Next Steps..... More Lift???

[aeronauticsrock]

Hi everyone-


So im about ready to take the next step with my 2000 X. Guess were getting serious now.

anyway, im intrigued by the idea of getting it higher. In both looks and function.

Right now its on a 2" BL, running 33's. PML is done with the 7" eye to eye shackles. I understand I am about at the limit with BL with out huge expense and problems. And im at about the limit on tires without re-gearing?

So im looking more at the suspension side of things. The Nissan dealer reccently to me that my UCA bushings were worn. They want $580 to change the bushings. I almost laughed. Some ppl here on XF recommended that I just buy new UCA's. Ok. So then im thinking im really close to a SL, if i need to buy those anyway. I already have Rancho shocks, for the SL.

But im pretty confused on the suspension lift in general. It essentially lifts the whole car from the point where it connects to your tire right? So the whole car does go up, and there are bigger gaps above the tires. But the car can still compress to the same point. So it looks higher just sitting and driving but under heavy compression its the same? Just want to make sure thats right.

And then the components themselves- I saw someone say that the new UCA's from AC's kit are the same length. So you dont get any lift there? What lifts the front then?

And in the back- is all about the AAL? Like the AC 3 pack AAL?


Also, I noticed with the front kits for an extra $25 you can get and Idle Brace Arm included. What is this? Necessary?

Am i right that if i need to buy new UCA's ANYWAY, i may as well spend the extra $160 for the AAL rear? Ive been slowly building to the SL (with things like the SL length shocks), and it seems like im maybe at the point to just finish it up. Or is there some HUGE component that im missing? Ive seen HUGE prices for the SL, but it seems relatively low.

Educate me please! and thanks

[ChefTyler]

Ok, first off only the long travel kit from Total Chaos gives you significantly longer UCAs (and LCAs) the others are all really close to stock length as the kits don't replace the LCAs. the way you get lift from the Calmini or AC arms is by cranking the torsion bars so the ride height is just higher. In essence, the total articulation distance is almost the same (you might gain a little bit of droop). The new UCAs allow the truck to be aligned at the higher ride height. If this doesn't make sense, ask to me to explain it better :D

Since you've done the PML, the rear has to be matched by the AAL, so you're correct there. If you don't have an idler arm brace yet, get one...now. The idler arm is the weakest link in the stock steering, and the brace will keep you from being totally up shit creek when out wheeling.

[aeronauticsrock]

ok, so the torsion bars are the only things that create the lift in the front? Cause I already have those cranked and equaled by my 7" eye to eye shackles. So If I got the AAL for 3" in the back, there would be nothing to equal that in the front? Unless I got the TC UCA's and LCA's? Correct?

[DamnHippie]

If you get new UCAs you'll be able to crank up the torsion bars just a bit higher. Most aftermarket UCAs do add about 1/2 inch to the travel (in effect, they incorporate a half inch balljoint spacer), and they're built with angles that allow a proper front end alignment to factory specs even though the t-bars are cranked up so high.

If you get the AAL for the back, you would use it instead of the longer shackles, not in addition to them. An AAL pack is a better way to lift the back because it doesn't change the pinion angle the way shackles and lift blocks do.

[ChefTyler]

Ian, the Calmini 3" kit includes shackles and AAL to get the 3" of lift.

http://www.purenissan.com/xsuspensionl.jpg

Also, the standard AC suspension package includes shackles, but the 3 pack AAL package doesn't.

[DamnHippie]

Oh, hmm, that must be because of the spring-over versus spring-under difference I guess. My calmini kit for frontier didn't have AALs, just shackles.

Of course, I can't recommend buying calmini under any circumstances, I just found them horrible to try to do business with. And the only thing from their kit that didn't totally suck was the UCAs. The shocks sucked from day one and died in less than a year. The swaybars have never been able to hold the truck up for more than 2 months without being re-cranked. I know they're gonna break soon just from how twisted they are (they've yielded so much that all the powdercoat got spiral-pattern cracks and flaked off).

[ChefTyler]

I agree with ya there, Ian :D

[soccerbrace]

I disagree about the UCA's though. I think that they are a terrible design and the engineers did not do enough R & D when putting them together.

Also, that is correct. The Calmini kit uses both the shackles and the AAL.

FYI, the middle A in AAl means 2 so it should be A2L. I tossed one of the stock leafs when putting the A2L because I thought that you were adding only one with the AAL. Stupid I know, but I don't want you to make the same mistake.

[Alpine Spirit]

Yep the Torsion Bar Crank allows about 1.5" of lift then by changing the UCAs it allows you to crank the torsion bars some more and still be able to get an alignment with another 1.5" of lift.

UCAs go with either the Calmini or ACs either are built to take a beating. But with the Calmini I would install some Zerks before you put em on to grease the bushings, the AC UCAs come with Zerks already installed.

The AAL packs are a little different, Calmini is a 2 leaf pack and AC is a 3 leaf pack I prefer the AC pack myself less sag over time. Also another thing to consider is the 00-01 Xs came with a 3 leaf Stock pack, the 02-04 came with a 2 leaf pack from the factory in the rear.

For the Torsion Bars it seem I hear less issues with the Sway Away Brand. So if you find a set of those you should be golden.

Oh and the difference of the length of the shackle say 3" longer than stock only gives 1.5" of lift. This is because you are only changing the rear location and the front mounting location stays in the same place. So if you take a 3 foot 2x4 and raise one end 5" the middle (where the axle is located) only goes up about half the height of the higher end.

[soccerbrace]

UCAs go with either the Calmini or ACs either are built to take a beating. But with the Calmini I would install some Zerks before you put em on to grease the bushings, the AC UCAs come with Zerks already installed.

Actually Calmini started putting in zerks later on I guess. Either way, there is a lot of modifying that has to be done to get the Calmini UCA's to work. Even if you do have zerks, you have to buy new ones that have a 45+ degree bend on them so that you can actually grease them. Also, count on buying a lot of hardware so that the BJ's do not self extract.

I would do the AC if it were up to me.

It sucks, I would recommend SLR but.......

[tbecktold]

On the tbars, are they like the (W)D21 series where Swayaway makes all of them, some companies (Calmini etc) just paint them in their company's colors? Or are they actually manufactured by different companies to different specs?

[DamnHippie]

James, I'm not sure what you're talking about with the calmini UCAs and modifying and buying more hardware and stuff. I added zerks to mine and they've been fine ever since. (Straight zerks, not 45-angle.) I've replaced the ball joints a couple times, but that's purely because of how badly I beat things up offroad, can't blame calmini for that.

[Alpine Spirit]

Same here I used straight zerks (when I had the Calmini UCAs) just dont put em to far back on the curve. :D And I never had to replace my ball joints for some reason even the rough trails and roads all the time. :cool:

[soccerbrace]

Well yeah, see Ian and Kevin, the difference is, that you were the ones who put the zerks there. Calmini put the zerks there on mine and they are located at the top where you can't access them. I guess you could tap a new hole and throw a socket head screw in there but still......

[aeronauticsrock]

so if I just ADD the A2L to my shackles will the back go up an 3" or 1.5? Cause i can crank the TBars only another 1.5", with new UCAs right? Or can I crank them 3" as well? That would be preferable obviously, cause I would like another 3"........

[ChefTyler]

You will get an additional 1.5" with the AAL/A2L packs and you can then crank the t-bars an additional 1.5" with the new UCAs for a total of 3" of suspension lift.
That's all you can do suspension wise. Combine that with a 2" or 3" Body Lift and that's plenty to fit 33" tires. That's more than enough lift for the first gen, unless you get the bug to go SAS...in which case don't bother with any more suspension lift.

[aeronauticsrock]

ok, so the AC site is wrong then huh? About their AAL kit adding 3". So the question at that point becomes is it worth the $200 for the A2L for 1.5". Plus I would need UCAs, but I have to buy those anyway. I already have the 2"BL and I already have 33's.

So at that point, shes pretty much maxed, short of HUGE expense or hassle.

[Alpine Spirit]

Well if you are looking for more offroad performance I would skip those save up and get a rear locker.

[Alpine Spirit]

Hmmm.... they AAL from AC do say 3" of lift added.

[ChefTyler]

AC also sells a single AAL that says 2.5" but in reality (from everyone I know that has bought 'em) lifts it by 1.5" so you have that option.

[pathmaker1]

dont mean to thread jack but what are zerks? do the UCAs (loaded with spindles and Poly Bushings from Rough Country) i got from sammy need em? oh yea what are they??
Rich

[bogof]

They are so you can use a grease gun to grease the bushings instead of taking them off to grease them.
http://www.thebigbearingstore.com/catalog/UCFL.bmp
It is at the top in this picture

Sorry I couldn't find a better picture hope that helped.

[soccerbrace]

Right, not to mention, saggatudinism

Especially with your Tire on the roof Ben.

Keep in mind what the site says and what your experience is.

For example, what did AC say your shackles were going to lift you vs. how much they actually lifted you.

It seems to be safe to apply that same promise vs. reality approach to the leafs. That is what I was saying in my PM's on XF.

[DamnHippie]

Suspension lift numbers, IMO, are kind of like EPA mileage numbers. They're BS in terms of objective reality, but they work for comparison. A 3" lift kit will give you more lift than a 2" kit, but you won't actually get 3 ruler inches out of it.