Owner: John Canuel
Year: 2004
Model: Maxima
Color: Black
Engine: Gen2 VQ35DE
Transmission: 6-Speed Manual
Trim: SE
TDMimports offers a new line of shift knobs made from 304 stainless steel with Delrin insert grips to prevent heat issues while maintaining a solid weight for a better driving experience. Their shift knobs feature a two-piece design with interchangeable grips and exclusive metal shifter emblems for the top, available in 5 or 6-speed options. You can choose between ball type or tall (cylinder) type shift knobs. All grips are interchangeable and come in Delrin or billet alloy, with several color options available.
Price: $135.00
Order Link: https://www.tdmimports.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=158&search=knob
Credit: Apollos2
Order Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001DCL31E/ref=wms_ohs_product?th=1
I finally got around to installing the trunk support arms I bought from Amazon. The original equipment manufacturer (OEM) lift was never great, and after adding sound deadening, it barely worked at all.
I purchased the StrongArm 4078 Nissan Maxima Trunk Lift Support, one per pack, and ordered two packs.
Removing the Old Supports
- Use a small flathead screwdriver to loosen the clip at the back of the lift ball.
- Pull straight back to remove the supports.
Installing the New Supports
- Clean and re-lubricate the mounting points.
- I found a better screwdriver to use for mounting the new lifts.
- You might not need to do this, but I pulled the clip back during installation as well.
- Cleaned off the goop from my trunk and finished the installation.
Result
This is the trunk in the mid-position—it stays in place now and no longer falls on anyone.
Credit: Mr DoLLa
So everyone doing the conversion isn’t sure why the park lights don’t work. Some suggest cutting and splicing to get them to work, but that’s not the right way. It’s as simple as removing one pin from the headlight harness and inserting it into a different location. My friend MaxPrime came through, and I showed him how simple it is (for me, anyway).
The green wire is the parking light wire, which is located in the bottom left of the connector.
Where my pick is pointing is where the green wire needs to be inserted.
Inside the connector, there’s an orange insert that keeps the pins from being pulled out. If you look at the top of the orange insert, there are two clips that need to be lifted to remove the insert. I used a fine straight pick from Craftsman.
Put the pick under the pin, push down, and pull the green wire out. You also need to remove the rubber grommet where the new pin needs to be inserted. Use the straight pick to push it out. Once you get the pin and the grommet out, insert them into the new location. It should look like this.
And this is your end result. Be sure to put the rubber grommet into the other location to prevent water from getting into the harness and causing corrosion.
I finally decided to swap my rear Airtekk bags on my 2004 Nissan Maxima. The Airtekk Rear design is not great and rubs against the body of the car. Luckily, I was able to catch the issue before I go a leaky airbag on the highway. The Airtekk bags themselves are very slim and I couldn’t imagine getting an even smaller bag. Hopefully, they fix this in the future as every 6thgen Maxima would face the same. You would literally have to hammer the wall so much for the proper clearance (not worth it). The entire install took me around an hour.
Thanks to Rani and Ham for the info.
The Issue
The Replacement Bags
- Rear Bags: “Air House 2” By Universal Air Part # 02-2600 ($79 Each)
- Rear Brackets: You will also need brackets for the rear. You will need to call as they are not listed on UAS Website. You need two sets and they are $69.00 each. So $138 for brackets.
The Install
You need to remove the Airtekk bag from the strut itself and keep it without the bag. Otherwise, you don’t have a shock absorber and a terrible ride.
This is what the strut looks like installed. The top 2 bolts are 12MM.
Added some black rust paint to give it a fresh look and also take care of the rust.
Final Product
Car rides so much better. It also sits great. I can go lower in the rear but decided to match it up with the front.
Owner: Rj K.
Year: 2007
Model: Maxima
Color: Tan
Engine: VQ35DE
Transmission: CVT
Trim: SL
