[2011pro4xCali]

Hi everyone. This is my first post. I decided to purchase a 4x4 and to give offroading a try.

I recently installed the Rancho Quick Lift leveling kit, which gave me a couple of inches, but just doesn't seem like enough. I also installed from 2" shackles on the rear. I have some clanking on the front and rear. I'm assuming the front is cb contact and the rear noise is just due to metal to metal contact on the new bolts.

Here's what I'd like to do but not sure if it'll work.

Front: I'd like to keep the Rancho shocks/springs in the front and install lifting upper control arms AND install 2" spacers on the front. That way I get the lift of the rancho quick lift struts AND 2 inches more from the spacer, and will hopefully eliminate the CB contact in the front. Is this possible? Or is that overall too much lift? I'm going to assume it's 4" total lift, and the aftermarket UCA's say they are good to 4" of lift.

Rear: First, I need to get rid of the damned clanking. The nuts and bolts provided slip through a separate metal cylinder (since the new shackles do not have the bolts pressed into the shackle, like the OEM ones do), and I'm pretty sure that's where the clanking is coming from. Any ideas on how to take care of that? I'm thinking that it might be as simple as putting on some thin rubber washers between the shackles and nut/bolts. I'd also like to add a 2" spacer to the rear to increase the rear lift. Can I do that?

The lift I installed just doesn't seem like it's enough. I went out to Cleghorn Trail yesterday and looked at some of the off-chutes and was like...nope...not enough clearance for that one. Fire roads are fun, but I want to be able to do more. I'm just not sure if I can combine different methods of lift like that. It seems like that's what some of these kits do...so I think it's ok.

What do you all think?

 

[The other Sean]

Adding a spacer gives you more lift at the expense of wheel travel. I'll take wheel travel over an extra inch or two of height any day. If it were me, I would swap in some SPC upper control arms, leave the rest of the suspension as is and spend your money on better skid plates and rock sliders so that you have more confidence if and when you contact something with the bottom of your truck.

 

[2011pro4xCali]

Here is a before and after installing the Rancho Quick Lift. It looks better, but it's just not enough lift to clear anything.

 

[MNCarl]

You really cannot go much over 3" with out a titan swap or a drop bracket kit as it will bind your ball lower ball joints.
I did a lot of reading/researching before making any suspension purchases.
Here is the suspension sticky thread:
Click here:
http://www.clubfrontier.org/forums/...s-2005-please-read-before-posting-here-63966/

And read a a lot of build threads here on clubfrontier and thenewx
You can also call Nisstec or PRG on the telephone ,Nisstec always answers there phone and PRG Greg can be hard to get on the phone but if you call in the morning and get thru he will talk your ear off with info.

I have a 1 inch coil lift spacer on top of my Radflo coil overs, It should work fine with your 2 inch lift Rancho's
Click here:
PRG Products

Then you could add SPC or other brand upper control arms to eliminate coil bucket contact.
Click here:
SPC Upper Control Arms - Nisstec Lifts: Nissan Lift Kits: XTerra Lift Kits, Frontier Lift Kits, Titan Lift Kits, Nissan Truck Lift Kits

For the rear you could do a add-a-leaf along with your shackle.
Click here:
2" NissTec Rear Lift Add-A-Leafs - Nisstec Lifts: Nissan Lift Kits: XTerra Lift Kits, Frontier Lift Kits, Titan Lift Kits, Nissan Truck Lift Kits
or
PRG Products

You will also need new/longer rear shocks:
Click here:
Rear Bilstein 5100 Shocks (Fits '05+ Frontier) - Nisstec Lifts: Nissan Lift Kits: XTerra Lift Kits, Frontier Lift Kits, Titan Lift Kits, Nissan Truck Lift Kits

If you have not already you will also need camber alignment bolts.
Front Camber Bolt Kit- Full Set - Nisstec Lifts: Nissan Lift Kits: XTerra Lift Kits, Frontier Lift Kits, Titan Lift Kits, Nissan Truck Lift Kits

 

[whistler]

If you go to anything over 3” lift you will have coil bucket contact.
You will have no droop travel.
Whatever you do with your current system, I don’t believe it is possible to accomplish what you are trying to attain.
I would start over and go with a Titan swap.
This will allow for more lift and increase travel.

 

[2011pro4xCali]

Thanks guys. I'm starting to think that what I'm looking for is another vehicle...probably a Jeep.

I bought a kit online that gave me;

new upper control arms
camber bolts
3" spacers for the front
2" spacers for the rear

I was able to install the upper control arms. I couldn't get the 3" spacers to fit with my Rancho Quick Lift front struts/springs, so I didn't add any more lift than I already had. But I did some grinding and eliminated the CB contact.

Since I couldn't add anymore height to the front, I didn't try to add any height to the rear. I already had 2" lift shackles in the rear and the Rancho Quick Lift rear shocks.

I personally wouldn't recommend the Rancho shocks. Even though they are adjustable, they are really hard to get to in order to adjust them and I have to use pliers to turn the knobs, otherwise I'd tear up my hands.


I tried some trails out in Rowher Canyon (santa clarita valley) and was able to take some off-chutes. I tried an easy one going downhill and my rear tires came off the ground which gave me an OH **** moment. I'm just not sure if a pickup is for me. The weight distribution isn't great. And I really wanted to have more lift than what I currently have. When parked next to a stock Tacoma, it's literally the same height...and that's as high as it will go. And I see these guys in Jeeps making these trails look so easy.

I had some extra Rancho stickers so I put them on the control arms. Also, the black caps at the top of the arm have already fallen off and are gone. It's only been a week.

 

[The other Sean]

Well, comparing a IFS truck with it's sway bars attached to Jeeps that probably have them disconnected is asking for disappointment.

I don't quite understand your "back wheels off the ground" thing. I've had my truck down some pretty steep spots and never had that issue. Were you going as slow as you were supposed to and were you easy on the brakes?

 

[2011pro4xCali]

It was pretty steep with some deep ruts.

Also, I went and tightened everything up today and I’m getting this loud squealing noise every time I turn the steering wheel now. I’m not sure what to do. Did I maybe overtighten the bolt connecting the upper control arm to the spindle? That’s the only thing I can think of. It’s probably what I get gmfir not buying the name brand upper control arms.