Front Upper Mount Kit
Energy Suspension Bumpstops
K&N Replacement
Originally posted by Kimchee76 The floaty feeling went away, but the bounciness is longer and quicker like boing boing boing, but no buttoming out when once hit a major pot hole. I think the springs rates were 190 f 240 r.
Just out of curiosity, why are the rear springs so stiff? Those rates sound like they should go the other way around.
The rear spring rates are so stiff as to counteract understeer.
Kimchee76, your stock shocks cannot dampen the loads put on them by the stiffer aftermarket springs. Your solution hear is to upgrade to shocks that are valved to handle highe spring rates.
Forget the Monroes.
In my opinion, full coilovers are overkill for your application. The money saved can be put to better use elsewhere.
KYB GR-2's are a step in the right direction but they are indeed just that, one step. They are the bottom end of the performance damper market.
Keep your Progress springs on.
Now I'm not sure what is available for your car, but I would look into something along the lines of KYB AGX, Koni Yellow, Bilstein HD, Tokico Illumina, or the Progress shock for your application. Prices here will range from $300 for the set of 4 to well over $500.
Originally posted by Wont Be Beat The rear spring rates are so stiff as to counteract understeer.
If that's the case, that's a weird way to do it. I mean, increasing the rear spring rate past the front rates will counteract oversteer, but it will also cause other strange problems like oversteer/instability when you exit corners.
I'd hate to see what kind of odd handling characteristics that would produce.
Originally posted by ReVerm I mean, increasing the rear spring rate past the front rates will counteract oversteer
No it wont.
These springs will in no way give you uncontrolable oversteer. To think so speaks volumes about the amount of experience with suspension systems, chassis, and handling characteristics one has: meaning minimal to none.
Please, stop reading Super Street and Turbo magazine and start paying attention to people who actually know what they are talking about, ie: GRM, corner-carvers.com, Honda-Tech.com's Road Racing/Autocross forum, me, accordinglydone.com, sccaforums.com and countless other sources of legitimate information.
If that's the case, that's a weird way to do it. I mean, increasing the rear spring rate past the front rates will counteract oversteer, but it will also cause other strange problems like oversteer/instability when you exit corners.
I'd hate to see what kind of odd handling characteristics that would produce.
In a way, you're right. Stiff rear spring rates and shocks can cause a rear-end to be kinda jumpy and squirm in corners, but that's usually with rear-wheel drive cars. My Sportlines are stiff in the back and I've never felt more secure in my SER. The oversteer on demand by throttle-lift in hard cornering is a blast.
In a way, you're right. Stiff rear spring rates and shocks can cause a rear-end to be kinda jumpy and squirm in corners, but that's usually with rear-wheel drive cars.
Wow. Why'd you bring this thread back? It looks like you're more bored than I am.
It all depends on what the remainder of the suspension geometry looks like. Some cars are built for stiffer springs in the front than the rear (ex: B14 Sentra), and others are built for stiffer springs in the rear (ie: current gen Celica). From what I've seen and heard, the B15 Sentra's suspension system looks like it's somewhere in between, but leaning towards softer rears than softer fronts. That's why I made the comment about it seeming odd.
Who knows though? Things may have changed in the past year or two, and I could very well have made a mistake somewhere along the line (this was before I had access to all of the resources I have now).
EDIT: I just realized that the only reason this thread came back was because you searched. Thanks tryptych!
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Last edited by ReVerm : Apr 28th, 2004 at 09:39 PM.
EDIT: I just realized that the only reason this thread came back was because you searched. Thanks tryptych! [/quote]
Well, I can't really tell you if my rear spring rates are higher in the rear, but I know my Koni's are set harder in the rear. I feel the drive wheels should have a slightly softer setup for better traction. But, yes, this all depends on vehicles characteristics and there really isn't one way to do things. Sometimes it depends on how the car is used or the style of the driver. If you can, tinker, find your preferred setup to whoever started this thread.
I just ordered the Tien Basics and they should be here before the week is up. I just have a question... What, if anything, else should I make it a point to change within the next few months, before I start seeing problems? I drive the car hard and plan on pushing things to their limits... It's just my nature. I'm probably the only guy in my area that can take a Honda Civic DX, pit it up against a Dodge Stealth that is a reasonably good driver, who is capable of tearing up rubbers much like most of my buddies and make him look like a driver that just got off of his restricted license. I'm not expecting the Sentra to perform like that lightweight car, just want to be able to push and trust that my wheels will still be under me after I exit the turn.... or before I go into them.
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as far as upgarading suspension wheels and tires, strut bar, lower tie bar brace, sway bars.
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Just out of curiosity, why are the rear springs so stiff? Those rates sound like they should go the other way around.
They are. I don't know why these types of rates are so often mis-quoted, but we tested them and put stock shocks (off of a stock Spec V) on a shock dyno and the rates were the other way around. I'll try to find the data sheet.
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