just get shackles or the single add a leaf
1st Gen FAQ...PLEASE READ. ADD INPUT
WELCOME to ClubFrontier....
1998-2004 Nissan Frontiers are typically refered to as "1st generation frontiers" or "1st gens"
These trucks have a torsion bar front suspension, and a leaf spring rear suspension....
Some of the most common questions are...
1) How to lift my truck
2) What lifts are available
3) What size tires can i run
4) What Axle's do i have
I hope to answer MOST of these basic questions in this thread. But feel free to start additional threads with deeper questions...
WEBSITES TO KNOW....
www.4x4parts.com
www.calmini.com
www.spencerlowracing.com
FRONT SUSPENSION
The 1st gen frontier has the ability to adjust ride height via "pre-loading" the torsion bars... or as its better known as.... adjusting or cranking them.... Basically the torsion bar is a spring... It is connected to the LCA (lower control arm) in the front of your truck, and connected to a crossmember and adjuster in the central area of your truck. If you look under the truck, you will see on each side, just inside of the frame rails, a long bar that extends back from the LCA.. thats your torsion bar...
ALL LIFTS with the exception of very high dollar SAS or Coil Over conversion lift your truck via a torsion bar crank... Some kits have the option of upgrading to aftermarket torsion bars, but this is NOT needed.. some prefer, some prefer stock bars... The stock torsion bars have more than enough ability to give you well over the maximum 3+" of lift.
LIFT OPTIONS...
0" to 2" - You can simply adjust your torsion bars...
2.5" to 3" - You can either purchase a complete lift kit, or purchase aftermarket UCA's
To adjust your torsion bars... You simply jack up the front end of your truck, secure it with the wheels slightly off the ground, to remove any tension on the front suspension, and tighten the adjuster bolts.. There are two 19mm nuts on the top of the adjuster bolt... the top being a lock nut... simply loosen the top nut, then tightned the adjuster bolt to adjust ride height... lower truck, measure... and repeat untill you have desired height.... REMEMBER.... you want a minimum of 1/2" of room between the bottom of your UCA, and the bump stop which is below it.....
or click here for some detailed instructions with pictures...TorsionBarWriteUp
It is said to always get an alighnment after adjusting torsion bars, however in MOST cases, it will not effect your alignmnt, however this is YOUR CHOICE... if it needs the alignment, GET IT DONE.
You always have the option of purchasing a lift "kit" that is complete with all that is needed... However there are lots of people who do the lifts in steps... Lots of people start off with a simple torsion bar adjustment, then decide they want more.... Here are your options...
1) Add aftermarket UCA's. Basically as you adjust the height of your truck with your stock UCA's, the angle that they sit changes, which also changes the ball joint angle and slightly changes your camber. Aftermarket UCA's DO NOT ACTUALLY LIFT YOUR TRUCK... The torsion bars do... The aftermarket UCA's are simply designed at a differant angle, so that when the truck is adjusted by 2.5-3", the ball joint angles, and your camber are at the correct points... There are several options, and most of them are in the $350.00 range.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT... Now keep in mind, because we use torsion bars, there is the ability to adjust... but... the lift amounts below are what I've come to understand the aftermarket UCA's to be designed to provide...
AC (4x4parts) and Rancho - 2.5"... both of these are almost identical.
Calmini and SLR Econ's - 3"... both of these are almost the same exact design.
SLR Stage series - 3" plus added down travel....
STOCK TORSION BARS VS. AFTERMARKET
Aftermarket torsion bars are basically the same thing, except they have a higher spring rate... Basically they are stiffer... Some like this, as they feel them to be stronger, some don't because its said that the stock bars will flex better... This is 100% a matter of personal preferance...They are NOT needed to achieve the lfit..
RE-INDEX - In the even that you are adjusting your torsion bars, and the adjuster bolts run out of adjusting room.. (the brackets they go through have no more movement available)... you can reindex the stock bars... Basically the ends of the bars are splined... you simply remove the adjuster bolt, back the bars out of the ends... rotate them by 1 or 2 splines, which will give you the extra ability to adjust higher...
SHOCKS... With a simple torsion bar adjustment, its not requried to upgrade shocks, but lots of people do.... If you are lifting to the 2.5 to 3" range... you will need to upgrade...
Now... There are wide spread comments on the good/bad effects of adjusting your torsion bars.... As most of us have found... There really is no DOWN side to doing this....
Will your truck's ride get stiffer due to adjusting the torsion bars? NO!.. however people do tend to say it does... And the reason has little to do with the torsion bars, but more in the fact that they are adjusting to much. When you adjust your torsion bars for more lift, you are changing the angles that your control arms sit. Just under your UCA (upper control arm) there is a little black rubber bump stop. This is there so that when the front end goes up, and the wheels "droop" or drop down, it prevents the suspension from drooping to far, and causing your CV's (axles) to bind, and possibly brake. Normally when you go over a bump, your front suspension has plenty of room to travel before that bump stop, so it never actually contacts it. But by lifting more than 1.5-2" this way, you are causing the front end to contact those stops more than regular, resulting in what seems to be a stiff ride. Worn out shocks can also play a part in this, however the simple answer, is distance between UCA and bump stop... You can purchase "low profile" bump stops from www.4x4parts.com which can help with some of this.
REAR SUSPENSION....
you have 3 basic options....
1) Blocks
2) Shackles
3) AAL's (add a leaf) or custom leaf packs.
I personally don't like blocks.. but they work... but i won't go into details on the
SHACKLES... You have several options... the aftermarket parts places listed do sell them... OR... AutoZone and several other places do sell universal ones that can be used for aprox $14.00... The aftermarket ones available are stronger, but the universal ones are usable... Shackles will provide the most flex of all these options...
AAL's.. they sell Add A Leafs that range from cheaper 1pc to more exspensive 3pc sets... This is the BEST way.. however they don't flex as good as shackles, so lots of people combine shackes and aal's..
BODY LIFTS...
4x4parts.com sells a 2" and a 3" body lift... The 2" is less work to install, however both work great.. A body lift ONLY raises the body of the truck... giving it the lifted look, however the suspension and frame are still at the EXACT same height.... The one MAJOR advangate with a body lift is the fact that it allows for bigger tires, because it raises the wheel well higher above the tire, which creates more room for larger tires... Body lifts are typically less money to purchase, but way more work to install...
TIRE SIZES....
FLAT OUT... there is NO answer for the biggest tire you can run...
With minimal change, a 31" tire is usually never a problem... With a body lift, or 2" or better suspesion lift, a 32" tire is IDEAL...
YES... you can make larger tires fit... NO... there is no way to tell you what you can fit...
The size tire you can fit all comes down to what rim your using... and what the backspacing is... the wider the stance, the smaller the tire, because as you move to a wider offset, at full turn, your tire is no longer tucked inside the fender, and will rub with a smaller tire than with stock rims... Larger tires are simply trial and error... Sorry, the simple answer just doesn't exist....
AXLES... What do I have??? This link should just about cover it.....
http://nissan4wheelers.com/eve/ubb.x/a/tpc/f/3766078435/m/88310151411
Thanks to all who have contributed to this thread. As other things get posted in this thread, I will update the original post with most of this information, and/or links to the information. We are attempting to stay as factual as possible with everything posted here, however based on the type of suspension we have, and differant offsets of rims people use, it is intirely possible for two people to have completely differant results in regards to several things covered in this thread...
1998-2004 Nissan Frontiers are typically refered to as "1st generation frontiers" or "1st gens"
These trucks have a torsion bar front suspension, and a leaf spring rear suspension....
Some of the most common questions are...
1) How to lift my truck
2) What lifts are available
3) What size tires can i run
4) What Axle's do i have
I hope to answer MOST of these basic questions in this thread. But feel free to start additional threads with deeper questions...
WEBSITES TO KNOW....
www.4x4parts.com
www.calmini.com
www.spencerlowracing.com
FRONT SUSPENSION
The 1st gen frontier has the ability to adjust ride height via "pre-loading" the torsion bars... or as its better known as.... adjusting or cranking them.... Basically the torsion bar is a spring... It is connected to the LCA (lower control arm) in the front of your truck, and connected to a crossmember and adjuster in the central area of your truck. If you look under the truck, you will see on each side, just inside of the frame rails, a long bar that extends back from the LCA.. thats your torsion bar...
ALL LIFTS with the exception of very high dollar SAS or Coil Over conversion lift your truck via a torsion bar crank... Some kits have the option of upgrading to aftermarket torsion bars, but this is NOT needed.. some prefer, some prefer stock bars... The stock torsion bars have more than enough ability to give you well over the maximum 3+" of lift.
LIFT OPTIONS...
0" to 2" - You can simply adjust your torsion bars...
2.5" to 3" - You can either purchase a complete lift kit, or purchase aftermarket UCA's
To adjust your torsion bars... You simply jack up the front end of your truck, secure it with the wheels slightly off the ground, to remove any tension on the front suspension, and tighten the adjuster bolts.. There are two 19mm nuts on the top of the adjuster bolt... the top being a lock nut... simply loosen the top nut, then tightned the adjuster bolt to adjust ride height... lower truck, measure... and repeat untill you have desired height.... REMEMBER.... you want a minimum of 1/2" of room between the bottom of your UCA, and the bump stop which is below it.....
or click here for some detailed instructions with pictures...TorsionBarWriteUp
It is said to always get an alighnment after adjusting torsion bars, however in MOST cases, it will not effect your alignmnt, however this is YOUR CHOICE... if it needs the alignment, GET IT DONE.
You always have the option of purchasing a lift "kit" that is complete with all that is needed... However there are lots of people who do the lifts in steps... Lots of people start off with a simple torsion bar adjustment, then decide they want more.... Here are your options...
1) Add aftermarket UCA's. Basically as you adjust the height of your truck with your stock UCA's, the angle that they sit changes, which also changes the ball joint angle and slightly changes your camber. Aftermarket UCA's DO NOT ACTUALLY LIFT YOUR TRUCK... The torsion bars do... The aftermarket UCA's are simply designed at a differant angle, so that when the truck is adjusted by 2.5-3", the ball joint angles, and your camber are at the correct points... There are several options, and most of them are in the $350.00 range.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT... Now keep in mind, because we use torsion bars, there is the ability to adjust... but... the lift amounts below are what I've come to understand the aftermarket UCA's to be designed to provide...
AC (4x4parts) and Rancho - 2.5"... both of these are almost identical.
Calmini and SLR Econ's - 3"... both of these are almost the same exact design.
SLR Stage series - 3" plus added down travel....
STOCK TORSION BARS VS. AFTERMARKET
Aftermarket torsion bars are basically the same thing, except they have a higher spring rate... Basically they are stiffer... Some like this, as they feel them to be stronger, some don't because its said that the stock bars will flex better... This is 100% a matter of personal preferance...They are NOT needed to achieve the lfit..
RE-INDEX - In the even that you are adjusting your torsion bars, and the adjuster bolts run out of adjusting room.. (the brackets they go through have no more movement available)... you can reindex the stock bars... Basically the ends of the bars are splined... you simply remove the adjuster bolt, back the bars out of the ends... rotate them by 1 or 2 splines, which will give you the extra ability to adjust higher...
SHOCKS... With a simple torsion bar adjustment, its not requried to upgrade shocks, but lots of people do.... If you are lifting to the 2.5 to 3" range... you will need to upgrade...
Now... There are wide spread comments on the good/bad effects of adjusting your torsion bars.... As most of us have found... There really is no DOWN side to doing this....
Will your truck's ride get stiffer due to adjusting the torsion bars? NO!.. however people do tend to say it does... And the reason has little to do with the torsion bars, but more in the fact that they are adjusting to much. When you adjust your torsion bars for more lift, you are changing the angles that your control arms sit. Just under your UCA (upper control arm) there is a little black rubber bump stop. This is there so that when the front end goes up, and the wheels "droop" or drop down, it prevents the suspension from drooping to far, and causing your CV's (axles) to bind, and possibly brake. Normally when you go over a bump, your front suspension has plenty of room to travel before that bump stop, so it never actually contacts it. But by lifting more than 1.5-2" this way, you are causing the front end to contact those stops more than regular, resulting in what seems to be a stiff ride. Worn out shocks can also play a part in this, however the simple answer, is distance between UCA and bump stop... You can purchase "low profile" bump stops from www.4x4parts.com which can help with some of this.
REAR SUSPENSION....
you have 3 basic options....
1) Blocks
2) Shackles
3) AAL's (add a leaf) or custom leaf packs.
I personally don't like blocks.. but they work... but i won't go into details on the
SHACKLES... You have several options... the aftermarket parts places listed do sell them... OR... AutoZone and several other places do sell universal ones that can be used for aprox $14.00... The aftermarket ones available are stronger, but the universal ones are usable... Shackles will provide the most flex of all these options...
AAL's.. they sell Add A Leafs that range from cheaper 1pc to more exspensive 3pc sets... This is the BEST way.. however they don't flex as good as shackles, so lots of people combine shackes and aal's..
BODY LIFTS...
4x4parts.com sells a 2" and a 3" body lift... The 2" is less work to install, however both work great.. A body lift ONLY raises the body of the truck... giving it the lifted look, however the suspension and frame are still at the EXACT same height.... The one MAJOR advangate with a body lift is the fact that it allows for bigger tires, because it raises the wheel well higher above the tire, which creates more room for larger tires... Body lifts are typically less money to purchase, but way more work to install...
TIRE SIZES....
FLAT OUT... there is NO answer for the biggest tire you can run...
With minimal change, a 31" tire is usually never a problem... With a body lift, or 2" or better suspesion lift, a 32" tire is IDEAL...
YES... you can make larger tires fit... NO... there is no way to tell you what you can fit...
The size tire you can fit all comes down to what rim your using... and what the backspacing is... the wider the stance, the smaller the tire, because as you move to a wider offset, at full turn, your tire is no longer tucked inside the fender, and will rub with a smaller tire than with stock rims... Larger tires are simply trial and error... Sorry, the simple answer just doesn't exist....
AXLES... What do I have??? This link should just about cover it.....
http://nissan4wheelers.com/eve/ubb.x/a/tpc/f/3766078435/m/88310151411
Thanks to all who have contributed to this thread. As other things get posted in this thread, I will update the original post with most of this information, and/or links to the information. We are attempting to stay as factual as possible with everything posted here, however based on the type of suspension we have, and differant offsets of rims people use, it is intirely possible for two people to have completely differant results in regards to several things covered in this thread...
81 - 100 of 163 Posts
to answer that question the hardbody really is almost a completely different truckI believe they were simply called "Nissan Pickup".The Frontier wsa mostly a face lift, I think. They may have introduced the V6 back then. I do not think there was any major change in the truck from 1990 until Gen 2.
the frames, suspension and body are all different
the only thing that stayed the same was the motor, the vg33e and the ka
just to prove that the frames are different, HBs use longer t-bars causing the torsion bar anchors to be farther back , if you look at frontiers frames, they start to slightly bow in near the t-bar member, where as the HB has that farther back and doesnt have the slight bow in
the rear suspension is pretty much the same, but the front uses a different designed LCA and a UCA with replaceable BJs (HB)... this is also why you cant use the trail master 4 inch drop bracket lift thats for the hardbodys on the frontier, the mountings different completely
fusionfronty has it right. Nissan had the 720 "pickup" D21/WD21 (HB/Pathfinder), The D22/WD22 (Frontier 98-04/ 00-04 Xterra) I may be a little off on the Xterra years. Each was a total redesign of frame and body. I have ahad one of each, an 84 720, a 91 HB, an 01 Frontier, still have it, and the wife had an 87 pathy, a 95 pathy, an 05 X, and now an 07 Armada.
hi, guys, i am thinking towards just do the torsion bar, to get 2" lift, quesiton is, i want to replace shocks as well, so, can i install the longer shocks instead of the oem version of the existing ones? Bilstein, would it fit if i only lift 2" please note
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, WHAT WILL NICELY FIT IN THE REAR OF CC DOOR-SPEAKER???
This page was customized to show only speaker sizes that work with your 2002 NISSAN FRONTIER*.
[View all Speaker Sizes] [Change Car].
The speaker sizes that go in your car, along with their location are:
Front: 6-3/4"
Rear: 4"
Front door: 6-3/4"
Back door: 4"
******************************************************************Your vehicle(s):
2002 Frontier
select a new vehicleremove vehicle
2002 Nissan Frontier Pickup Crew Cabwithout Rockford Fosgate Speaker System
Factory Stereo Installed [change]Factory replacement info:
In-dash stereo
8-3/8" depth; Size code DD,E
Front speakers
Dash: Tweeter factory speaker note
Front Door: 6-3/4"
Rear speakers
Rear Door: 5"
This page was customized to show only speaker sizes that work with your 2002 NISSAN FRONTIER*.
[View all Speaker Sizes] [Change Car].
The speaker sizes that go in your car, along with their location are:
Front: 6-3/4"
Rear: 4"
Front door: 6-3/4"
Back door: 4"
******************************************************************Your vehicle(s):
2002 Frontier
select a new vehicleremove vehicle
2002 Nissan Frontier Pickup Crew Cabwithout Rockford Fosgate Speaker System
Factory Stereo Installed [change]Factory replacement info:
In-dash stereo
8-3/8" depth; Size code DD,E
Front speakers
Dash: Tweeter factory speaker note
Front Door: 6-3/4"
Rear speakers
Rear Door: 5"
Ok, so my fronty is a Desert Runner model. Currently I have 33's on there, but im not sure if I can throw on 35's and not have to re-gear. I saw on the Linked page 'H233B - large 3rd member type axle found in most V6 and a few 4 banger 4x4's, Desert Runners, and 2wd Pathy's and 2wd Xterra V6's.' and 'H233B axle with 4.636:1 gearing (33 spline axles). Typically comes with an R200 front axle, with the exception being in the '96-97 Hardbody pickups - those had an H233B / R180 combination. Axle shafts in the H233B were 31 spline up to about 2000, where they switched to 33 spline shafts. All Xterras and R50 Pathfinders received the 33 spline axles. In Frontiers, it can be a crapshoot if you have a '99-'00 model, though it is believed that the switchover was at or near 2/00 production date.'
I was wondering then if that means that I have 4.636 gears and what the difference between that and 4.56 gears were.
I was wondering then if that means that I have 4.636 gears and what the difference between that and 4.56 gears were.
you are going to loose a lot of power whether you regear or not, 35's are heavy. both acceleration, braking, and your suspension performance will negatively be impacted. i don't think there really is a need for 35's on a setup like yours.
Yeah, i was considering going with the nitto dune grapplers in 33x12.50x15 or in 35", but which ever is more practical.you are going to loose a lot of power whether you regear or not, 35's are heavy. both acceleration, braking, and your suspension performance will negatively be impacted. i don't think there really is a need for 35's on a setup like yours.
I'm still not sure as to what gearing I have though.
for your application, i wouldn't. its merely cosmetic. your suspension would proabably cycle better with 33's.
"HG46 - found on auto equipped pathfinders, 96-97 hardody 4 bangers, many Xterras and Frontiers. This one has some variation. Pre-2000 versions are the H233B axle with 4.625:1 gearing (31 spline axles). 2000+ is the H233B axle with 4.636:1 gearing (33 spline axles). Typically comes with an R200 front axle, with the exception being in the '96-97 Hardbody pickups - those had an H233B / R180 combination. Axle shafts in the H233B were 31 spline up to about 2000, where they switched to 33 spline shafts. All Xterras and R50 Pathfinders received the 33 spline axles. In Frontiers, it can be a crapshoot if you have a '99-'00 model, though it is believed that the switchover was at or near 2/00 production date."
looks like 4.636's to me, but i'm no expert on factory ratios.
"HG46 - found on auto equipped pathfinders, 96-97 hardody 4 bangers, many Xterras and Frontiers. This one has some variation. Pre-2000 versions are the H233B axle with 4.625:1 gearing (31 spline axles). 2000+ is the H233B axle with 4.636:1 gearing (33 spline axles). Typically comes with an R200 front axle, with the exception being in the '96-97 Hardbody pickups - those had an H233B / R180 combination. Axle shafts in the H233B were 31 spline up to about 2000, where they switched to 33 spline shafts. All Xterras and R50 Pathfinders received the 33 spline axles. In Frontiers, it can be a crapshoot if you have a '99-'00 model, though it is believed that the switchover was at or near 2/00 production date."
looks like 4.636's to me, but i'm no expert on factory ratios.
I'm having my shocks rebuilt, revavled and cycled this week, I dont think its been done since the shocks were put on 4 years ago, my rear shafts are rusted so I need to change them asap.for your application, i wouldn't. its merely cosmetic. your suspension would proabably cycle better with 33's.
My shop guy was telling me that after the rebuild my ride will be way smoother and I should be able to get alot more travel when I go airborne or over whoops.
So another question.
When i rev my engine or im going down the road. after i let off the gas there is popping noises, not sure from what. This also happened after i put on my flowmaster and still going on even with no muffler, but more popping.
When i rev my engine or im going down the road. after i let off the gas there is popping noises, not sure from what. This also happened after i put on my flowmaster and still going on even with no muffler, but more popping.
I just put 6" speakers in my rear door on my CC for better sound. Fits great but when I roll down the windows the window would hit the speaker so I have to shim them out with washers. No biggie speakers sounds great. I am considering the sub box for behind the seat.
I have an 03 CC long bed. I have a 2 month old son with a Graco car seat and detechable base and it fits fine. Even the crew cab has a small interior. My wife sits in the passenger seat with my car seat behind her and she is fine.
I think the short bed is lame. I need a 6' bed but the 6' bed cc is hard to find but I am ery happy with my truck.
I think the short bed is lame. I need a 6' bed but the 6' bed cc is hard to find but I am ery happy with my truck.
What is a good Transmission fluid to use on the Supercharged transmissions and how much should be purchased.
What ever you decide make sure it is GL4 not GL5 or GL4/5 straight GL4 is what you NEED. The GL5 will eat the bronze out of the synchros and bearings. Factory calls for ATF in the transfer case. Use GL4 75w90 and you should be fine. Here's a link to the owner's manual. http://www.courtesyparts.com/pdf/2001-Nissan-Frontier-Crew-Cab.pdf
I am so confused about this.What ever you decide make sure it is GL4 not GL5 or GL4/5 straight GL4 is what you NEED. The GL5 will eat the bronze out of the synchros and bearings. Factory calls for ATF in the transfer case. Use GL4 75w90 and you should be fine. Here's a link to the owner's manual. http://www.courtesyparts.com/pdf/2001-Nissan-Frontier-Crew-Cab.pdf
I need to change my tranny fluid in my o3 CC
If you are a Manual trans, then its 75w90 gear oil.I am so confused about this.
I need to change my tranny fluid in my o3 CC
If auto then its ATF by Nissan spec, not sure on which could be used though
This one has seen better days?
Can someone point me in the right direction on changing the transmission fluid and what to use on my 03 auto CC. I am looking for a write up if possible.
Download the service manual. See which fluid it calls for (probably Matic-something). Then go to a parts store and find a fluid that meets/exceeds the spec.
Are you looking to d/f or flush?
Are you looking to d/f or flush?
81 - 100 of 163 Posts
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