Xterra suspension

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caprihorse
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Wasif Ahmed;11021 wrote:Understand your point but it needs to be put out a bit more gently to make its mark instead of making a mockery of the poster....20" lift !!!!!
Would anybody be serious to lift the car by 20"??

You suggested something which we don't like...
FSL
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caprihorse;11023 wrote:Would anybody be serious to lift the car by 20"??
i can do that... :011:

should i post a pic of a re-modified pathfinder :059:
Clga
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Thank you for all your comments and suggestions. I don't intend to lift the Xterra more than 2 inches max. but with camping gear in the back it bottoms out over normal speedbumps :-(.
As I mentioned, my JK was modified with FOX shocks which made a huge difference on and off road. I will pay a visit to RAMY and Mebar and see what they can offer.
OME is not in stock (min 3 months waiting time) and twice the price of Ironman. RAMY has just posted that they have Lowel shocks for the Xterra, anybody know about them ?
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caprihorse
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Clga;11025 wrote:Thank you for all your comments and suggestions. I don't intend to lift the Xterra more than 2 inches max. but with camping gear in the back it bottoms out over normal speedbumps :-(.
As I mentioned, my JK was modified with FOX shocks which made a huge difference on and off road. I will pay a visit to RAMY and Mebar and see what they can offer.
OME is not in stock (min 3 months waiting time) and twice the price of Ironman. RAMY has just posted that they have Lowel shocks for the Xterra, anybody know about them ?
Now you have more serious post. And I don't understand why nobody did give you a serious answer until now.

You cannot compare Nissan with Wrangler and their suspension systems. Both are very different in the construction. So what works for one type, it can be catastrophic for another model. I'm not expert for Wrangler, but I saw many lifted Wranglers rolling over, the last one on the last Friday.
...it bottoms out over normal speedbumps...
Not all humps are the same, choose your right speed
Nissan Xterra rear leafs are soft, this is known fact. You can replace them with much harder and jumping will go. Ramy4x4 is from time to time offering this, but you might wait maybe 6 month until they decide to order it for you.
To change the rear leafs has nothing to do with lifting, remember this. There is always a ratio between the height of the top of the car and the overall width. If anybody is changing only the height (with lifting), he is putting the center of gravity out of the balance and roll over is guaranteed. This is the case by the most of Wranglers and Cherokees and in rare cases with Prado.
In the case you are forced by others to lift you car, you need to extend your width as well by wheel spacers or ex-centered rims, to get the original ratio between the width and height.
You have some options:
1. Live with your current leafs, until you gain more experience
2. Put bags with sand in the back, around 100 kg and jumping will go
3. Drive with us in dunes and we can advice you more
Desert Lizard
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Instead of the 100kg, you can add a an extra leaf to the rear suspension. this will not increase the lift by any significant amount, but will make it harder. this option is also considerably cheaper but has to be done well.
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Now i am scared to post this coz i am a newbie..Pls bear with me, My experience contradicts with the logic (which i was previously sold on) Before making descisions on major purchases i usually do my research and i always check online and with locally experienced people. AND THEN, i use my brain to decide whether it is a wise descision.

I have noted that Capri's solutions are usually driven by logic and is more contemperary. (i bought the montana insted of the 276c for example and i have no regrets - - Thanks Capri)

With regards to lifting however, my experience is quite diffrent from what i thought it would be.I thought that by raising the centre of gravity, the risk of rolling is definitely higher. But with advice from certain veterans who i trusted, i reluctantly decided to go for icons.

This was the best advice that was ever given to me. Though the centre of gravity is higher, the springs are stiffer that prevents the weight of the vehicle shifting to one side (leaning too much) when taking turns (on and offroad) I feel that the stiffer suspension makes the vehicle more stable. Now i am going around turns and ramp exits at twice the speed i used to, without the vehicle feeling unstable. (It was pretty unstable around corners even under sane speeds before)

Yes, i do know that shortening the sway bar would have reduced the lean - But hey, that is another story and the travel of the shocks would most likely break them in the desert.

As an after effect i feel that my driving style has changed, i don't damage my bumpers anymore, nor do i scrape my skid plates on desert tracks.

I do agree though that you should understand the behaviour of your vehicle before you start to mod it.

Most newbies think they know what they are doing.(including myself) The experienced ones spend time patiently explaining why the newbie thoughts maybe wrong. Some of us don't have the patience or sometimes knowledge to understand that questions may have been answered before and a simple search would provide answers to most questions.

And like Wasif said, They don't understand that they are asking a question which is against what some of the senior members of the club think is right, A little bit of understanding and lineance to them/US would be nice.

When i started out, i thought that i had it all figured out, but now,I remember the gentleman from Almost 4x4 with gratefulness, who patiently took time out to explain to me why certain things are done a certain way even though the same advice may have been available on the forum and he has probably had to repeat it a zillion times.(Don't want to mention his name, but most of you know who that person is) :038:

I encourage one and all with a reason to disagree agreeably. :023: Let us facilitate a forum where new guys are not apprehensive about asking questions. (Even if it is a stupid question and even if it was answered before)

Disclaimer: I am in no way encouraging anyone to lift the car or drop it. Like DL said, it is their personal choice. If you lift your car and roll it, You are resonsibile! If you don't lift your car and you damage your chasis or bumper, you are still responsibile and not anyone else who gave you advice. (Weigh the pros and cons...Save your bumper or roll ur car?)
Clga
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Visited RAMY and MEBAR today. Both recommended front coilovers and a shackle lift for the rear with new shocks. Fortunately a modified Xterra was available for a testdrive. You only notice the lift if you park two cars next to each other, but the modified car is a lot more stable, a bit firmer suspension but no "dancing" rear end and it doesn't bottom out because of the superior shocks. A much better driving experience than the stock Xterra :-)
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caprihorse
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Darshan;11126 wrote:Now i am scared to post this coz i am a newbie..Pls bear with me, My experience contradicts with the logic (which i was previously sold on) Before making descisions on major purchases i usually do my research and i always check online and with locally experienced people. AND THEN, i use my brain to decide whether it is a wise descision.

I have noted that Capri's solutions are usually driven by logic and is more contemperary. (i bought the montana insted of the 276c for example and i have no regrets - - Thanks Capri)

With regards to lifting however, my experience is quite diffrent from what i thought it would be.I thought that by raising the centre of gravity, the risk of rolling is definitely higher. But with advice from certain veterans who i trusted, i reluctantly decided to go for icons.

This was the best advice that was ever given to me. Though the centre of gravity is higher, the springs are stiffer that prevents the weight of the vehicle shifting to one side (leaning too much) when taking turns (on and offroad) I feel that the stiffer suspension makes the vehicle more stable. Now i am going around turns and ramp exits at twice the speed i used to, without the vehicle feeling unstable. (It was pretty unstable around corners even under sane speeds before)

Yes, i do know that shortening the sway bar would have reduced the lean - But hey, that is another story and the travel of the shocks would most likely break them in the desert.

As an after effect i feel that my driving style has changed, i don't damage my bumpers anymore, nor do i scrape my skid plates on desert tracks.

I do agree though that you should understand the behaviour of your vehicle before you start to mod it.

Most newbies think they know what they are doing.(including myself) The experienced ones spend time patiently explaining why the newbie thoughts maybe wrong. Some of us don't have the patience or sometimes knowledge to understand that questions may have been answered before and a simple search would provide answers to most questions.

And like Wasif said, They don't understand that they are asking a question which is against what some of the senior members of the club think is right, A little bit of understanding and lineance to them/US would be nice.

When i started out, i thought that i had it all figured out, but now,I remember the gentleman from Almost 4x4 with gratefulness, who patiently took time out to explain to me why certain things are done a certain way even though the same advice may have been available on the forum and he has probably had to repeat it a zillion times.(Don't want to mention his name, but most of you know who that person is) :038:

I encourage one and all with a reason to disagree agreeably. :023: Let us facilitate a forum where new guys are not apprehensive about asking questions. (Even if it is a stupid question and even if it was answered before)

Disclaimer: I am in no way encouraging anyone to lift the car or drop it. Like DL said, it is their personal choice. If you lift your car and roll it, You are responsible! If you don't lift your car and you damage your chasis or bumper, you are still responsible and not anyone else who gave you advice. (Weigh the pros and cons...Save your bumper or roll ur car?)
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I like everything you said and I appreciate your hours spent on your post to share with others.

I have only one general comment. Despite all our advices and answers in the Forum, we feel guilty if somebody makes fatal mistake on our trips. We think that our message regarding the safety was not communicated well enough and we need to improve in such message.

And your post is a big contribution to our overall safety, thank you.
Wasif Ahmed
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Newbies have been known to roll over stock cars too....dont really have to lift a car to roll if if you dont know what you are doing in the desert in the first place.

In this case the OP mentioned he was driving a Jeep earlier. Now he may be new to the club but that doesnt mean he is new to offroading does it ?

All I feel is that making fun of people asking questions, even those that have been answered a million times, puts off others from posting.

I hope I have not said someting that might offend dear Capri !
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caprihorse
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Wasif Ahmed;11132 wrote:Newbies have been known to roll over stock cars too....dont really have to lift a car to roll if if you dont know what you are doing in the desert in the first place.
Our role, as Marshals in the Club is avoid it, and we are 100% successful, if Newbies are listening to our advices. Most of them, who had fatal accidents, were with lifted cars and did not want to listen.
Wasif Ahmed;11132 wrote:In this case the OP mentioned he was driving a Jeep earlier. Now he may be new to the club but that doesnt mean he is new to offroading does it ?
Pls read my answer more carefully. I repeat it again, experienced off-roader would never ask such a question in this Forum.
Wasif Ahmed;11132 wrote:All I feel is that making fun of people asking questions, even those that have been answered a million times, puts off others from posting.
Now jokes by side, I'm not making of all those who raise the questions fools. It's a polite warning not to do this. If I would say, straight - Don't Do! - They would never understand. It's a matter of communication.
Wasif Ahmed;11132 wrote:I hope I have not said someting that might offend dear Capri !
And I hope that my answers didn't offend you as well.
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