5th Gen Exhaust & Suspension set up questions...

[Nismonkey]

I need some input about some things. I'm thinking about getting these parts for my ride...

Wondering if anyone has Cattman Headers/Y-pipe + Greddy Evo2 exhaust setup??? OR If anyone has Tokico Illumina + Tein Stech springs set up???

Are any of those good combinations? What kind of horsepower gains would I be looking at with the exhaust set up?

Are the Stech series from Tein too agressive of a drop? They are saying it's a 2.2in front & 1.7in in the back.

I know there are plenty of other combinations I could go with, but let me know what yall think...L8tr, Mike

2002 Nissan Maxima 6 Speed4 door body...2 door soul

[audtatious]

Dave (Fezzik) has the Catman headers on his 2k2 with factory cat-back. I think gains were 20-30hp (also had Injen intake during dyno, I believe). Headers includes y-pipe.

I have Illumina's, but not Tein. I think the H-techs are OK, but the S-techs make for a bumpy ride (at least with the GR-2's). John (MetaOrbit) had S-techs with GR-2's and removed them after 1 week ('02 I35)...

[cullenj76]

The gains you will see from the Cattman headers are dramatic. Dave's(Fezzik) car is reallly quick now, believe me

I'd suggest the Illumina and H-tech setup. Like audatious said, you might find the stechs a little aggressive. The spring rate is not all that high with the stechs, but the drop is dramatic, and that makes for bottoming out and not enough suspension travel.

[Nismonkey]

Thanks guys!

[Fezzik]

Sorry it's taking so long to reply. i've been really busy lately. As for the cattman headers. Love them to death. I have these with a ss mandrel bent b-pipe to my exhuast. I kept the stock exhuast to keep things quite and to keep things looking stock.

On the suspension. The pouplar way to go is with what cullen and audatious said.

[Nismonkey]

What kind of offset are you runnin with your rims audtatious? Ya'll are probably gonna get me on this...i'm lookin at gettin some 19's for my ride.I'm just trying to figure out suspension + wheel/tire combo, without risking breaking all my teeth if I hit a bump in the road!

The bolt pattern on the 5th gens is 5x114, right? If I tuck 235/35/19 rubber on KONIG Trouble 19"x8" rims, would that look right?

Thanks guys!

[audtatious]

I'm running a 40 offset. The only change I would make to it would me a 10mm shim to move the rear tires out a bit more.

[cullenj76]

What kind of offset are you runnin with your rims audtatious? Ya'll are probably gonna get me on this...i'm lookin at gettin some 19's for my ride.I'm just trying to figure out suspension + wheel/tire combo, without risking breaking all my teeth if I hit a bump in the road!

The bolt pattern on the 5th gens is 5x114, right? If I tuck 235/35/19 rubber on KONIG Trouble 19"x8" rims, would that look right?

Thanks guys!

bolt pattern is 5x114.3

19x8 will work as long as you get the right offset. What offsets are available on that wheel?

[Nismonkey]

bolt pattern is 5x114.3

19x8 will work as long as you get the right offset. What offsets are available on that wheel?

I think they have it in 30mm & 45mm. Higher the number, the more they stick out right? I definitely don't wanna have a skate boarded max...lol!

[audtatious]

Offset is the distance from the Centerline of the wheel to the wheel bolt up face (the part of the wheel that contacts the car's hub when you attach the wheel). Positive or Negative is the descriptive term that tells us whether the wheel bolt up face is farther towards the inner or outer part of the wheel. Positive offset means the bolt up face is "right of center" and a negative means the bolt up face is "left of center"

A 30mm positive offset will push the rim futher towards the fender lip than a 40mm. See below.

[Nismonkey]

so 30mm would probably look best huh?

[audtatious]

Depends on how wide the rims are. I have 18x7.5's and can run 30mm in the back (would not want to do that in the front).

[Nismonkey]

19x8's...

[audtatious]

I'd go with a 40mm offset and get some 10mm shims for the rear. You should be OK as long as you don't go too wild with the tire size.

Use this link to determine sizing ( http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html ). From playing around with it, a 225-30-19 tire would be more appropriate than the 235-35-19's you are looking at as those have a larger diameter than stock by 1.2".

[maxhopper]

Just beware when running such a low profile tire. If you hit a decent-sized pothole you run a serious risk of blowing out the tire. I would recommend running at least an 18" with a 45 profile. Just my opinion.

[audtatious]

Scott is correct. If you go with lightweight rims and hit a pothole you can also bend the rim. My rims are only 2-3lbs lighter than the factory ones and I'm running 40's. Pretty rough when I hit the potholes, but not too bad where I have blown tires (yet) or bent rims...

[Nismonkey]

I was messin with that tire size calculator thing...that's kinda cool.My Max came w/ 225/50/17 tires from the factory. When I plugged in the 235/35/19 tire, it matched up pretty good. Like you said tho, I lose bout an inch worth of side wall, everything else stayed the same. Thanks guys...lots of helpful input!!!

[audtatious]

Actually, a 30 series tire would be more appropriate.

Just be aware that you will have a rough ride in comparison to the 50's. I know my 40's are quite a bit rougher as well. Gotta watch those potholes too...

[Nismonkey]

I think I have my setup figured out...I'm gonna go with the Illumina's w/ Htechs

Race pipe from CustomEnterprise.com + Greddy EVO2 for now,Cattman Headers/Y-pipe later this year maybe. That's a good chunk of change!

For wheels 19x8's w/ 45mm offset. I think you(audtatious) said you were runnin a 40mm offset with 7.5 wide tires. If I got 8 wide tires and a 45mm offset, the stance would almost be the same right???

I can already tell this may be a spring/summer long task, I'll keep ya'll posted. Thanks again for all the help!

[audtatious]

It should be close. It sticks out a bit more than my 40mm rims (by .16") and fills the well a bit more on the inside by .44".

45mm = .2" difference to 40mm which is less than 1/4".

[Nismonkey]

I'm ordering some parts from CustomEnterprise tomorrow.Y-pipe(Customenterprise)+racing mid pipe+Greddy Evo2 Exhaust.

They we're sold out of Cattman headers/Y-pipe. So we'll see how this Customenterprise Y-pipe does.

They're claiming some pretty impressive WHP gains. We'll see I guess in a week or two after installation!

[Nismonkey]

It's official...Cattman Y-pipe & Greddy Evo2 Exhaust is on its way!I'm hoping to get the Y-pipe+mid race pipe+Evo2 installed in time for the 502spring meet.

Suspension will be next on the list...

[audtatious]

Awesome!

Let me know how the Cattman y-pipe works out. The Warpspeed Y-pipe for my 2k2 was a total piece of crap

[Fezzik]

Good choice. I had the cattman y-pipe on mine and had no problems with it at all

[Nismonkey]

Cattman Y-pipe + CustomEnterprise.com Mid Pipe + Greddy Evo2 Exhaust is ALL HERE!!!I'll post pics of the install & finished product ASAP!

Modified by Nismonkey at 10:27 AM 4/7/2005
Modified by Nismonkey at 5:50 PM 4/12/2005

[Nismonkey]

Install to take place tomorrow...I'll try to post pics that afternoon!!!

[NISTECH]

wow thats a nice exhuast set up, its a direct bolt up. awesome!!

[audtatious]

Let us know how things go. Curious to see if you have any banging with the Cattman y-pipe (tho I doubt it)....

[Nismonkey]

Let us know how things go. Curious to see if you have any banging with the Cattman y-pipe (tho I doubt it)....

"banging"?no banging so far. Exhaust note is pretty loud, still getting used to that.

I've have before & after pics on my cardomain site...click on NISMONKEY & veiw my home page.

[NISTECH]

first of all I didnt realize your car was the 3.5 6 spd SE [my favorite maxi to date.]

How are you gonna get around the CEL for the bank 1 po420 code and the rear o2 codes for the parts that got removed? You did know that front bulky pipe was a cat for the rear bank right?