cdjflyslow Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 I'm new to the offroading world and I have been using this site for a few months but this is my first post. I have been able to get the answers to every question just by reading... until now. Thanks to all you for your information its been a great help! I have read all the threads about lift options and I'm still confused. 1) what are the pro/cons of just strut/coil spacers vs the spring lift kits ? 2) if some of you are running both so you have 3" of total lift and your CVs are surviving (with manual hubs I realize) why cant i just go with the biggest spacers here: www.4x4design.com and have 2.5" lift for under $200 ? It sounds too good to be true so i'm just wanting to know why everyone has the spring kits ? My 97 has 235k on it and not a DD so I don't want to do the suspension if there is no huge advantage or reason why the spacers alone are not a good option. thanks ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theexbrit Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Good questions. I got the AC lift because my stock suspension was shot. I would think if you're doing some half serious off roading, the stock suspension would be way too "bouncy" & you'd bottom out all the time. Having said that I go with some stock Poor Runners & they seem to do ok. I also have the 1" spacers up front, the CV's are just fine. Even at full flex (I still have my sway bars connected) the drive shaft angle is still quite a bit below Nissan spec. If your stock suspension if ok (I'm guessing after 235k it's probably not) then I don't see why spacers alone shouldn't give you the lift you want. Other, more knowledgeable forum members will give you better answers, this is just my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdjflyslow Posted February 11, 2014 Author Share Posted February 11, 2014 thanks for your response! my suspensions is pretty shot and it does bottom out a lot. But i'm still in a phase where I'm afraid this thing is just going to explode at any moment given its unknown repair history. So I can live with the suspension as is for now. On the other hand if I can get a spacer lift for under $200, that I can justify... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick13 Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 (edited) I agree with the thexbrit. I went coil spring lift because my stock ones bottomed out when driving over a small gutter - so they were going away regardless. That, and some of us did all our lift modifications before a full (front & rear) spacer kit was available. Others might argue that if you are truly going to off-road the beast, then taller coils will provide more compression/extension than spacers. My thoughts based on personal experience (disclaimer - your results may vary): Front: I have the 2" lift coils up front and I'm not totally sure it provides any better articulation than stock springs with spacers, but that might be more due to the limits of our totally awesome struts than the type/length of coils used. Rear: I would bet if you compare a rear 4" spacer/2" coil lift to a pure 6" coil spring lift that the 6" coil will allow more total articulation [NOTE - maybe we should organize that and post it up in a pinned thread somewhere so we have some data to go with/against that theory] But if you are only going a couple inches, spacers are definitely cheaper/easier to deal with. Edited February 11, 2014 by Rick13 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TutorN1 Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Don't mean to thread jack, bt I'm in the same boat as cdjflyslow. My struts are SHOT! I'm looking at around &180 - $200 at Advanced Auto, life time replacement, to replace everything all the way around. Will the OEM replacement parts hold up to a 2" HD coil lift later? I will want to put a bumper on too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TutorN1 Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Don't mean to thread jack, bt I'm in the same boat as cdjflyslow. My struts are SHOT! I'm looking at around &180 - $200 at Advanced Auto, life time replacement, to replace everything all the way around. Will the OEM replacement parts hold up to a 2" HD coil lift later? I will want to put a bumper on too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleurys Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 I'll add my 2 cents...even if I am manufacturing the spacers.... I have the AC coils on my truck with a 1"inch spacers all around for 1 reason.... When I lifted my truck in 2009, there was no one that I could have bought the spacers from... So I order the AC lift, but at a premium price (beeing in canada), these springs once I counted the delivery and customs and currency exchange got me almost 800$CAD poorer... Now I make HDPE spacers exactly for your kind of off-roader... You need to start somewhere, and the lift kit I sell is a perfect <no throat cutting prices> to start and put bigger tires. Of course, once you see you reach the limits and need to go further, then sub frame drops and SAS are there... The ac springs are nice, but they forced me to install some limiting straps in order to prevent toping out... I know my opinion might sound like I pushing for my own stuff, but i'm not.... I can even recall some posts a few years back when I was asking if by putting spacers we could not acheive the same thing as the ac springs.... Of course, at that time 4x4design was not born yet... S. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdjflyslow Posted February 11, 2014 Author Share Posted February 11, 2014 thanks for that input Rick13. I understand your points about articulation. I'm in wonderland as it is when I take this thing in the woods so I think it would be just awesome with 2", however I get it. I do have mud tires on it and my LSD seems to still work somehow after 235k, so its pretty amazing compared to anything else I have ever driven. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebelord Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 If the budget only allows you to do the spacers right now. Then go for it. They can still be used with springs later on. I went with springs as mine were shot. As with most others. Usually once your over 100k miles. Springs have taken their toll and have sag in them. As for TutorN1: I am running the Gabriel Ultra struts and shocks from Autozone. Holding up great with IronMan springs and strut spacers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beatup96 Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 One of the things I noticed right away with the AC springs was that the on road handling got much better . Virtually no "body lean" or whatever you'd call it , I can do corners even with the Cooper STT's at speeds that would have required a new pair of shorts with the old and beat down suspension . I'm sure the wider stance of 3.75" backspaced wheels , new shocks and struts add to it also but the coils have to be a large part of it . If I were to put some sticky road tires on this thing it would really surprise some people around corners..... The downside is the ride at speed over relatively minor stuff like sunken manhole covers is pretty harsh . I think I'll be looking into the limiting straps . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdjflyslow Posted February 12, 2014 Author Share Posted February 12, 2014 great thanks for all the input guys. I will do the suspension later and just get spacers for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebelord Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Just a FYI I was able to get my IronMan springs from Camel4x4.com for 277 shipped. Just to give you a number figure. Plus you'll need struts n shocks depending on miles on yours. Just a goal to have. Sent from my Moto X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
04Pathfinder Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Just a FYI I was able to get my IronMan springs from Camel4x4.com for 277 shipped. Just to give you a number figure. Plus you'll need struts n shocks depending on miles on yours. Just a goal to have. Sent from my Moto X So what else do you need for the lift other than the springs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebelord Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Most people replace their struts and shocks at the same time. But if yours are new then you dont need to. Along with that is also replacement of the strut mounts. Rule of thumb is 50-60k miles for struts n shocks. Possibly less depending on driving conditions Sent from my Moto X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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