Special thanks for this write up goes to Fezzik (David Honey). Posted with permission from the author.

Here is what the rear coilover that I tested looked like compared to the stock rear suspension. These are still being tested and are not offered yet.



You will first want to measure the car’s wheel gap right now and think of how much u want to lower it by. Be sure to write all your numbers down.



1.) To remove the stock suspension; first remove the interior sideliner in the trunk.

2.) Jack up the car from the rear and make sure you use jack stands. Then release the jack but barely keep the jack off the rear axle.

3.) Remove the wheels.

4.) Undo the bolt on the bottom of the stock suspension.



5.) Remove the bolts at the top. There are two of them. Have someone catch the spring and strut when you undo these bolts.



1st Bolt



2nd Bolt

6.) Now measure the total length of the stock strut and spring. A good way to measure is from the bottom of the perch (the big black thing at the top of the stock strut assembly) to the center of the hole for the lower attachment. See how it’s done on this coilover.



7.) Now disassemble the stock strut and spring. You will need a spring compressor for this job. You may want to hit the bolt at the top of the strut with an impact to loosen it a bit, but don’t remove.



8.) When you have the spring compressed you can remove the bolt at the top of the strut and the top assembly will come off and then the spring. The only thing you want to keep from the stock strut assembly is the big black perch, the bump stop below it and the thick rubber washer above it. This will be used on the coilover.



9.) Now to the coilover. The coilover will come all fairly loose. Take all the stuff off like the spring and dust boot ect. The upper metal washer and bolt will be used again as the very top pieces. You will see a bumpstop here:



10.) Now make sure there is a washer inside the black dustboot. Put this over the assembly, then the spring and then the bumpstop from the stock strut assembly on top.



IMPORTANT NOTE: The bumpstop you see in these pictures has not been cut in half. You will need to do this. This bumpstop is made to fit into the perch. If you look the perch underside is designed to the outline of this bumpstop. Look lower for more info.

Below is a picture of the bumpstop cut in half thanks to Reese on Maxima.org



11.) Now there is a gold ring with a rubber gasket on it. This goes on the stock perch like so:



12.) This in turn goes on top of the coilover:



13.) And then install the upper bushing and then metal washer and bolt.



14.) Now if you have an impact, try to impact the top bolt tight. There should be roughly 10 threads sticking out. Look below for a picture of this. Also the bolt is a nylon lock. Mine was tough as heck to tighten. We had to actually cut away some of the nylon away to get the bolt on and then we used locktite.



15.) Ok here is the coilover all put together



Note how the very top bolt has no threads out. This is because the bumpstop was not cut in half. If you cut the bumpstop in half then you will have 10 threads showing through like so:



(This is just to show how much threads are sticking out. Don’t bolt up just yet. Measurements still need to be done) (Also make sure flat edge is facing this way)







IMPORTANT NOTE ON INSTALLING COILOVER: When you install the coilover, back install it just the opposite of when you removed the stock strut assembly except for two things. First: If you look down the coilover from the top, you will see that the strut sticking out of the bolt is not exactly round. It has a flat part. Make sure that flat part is facing toward the inside of the trunk and not away. Look at the picture above with the note. Second: The lower part of the strut which you bolt to the car is not perfectly flush on both sides. It will stick out a lot on one side. There is only two ways this part can go into the mounting area. THE PART THAT STICKS OUT MUST STICK OUT AWAY FROM THE CAR. (AWAY FROM THE CENTER OF THE CAR) If not this will rub against the metal brackets that the strut goes in and damage the coilover.



16.) (See below for bolt numbering) Now the coilover is assembled the spring tension needs to be set. You will need to tighten the spring until its just snug. I put it under a little tension but not much. This is done by tightening up Bolt #1 until the spring is under a small amount of tension. (Usually until you can not turn the spring in the coilover.) Tighten up Bolt #2 up to Bolt #1. Make sure this is nice and tight.



17a.) Ok now you need to start doing some measurements. I started out by making the length of the coilover the same as my stock strut assembly. Do this for both sides by turning the lower part of the coilover seen below Bolt #3 until length is right. Install the coilover and wheels. Lower the car. I did two measurements. From the fender well to the top of the rim and from the fender well to the center of the rim.





17b.) Now see how much you want more wheel gap you want to take out or add and remember this. Jack the car back up take off each wheel. I was able to make changes by taking apart the lower coilover only and able to leave the top part in place. Turn the lower part of the coilover until you have reached the right measurement. Install the lower part, and tighten up Bolt #3. Make sure both sides are equal. If not just adjust one side to match the other by adjusting the lower part of the coilover only.







Installing the front coilover:



When installing the front coilover it’s easy after you have done the front. There is no disassembly or adding to the coilover. Just take out the front stock strut assembly. Be careful with all the lines and cables attached to the front strut assembly. Then measure it in a similar fashion to the rear. On the coilover make sure the spring is barely in tension like in the rear. Turn the lower coilover to match the length of the stock strut. Install the coilover, lower the car, and see how much wheel gap u want to take out or add. Jack the car up and take the coilover off and make the appropriate adjustments to the lower part of the coilover by turning it. When u have desired height, then tighten everything up. Here's the tricky part. U have to watch out for the lines and cables. This coilover does not have any brackets to hold these. What I did was zip tie them to good structures. But you need someone in the car turning the wheel right and left to make sure it won’t pull these cables and lines. If all is well fasten them down. Drop the car and go get it aligned. You really do not need camber plates. 2002 maxima I know have tons of camber to play with. I dropped my front end 2” and does not need any camber plates. If someone tells you that you need them maybe get second opinion. This is what happened to me. I took it to pep boys and they said I would need camber plates. I took it to a specialty shop in alignment and they got it done is 10 mins.









Credits

Written by David Honey aka Fezzik



Special Thanks goes out to Cullen Jones and Scott Keller on Maxima.org and NICO.



Another special thanks goes to Reese for the help with the bump stop issue and the picture.