Stretched wheel base

[PatDes]

I've been playing with the idea for a few weeks of moving the rear axle back an inch or 2 and the front forward the same, gaint better approach and departure angles as well as being able to fit larger tires. The rear would be straight forward enough but I can't think of how to do the front other than a solid axle swap. Has anyone seen or done a solid axle swap on a R50? Or somehow managed to stretch a IFS?

 

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[tristan1035]

I've been playing with the idea for a few weeks of moving the rear axle back an inch or 2 and the front forward the same, gaint better approach and departure angles as well as being able to fit larger tires. The rear would be straight forward enough but I can't think of how to do the front other than a solid axle swap. Has anyone seen or done a solid axle swap on a R50? Or somehow managed to stretch a IFS?

 

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There's at least two guys on this forum with SAS'd R50's, one of which has a member ride but did everything through a shop iirc, http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/nissan/1116165-1998-nissan-pathfinder-r50-sas.html there's also this from Pirate.

[johann_peralta]

I have a stretched ifs, its not stretched forward though, its stretched in width.

[XPLORx4]

You don't need to stretch the wheelbase to fit larger tires or improve approach/departure angles.

 

Moving the rear axle back will require a new driveshaft, longer rear links, modified spring mounts, shock mounts and a panhard rod mount. It'd be a lot of work.

Moving the front axle (IFS) forward could be done using offset subframe spacers, but you'll still have clearance issues on the front bumper, and you may need a custom front driveshaft as well.

 

You could do a front solid axle swap, but if the goal is simply improving approach angle and fitting larger tires, it is a lot simpler to just lift it and remove, modify, or fabricate front and rear bumpers. Besides, stretching the wheelbase will decrease the break-over angle and affect

 

When I removed my OEM rear bumper and hitch, and replaced it with a custom bumper and tire carrier, I gained a lot of departure angle. The front approach angle improved greatly when I installed a bull bar.

[ABCAB]

I agree with EXPLOR.

 

To pull an IFS longer is not going to be easy.

 

Besides, as soon as you got bigger tires and better approach angle, you end up going places that is just going to bend and break an IFS setup.

 

To go 33s, you probably in for around 2 - 2,5" forward on the front axle. On my d21 I got away with 33s without moving the rear axle, but that was along with a 6" lift.

 

Now it also keeps everything in proportion. Break over angle is also kept in line with your new found approach and exit angles.

 

That along with bumpers and bullbar modds, and I am at 58° approach and 47° exit angle and 47° break over.

 

Unfortunately not able to go off road yet with a few mods still to be done. So can't tell how much better it is from standard. But pretty sure anything must be better than Nissan stock IFS.

 

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