Ok, i have seen threads, post, what have you, asking about this lift, so i'll get that train rollin.

I have this lift, i honestly can say, i wish i just did a PML and BL, cause i would have more lift. But i still enjoy it. the ride was smoother and definately higher. I have heard it doesn't articulate(flex) better than stock X's, but i'm pretty sure it couldn't flex like the pictures below before my lift. Also, if you get this lift, REMOVE YOUR SWAY BAR
if you don't, and you offroad, you will get a rusty dent like thing in the sides of your rear shocks, it didn't ruin them, it just made them ugly, but idc about looks.

and the step rails are back on just cause i don't drive it as much anymore:

BEFORE LIFT stock
http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac215/heavus/LeftSide.jpg
http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac215/heavus/RightSide.jpg

AFTER LIFT and tires/wheels
http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac215/heavus/100_1470.jpg
http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac215/heavus/100_1472.jpg

http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac215/heavus/100_1474.jpg



http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac215/heavus/0403111420b.jpg

http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac215/heavus/0403111420a.jpg

http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac215/heavus/0403111420.jpg

Tires are 31.5 Maxxis Bighorn's and 16'' Raceline Renegade Wheels

http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac215/heavus/downsized_1009091719.jpg

:lutscher-big:

Yeah, looks like about stock droop with no sway bar...not too bad a hit if you wanted to end up with stock droop.

Some guys couldn't even get stock droop though, so, you are lucky really.

:D


If your OEM pack was flexier, that always helps improve things.


Rancho gets kudos for making the FIRST lift kit for the X, but, that was back when they assumed no one would actually off road with one...it was just to look taller at the mall parking lot, etc.


The Rancho shocks are better than the Calmini shocks at least, so that's a plus.




:wink-big:

Thanks for the pictures. I have considered this lift. I can get a good price on it where I work. I know there are more flexible kits out there but for less than half the price of those I think the Rancho kit might keep me happy. It won't be real soon so I'll study it some more. It's nice to hear from someone who actually has the kit, not just opinions from people who "heard" or "read" how good/bad it is. Nice X by the way.

thanks. and this kit might not be ideal for Rausch Creek or rock crawling, but i go through mudpits and trails and it has done very well, cause i drive the shit out of this when i offroad, my skid plate ripped off once :D

I have it and it works great for me. I'm not into too difficult wheeling but for what I do it's good. I added a BL with it and now I'm sitting real high. When I first put on the lift I measured and it actually gave me 3" of lift not 2.5" which seems like a weird number anyways.

Hey guys im new too this site so dont laugh if i sound stupid or anything, but anyways im 17 and my first car is an 03' xterra xe 4x4 and i love it!!! ive recently just started to mod it. so far ive added a new radio and then i got some new KMC XD series black hoss wheels on 265/70/16 falken wilkpeak tires. i stuck with the stock size because i dont have a lift and dont really go off road too much besides going up the smoky's and my grandmas house. I am wanting a little lift just to set me off from the rest of the x's in town and thought about this lift. Is this lift a good choice for me? i fear doing a BL or PML because i dont wanna have to trim with a plasma cutter or throw off codes or ruin my vehicle in anyway because im dead broke and having to go to college soon. So how much is this lift and if this is not the one for me which is and how much? thanks alot guys!

Hey guys im new too this site so dont laugh if i sound stupid or anything, but anyways im 17 and my first car is an 03' xterra xe 4x4 and i love it!!! ive recently just started to mod it. so far ive added a new radio and then i got some new KMC XD series black hoss wheels on 265/70/16 falken wilkpeak tires. i stuck with the stock size because i dont have a lift and dont really go off road too much besides going up the smoky's and my grandmas house. I am wanting a little lift just to set me off from the rest of the x's in town and thought about this lift. Is this lift a good choice for me? i fear doing a BL or PML because i dont wanna have to trim with a plasma cutter or throw off codes or ruin my vehicle in anyway because im dead broke and having to go to college soon. So how much is this lift and if this is not the one for me which is and how much? thanks alot guys!



PML is the way to go. No cutting unless you plan to fit much bigger tires, no codes, and it'll only cost you the price of the shackles (less than $100) and a Saturday afternoon. :)

I thought about that but that would mean id have to get a front end allignment which i just got one in march and i dont think i have the tools or the knowledge to do it lol i am a guy lol but not to tell a story or anything but my dad was never around to teach me stuff about cars and stuff so im a true noob :p

you may need to get a alignment with this lift too. can't remember, but doing a PML and getting an alignment is cheaper than this lift. thats why it's a Poor Mans Lift

LOL

Just for perspective...

ALL LIFTS do the same thing as far as height, and, therefore, change your alignment, require the same adjustments, etc.

The differences between them are performance based....and vary.


If all you want is to look taller at the Mall, anything works...but you still need to make the adjustments to do the installation.

ALL the xterra suspension lifts OVER 1.5" require the same modifications...whether they mention them or not.


The reason is that the stock range of ADJUSTMENT to get a decent alignment is at about 1.5" of front lift.

So, going OVER 1.5" means you need new upper control arms (UCA) to COMPENSATE for the angles.

To understand...hold your arms out to your sides....and your PALMS OUT, like you're a traffic cop signalling traffic to STOP!

Your arms are like the UCA....your palms are like the tire (Straight up/down so the tread is flat on the ground).

When you lift (Raise the ride height), you are essentially lowering the arm, which raises the truck.

OK, so, now, bring your arms down to your sides a little bit at a time, and see what happens to the UCA as you raise the ride height.

Can you see that your hands are getting closer together....and, that your PALMS are facing more and more down?


Your WRISTS just can't BEND BACK enough to COMPENSATE for that...and your palms become tilted down more and more as you lower your arms.


Its the same for the UCA....they can bend back just enough to allow ~ 1.5" of lift when they are lowered to give that increase in ride height.


To get MORE THAN 1.5" of lift, the NEW UCA are bent BACK MORE at the ends to COMPENSATE (Like being able to have a wrist that COULD bend back enough to keep your palms facing out, etc...as you dropped your arms)


So, the Rancho UCA can bend back enough to get 2.5" of added ride height, and going to ~ 3" will typically start to wear the outer edges of the front tires.


The Calmini, SLR, and AC UCA can bend back enough to allow 3" of front lift without wearing the outer edges of the front tires, but over that WILL start to, and so forth.


For the rear end lifts...

Rancho uses a stiff single leaf AAL, which makes the leaf pack flex worse than stock, but adds a longer rear shackle, which compensates a little, so the end result is similar to stock...a little worse on most rigs...about the same on others. (Your OEM pack's flex makes a big difference)

Calmini uses a 2-leaf AAL, which flexes better than the 1-leaf AAL, and AC uses the Rancho 1-Leaf on the cheaper kits, and the Deaver 3-Pack AAL, which flexes better than the Calmini 2-Pack AAL on its better kits.

They also use longer shackles, which ride softer, and give more wheel travel than shorter shackles.


If you want 3" of rear lift, you get the kits that give 3" of rear lift, if you want 2.5" of rear lift, you can get the Rancho kit, etc.


The installation is exactly the same.

After that are shocks, which you don't actually NEED to do the lifts as far as height goes...but they DO make it work better. (Performance).

Rancho's shocks are good, no problems there.

Calmini's shocks suck, poor valving, and poor durability, and they are shorter than all of the others, limiting rear wheel travel (They don't limit it in front)

AC's kits can come with Rancho shocks (Good), or Bilstein shocks (Better).


So, if performance is important, sweating the details will improve your on road, and off road capabilities.


If all you want is height, just pick the height you want, and don't worry about how it rides, handles or performs, etc.


:wink-big:

After another great explanation from TJ, I guess I'll just add welcome to the club. The only problem with having an Xterra as your first ride is you have nothing to move up to as an improvement. Maybe this weekend we can talk Nissan into offering front and rear selectable lockers and a factory lift. :)

Haha looking good at the mall i like that :) Im not just looking good at the mall i actually do some off roading up where my grandma lives and through the snow because i have to get out in it no matter what the weather is. I dont do extreme Four wheeling so thats why i was looking for a lift that gives me a little bit more height but keeps my smooth ride and doesnt require too much maintence and doesnt kill my pocket too bad. This is alot of good information and I really appreciate it! Looks like a got a decision to make.

@stevencox93

I'm 17 also, my X is my 2nd vehicle so we have close story's. I don't offroad that much but I'd like to more often! I just did my pml a few days ago! You can see it on my build thread in my signature below this post. My tires are about a inch or less bigger than stock 265 size. I have 30x9.5r15s so you can get a idea of what the pml looks like with that size tires. IMO it doesn't look bad at all! And it does make the X look different from stock Xterras. And to make it better slap some noticeable colored paint on the shackles so people will see them! I've already had people notice them in less than a week.

Oh and it took me and another cx member 3 hours with a tire repair

Hi everyone, i've had my 06 xterra s 4x4 since new and my stock suspension feels like its wearing out. since i have to replace it, i want to do a 2-2.5 inch lift.
my goal is just to have a vehicle that is trail capable, no hard rock crawling or gnarly terrains. i mainly use the xterra to get to campsites, snow sports, and trail heads for mtbiking.

i was looking to get this installed
https://www.4x4parts.com/nissan/xterra-deluxe-suspension-package-with-bilstein-shocks-p-4170.html
what do you guys think? thanks in advanced, sorry if i sound noobish, im new at this.

Tim S

Hey if you don't mind me asking, how did you black out your tail lights?

nightshade. it comes in a can like spray paint. if you google 'how to tint taillights' it will tell you how

go by this how-to they turn out great

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/lighting/84694-how-tinting-tail-lights-right-way-pics.html

I have a second generation xterra and how do you remove the tail lights?