Piston Slap: Trollblazer, Massaged. Or Not?
DH writes:
A cherry 2008 Saab 9-7 with the 5.3L V8 and a very clean Carfax sheet is now in the capable hands of my lovely bride at a price that would shame even Jack Benny. It will tow what we need it to, it will carry what we ask of it and even looks cool enough that our 11 year old son will allow us to drop him off in front of his junior high.
Eventually it will need consumables. Rather than replace shocks / struts, tires, brake pads etc with OEM stuff, what can be done to improve the ride and handling of this solid axle SUV? Where would you go and to whom would you turn to inquire if it can be improved upon if one spends a bit more on things that need to be replaced anyway? Is this excrement polishing?
Sajeev Answers:
It’s absolutely not excrement polishing, if the whole family enjoys the TrollBlazer. That said, the word “improve” is in the eye of a beholder. Porsche it shall not be, but SUVs can be stupid fun to drive with just a change of dampeners. I found out, and was suitably… shocked.
So do yourself a solid, and get a set of performance dampeners aimed at street going SUVs: any mild Koni, Bilstein or Tokico shock will suffice. Do some research on TireRack.com for the best a “high performance all-season” tire for your needs. Switch to a more aggressive semi-metallic brake pad for maximum “whoa” for minimal “dough.”
If you want to go further, give it a shot: a set of lower springs along with firmer shocks can make for a more street-savvy SUV. The key is to go conservative in your lowering to not screw up the geometry associated with minimizing suspension/drivetrain bind. I’m not gonna speculate on what’s your wisest move in terms of springs, that’s why places like the Trail-Voy Forums have a home on the Internet. Give it a good read.
Send your queries to mehta@ttac.com. Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.
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Powerslot (slotted only) rotors with Hawk HPS (SUV) pads. Excellent 'whoa nelly' ability. I have had them on a 93 integra for 3 years and an 02 solara for 1.
I run a Road Master Active Suspension (RAS) on my '10 Xterra. They have greatly improved handling. When I bought the Xterra I came from a 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee. I wanted something similar in size and capability. The Xterra was one of the closest SUVs I could find for the price. It is however a fairly tall SUV and its driving dynamics leave a bit to be desired. I was suprised at how my 10+ year old Jeep, with aging suspension parts, handled a little better. I suppose the Xterra's extra umph didnt make matters better. I did some research and in the end I went with the road master. Its about $300 and acts like a set of airbags / leaf stiffeners / sway bars - all in one. Its simple enough to install on your own and is supposed to improve towing capacity. I have yet to tow, but the cornering of the Xterra has gotten much better. Its no sports car by any stretch, but I no longer have to brake as heavily when entering a turn and it takes a bit more for body roll to be introduced. I would compare the drive to that of a large sedan. The roadmaster will however raise the height - not much - about an inch. But on the Xterra which was already tall to begin with I could no longer park in my work's garage with the aftermarket roof rack on. Its fine in the winter w/o the bike and kayak parts. If anyone wants to know more there are a bunch of reviews out there including this one I wrote: http://www.clubxterra.org/forums/showthread.php?t=22059