# B15 Suspension Recommendations



## Kimchee76 (Oct 25, 2002)

When I had my 2000 Nissan Sentra GXE stock it felt floaty and uneasy (kind of bouncy).

Then I changed to Progress Sport Springs that had 1.7 f & 1.5 r drop with an spec V damper upgrade & Energy Suspension Bumpstops. The floaty feeling went away, but the bounciness is longer and quicker like boing boing boing, but no buttoming out when once hit a major pot hole. I think the springs rates were 190 f 240 r. I also upgraded my wheel & tires from stock 185 65 14 to 205 40 17s.

What do you think is the best solution to get the most comfortable ride without the uneasy floaty feeling at highway speed 55 mph and up?

1) Should I put back the stock springs and buy some Monroe sensatracs? Are the Sensatracs better than stock meaning that it's better valved eliminating the floaty uneasy feeling. I don't really care abou the wheel gap any more. I just want my brain bouncing up and down, I mean the headlight beams bounce so don't think i'm just paranoid. Has anyone here only changed their dampers with senstrac and left the stock springs alone? I don't want to waste my money if the sensatracs are just just a replacement. The do claim that they are better dampers than the OEM dampers.

2) Should I wait for KYB GR2 and use the stock spring?
3) What's so bad about getting eibach pro-kits? Would I bottom out?
4) For less $1,000 what do you think is the best option for the best comfort and some decent performance, like a 50/50 ratio or even 40/60. This is a daily driver so I won't be racing at all just need something that will be pleasant enough and fun enough to drive, is it possible to somehow find a middle road.


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## Adrenaline Racing (Jan 10, 2003)

TEIN Basics list at $890. If you can do the install yourself, you can get that setup for under a grand.


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## ReVerm (Jan 13, 2003)

Kimchee76 said:


> *The floaty feeling went away, but the bounciness is longer and quicker like boing boing boing, but no buttoming out when once hit a major pot hole. I think the springs rates were 190 f 240 r. *


Just out of curiosity, why are the rear springs so stiff? Those rates sound like they should go the other way around.


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## Wont Be Beat (Sep 20, 2002)

The rear spring rates are so stiff as to counteract understeer.

Kimchee76, your stock shocks cannot dampen the loads put on them by the stiffer aftermarket springs. Your solution hear is to upgrade to shocks that are valved to handle highe spring rates.

Forget the Monroes.

In my opinion, full coilovers are overkill for your application. The money saved can be put to better use elsewhere.

KYB GR-2's are a step in the right direction but they are indeed just that, one step. They are the bottom end of the performance damper market.

Keep your Progress springs on.

Now I'm not sure what is available for your car, but I would look into something along the lines of KYB AGX, Koni Yellow, Bilstein HD, Tokico Illumina, or the Progress shock for your application. Prices here will range from $300 for the set of 4 to well over $500.


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## ReVerm (Jan 13, 2003)

Wont Be Beat said:


> *The rear spring rates are so stiff as to counteract understeer.
> *


If that's the case, that's a weird way to do it. I mean, increasing the rear spring rate past the front rates will counteract oversteer, but it will also cause other strange problems like oversteer/instability when you exit corners. 

I'd hate to see what kind of odd handling characteristics that would produce.


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## Wont Be Beat (Sep 20, 2002)

ReVerm said:


> *I mean, increasing the rear spring rate past the front rates will counteract oversteer*


 No it wont.

These springs will in no way give you uncontrolable oversteer. To think so speaks volumes about the amount of experience with suspension systems, chassis, and handling characteristics one has: meaning minimal to none. 

Please, stop reading Super Street and Turbo magazine and start paying attention to people who actually know what they are talking about, ie: GRM, corner-carvers.com, Honda-Tech.com's Road Racing/Autocross forum, me, accordinglydone.com, sccaforums.com and countless other sources of legitimate information.


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## ReVerm (Jan 13, 2003)

Correction:
Not oversteer, understeer. Sorry.

And I said nothing about oversteer being uncontrollable.


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## Wont Be Beat (Sep 20, 2002)

ReVerm said:


> * it will also cause other strange problems like oversteer/instability when you exit corners.*


 

Oversteer is something I strongly strive after.


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## ReVerm (Jan 13, 2003)

Same here.


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## tryptych (Mar 14, 2004)

*depends*



ReVerm said:


> If that's the case, that's a weird way to do it. I mean, increasing the rear spring rate past the front rates will counteract oversteer, but it will also cause other strange problems like oversteer/instability when you exit corners.
> 
> I'd hate to see what kind of odd handling characteristics that would produce.



In a way, you're right. Stiff rear spring rates and shocks can cause a rear-end to be kinda jumpy and squirm in corners, but that's usually with rear-wheel drive cars. My Sportlines are stiff in the back and I've never felt more secure in my SER. The oversteer on demand by throttle-lift in hard cornering is a blast.


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## ReVerm (Jan 13, 2003)

tryptych said:


> In a way, you're right. Stiff rear spring rates and shocks can cause a rear-end to be kinda jumpy and squirm in corners, but that's usually with rear-wheel drive cars.


Wow. Why'd you bring this thread back? It looks like you're more bored than I am. :thumbup: 

It all depends on what the remainder of the suspension geometry looks like. Some cars are built for stiffer springs in the front than the rear (ex: B14 Sentra), and others are built for stiffer springs in the rear (ie: current gen Celica). From what I've seen and heard, the B15 Sentra's suspension system looks like it's somewhere in between, but leaning towards softer rears than softer fronts. That's why I made the comment about it seeming odd. 

Who knows though? Things may have changed in the past year or two, and I could very well have made a mistake somewhere along the line (this was before I had access to all of the resources I have now).

EDIT: I just realized that the only reason this thread came back was because you searched. Thanks tryptych!


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## tryptych (Mar 14, 2004)

EDIT: I just realized that the only reason this thread came back was because you searched. Thanks tryptych! [/QUOTE]


Well, I can't really tell you if my rear spring rates are higher in the rear, but I know my Koni's are set harder in the rear. I feel the drive wheels should have a slightly softer setup for better traction. But, yes, this all depends on vehicles characteristics and there really isn't one way to do things. Sometimes it depends on how the car is used or the style of the driver. If you can, tinker, find _your _ preferred setup to whoever started this thread.


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## Eganrac (Dec 5, 2004)

I just ordered the Tien Basics and they should be here before the week is up. I just have a question... What, if anything, else should I make it a point to change within the next few months, before I start seeing problems? I drive the car hard and plan on pushing things to their limits... It's just my nature. I'm probably the only guy in my area that can take a Honda Civic DX, pit it up against a Dodge Stealth that is a reasonably good driver, who is capable of tearing up rubbers much like most of my buddies and make him look like a driver that just got off of his restricted license. I'm not expecting the Sentra to perform like that lightweight car, just want to be able to push and trust that my wheels will still be under me after I exit the turn.... or before I go into them.


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## xbrandonx (Mar 27, 2004)

as far as upgarading suspension wheels and tires, strut bar, lower tie bar brace, sway bars.


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## Apexfreak (Apr 5, 2005)

ReVerm said:


> Just out of curiosity, why are the rear springs so stiff? Those rates sound like they should go the other way around.


They are. I don't know why these types of rates are so often mis-quoted, but we tested them and put stock shocks (off of a stock Spec V) on a shock dyno and the rates were the other way around. I'll try to find the data sheet.


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## Apexfreak (Apr 5, 2005)

Apexfreak said:


> They are. I don't know why these types of rates are so often mis-quoted, but we tested them and put stock shocks (off of a stock Spec V) on a shock dyno and the rates were the other way around. I'll try to find the data sheet.


OK found it. Its a good data sheet with all the stock sprung, unsprung and corner weights motion ratios, tire rates, wheel rates etc.
Stock spring rates for a Nissan Sentra Spec V are 175# front 160# rear. There is no way an aftermarket company selling springs for the street would change the rates that dramatically, only increase it as nessassary to prevent bottoming out after lowering the car.
Interestingly enough the theoretical ideal weights for the springs listed are 163# front 140# rear (averaged between corners, by natural frequency) or (by wheel rate % or corner weight) 520# front 350# rear.


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## jeffben2 (Oct 29, 2012)

I moved to the Caribbean and bought a Nissan Sunny Super Saloon 2000 fb15 right hand drive. The parts here are extremely expensive so I want to buy some parts in the U.S. and bring them down on the plane. The problem I'm having is when I am looking at parts to buy for a 2000 Sentra (U.S. version) they are giving several options for part numbers. Does anyone know if there is a Nissan Sunny webpage that will tell me the part numbers for it and a place I can cross reference so I don't bring down the wrong parts? I need tie rods and ball joints/control arms.


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