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R50 subframe drop


tekazgtr1984
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Don't get me wrong I love my Pathy too! :aok:

But I'm mostly concerned with all the considerations to make when doing a SFD. Will the VG33E be sufficient enough to power 33's? What other mods are needed to make this work so a R50 is still a reasonably road-going vehicle? I don't want to compromise everyday driveability for adding 3-4" of lift as well as all the aspects to consider, i.e. steering, brakes, gears, auto vs. manual, etc.

Also, considering the time one requires to do a SFD, I'd probably lose my rig for a while and have no other vehicle to use. Another vehicle purchase might be necessary for me to make my R50 what I want it to be. In the long run I'd like to find a D22 Frontier (preferably '02-'04) and make it a serious beast! :jig:

But I digress... A lifted R50 with 2" coils alone turns some serious heads where I live; a SFD'd R50 on 33's or 35's would be beyond badass! :D

Probably the biggest challenge will be finding someone locally who could blueprint everything out (and all the NPORA help would go a long way too! :)). Research will be extensive to say the least.

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I really dont think that it will woind up being all that you are working it up to be. Really im going to to the whole lift at a friends house in one weekend. The suspension lift on one day, and the sub frame on the other. Talk to Nissandoms- he is making the kit for me, so all i have to do it basically bolt it in, but it is a 4 inch drop lift. I believe alex said that the smallest he can go is 3.5 inches with out causing steering problems. Also along with the lift new wheels and tires are going on along with manual hubs. I dont think that it will really be that bad

 

-Andrew

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That doesn't sound too bad at all! :aok:

I've already got the 2" SL done, and manual hubs are going on this weekend.

So you're saying it may take a weeked to perform a SFD... that's tight! I still don't know all the steps and what else is necessary to make it work; I'll have to contact Nissandoms and see what he can tell me. In any case, post those pics of the operation because ever since I first laid eyes on tmorgan's R50 I've wanted to do a SFD. The more I hear about it and see pics on NPORA the more I want to learn about it.

Gotta love the serious comraderie on this forum!! It is just great! :jig:

 

BTW, is your R50 a auto or manual? VQ right?

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01silvapathy, where in texas are you located?

 

HAHA I already talked to you lol. But anyways, I live in Denton like 20 minutes from DFW Airport, but im doing my lift at a friends house in Mansfield. I dont know if you know where that is, but my parents bought a house in San Diego recently and im going home for winter break and then the house is going on rent so I will be living in Cali...Sorry :(

 

But... I do go to college in Nachadoches at Stephen F Austin. Im a freshman

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That doesn't sound too bad at all! :aok:

I've already got the 2" SL done, and manual hubs are going on this weekend.

So you're saying it may take a weeked to perform a SFD... that's tight! I still don't know all the steps and what else is necessary to make it work; I'll have to contact Nissandoms and see what he can tell me. In any case, post those pics of the operation because ever since I first laid eyes on tmorgan's R50 I've wanted to do a SFD. The more I hear about it and see pics on NPORA the more I want to learn about it.

Gotta love the serious comraderie on this forum!! It is just great! :jig:

 

 

BTW, is your R50 a auto or manual? VQ right?

 

Oh yeah Alex (nissandoms) told me that its basically bolting in some blocks and welding them in place just for a little extra security. As far as tools, just a floor jack and jack stands and a socket set and perhaps a few buddies- oh and a welder lol. Im not worried at all, alex said that he would include instructions as to how to install it with pics- he has been more then accomadating throughout this process, and become a real friend too!

 

-Andrew

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Yeah im running behind. All I can say is, im not using USPS without insurance and a tracking number lol. The SFD takes like a day to do its not that hard at all. It took me a weekend total because I was designing a new one and putting it on. Since you guys will already have the kit its just basic bolt on.

 

With your pathy tekaz, you've got a 3.3 auto correct? What gearing do you have? My first white pathfinder, i dunno if you guys remember that but it was a 96 3.3 auto with 4.3 gearing and i had 33 MT/Rs on it. It was not that bad. If you have 4.6s you'll be fine as long as you dont cruise at 90 mph on the freeway going to work. My pathfinder even without sway bars is great on the street. Its my daily driver and I love it.

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Yeah im running behind. All I can say is, im not using USPS without insurance and a tracking number lol. The SFD takes like a day to do its not that hard at all. It took me a weekend total because I was designing a new one and putting it on. Since you guys will already have the kit its just basic bolt on.

 

With your pathy tekaz, you've got a 3.3 auto correct? What gearing do you have? My first white pathfinder, i dunno if you guys remember that but it was a 96 3.3 auto with 4.3 gearing and i had 33 MT/Rs on it. It was not that bad. If you have 4.6s you'll be fine as long as you dont cruise at 90 mph on the freeway going to work. My pathfinder even without sway bars is great on the street. Its my daily driver and I love it.

 

Werd Alex! Thanks for the info :D

My '98 SE has 4.6's and I've never had the opportunity to take my Pathy up to 90mph and I doubt that will ever happen. I've got front and rear detachable sway bar links so it pretty much takes 2 mins. to take 'em off and on. That being said, I doubt I'd have any issue with highway driving with the SFD.

Your advice is really helping me lean more to doing a SFD on my R50! :aok:

All I need is to figure out what I need to do it... :scratchhead:

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Its easier then you think to install it. You need a good size floor jack, like a 3 ton. And all the regular wrenches and sockets used on a nissan. 10, 12,13(for warn hubs) 14,17,19, 21,22 lol. In your case it sounds like you already have the AC lift so you dont need any special tools like spring compressors.

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Just to make some cash on the side. I do school full time and don't work yet. So its nice to make a little something. And no one else sells a subframe lift. Its not like ive patented it or anything. Most likely when i'm done with school and have a job this will most likely stop. Now that everything in life is starting to get simpler for me I can focus more on school and this on the side. Pretty much you can think of it as this is my job, building parts for pathys. Right now my R&D project you could say is building a good set of sliders. I spent a long time on the subframe lift. Its kindof hard to explain the design. Overall the design is pretty much the same as any other subframe lift theres just a bunch of small things that are different.

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Its easier then you think to install it. You need a good size floor jack, like a 3 ton. And all the regular wrenches and sockets used on a nissan. 10, 12,13(for warn hubs) 14,17,19, 21,22 lol. In your case it sounds like you already have the AC lift so you dont need any special tools like spring compressors.

 

Yup, I've already got the AC 2" SL, and the hubs are going on this Saturday. As for the tools required, I'm pretty sure I've got access to them or at least the majority of them. A 3-ton floor jack I do not have but I'm sure I can find someone to lend me theirs...

 

Just to make some cash on the side. I do school full time and don't work yet. So its nice to make a little something. And no one else sells a subframe lift. Its not like ive patented it or anything. Most likely when i'm done with school and have a job this will most likely stop. Now that everything in life is starting to get simpler for me I can focus more on school and this on the side. Pretty much you can think of it as this is my job, building parts for pathys. Right now my R&D project you could say is building a good set of sliders. I spent a long time on the subframe lift. Its kindof hard to explain the design. Overall the design is pretty much the same as any other subframe lift theres just a bunch of small things that are different.

 

This is definitely a good way to make extra income while in school! :aok:

R&D is always exciting, especially when automobiles are involved. Armour prototypes are always a good start (I'm hoping to learn more on this once spring comes around). I'd like to design rock sliders and a custom roof-rack with spare tire mount at some point, as well as design some custom steel bumpers with recovery points, light guards, mounts, etc. for the front and rear. :jig:

Back to SFD's though... definitely a fun aspect of automotive R&D. :aok:

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Yep 33s. you should be fine with 4.6s and 33s. What kind of 33s were you planning on?

 

For winter, 33x10 Toyo A/T Open Country's; for summer, 33x10 Toyo M/T Open Country. Not cheap but friggin' suh-weet! :jig:

BTW, did you get my PM? :scratchhead:

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ya for sure. Have you been yet? Are you doing anything to your new r50?

 

nope never been but im thinking that i would like to make at least one trip and then try and get some time off from work and go to GONE. I have many plans for my new one but nothing in action yet, as me and the wife are buying a house and all the extra money is going towards that right now. You need a 3.5 doner? *fingers crossed*

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Well I hate to say it but after I finish building the 4 SFDs that I need to do im done building these things. Its too much of a pain for one to do out of their garage along with a busy schedule, and that job came around too. People who are interested in the future can possibly contact me and I can give information on how one can go along building their own SFD. Its just too much stress for me to handle right now. Maybe i'll get back into it maybe not idk. Just thought i'd let you guys know. The people who i build SFDs for will get theres no later then 2 weeks from tomorrow. Thats my deadline and thats final...

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Well I hate to say it but after I finish building the 4 SFDs that I need to do im done building these things. Its too much of a pain for one to do out of their garage along with a busy schedule, and that job came around too. People who are interested in the future can possibly contact me and I can give information on how one can go along building their own SFD. Its just too much stress for me to handle right now. Maybe i'll get back into it maybe not idk. Just thought i'd let you guys know. The people who i build SFDs for will get theres no later then 2 weeks from tomorrow. Thats my deadline and thats final...

Alex is just saying that b/c of me!... don't let him fool ya, he'd do it again, now that he knows whats going on.

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