Softer springs for the front end?

Topics relating to Lift Kits, Suspension, Steering...

Moderator: volvite

vegpower
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2020 12:38 pm

Softer springs for the front end?

Postby vegpower » Fri Jun 05, 2020 9:20 pm

Hey fellas, I already have Bilstein 4600 in the front end. Now I am looking for softer springs to give it a more car like ride.

Or would you recommend a strut?

I prefer the spring cause I already invested on the bilsteins.

Let me know if you have direct experience with this.


Cheers!

P.S. I don't carry much weight inside


silverarrow27
Posts: 414
Joined: Sat May 02, 2020 1:40 am
Location: Banning, CA

Re: Softer springs for the front end?

Postby silverarrow27 » Sat Jun 06, 2020 1:37 am

Sorry if I mistake you for someone else on here, but if you're the one asking about mods and making more power. You should go stiffer and not softer. The rear can be softer to distribute the weight to the rear wheels on a launch.

User avatar
ShipFixer
Posts: 769
Joined: Sun May 24, 2009 9:52 am
Location: San Diego, CA

Re: Softer springs for the front end?

Postby ShipFixer » Sat Jun 06, 2020 2:36 pm

You want the Moog front end springs. No lift but slightly stiffer. It will be more car like with less brake dive, etc. My truck is about as close to a big sedan as these things are going to get!

User avatar
ShipFixer
Posts: 769
Joined: Sun May 24, 2009 9:52 am
Location: San Diego, CA

Re: Softer springs for the front end?

Postby ShipFixer » Sat Jun 06, 2020 2:38 pm

One OBTW here, Nissans are traditionally undersprung, among other things. Both the Pathfinder and XTerra have really weak rear stock springs in particular. :?

User avatar
smj999smj
Site Admin
Posts: 6054
Joined: Sun Jan 22, 2012 11:13 pm
Location: Prospect, VA

Re: Softer springs for the front end?

Postby smj999smj » Sat Jun 06, 2020 6:04 pm

I think the only way you are going to get a more "car-like" ride is to trade it in for an R52 Pathfinder! Some things just get compromised by design when it comes to automobiles.

vegpower
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2020 12:38 pm

Re: Softer springs for the front end?

Postby vegpower » Sun Jun 07, 2020 12:56 pm

I'm just gonna take it to Nissan on Wednesday and road test with a mechanic for noises over bumps. I am pretty sure there is something wrong with it.

the vibration on steering wheel when going over patches or road imperfections is insane

It does nose dive when I brake, so I guess springs are soft enough...well what do I know..

Thanks!

vegpower
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2020 12:38 pm

Re: Softer springs for the front end?

Postby vegpower » Sun Jun 07, 2020 5:15 pm


User avatar
ShipFixer
Posts: 769
Joined: Sun May 24, 2009 9:52 am
Location: San Diego, CA

Re: Softer springs for the front end?

Postby ShipFixer » Sun Jun 07, 2020 6:53 pm

vegpower wrote:
Sun Jun 07, 2020 5:15 pm
https://www.ridefox.com/product.php?m=t ... tion=Front


This is as premium as u can get?
Yes, but unnecessary. And those will also just be stiffer springs. The ride height adjuster adjusts ride height, not "stiffness."

the Moog springs plus Bilstein 4600's are about as close to ideally damped across a wide range of conditions as I've found. And I've tried more expensive stuff. They reject low frequency inputs (brake dive and cornering) and accept high frequency inputs (bumps, of most shapes and varieties) very, very well. My truck is *very* sedan like for a big body on frame creature.

I will tell you the biggest problem I had with mine when I got it was really the rear springs and shocks. They were soft enough that the rear would bottom out, which upset the front a *lot.* Even expansion joints could be a problem, and it could be a handful when it happened mid-turn at speed. Air bags were a good intermediate step, which got even better with the 4600's. The Moog springs make it to where you don't need the air springs (I keep 0 psi in mine now).

Bonus points, since the 4600's were designed around a linear spring, the rear end of my truck is even more settled over big bumps. Air springs are by nature progressive, so if I hit something really big, like a two or three inch square bump on the highway where they were stripping asphalt or something, it would bounce a bit more than I'd like. Now it stays under control throughout the travel, at all speeds.

Anyway, you may also have something else going on. Could be a really badly seized bushing, a worn tie rod, or something. Try Googling how to check tie rods, wheel bearings, and ball joints, all of them could be a cause, and the checks are pretty easy. for failing bushings, can also try cycling the suspension with the shock and spring out.

vegpower
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2020 12:38 pm

Re: Softer springs for the front end?

Postby vegpower » Mon Jun 08, 2020 9:20 am

Thanks! I will road test the truck with a Nissan Mechanic on Wednesday.

Truck is okay with big speed bumps or off road, very soft. Problem is on highway with small imperfections. Steering wheel vibrates, truck shakes and jumps around. Sketchy!

Will post what they say at Nissan.

I am researching on these:

King, Sway-a-Way, Radflo, Bilstein (9X00), Fox, FOA

Cheers

User avatar
ShipFixer
Posts: 769
Joined: Sun May 24, 2009 9:52 am
Location: San Diego, CA

Re: Softer springs for the front end?

Postby ShipFixer » Mon Jun 08, 2020 9:41 am

All of those are very nice shocks, but you should not be seeing this behavior out of a 4600 (which by the way is the same damper as the Bilstein 5100, but without ride height adjustment). You've got a broken shock, or something else going on. FWIW I *love* awesome shocks (I have a $1,200 shock on one of my mountain bikes, and top of the line Fox stuff on all the others, and I am a big RaceTech fan), but the 4600's are just about perfect dynamically so it's hard to say you need to spend four or five times as much, or more to get an acceptable ride.

vegpower
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2020 12:38 pm

Re: Softer springs for the front end?

Postby vegpower » Mon Jun 08, 2020 3:01 pm

I see your point. This is the only one that fits the Pathfinder 2008 V8

https://www.gorancho.com/products/shock ... 99787.html

I can regulate dampening which sounds ideal

I emailed FOX and the said their shocks don't feet the Path, which sounds weird cause they sell them on amazon for the path.

Cheers


Return to “R51 Suspension and Steering”