Small lift confusion

[jitterymonkey]

I know,I know.....3+3=33s

BIGGER is always BETTER.

 

But with me only being a weekend warrior and

gas prices reaching $100.00 an ounce this summer.

 

I have decided on 2"+31s= more money in my pocket.

 

Now to da question......

 

Both Superlifts and Rough Countries 1.5"-2" Hardbody lifts

discuss the need for new UCAs

 

http://www.superlift.com/Catalog.asp?V=258

http://www.roughcountry.com/nissan_hardbody.html

 

But Old Man Emu's 1.75" lift

http://www.rocky-road.com/pathfindersus.html

Doesn't

 

I'm not even gonna get into

AC selling their own UCA's(claims they're longerthan stock )

and Superlifts(says larger wheels needed to use these )

right next to each other for the hardbody but not for the Pathfinder!!

 

Thought the Pathfinder and Hardbody shared the same IFS?????

 

If I only run 1.5"-2" coils in da rear would it be wise to also install UCAs?

Hell,If that's the case my as well go with 3" rear springs.

Edited May 5, 2008 by jitterymonkey

[MY1PATH]

If your going to lift more than 1.25" then I reccomend UCA's or @ the very least 1/2" BallJoint spacers. Don't go with the 1" I've seen things go seriously wrong (too much leverage against the stock UCA every time you hit a bump) The reason you want this is because the more you lift IFS the more you throw off the camber(makes the wheels look like this /-\ instead of this |-|) the alignment shop has to put shims behind your UCA's to correct this untill the run out of bolt. Longer bolts and more shims can lead to more problems. my pathy likes to puke its shims after a hard hit (next alignment I think I'll replace the shims whith washers) now imagine driving your vehicle with 0.6" of play beind one of the UCA bolts beacuse it dumped its shims.

And yes D21 and WD21 UCA's are the same.

[MikeV]

It's not a neccesity so EMU doesn't bring it up to keep the total $ down for a lift.

It will beat down your half shafts though; I have a calmini setup so can't give you feedback on them other than I would trust the guys that say steer away from AC's.

Edited May 5, 2008 by MikeVanceinWI

[Simon]

If you're only going to run 31's, why do you need to lift at all? 31's fit any stock WD21 Pathfinder with no issues. Many came from the factory with them.

[jitterymonkey]

If you're only going to run 31's, why do you need to lift at all? 31's fit any stock WD21 Pathfinder with no issues. Many came from the factory with them.

 

I've got a droopy ass.

+ every bit of Xtra ground clearance helps.

 

rather than buy stock springs from the dealer,

I thought I could install either OME's or JGC's(4door/tire carrier)

1.5"-2" lift springs in the rear and crank the T bars a bit

without having to buy UCAs

 

Especially if the high $$ Superlift and Calmini UCAs are now my only options.

(R.I.P. $160.00 rough country UCAs )

[GrimGreg]

I have about 2" of crank on both my Pathfinders with stock UCAs, no troubles.

[jitterymonkey]

Well, I did a little research and found Rocky road Outfitters claim 1.75 (1&3/4) lift

with OME's rear springs while ARB USA's website states .75 (3/4) lift

with the same OME rear springs.

 

Contacted both,see what kinda response I get.

 

I'm bettin' it's only 3/4. otherwise OME's system would have UCA's

like Superlifts and AC's.

[88pathoffroad]

Yeah, their setup includes new t-bars IIRC, which you use to simply crank up the front a little.

[pathmaker1]

every bit of Xtra ground clearance helps.

 

the lift will not give you ANY extra ground clearance. the only way to increase ground clearance is with bigger tires. a suspension lift is essentially a ride height adjustment...

 

and if you are saggin a bit in the ass you could just get some new coils meant for the pathy and run 31's just fine. also crank your tbars a little to eliminate the sag up front....if there is any.

[GrimGreg]

A SL will add a slight amount of clearance at the front crossmember (not much), but you still have the LCAs angling down from it. In the rear, no a SL will not increase clearance as he solid axel maintains the same distance from the ground, just the distance to the frame above it is altered.

[jitterymonkey]

For anyone still interested.<WARNING LONG POST>

 

I received a reply from

Glen at Rocky Road Outfitters,

Seth at ARB U.S.A(OME)

and Mike at AC.

 

1st Glen(RRO) basically said the same thing as OME's ad..... OME designs they're

suspension "system" so that there is NO NEED for other changes to to vehicle.

If you go higher you'll have more problems/$$$$

 

At the time I wrote him I was unaware of the lift hight discrepancy between RRO's advertised OME lift hight of 1.75" to ARB/U.S.A's advertised .75 (3/4)

 

The reply from Seth(ARB/OME).... OME's springs only give .75" of lift and RRO probably use

spacers to get the advertised 1.75" of lift.

 

Mike at AC says that AC's HD torsion bars and 1.5" rear coils should work fine.

IF there is an alignment problem I should use 1/2 ball joint spacers to fix it.

(specifically told him I would prefer AC's 1.5" coils but if he felt the alignment would suffer I would use AC's .75" coils because I did NOT want to use BJ spacers/UCA's)

 

SO...... I'm going to e-mail Glen back to see if indeed RRO are using coil spacers to get 1.75" and if so. Aren't they messing with OME's systems design?

 

O.K. I know....... "Who Cares,it's only a .75"-1.75" lift"

Well,it's my beloved Pathfinder and HARD earned money.

 

Who would you trust?

[LandShark]

What are the cost differences?

[GrimGreg]

Dude, just get JGC coils and crank the T-bars allign it and be done!

[jitterymonkey]

What are the cost differences?

 

 

Rocky Road Outfitters 1.75"??? Old Man Emu complete lift system $530.00 Shipped to my door

includes rear springs,shocks and dampener.(no mention of spacers)

 

Rocky Road OME springs only- $88.27 shipped

 

AC rear (1.5") lift coils only- $128.22 shipped

AC rear Heavy duty(3/4") lift coils only- $175.02 shipped

 

I can get JGC coils at the local Junk Yard for $50.00 and may end up going that route.

 

Cutting them down(if need be) so I won't need new UCA's/BJ spacers.

If I could still get RC's UCA's for $160.00, I would.

 

Just figured at $88.27 shipped(OME) or $128.22(AC) why buy used JY coils that might or might not be what I'm looking for.

(just want as much LIFT and UP/Down travel as possible while maintaining proper alignment.

 

Is that 2 much to ask for?

[88pathoffroad]

No. I have no alignment problems with mine besides steering/suspension components wearing out or bending.

 

I had zero problems picking out my JGC coils. I took a cheap plastic measuring caliper with me, measured and pulled the ones I wanted. Places that pull the parts for you need to measure coil wire thickness before pulling them to ensure you get the right coils. It's a perfectly reasonable request IMHO.

[Coucoui6]

here is the my totally cheap way to put 31" tires. i cranked up my torsion bars and 1/2" ball joint spacer. and used 2" rubber spacer tabs on the rear. i also re-enforced my rubber spacers with 6" metal hose clamp. now i have cheap stock replacement shock on the front and rear. so to prevent rear sag during towing... i use re-enforcement springs on my rear shocks. ie. homemade coil overs. i also don't have any alignment issues. but my steering components are worn out. i think i will install a steering dampener

 

thanks.

[ILoveMyPatty]

here is the my totally cheap way to put 31" tires. i cranked up my torsion bars and 1/2" ball joint spacer. and used 2" rubber spacer tabs on the rear. i also re-enforced my rubber spacers with 6" metal hose clamp. now i have cheap stock replacement shock on the front and rear. so to prevent rear sag during towing... i use re-enforcement springs on my rear shocks. ie. homemade coil overs. i also don't have any alignment issues. but my steering components are worn out. i think i will install a steering dampener

 

thanks.

 

Do you have a pic of your "homemade coilovers"? Kinda curious as to what they look like.

[Kn0xville]

might not agree, but heres my 2 cents.

If your gonna do any wheeling, I personaly would not put coil spacers in there, nor would i use BJ spacers.

If your just trying to fix your droopy ass, hit a scrap yard and find a pathy without a droopy ass and buy the coils.

I recommend saving some cash and doing it right the first time. But some 1.5 lift coils and do a slight crank of the tbars.

If i was to do it all over again i would do a 3 inch body lift and get some 32's (if i was planning on offroading).

If i was just making it a mallcrawler, id do a 3in BL, some 1.5 coils and only touch the front end very minor. Off roading with to much tbar crank leads into a front end investment of TREs, BJs and alignments.

Dont know if i made a point or not, i just feel like typing really