hawairish

Thanks for clarifying. Didn't think it was that different, but it is.

Well, at minimum, welcome to the forums! If it's any consolation, changing the control arms is pretty easy, and doesn't take much time especially if you plan to buy a complete part with bushings already installed. Now changing the bushings yourself...that's another beast (been there). Either way, just need some jack stands, a breaker bar, torque wrench, sockets, and wrenches. I'll let some of the other O2 sensor experts chime in, since I've never had issues with them. For the ignition key/starter issue, what other symptoms are occurring? Does the instrument cluster seem to respond (lights/sounds) correctly and promptly when switching between Off, Acc, On? Any noises? Does the starter simply do nothing intermittently? Does it seem to happen when it rains? For stuff like this, I usually go really basic: checking for loose battery terminal connections, wiggling the key in all ignition positions, checking wiring harnesses, and even throwing a voltmeter onto the circuits. I've experienced odd things that were solved by trivial fixes. The best part is that these are all free things.

This thing? If so, it's easy. Six bolts: two at rear, one at front, three on the ball joint (holes at the top in the pic).

On mine (2004), the upper is a bracket, the lower is a stud. I thought it was the same on older models, but the stud was at a different angle relative to the axle tube? Nonetheless, I used these to fill the gaps on both upper mount and lower stud: https://www.boltdepot.com/Product-Details.aspx?product=15901. The washers are 3/16" thick. These are Monroe Reflex, and are pretty beefy. They probably have a similar profile to the Ranchos.

Well put XPLORx4, and great pic, btw. I don't mean to type on your behalf, of course. It's just clear to me that your experience and input is well-validated, but this time may have been too quickly dismissed. It's your type of expertise that improves a community like this. I think there were better ways to say "thanks" or "looks like Rancho's gotten their act together" than with a Maury Povich reference. But that's just me. Anyway, sorry if I jumped on my response. No intentions of attacking you, R3DN1CK, but felt you were out of line on your responses. Perhaps I've made the misinterpretation, too. But as XPLORx4 mentioned, I hope they work out for you, too. I could relate when you mentioned OCD kicking in to match the front and rears shocks, but I've learned to get over that quickly because R50s require a little Frankensteining. When you do get it up, let us know how it looks and feels. I'm rocking super-cheap Monroe Reflex shocks for an F250 in the rear...they ride like a truck, but replaced a far superior OME set. Not because I wanted to, but because I needed the length and a short-term solution while I dial things in over the year. I'm eye-balling some Bilsteins based on XPLORx4's assessment and advocacy of his 5150s. Funny you mentioned nothing existing in the early 2000's, XPLORx4. I had a 1998 Frontier at the time (it's still around at 200K, bought new), and the same was true there...nothing existed except a Fabtech lift, torsions, add-a-leafs, and non-application Rancho 5Ks (had them all). Calmini eventually came around after the Xterra's berth. AC was around at the time (I was a frequent on their old forum), but there was definitely nothing for an R50. We do have it good here.

Dude...what the what? His response didn't have that tone. He clarified his stance after you said, "Prior posts said the Rancho's didn't have mounting stuff for the brakes, etc." This was presumably in direct reference to his experience that he offered in your other post. You misunderstood his comments and confirmed it by noting that each tab existed and didn't appear hokey. You can only possibly know they're not hokey when you actually install them, which you haven't. He clearly has installed them before, and I'd even bet that he thought they looked fine before he installed them, too. Then, he concluded that it's great if it's not the case for you. It was the case for him "years ago", and that's all he was saying (yet didn't say any mounting tabs were missing). You jokingly (with as much comedic value as a Maury Povich reference has, I guess) called him a liar ("that was a Lie") which he probably—and rightfully—took offense to. Considering the amount of work he's done to his truck, the fact that he really uses it, and the degree of detail he puts in his posts (part numbers, trial/error results, product comparisons, experiences over speculation), I don't think he has to take responses like yours with a grain of salt. I've always found his posts (and there are a lot of them) very informative and succinct. I doubt he cares if you don't agree with him. You asked for insight that he, and others, have provided. Perhaps you've misinterpreted it. It happens, then corrections are issued, and we move on. If that's not cool, then we're perfectly OK with you not being on this forum, and that we just want to say, "Have a great day." Take it with a grain of salt.

Digital odometer? Haven't seen that. Got a pic or eBay link? This is for a 97 model? What exactly isn't working on the gauge cluster that requires multiple on/off cycles? Lights, gauge activity? The fuel gauge level issue may not be the cluster. You'd need to check the resistance or voltage on the signal (whichever is specified in the FSM's diagnostic step) to determine where the source of the problem is. What about the speedometer readout is inaccurate? Is it just slow to change (like says you're going 15mph but you're stopped)? How are you measuring inaccuracy? Another note about buying a used cluster is that the mileage is stored in the cluster, not the ECM. If you can find with one with a reasonably close amount of miles, you're better off...if you need to replace it at all. Something to be careful about, since altering an odometer can really complicate registering or reselling your vehicle, and may be illegal in some cases. And swapping in an analog cluster shouldn't be a problem, either. You'll just want to compare the wiring pigtails (should be the same), the overall shape, and pull it from a similar vehicle (year, drivetrain, braking systems, etc.) so that you've got the bulbs you need. In my case on a 1998 Frontier, some cluster backlights would not come on (I'd have to hit the top of the dash to get them on), the speedometer needle would occasionally drop to 0 while driving, and the fuel gauge wouldn't drop below 1/8 (and it'd basically mean "you're out of gas" at that point, despite never hitting the needle stop). That cluster had a film circuit board (flimsy, sheet-like, not a typical PCB board) that was showing tiny cracks on the contacts that led to the wiring pigtails. I replaced the film and it solved the problem with the lights. The speedometer issue was because of a bad speedo sensor signal to the ECM, which the ECM relays to the cluster (the ECM was throwing a DTC code for the inconsistent signal from the sensor). The fuel gauge needle remained unresolved (I never tested it, just got used to filling up before 1/8).

Monroe and Rancho are owned by the same company. OE Spectrum is Monroe's OEM replacement line. Hopefully you didn't pay a premium for a re-badged $60 Monroe strut with .4" more travel, but maybe Rancho improved the dampening. My last (and only) Rancho shocks were replaced by 2x4's with holes drilled in them. I also didn't interpret XPLORx4's post as saying any mounting tabs were missing, just not sized properly. I had a similar experience with OMEs, but nothing a file couldn't resolve.

Not sure yet. Depends on what I re-use...and a slight chance I roll with it longer instead. duke90 is going to be my guinea pig for a 3" SFD, but I might not remove it if test fit it on my truck first. It's installed (the 2.5", that is) in the pic I posted. The 2.5" is comprised of OME springs and 2" spacers, so basically where you'll be at once your front OMEs are on, I imagine. You might be better off waiting to see how the 3" subframe spacers turn out anyway. We're gearing the spacer levels specifically to clear 33's on his. This will probably be with 2.5"-3" of strut spacers and 2.5" of rear spacers to get the stance he's looking for.

Ha, was joking. Sounds like a pretty cool pack to roll with.

If I was the wincher, I'd have charged $10 per pull! And wow, your drivers front tire looks like it should've broken a bead. IIRC, you did custom beadlocks? True dis.

Thanks for clarifying. And yes, because of the triangulation, 2" of strut spacers would be a little less than 2". I'm actually sitting with a very smaller rake, by design, for the reason you mentioned...sitting level when loaded. The rear would have to compress about 1.5" to sit level, and that's about 500lbs effective-weight over the axle. I made a few trips loaded and with trailer while moving the other week, and it worked out perfect. Didn't sag, didn't jounce. Locking = binding? If so, yep: SFD. I might have a gently used 2.5" SFD available soon...

Thanks, that helps. Honestly, I was really curious because I've seen your other posts before (and I had only heard the terms for 240s also, but still had no clue). So basically, you're tossing around options to put color-keyed flares onto your truck, but not sure if the older or newer ones look better? Personally, I like the newer ones, if what are on my 04 are called Kouki. In the pics you've got of that last black one, it also doesn't seem to me that the guy would bother adding flares, let alone customizing them. It's a stock rig...seems like it just came like that. (Btw, is that the interchange right by the airport getting onto I-5 South in the first/last pic?) And wouldn't that be a middle (Chuki)? I noticed it has the flat edge like a newer flare, but on the rear flares, it's a one-piece design that extends over the edge of the bumper. On the older and newer flares, it's two-pieces: one for the fender, one for the bumper (and possibly a variant for those with mud flaps). I think you also need to see them with the integrated mud flaps, instead of the simpler rubber flap or nothing at all. The purple one looks awkward without them.

Yeah, what are we looking at/for? The flares on the purple one look no different than my flares, except purple. Cobra Kai Dojo? (Sweep the leg.)

Thanks. Are your strut spacers a true 2"? You seem to have a ton more rake for a similar setup as me. It also looks like the top of your tire is a good amount above the first wrap on your front springs. I'd expect it to be lower, since on mine, I'm still a little below the perch (the edge closest to the tire). My Duratracs spec 30.7" to your 32.8", so you should only be about an inch higher. I wonder if the OME's have a higher perch than the KYBs? Here's how I'm sitting. You can see the tabs on the perch above the tire.

Hey CDN, can you recap your current lift and tire setup? OMEs and 285/75-16? Spacers? Were you loaded in your Day 2 pic above, or is that just the angle? Day 1 pic seems likethe rear is up a lot more. Thinking about 33s after upping the SFD to 3".

Check my notes here for additional information on why the long vs. short bolts probably isn't important. Just go with whichever is less expensive; they'll all fit (noting the snafu with the upper link front on the driver's side). My older post (pre-install) references the locations of long bolts vs. short bolts, though.

Sorry, I read as "I purchased at the [4x4parts] link...". Nothing major against 4x4parts, they do have some good deals on parts, but definitely not when it comes to OEM parts. Your best bet is really going with OEM. It's worth it. I just swapped my bushings a few months ago, so I'm (hopefully) not blowing smoke on this one. All I know is that I couldn't find a suitable combination of hardware that topped what OEM offered. Check out courtesyparts.com and nissanparts.cc. Both are dealerships (TX & WA) that have very competitive prices for all OEM parts. I've used both religiously for the past 15 years or so. There's also a forum member here that runs the parts department at a Nissan dealership (in the Vendors section), so consider supporting that as well.

If you bought from 4x4parts link, you've already blown the bank. They're selling you the exact OEM parts I provided part numbers for. Only they charged you more.

Fastenal's prices and selection are weak. AC sells you OEM parts at twice the cost. You won't find anything better than OEM. Ignoring cost momentarily, these bolts are one of the highest-torqued hardware on your entire truck. Do you really want to replace them with something other than OEM? And at what other benefit? The OEM bolts run $1.62 and the nuts are $0.78 from courtesyparts.com...that's $19 before shipping. Shipping probably adds $12, but it's a good excuse to order up some other OEM parts you might want. If you absolutely want to look elsewhere, the bolts are JIS 14mm x 1.5mm x 85mm and feature an integrated flange. One set of bolts has 30mm of exposed thread, the other has 35mm. The OEM nut is a prevailing torque flange nut with a flat shoulder, which you won't find anywhere except from Nissan. The closest US Standard equivalent hex bolt is 9/16-18 x 3.5" and will have 1.25"-1.5" of exposed thread. They run about $2-$3, but you'll also need to use washers. Your choice of nylocks or lock washers and nuts. Personally, I prefer the OEM "less is more" approach. I highly recommend boltdepot.com if you really want to go this route, or for any hardware needs. Great website, prices, inventory, and awesome return policy. I went through them for all my SFD hardware. One-stop shop, and returned a bunch of things without issue. I have the hardware laying around if you need more details.

Nissan over-complicated things on these bolts. For whatever reason, they lists all sorts of different part numbers for bolts in different locations (front/rear) of the upper and lower links. There was no difference whatsoever between what I removed...it's clearly just two different bolts. Here's what you need*: 4x 55080-0W00B bolts 4x 54368-0W02A bolts 8x 08918-6441A nuts *Just buy 8 of the cheaper expensive bolts (54368 55080) (Edited: crossed up my recommendation). Edit 12/9/18: So, as of today, the 55080-0W00B bolts have reached about $5.75/ea, over 100% increase since 2015 when I last bought some. The 54368-0W02A bolts are now about $1.90/ea (were $1.60), but have that tip that may need to be cut off. At that rate, I'd probably settle for the 8x the latter. They are the same hardness, size, and thread pitch...and essentially length and thread length. The long bolt has a break-away tip (3rd bolt) that's broken at the factory after installation (4th bolt). BTW, I think I have the part numbers transposed in the pic...it doesn't coincide with how I installed them, the parts diagrams, or the bolts they replaced. But again, doesn't really matter. My WTF moment was on the upper link front by the gas tank. Nissan indicates using the "long" bolt pointing towards the outside of the vehicle (this is also how it was removed). Well, the break-away tip interferes with the sway bar link mount, preventing re-installation of the mount. There was no way I was backing that bolt out to flip it...it was a b**** to install because the fuel tank doesn't leave much room for tools, and it was already torqued. I had to Dremel the tip off. I'd recommended doing the same before installing the bolt, or attempting to flip the bolt being mindful of working space by the tank. The shorter bolt wouldn't have made a difference. Heads-up.

Fenders are usually $60-$70, shipped, on eBay. Some come primered. I bought a fender there a long time ago for my Frontier and the fitment was pretty good.

Oh, and best bet to reference the stock spring rates is go by the stock info that OME and Monroe provide. They're in listed in the full OME catalog (I think), and on a post here on NPORA somewhere. I'll try to post them up later...they're bookmarked on my other pooter.

There's no difference between 2" of lift with and without the 4" SFD spacer...that's the purpose of angling the 4" SFD spacers, and the whole point of SFDs (aside from the obvious 4" of lift). Just figure out how you want that extra 2". 1. 2" spacer + stock springs 2. 1" spacer + OME 3. AC springs only #1 appears to be what you want. All net about the same lift, all are near the upper limit before the CVs get wonky. Only #3 has reports of strut top out. The top hat spacers you mentioned may also introduce top out...NX4 sells them. I don't think stacking spacers is unwise its at all. The way I see it: 1. You're already going to end up using twice as much hardware as before with an SFD. That's already twice as many points of failure...without an additional spacer. 2. When the spacers are stacked, there's no where for the spacers to go...they're sandwiched by the weight of the vehicle, and then sandwiched by the hardware. As such, you should be avoid any spacers made from wood, styrofoam, graham crackers, or concrete, no matter how unique or tempting the opportunity may be. Ask me how I know. 3. Even with a tire in the air, it's pulling down maybe 150lbs, tops, on 3 bolts (even though you've got 6 bolts, you've got 2 sets of 3 bolts working independently). When that tire lands, the strut and spring do all the work. As long as the spacers doesn't collapse, there's no problem. 4. Afraid of them toppling out? Only if you decide to use the strut as a winch point and pull sideways... 5. And even then...Grade 8 (or Class 10.9) hardware. Even if one bolt were to shear or distort somehow, at least 2 other bolts would also have to. Pulling/pushing the spacers sideways would be the only time the bolts are working in unison. If this fails, you've got a much larger problem on your hands (i.e., your truck fell off a cliff, truck got t-boned by a train, Wile E Coyote put TNT in your wheel well to catch that damned roadrunner). 6. And even then, again...I don't know the stock strut mounting hardware size, but I'm under the impression they're 10mm. Consider boring to 12mm or 1/2". I run 2" of stacked spacers with Class 10.9 12mm hardware. Your only concern, as I see it, is figuring out how to get 6" of rear lift. This is where I would not stack spacers.

Thanks for the info. So you've basically stacked a 2" SFD with the KrF 4". What's with the 2" tubes, though? Looks like three pieces in there...why not just a .250 wall tube? I would've looked into welding them together, especially with the radius edge on the 4" block. Yep, secret's out...the KrF links are from Woodward. They're the only supplier of the u-joints I could find in our size (diameter x splines). They are beef supreme...and the most expensive part. But if I'm not mistaken, your lower joint looks like it binds. It's definitely made contact before, but it's surely outside the recommended operating range from Woodward. I had to rotate my rack a few degrees for a smaller SFD to get it within range. Anyway, stance looks good. Gears next?