White05
10-13-2006, 09:34 AM
Finally took the time to get the lift installed last night. After looking at all the options out there for the '05 up Xterra, I decided to go with Calmini Shackles (purenissan.com) in the rear and Strut Tower Spacers (Autospringcorp.com) in the front.
For those who are considering a lift, it seems that there are two basic options for raising the rear of the new X. You can do either an add-a-leaf or longer shackles. The AALs will raise the truck by adding additinal up-force on the leaf spring pack. This will consequently make the rear ride quality much stiffer, but will be beneficial if you plan to tow heavy objects. The Shackles work by lengthening the attachment point of the leaf pack. You simply remove the factory shackle and install a longer one. I had to go with shackles because I can't have a stiffer ride. Cost is about $70 shipped.
On the front, there are a few options as well. You can get longer springs to lift the front up, you can do a Poor Man's Lift by changing the Torsion Bar Adjustment, or you can now purchase a steel plate that bolts on top of your strut and spring to add additional height. I chose the last option beacuse it does not require longer coil springs and struts, nor does it change the ride quality. Cost is about $85 shipped.
Installation is fairly straightforward for both of these options. I did the front suspension by myself in about 3 hours. The rear took an hour and a half with some help from a buddy. If you change any geometry in the front suspension, (like adding a spacer) you need to make your very next stop at an alignment shop. Expect a 4 wheel alignment to cost around $60. On this mod, the Toe-In is the only thing that changes but if you have any mileage you may as well go ahead with the whole thing. It will help your tires last much longer.
To sum it all up: Parts and Alignment total up to $215, or $107.50 per inch. Ride is Unchanged. Truck looks much bigger. There is 6 inches of clearance when measured from the tire up to the Fender lip. I am running 32's so it could be more or less depending on tire size. I'll post Pictures in my Gallery.
If you decide to do any of this, let me know and I can provide more detailed instructions. Happy Trails Y'all.
For those who are considering a lift, it seems that there are two basic options for raising the rear of the new X. You can do either an add-a-leaf or longer shackles. The AALs will raise the truck by adding additinal up-force on the leaf spring pack. This will consequently make the rear ride quality much stiffer, but will be beneficial if you plan to tow heavy objects. The Shackles work by lengthening the attachment point of the leaf pack. You simply remove the factory shackle and install a longer one. I had to go with shackles because I can't have a stiffer ride. Cost is about $70 shipped.
On the front, there are a few options as well. You can get longer springs to lift the front up, you can do a Poor Man's Lift by changing the Torsion Bar Adjustment, or you can now purchase a steel plate that bolts on top of your strut and spring to add additional height. I chose the last option beacuse it does not require longer coil springs and struts, nor does it change the ride quality. Cost is about $85 shipped.
Installation is fairly straightforward for both of these options. I did the front suspension by myself in about 3 hours. The rear took an hour and a half with some help from a buddy. If you change any geometry in the front suspension, (like adding a spacer) you need to make your very next stop at an alignment shop. Expect a 4 wheel alignment to cost around $60. On this mod, the Toe-In is the only thing that changes but if you have any mileage you may as well go ahead with the whole thing. It will help your tires last much longer.
To sum it all up: Parts and Alignment total up to $215, or $107.50 per inch. Ride is Unchanged. Truck looks much bigger. There is 6 inches of clearance when measured from the tire up to the Fender lip. I am running 32's so it could be more or less depending on tire size. I'll post Pictures in my Gallery.
If you decide to do any of this, let me know and I can provide more detailed instructions. Happy Trails Y'all.