Knowing that the steering on the Xterra is a weak link, do I HAVE to upgrade my steering to handle 33" tires and if so what kind of upgrades are we talking about? I need new tires and I want 33's but I'm not ready to break the bank to get them by having to completely beef up my steering.

http://www.xterraownersclub.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=60;t=000386

yea, bryan makes a really high quality product
i highly recommend his hoohaa centerlink + idler arm brace for beefy steering, that setup hasnt let me down, and i wheel hard

I'm really wanting to get that Hoohaa CL but I just don't have the cash for that right now with me needing new tires soon.

I just talked with a guy from Total Chaos and I'm going to pick up one of their Idler Arm gussets for starters, then after that I will look into the hoohaa.

Thanks for the info guys.

the idler arm brace should do you fine for now

ok since i didnt want to start another thred on this when i found this from the search...is the CL the weak link? i am lookin on 4x4 parts and they only have TRAs......where can you get TREs or are they adequate stock...i have an IAB for now and i def have some serious steering upgrades needed.......am i lookin to get some TRAs and then a CL? i dont really wanna drop 600 on the calimini if i can build something similar for less with some extra work instead....

The CL is the achilles heel of the steering system. Especially once you upgrade your TRA's. The factory TRE's are ok and there aren't many options if any for upgraded ones. Plus they are cheap to come by anyways. As for CL's, you have two options to have it upgraded. Hoohaa or Rockhumperfabworx. They do not build NEW CL's though, they modify the existing CL. Send in a core or for a core charge they will modify one and send it to you. The modified CL's from either of them run around $220 IIRC and they are VERY stout.

I don't have any contact info for Hoohaa but I can get you info on how to contact Richard with Rockhumper if you're interested in that route.

With the IAB, my next step would be HD TRA's then the CL. But I would get a spare CL to carry on the trails and when you have the cash, you can send that one off to get upgraded and save yourself the core charge.

awesome...thanks drake....i am def interesetd in rockhumper CL....you steering flexs like an SOB if i grab the front tire and twist it side to side by hand......what do they do to the CL to make it stronger?? just out of curiosity

hoohaa i believe can be purchased form grassroots4x4.com

i have one, its bulletproof

That flex in your steering...is it more of a wobble? Your bushings in your idler arm may be toast or you could have a situation similar to mine. There is a small rubber "washer" between the idler arm and where it ties into the CL. Mine was completely gone and just that little bit of play let my wheel flop all over the place especially under power on the trails when my wheels were trying to dig in.

As for what they do to the CL, I'm not entirely sure but I do know that I've yet to hear of anyone destroying either the Hoohaa or the Rockhumper CL so they are definitely doing something right. lol

When you're ready for that CL, just shoot me a pm and I can get you the contact info. Richard hasn't gotten his website online yet so he still takes orders via email or the NOAS boards.

ill go out and look now...ill probabally replace the idler arm and TRE's when i do the upgrade to freshen it all up anyway....

ok so its all good bushing wise...just get some roll on the CL when i push on the trie....no more then a stocker...my mom has the same car to compare to....but i was going over my front Sl and if i grab the top of the front trie and push back and forth....i feel like there is a slight clunkish bump from somewhere.......argggg....its all tight just seems kinda sloppy...so to speak....is that from the drastic angle change on the front end????i drove it and its all good...nothing i can notice....i am OCD lol so i had to ask....

....its all tight just my moms is def tight and mine feels kinda sloppy...

ahhh :aufgeregt-big:

wow....ok edit time

now PG

hahaha just givin you aome friendly shit

lol its all good man....it was kinda awkward to read...so i had to change it...somtimes things just make sense in your head but come out super retarted...so back to the point!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! is my xterra trying to kill me?

hell no its a nissan fords try to kill ya

naaaaa.....i had one....you cant die when you dont leave the driveway

The clunk could be coming from that but it's hard to say without seeing it first hand. Do you see any signs of impacts from the steering linkage on the frame? I had a nice notch in mine. Apparently I superstuffed the passenger front and the slop in the steering allowed it to flex up into the frame. I don't see how it's physically possible but it did.

no i think i have good clearance...i havent wheeled yet since i am trying to get my truck finished up...i think i may have a bad set of wheels bearings...both sides...on top of steering slop.....makes the front feel loose....ill check it al out when i have it apart

up and down movement in the front wheels can be caused by a loose wheel bearing or a bad ball joint. You just replaced the upper ball joints with your 3" suspension lift, so I think its safe to say those are good. you can check the lowers by prying up on the bottom of the tire with a large pry par. My money would be on wheel bearings. Just because there is play does not mean they are bad. Our front wheel bearings can be tightened down. You have to tighten them down when doign the front brakes. Check the how to on front brakes to see how to do that. Now if you had side to side play in the steering, it would be a tie rod, idler arm, or center link.

awesome thanks!!!!!!!!

I have an AC IAB.. but looking to possibly do more to beef up the steering. It looks like TRAs and CLs are the next steps. Out of curiosity - what happens if either fail? Is it jsut a lot of slop in the steering but still all connected - or completely out of commission... This will give me an idea of what to do next.

Pretty much it's out of commission if you are unable to replace it. When I folded mine, while the good wheel was pointed straight, the bent TRA had the other wheel at about a 45 degree angle. I haven't bent my CL yet so I haven't seen the ending result of what happens with that.

Watch what happens at about the 3:18 mark on my vid. Keep a close eye on what the passenger front wheel does. I actually folded the driver's side but you can see how much it pulls the wheels in when it happens.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRahhmBOZNE

Since adding my HD TRA's, it's been pretty solid but I'm still waiting to send off my CL to get upgraded.

nuff said! :) thanks

What is it about the larger tires that makes this more of an issue? Is it just because people tend to wheel more when they have larger tires (and come across terrain that stresses the components more frequently) or do the larger tires actually add stress?

just curious...

Drake, you already have 33's on. What steering upgrades did you consider "HAVE TO" before you started wheeling or feeling comfortable with 33's. I have them on with no steering upgrades. I went light wheeling and feel more of a pull to the left, but other than that, I don't notice any issues with the 33's on. Thoughts?

nuff said! :) thanks

What is it about the larger tires that makes this more of an issue? Is it just because people tend to wheel more when they have larger tires (and come across terrain that stresses the components more frequently) or do the larger tires actually add stress?

just curious...

I personally think it's just the larger moment arm applied to the steering because the force (bottom outer edge of the tire) has moved considerably further away.

It is the center link that is the weak link, as it wears it allows the CL to rotate into the frame. When that happens a couple of things can happen.

1. if you are turning the wheel the power steering is strong enough to bend your adjusters

2. if you are moving when it happens you have enough force to bend the CL itself.

An IAB itself can help prolong the suffering of the CL but if you are going to wheel, and I assume that you are, the wear on the CL will cause failure in the adjusters.

What all of the steering systems do is remove all of the twist out of the CL where it attaches to the pitman, and idler arm.

I would also suggest getting some HD adjusters. The OEM ones are good as a sacraficial componant, but if you are going to spend the time and money on upgrading the steering it only makes sence to do it all of the way.

nuff said! :) thanks

What is it about the larger tires that makes this more of an issue? Is it just because people tend to wheel more when they have larger tires (and come across terrain that stresses the components more frequently) or do the larger tires actually add stress?

just curious...

Most who go to a 33" tire also go with a more aggressive tread. The increased weight and the increased traction puts a much greater strain on the steering components. In that video, the conditions were bone dry and I was getting maximum traction on everything I went after and my steering paid the price for it.

Drake, you already have 33's on. What steering upgrades did you consider "HAVE TO" before you started wheeling or feeling comfortable with 33's. I have them on with no steering upgrades. I went light wheeling and feel more of a pull to the left, but other than that, I don't notice any issues with the 33's on. Thoughts?

I felt at a minimum I needed HD tie-rod adjusters and an IAB but if you have the coin, an upgraded CL will make the steering as close to rock solid as you can get without going through a complete system overhaul like the Total Chaos King Kong kit or Calmini's kit.

Are these the HD TRAs you used? These look like can fit with all OEM components. Other ones I found I wasn't sure if would only fit their upgraded steering components or OEM.

https://www.4x4parts.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=435_430_272&products_id=437

That's what I'm running on.

I upgraded the TREs just to be on the safe side but I'm fairly certain it'll work with your OEM TREs

Are these the HD TRAs you used? These look like can fit with all OEM components. Other ones I found I wasn't sure if would only fit their upgraded steering components or OEM.

https://www.4x4parts.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=435_430_272&products_id=437

If it the Calmini adjusters that you are talking about, than yes they are the same size as thread pitch and diam.

If it the Calmini adjusters that you are talking about, than yes they are the same size as thread pitch and diam.

Yep it was - I got the impression would only fit their kit. Good to know. Options!

If it the Calmini adjusters that you are talking about, than yes they are the same size as thread pitch and diam.

Calmini adjusters will NOT work with the OEM steering setup. Calmini adjusters only fit the Calmini steering system. Their adjusters are actually over 1" longer than the OEM adjusters and due to the length of the "barrel" on the Calmini TRA's, you can't even cut them down to fit and still have enough thread left to make alignment adjustments.

I've got a set of Calmini TRA's and found this out the hard way.

I never replaced the bushings in the idler arm that came with the IAB but I have a smal amount of play in the steering. Do I need to get an alignment if I do this? If so, I'll wait until I get the TRAs (AC).

I was only thinking about the ends, being the same. You are right about the length, they are longer. But a friend had a set on his fronty prior to SAS and he was running a regular moog centerlink with no other changes.