Need help to getting a smoother ride

[JonathanPrem]

Hi guys,

I'm finally getting a new rear axle and wondering how to get a smooth ride like the qx4. I've replaced the struts,shocks, and ball joints(no play no).What else do i need to replace to get a smoother ride.

-Springs-..........-.........

And since im getting new rear end, what should i replace in the back. Sway bar links? bumper stop?.....

[miamiheat3332]

well for 1, 22's arent helping your ride quality lol, and i thought you wanted lowering springs? haha now its smooth ride.

[JonathanPrem]

Even with my 16's My ride quality is really s*** and when I make sharp or fast turns my rear end jumps up a bit.

And yea Lowering springs are on its way. Feb 4-7

[miamiheat3332]

alright. throw the idea of smoother ride out of your head then, if the roads good, the rides fine, but some bumps, and your gonna be bouncin, haha, you will see.

[miamiheat3332]

oh yeah, watch out for bad rail road crossings, or even normal ones, in a stock suspension car at 50mph, you wont feel much, theres one by my house, in my other car i dont feel much , in the pathy when i once went over it at 50mph, my a** left the seat about 4 inches lol.

[Pwnin O'Brien]

Yeah, a rough ride is just a characteristic of the factory Nissan suspension. You may be able to get a smoother ride by either replacing the springs with lower spring rate springs (lower spring rate means slower rebound which means softer ride) or you could throw an air suspension at it and see if it's softer. In many cases an air suspension is stiffer than coil springs but maybe not more than the R50 suspension.

[miamiheat3332]

btw jonathan, are you also putting in the kyb's when you get the coils or no? cause id highly advise to, especially if you have more than 60-70k miles, since then its gonna be a pain to take apart again, and i also think new everything around, makes car feel even better.

[JonathanPrem]

I replaced my stock with KYB GR2 like 10km or less ago.

[miamiheat3332]

do you have the gr-2s in the rear or gas-adjusts?

ive read that people say the gas-adjusts are better, those are the ones i have, but i dont know for sure.

[MagicM]

Even with my 16's My ride quality is really s*** and when I make sharp or fast turns my rear end jumps up a bit.

And yea Lowering springs are on its way. Feb 4-7

You can't be serious!, my 01 LE with 16s was like riding a SOFA with car like handling!. Come over to my house and try a 5000+ lbs Land rover with Front and rear soild axles and full time 4wd you'll see what real Bouncing/backbreaking ride is.

[JonathanPrem]

I got GR-2's. Is the gas adjustable more smoother and is it height adjustable ?

[K03sport]

if you want a QX-4 ride, why can't you put QX-4 suspension parts on the Pathfinder?

In order for you to know what makes the Q's rider "smoother" or less harsh than the Pathfinder, you have to find out what suspension parts are different.

What is the part number of the Q's springs? Pathfinder's? Same goes for the shocks/struts. Did they use different durometer bushings in all of the joints?

Does the Q isolate the passenger cabin differently than the Pathfinder? Is there more sound deadening material to give alter the sound of the ride quality?

Are the Q's seats made differently than the Pathfinder's.

I believer there is more to ride quality than just springs and dampers, even those two play the more important role.

I would say, drop your tire pressure down around 30psi (what's on the door sticker). Mfrs usually reccomend a tire pressure more toward comfort than performance, but since you are not running the stock 16s/17s then that is a mute point.

Also, a taller sidewall tire will help add comfort. The taller sidewall will absorb more of the bump and act like a "2nd" shock. Again, a mute point with your summer wheels.

In the end, the Pathfinder is a truck, not a car.

[miamiheat3332]

they are called gas-adjusts, i dont know why, since you cant adjust them lol, and i cant tell you if the gas-adjusts are smoother or better than gr-2s in the back since i never had gr-2s in the back, so cant say.