Before anyone gives me grief about wanting to lower a 4x4, I can save you some time.
I like the interior of the Pro-4X and it has a locking rear diff. I would rather just get the Pro-4X instead of trying to piecemeal a locker and leather/power seats into an SV.
Honestly, probably no, a desert runner maybe but as far as I can tell the vast majority of people lift their trucks, especially the pro 4x. I have not seen a single lowered one.
It’s your truck man. Do you. People get bent out of shape when you do something radically different than they would or feel should be done. And you can wire the locker to engage whenever you feel like it.
Spring under the rear. It’s work but you could buy an Xterra M226 with a locker, swap it into your truck for a spring-under and sell your rear diff for a net-zero drop of around 4-5”. Used SV front spring/shock assemblies, cut a coil out of them and you’re into a 2/4” drop for $50-100; just a lot of work. That’s a big drop though. Definitely will need new tires too. That 75 profile will rub like a bastard on a 2/4. Not gunna find lowering spindles for a 4WD - there’s just no market for them. Like Txranger said, no one really does this. That having been said, post a pic if you go through with it. I’d like to see that.
Does the Frontier use different front spindles for 2WD and 4x4? I've seen many manufacturers using the same spindles for both. For my Dakota the only difference is the hub bearing. The bearing for the 4x4 has the hole and splines for the axle but rest of the steering knuckle is the same.
Did some checking and it does look like the 4X2 and 4X4 share the smae spindles. Just a different hub bearing to accomodate the axle. Near 100% chance the drop spindles from Frontier Drop Spindles would work on the Pro-4X too.
I don't blame you. If I get into a late-model F-150 4x4, I plan on doing the same. Compared to the 2WD, the F-150 4x4 uses longer front struts with a raised lower spring perch, and lift blocks for the rear. I'd put on the 2WD front struts, kick out the rear lift blocks, and put on a 1" lowering shackle. Late model trucks are too freakin' tall!
Yes. My best entertainment is going to any local building supply and watching people struggling to load lumber or sacks of concrete into a lifted bro-dozer.
Hey buddy. I bet that truck looks sweet on the job site.....
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I don't blame you. If I get into a late-model F-150 4x4, I plan on doing the same. Compared to the 2WD, the F-150 4x4 uses longer front struts with a raised lower spring perch, and lift blocks for the rear. I'd put on the 2WD front struts, kick out the rear lift blocks, and put on a 1" lowering shackle. Late model trucks are too freakin' tall!
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If you used drop spindles, would that not change the angles for the front axles going through the spindles and pointing upward??? Ugh. I don’t think it’s that simple
If you used drop spindles, would that not change the angles for the front axles going through the spindles and pointing upward??? Ugh. I don’t think it’s that simple
I'm not sure since I wouldn't use drop spindles. Generally speaking though, lift spindles add caster, so I'd assume that drop spindles would reduce it.
I just mentioned the change in cv joint angle from lowering because ANY change to factory geometry can cause issues. Just a bite that things can happen.
I’ve lifted and leveled several trucks with lift kits and body lifts. In every case there was some issue due to geometry changes:
Not surprising. Engineers design the suspension to work well within certain parameters. Change any of those, and you start inducing unforeseen wear and stress on other components.
Spindle lifts with older 2WD trucks was a good example. A spindle lift has the stub axle snout 3 or so inches lower and about one inch further out than factory, but all other parameters are the same. Because the snout is lower, if you turn a corner, the inside wheel cambers in a lot...like more than 10 degrees.
If the goal was to keep suspension geometry as close to factory as possible while gaining lift, you'd want to look at a drop-bracket lift. Those basically bolt a second set of crossmembers to the factory crossmembers, which allow the LCAs to be mounted lower while still retaining factory suspension cycling.
Some companies even certify their drop-bracket lifts to be compliant with FMVSS 126, meaning that they do not interfere with a vehicle's electronic stability control system. ReadyLift, ProComp, SkyJacker, and BDS are a few. Not sure if they make anything for the Frontier though. It's also only on specific lifts, not the entire product lineup.
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