is a 1.5 or 2" lift even worth it?

Nope not worth it. Can't fit bigger tires.

Use the search bar, this topic has been covered endlessly on this website.

Bushwacker is the only manufacturer who makes fender flares for the 2nd Gen. They only work with the steel bumper (unless you modify them to fit the plastic bumper) and are kind of expensive (+$500). You can't reuse the mud flaps without having to modify the flares.

Only you know if it's worth it. It's your wallet that is going to take the hit. With a 2" lift, you're going to need new UCA to avoid CBC. You're also going to need new cam bolts in order to get a proper alignment. All of this stuff adds up fast and you're over a $1000.

As for bigger tires, you don't need a lift for that. Your SV came with 30.5" tall tires. You can run the P4X tire (31.6") and not have an issue.

Grumpy Shihtzu said:

Bushwacker is the only manufacturer who makes fender flares for the 2nd Gen. They only work with the steel bumper (unless you modify them to fit the plastic bumper) and are kind of expensive (+$500). You can't reuse the mud flaps without having to modify the flares.

Only you know if it's worth it. It's your wallet that is going to take the hit. With a 2" lift, you're going to need new UCA to avoid CBC. You're also going to need new cam bolts in order to get a proper alignment. All of this stuff adds up fast and you're over a $1000.

As for bigger tires, you don't need a lift for that. Your SV came with 30.5" tall tires. You can run the P4X tire (31.6") and not have an issue.

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yup I saw the bushwhacker ones, they are too expensive for me to try and mess with to make work with mine, oh well. Thanks
1000$ isnt a huge deal but I just wanted to know if anyone did it and felt like such a minimal lift was visually even worth it. Thanks again

1.5"-2" is WAY better looking with 31.6" tires. It makes a huge difference asthetically, in my opinion. Makes the truck look more like a truck and less like a van.

Off road, it doesn't make a lot of difference. As a side note, but I think it's important: as soon as you go to 2.5" or more you'll need UCA's or you're guaranteed to have coil bucket contact even over speed bumps and small stuff like that.

1.5" spacer IMO is worth it. Easy to install. No issues with over extending travel and coil bucket contact. Increase total wheel travel. No change in ride.

As for bigger tires, a suspension lift of this type doesn't allow for bigger tires. THe suspension still cycles up and down in the same travel path. If it doesn't rub standing still it will when you start driving. A drop bracket lift and body lift are the only type of lifts that allow for bigger tires. THe biggest tires you can run on these trucks are 32" (265/75r16). 33's are doable with a little trimming or melting of the linears. A 255/85r16 is easier to fit than a 285/75r16 as they are narrower and have less issues with catching the edge of the tire when turning.

To do it right cheaply, I would only do a 1" spacer in the front and Z1's .7" shackle in the rear.
You won't have to worry about alignment or coil bucket contact. The problem is you have to disassemble the strut to install longer studs for only a 1" spacer, this isn't a problem if you get 1.5" spacers. However, you're just about guaranteed to have too much camber and not enough caster with 1.5" or more.

Anything higher and you'll want upper control arms to fix coil bucket contact AND alignment, camber bolts alone won't give you enough caster.

I think I spent around $1,500 for Bilstein 5100s, front spacer, UCAs, and taller leaf springs. If you only did 1" in the front and those .7" shackles in the rear, you could do it for like $300 and not have to worry about alignment problems. So I spent $1,200 for another inch.

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Under 2" you don't need new upper control arms. 2" and more, you need new upper control arms.

Spacers are aesthetic only, and as others have said, don't help with bigger tires.

A true suspension lift involving new shocks and struts is valuable for additional clearance.

If it's just looks you're after, then no, it's probably not worth the $1,100+ for a kit and then labor (or your time) to install it.

I'm just over 2" lift and I would say I disagree with the naysayers, IMHO, just do it, if that's what you want. Again, IMHO, out here in the east where it's mostly higher-speed highway driving, you don't want to alter the centre of gravity too much ( higher ) or the truck begins to feel a bit unstable in tighter corners. If you don't mind losing some articulation, the addition of a rear sway-control bar will help settle the truck. I have rear bags that stiffen my rear springs so mine handles pretty well for a truck, I had an SCCA E-Class prep'd road-course 83 Camaro so I know exactly what a full-sized slot car feels like. This isn't it. But as one of my stickers says, "you can go fast, I can go anywhere". No strictly 100% accurate, but you get the idea.

Frontier 4x4s sit way to low stock. IMHO, 2” lift is well worth doing. My truck is lifted 2.5” and it makes a big difference Off Road, and I’ve got 31” tires (for now).

RidgeRebel said:

Frontier 4x4s sit way to low stock. IMHO, 2” lift is well worth doing. My truck is lifted 2.5” and it makes a big difference Off Road, and I’ve got 31” tires (for now).

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I agree, it should be 2 inches higher from the factory.

Frontier work truck owner here:
While my situation of needing something 'better' than the weak factory leaf springs......aftermarket medium duty (or greater) leaf springs WILL lift the back end necessitating a lift of some kind in the front.

shift_RUSH said:

Frontier work truck owner here:
While my situation of needing something 'better' than the weak factory leaf springs......aftermarket medium duty (or greater) leaf springs WILL lift the back end necessitating a lift of some kind in the front.

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Take a look the Firestone airbag thread. They give you extra spring to fix the mushy rear end and are fully adjustable for load conditions. Enjoying them on my Frontier.

hambone96 said:

I agree, it should be 2 inches higher from the factory.

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They’d sell a lot more of them if they were higher. I’m sure there’s some govt bs reg to prevent that… Off road performance would be much improved as well as aesthetics. The lifted Frontier looks WAY better than stock. The stocker looks like a 4x4 low rider, lol.

ssundet said:

Keep in mind that the 4wd suspension is a tad higher (0.5"?) than 2wd coilovers so you can achieve a small lift just by swapping to 4wd parts as well. (got no details of your truck)

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The 2WD and 4x4 trucks have the same suspension. The 2nd gen S on 15" steelies had narrower and slightly shorter tires.

TwoWheelsDown said:

The 2WD and 4x4 trucks have the same suspension. The 2nd gen S on 15" steelies had narrower and slightly shorter tires.

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That’s not entirely true. The struts off my ‘21 SV 4x4 raised the front of my ‘18 SV 4x2 about an inch.

RidgeRebel said:

They’d sell a lot more of them if they were higher. I’m sure there’s some govt bs reg to prevent that… Off road performance would be much improved as well as aesthetics. The lifted Frontier looks WAY better than stock. The stocker looks like a 4x4 low rider, lol.

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It's probably more of a gas mileage sell? But also, I think older guys are the target audience and the easy driving position/easy entering/exit ergonomics is a key selling feature that the height helps with. Personally, I used to hate the way they look like a van when low, but I was sold when I sat in it and thought "well sh*t, I fit in this thing better than the Tacoma/4runner I wanted (and came from) and it's easy to drive and budget friendly"

ssundet said:

But also, I think older guys are the target audience and the easy driving position/easy entering/exit ergonomics is a key selling feature that the height helps with.

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I dunno, older guys grew up driving trucks that were pretty high off the ground straight from the dealers lot. My old 2000 Taco felt about as high stock as my lifted Frontier. My old Nissan Hardbody trucks felt like the Taco. Took one look at my 2017 Frontier and thought, she’s gotta be lifted…