2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Post by **nands7** » Thu Feb 03, 2022 5:44 pm

Symptoms :- Ride is very stiff, feel every crack and tar patches on road ... plastic interior is very sensitive now.
Checked no clunks or rattles from control arm or bushings etc . Kind of smooth ride on freeway but can clearly tell whether the road is leveled or not on interior roads.

History:-
Bought 3years back AWD 360deg version, now at133k miles, All 4 tires are kelly Edge A/S with 2017 stamp. They all have with dry rots now since COVID.Tires are at 33psi .Front shocks are stock and never replaced by previous owner, but no leaks,rust peels off bottom side of strut ( i live in rust belt state). Rear shocks was leaking.No crack in rear both springs. Front Passenger ride height is 1 inch lower the driver side, not sure its intentional design.Rear ride height same on both sides.

My repair:-
changed both rear shocks with OEM ones myself (DIY) 2021 summer,also changed to OEM sway bar end links ,Tie Rods to match original handling. Alignment done for new parts,rear was not affected.

Now no idea what is causing it to ride stiff.

So my question to NICO friends who faced similar issues before and learnt hard lessons :-

1.Changing rear both shocks (OEM ) cause a stiff ride?
2.Changing front sway bard links would cause suspension sensitive?
3.How can i if rear springs are worn apart from same ride height?
4.Can tire pressure causing significant stiffness.Should i reduce/increase to see any improvement?
5.How do we know if front shocks are bad if no leaks or broken spring , not able to find using bounce test.
6.Should i replace front strut for trial?
7.Should i get alignment if i change rear shock /front strut , is there camber/caster adj in this case?

Diagnosing this will definitely help forum and other Rogue owners in the near future.

Post by **AZhitman** » Thu Feb 03, 2022 6:35 pm

Welcome aboard!

Let's assess - You've done a great job so far. We're working with a 13-year old car that wasn't exactly luxurious to begin with (early Rogues were awful IMO, but that's an unpopular opinion here).

First off, tires are done. They should have been tossed in 2020. 33psi is fine, that's not causing your ride harshness, but all-season tires are harsh anyway, even more so after six+ years.

Rear shock replacement shouldn't have affected ride quality negatively. Assuming correct installation, don't think that's the issue.

Front end links don't come into play unless cornering. You did fine there.

Rear springs shouldn't be worn at 133k and 13 years. Unless something was overloaded or airborne (easy inspection will tell), I'd rule out spring issues.

Front struts do most of the work and wear a LOT faster than rears. Should have replaced those first, along with new strut bearings. I suspect that's your harshness and ride height issue. Bounce test is far outdated, won't tell you much.

Definitely get an alignment after replacing front struts. Caster, camber, and toe will be changed.

If it were mine, I'd buy four inexpensive tires and replace front struts / bearings. Keep us posted!

Post by **macgiver** » Thu Feb 03, 2022 7:01 pm

Tires are just about THE most significant factor in comfort and noise - the rubber MEETS the road ! Just don't consider too much the mileage rating , warranty , for long lasting tires are generally hard - and you'll be disappointed . Go for tires with a reputation for comfort and smooth riding qualities , should be at the top of your list

Post by **nands7** » Thu Feb 03, 2022 7:30 pm

Thanks AZhitman and macgiver. Do you recommend a good set of tires to start with? Based on forum/previous experience from Rogue owners, do we know a common brand with positive feedback .Definitely i am not going with Chinese manufactured ones.

Post by **casperfun** » Thu Feb 03, 2022 8:33 pm

Front of rogue is lopsided, which needs further examination.

Also get tires specifically for comfort.+1

If you really want to absorb the harshness of the road, get more sidewall like I did by moving from a 17 inch wheel to a 16 inch wheel.

It made a big difference since the 17 inch personally felt stiff like I was driving on performance tires even though I wasn’t.

16 inch oem stealies are cheap on eBay.

Moreover, coil buffers might help, I got mine from rubber shox for front & rear. Get the largest for the front and B+ for the rear.

Both these setups have significantly reduce my harsh ride dramatically.

https://www.amazon.com/RubberShox-DuraT ... 5960&psc=1

Ps- forgot to mention I also have Firestone airbags on the rear coils too.

Post by **macgiver** » Thu Feb 03, 2022 9:43 pm

Continentals have some smoothies in their line .
Most importantly - NEVER GET ALIGNMENTS ON OLD WORN TIRES
.......................NEVER GET ALIGNMENTS ON OLD WORN TIRES
........................NEVER GET ALIGNMENTS ON OLD WORN TIRES

ANY decent new tires usually will be seen to bring the car around to driving straight and proper.
Nefarious shops sell the " Lifetime alignments " just to sell unnecessary new parts .
ALWAYS start with NEW tires - THEN decide what and IF ya need anything new !!!

When alignments are done on weirdly worn tires , you've just corrected your car to a GREAT WRONG !

p.s " Two wrongs don't make a right "

Country of origin IS important , some places in this world can't be trusted to make a proper plastic bag!!!!!!!

SNAP .....CRACKLE...and ....................POP !!!!!!!!!!!

Post by **macgiver** » Thu Feb 03, 2022 10:00 pm

That aint your cereal talk 'n to ya , it's your cheap tires LOL

Post by **AZhitman** » Thu Feb 03, 2022 10:48 pm

I'm a bit of a tire snob. Brand or country of origin is NOT an appropriate way to select tires. In fact, many brands that our parents relied on (Goodyear, Michelin, etc) have worse reviews and are still manufactured overseas (thanks, unions and regulatory nitwits).

Grandma doesn't always know best, and don't take tire advice from someone who buys them at Sams Club or WalMart.

I'm a big fan of Hankook and Toyo, but search your size on Tire Rack and read reviews.

Also, post up your current tire size - there may be a more common, cheaper, and more compliant +1 size available that will help with ride quality and longevity.

Post by **Rogue One** » Fri Feb 04, 2022 6:53 am

macgiver wrote: ↑
Thu Feb 03, 2022 9:43 pm
Continentals have some smoothies in their line.
<<<SNIP>>>

My DD came equipped with Continentals. Great all weather tires with one caveat, they are noisy!

Post by **C-ya** » Sat Feb 12, 2022 2:41 pm

The 2011 SV AWD that I just picked up for my daughter had two year old Nakangs on it. I thought of them as Chinee death wing tires (remember the old motorcycle tires from China - something-wing, and they were craptacular, causing a lot of crashes and deaths). I know they are not made in China, but that was my impression when hearing of all the cheap tires being imported from China in the last few years.

Anyway, they felt great when driving. Expansion joints on the highway were soaked up pretty nicely. I swapped them for snow tires for the winter, and the snows ride stiffer and transfer the jolts through much more than the Nankangs did. Just to point out like was said above, the brand and country of origin aren't everything these days. I have recently started replacing tires based on age rather than wear. More expensive, but I feel better knowing the rubber is in good shape.

Post by **macgiver** » Sat Feb 12, 2022 2:45 pm

That's a wonderful variation of craptastic......CRAPTACULAR .....love the vernacular .....see-ya

Post by **D1dad** » Tue Feb 15, 2022 2:20 pm

Kelly tires suck, to put it mildly. My daughter bought an off lease Dodge Journey and it came with a brand new set. I’ve always been a Michelin or Pirelli guy, but my local tire guy told me to try sumitomos on her car, and didn’t even charge the card for 30 days just in case we wanted to swap them out for my original want, which was Michelins. The tires are still on her car. Sumitomo is a Japanese tire and competitively priced. They ride nice, are dead silent and are wearing like iron. She’s 10k into them and they’re still measuring almost 9/32. Not sure if I’d put them on my own ride, but I’d consider it.

Post by **D1dad** » Tue Feb 15, 2022 2:32 pm

FYI. I put Michelin defenders on my 09 Altima and Michelin primacy on the wife’s 18 rogue. The defenders are lasting for ever but ride harsher than the primacy that rides great but are wearing faster. Not a Hankook fan as the ones that came on her rogue new wore out fast, but they rode like you were on a cloud. My 21 has hankooks and same thing.

Post by **macgiver** » Tue Feb 15, 2022 4:07 pm

I've learned in addition to " known good tires in known good brands " , to consider heavily the makeup of the plies in a tire , ie. Tread & Sidewall..................typically I like 6 and 2 ......ex :
Tread : 2 plys Aramid , 2 plies Steel , 2 plies Nylon or polyester ( whatever) ; Sidewall : 2 plies polyester and or Nylon
I like a firm ride in usually NO LESS than ' W ' speed rating , been going for ' Y ' and ( Y ) lately tho

Those don't EXPLODE inside your wheel wells !!!!!!!!! Upon blowout stays mostly " together "@ 80 mph .

p.s. Yes...........NO their NOT " comfortable " , still quiet though if Michelin

Post by **nands7** » Thu Jun 23, 2022 11:32 am

Ok guys, i replace front struts (another forum post) and rode the same.Fronts are at 3/32 and rear >4/32,so the DT tire person says ok to continue. I plan to replace tires before winter,waiting for deal(s).

Now should i focus on rear coil spring? Will rubber shox help absorb small cracks and craters.

Should i put in the front as well? If its proven and gives significant improvement on ride quality, how many should i put on one side ,just one is enough or 2 and also at top,center or bottom?

Post by **casperfun** » Thu Jun 23, 2022 1:31 pm

Ride quality is subjective. My 09 Rogue always had a pretty harsh ride since it’s a cheap a$$ cuv.

But way better nowadays because of my mods.

Anyways, I bought the A+ size for the front since it’s pretty spacious between the coils. I also placed some cheap autozone boosters I previously had to support the spring buffers on each end.

I also installed some booster blocks for the heck of it. You don’t really need them, just a personal preference.

There are certain hardness for rubber material, just get the level that makes you happy. Moreover, only room for 1 buffer in the front & back.

The rear I used size B+.

Post by **nands7** » Thu Jun 23, 2022 4:41 pm

Thanks Casperfun, so before install, how did the vehicle handle? Did you change front shock,coil spring? Also did you change the tire(s) as well?
After install how was the ride?

Should i put in the front / rear or both . I know its extremely user feel but what if i choose to put in the rear and not in front or vice versa?
You also said booster bricks ,is it to squeeze the buffer in place or double the stiffness ?

I just want to absorb cracks and jumps,body rolls when tires go uneven surfaces, currently i see my new struts sway at uneven road(observe above top headlight hood corner ends) which i believe is normal(my sway bar end links are OEMs replaced last year).

I believe tires can impact but do you think 3/32 at front is really bad for body roll..road crack transfer..etc?
Also out of wheel balance cause harsh ride... not sure...please help.

Post by **casperfun** » Thu Jun 23, 2022 7:59 pm

Well in the latter years, there has always been some weird crap, creaks, or vibration here or there.

But at the moment, everything is good in the world and the rogue is running smooth. I kept my 13 yr old struts and rear coils. I usually drive like grandma over bumps, but I do occasionally make mistakes over curbs and potholes. I never changed my struts because Scotty said quick struts might turn your ride to crap and my rear coils still golden.

I did change my rear shocks because one was leaking like 7-8 years ago with kyb.

I know after the coil buffer installation, there is less body roll if that is the right description. I know the steering feels firmer which I personally like.

The booster blocks is for boosting height a touch. But if you watch their videos, it just seems to help the coils absorb the pounding on the pavement. Well to me at least. The rubber is more durable then the ones at the auto store which tend to crumble.

When I went with 16 inch wheels and a fatter sidewall which were actually all terrains tires. That made a huge improvement in making a softer ride. Avoid performance tires of course.

My rogue tracks like it’s on rail. Straight as an arrow which is why I refuse to get an alignment and ruin that feeling.

I also guess getting the tires for best comfort & noise would give a better ride. Do your DD on that.

I’m no expert, I just use this stuff to make me feel better, maybe it’s placebo but it rides better to me and it’s a cheap affordable mod.

Post by **D1dad** » Fri Jun 24, 2022 3:45 am

Chances are the after market shocks are your culprit, especially if it’s a ready strut. Most suck and it’s a convenience factor only. I eventually got a decent ride on my 09 Altima by going with mando ready struts. Supposedly the oem mfg for Nissan. It’s really not the shocks themselves that cause the issue as much as the cheap spring they use. Buy a used oem complete shock on eBay, preferably out of CA or Texas and swap out the spring on the ready strut. Should improve the ride greatly. Also 3/32 is not a tire depth I’d be comfy with so I call BS on the tire folks who told you that. You get what you pay for with tires.

Post by **nands7** » Fri Jun 24, 2022 9:59 am

The struts are brand new oem ones with springs used junkyard Rogue.Yes A/M ones are not built same as OEM one and most use KYB for stiffness and Monroe for smoothness ,both don't last over time...Sachs Mexico makes front shock and Sachs Korea makes rear shocks for Rogues ,not sure about Altimas.No markings on springs to confirm.Most share parent Renault Europe design.Strut tower mount is made in Japan and bearing in France..they are good..I plan to replace tires soon.kelly edge a/s is terrible in winter ,but wears even and rubber doesn't last...dry rots very fast..

Post by **D1dad** » Fri Jun 24, 2022 3:47 pm

Then all that’s left is tires. I have Michelin defenders on aftermarket rims on my 09 and Pirelli all season on the stock rims for winter. They’re both all season tires, but the Pirellis ride so much softer. As I said above…Kelly sucks. That’s what they put on cars at used car lots to sell cars with (new tires). Kelly at one time had a stellar reputation but not so much now. You’d probably better served to go to Walmart and buy a set of douglas all seasons.

Post by **nands7** » Wed Jun 29, 2022 9:40 am

Guys here , the shape of my tires . KELLY EDGE A/S 0217 mark.

How healthy the rubber is? on sidewall ...etc?

Let me know how far to go.....find new roads or find new tires....LOL...

Post by **D1dad** » Thu Jun 30, 2022 2:30 am

Looks like they’ve seen better days, maybe. Cant tell much from the pics. Maybe you can see a mfg date. As rubber ages it generally stiffens up. My daughters dodge came with them and when she swapped them out the ride transformed. I threw a set of uniroyals on my car once for about an hour, went back and had Michelins put on. Tires can greatly effect comfort. Especially if your riding on stocks shocks and springs.

Post by **nands7** » Fri Jul 01, 2022 11:53 am

Thanks D1dad.
I don't drive that often, clocks max 5K or 6K per year....no freeway drive due to CVT fear, only city stop and go...daily commuter....
Yup...shopping for tires now...need to decide between General RT43 and Sumitomo HT, i see negative/neutral reviews on Kumho's and Hankooks....also no budget to put Michellin's/Conti's or similar expensive ones......also found T version cheaper than H.
Wud T version run smooth enough at city speeds without any quality compromise ? ....what do you guys suggest.... ???

Post by **casperfun** » Fri Jul 01, 2022 1:42 pm

My train of thought was that stop and go would be more stressful on a cvt which is why I drain and fill every 20k. I was late in the game.

Post by **VStar650CL** » Fri Jul 01, 2022 6:51 pm

casperfun wrote: ↑
Fri Jul 01, 2022 1:42 pm
My train of thought was that stop and go would be more stressful on a cvt which is why I drain and fill every 20k. I was late in the game.

Your surmise is correct. Start-stop driving inherently represents higher shear stresses and less cooling.

Post by **D1dad** » Sat Jul 02, 2022 4:22 am

I don’t know vstar. I just made it back from Myrtle beach yesterday and my cvt temps in 95 degree heat was 203-204. Granted I was doing 80 and loaded pretty good. I went through Knoxville back to Ohio and was a steady 203 all the way. Once I got off the freeway it dropped down to 188-195. No noises or abnormal cvt behavior to speak of. My f250 powerstroke will hover around 230 but that’s a different animal.

Post by **VStar650CL** » Sat Jul 02, 2022 5:38 am

D1dad wrote: ↑
Sat Jul 02, 2022 4:22 am
I don’t know vstar. I just made it back from Myrtle beach yesterday and my cvt temps in 95 degree heat was 203-204. Granted I was doing 80 and loaded pretty good.

I'm sure the heavy load had a lot to do with that. Keep in mind that without an aux cooler, the tranny is dependent on the engine for cooling. Outlet tank temps that run 40F below the 'stat temp under normal circumstances may only manage 20~25F under high load and high heat, and while that won't move the dash gauge a lot, the CVT will definitely feel it. Couple that with higher-than-usual shear heat in the tranny itself because of the heavy load, and that's a recipe for high temps on the highway. With a normal load, most of the shear forces are from coming off stoplights and it's a different story.

Post by **D1dad** » Sun Jul 03, 2022 5:49 am

I’m not overly concerned. I spoke with a Honda tech yesterday, younger guy who had a civic all hopped up. Fart can and all. He said his cvt routinely runs 210 on highway trips and he’s currently setting at 200k with the original tranny. My tech said no go on the cooler. At least if I wanna maintain my extended warranty. I can’t believe Nissan would deny warranty if I did something that would benefit the cause, but it is Nissan. The company who tells you to flush your brake fluid every 20k but could care less about cvt fluid service.

Post by **nands7** » Sun Jul 10, 2022 7:43 am

Guys, is General RT43 tire good,they are not expensive and show very positive review/difference...what do you guys think?

@casperfun, i plan to install Rubbershox soon, i see 4 types , SERIES, PLUS, PRO ,SUPER.
which gives the best performance for worst Michigan roads with cracks,potholes..salt in winter
what do you suggest?

2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Re: 2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Re: 2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Re: 2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Re: 2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Re: 2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Re: 2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Re: 2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Re: 2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Re: 2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Re: 2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Re: 2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Re: 2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Re: 2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Re: 2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Re: 2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Re: 2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Re: 2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Re: 2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Re: 2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Re: 2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Re: 2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Re: 2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Re: 2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Re: 2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Re: 2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Re: 2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Re: 2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Re: 2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Re: 2010 Rogue stiff ride.. please help

Nissan Forums

Infiniti Forums

Datsun Forums

Technical Forums

Classifieds / Marketplace

Nissan Motorsports

General Forums