[JFjeld]

I'm a new owner of a 2016 Frontier SV 4WD. I've been researching the sticky threads and feel I have a decent understanding of lift requirements for the Frontier. I came from the Jeep world and had a fairly heavily-modified Wrangler with 4.5" suspension lift, regeared axles, lockers, running 35s, etc.

For my Frontier, I'm not looking for any of the heavy mods. Simply looking for a 2" spacer lift so I can run 32s and hit the Forest Service roads for camping, scenery, and to haul a dirt bike. I don't have experience with Nisstec, Calmini, Traxda, and PRG. I'm familiar with Rough Country but in the Jeep world that was the bottom of the barrel, so I'm not considering them.

Considering the following 2" spacer lifts and would appreciate opinions. I'll be performing the install myself:

• Nisstec 2" Lift - Comes with 2" front spacers, rear 1.5" blocks. Has options for shackles and/or Add-A-Leafs, but I'd probably do the blocks. Would purchase cam bolts to dial-in the alignment. Bonus is that they're local to me in Denver. *SALE* NissTec 2" Lift Kit ('05+ Frontier) - Nisstec Lifts: Nissan Lift Kits: XTerra Lift Kits, Frontier Lift Kits, Titan Lift Kits, Nissan Truck Lift Kits
• Calmini 2" shackle suspension kit - Comes with 2" front spacers and rear shackles. https://www.calmini.com/detail.php?b=1&m=38&t=1&p=546&n=50,51
• Traxda 3" lift - Front spacers, extended bumpstops, rear blocks. https://traxda.com/nissan/frontier/...er-navara-suzuki-equator-lift-kit-705060.html
• PRG 2x1.5 Mini Kit - Front spacers, bump stops, rear blocks. Would add cam bolts to dial-in alignment. PRG Products

Would appreciate any real-world experience anyone has on any of these kits. Or, brands to stay away from. They're all very similar and well within my skill range to install. Many thanks!

 

[Nissan4Life]

You don't need a lift to run 32's (265/75/r16). They come stock on the nismo/pro4x with the same suspension/wheel well opening. But lifting these trucks slightly is a good idea regardless.

After all these years and various manufactures of spacers, the general consensus is that they are all the same. In fact the cheapest welded ebay one if the most generally recommended.

Your biggest issue will be height, and the unfamiliarity with the nuances of frontier independent front suspension. On these trucks the front drop travel is limited by an internal bump stop in the shock. When you use a shock top spacer to lift you push the drop stop point lower. Too low in fact and the upper control arm (UCA) will contact the coil bucket (CB) before the bump stop comes into play. This is not necessarily bad, but audibly disconcerting. You can add a small bump stop to your UCA to soften the contact. Or you can get aftermarket UCA (expensive). Adding a spacer also lengthens the total shock. So much so that at 2" the shock will max out its compression and "crush" itself. in order to prevent this you will need to add a taller bump stop to limit your compression travel. PRG is the only company to offer this with it kit.

My personal recommendation for a basic lift would to get a PRG 1.5" front spacer and call it a day. If you haul load then add some airbags to the rear.
If you want to step up a bit then go with the Bilstein 5100 lift shock. They are sized so that you don't have CB contact nor shock crush and ekks out the most travel for the least mount of money and effort. If you want to keep the stance the same and don't haul a load, then get a small rear block or add a leaf (AAL).

 

[whistler]

I agree with the PRG 1.5 spacer.Maybe blocks for the rear.

 

[Colo.Frontier]

First off, welcome, glad to see you found the forum and used the Nisstec link I sent you (I'm Eric's friend on FB). I spaced out referring you to Club Frontier as well. Nisstec is installing a similar lift (unless I can get the warm bodies to help me DIY it) on my '15 SV in a couple of weeks, using this kit as well as the U-bolt flip kit *SALE* 2" Spacer AAL Kit With UCAs (05+ Frontier) - Nisstec Lifts: Nissan Lift Kits: XTerra Lift Kits, Frontier Lift Kits, Titan Lift Kits, Nissan Truck Lift Kits

As a reference, I have 265/75-16's on my '15 SV, this pic was taken the weekend they were installed. I have since installed Hefty Fab sliders and skids (steel not aluminum), that extra weight makes my truck sit even lower. Which also brings up another topic for you www.heftyfab.com they too are local, in Colorado Springs, many of us in the Denver area buy sliders and skids from them, if you arrange pickup it saves on shipping.

 

[tidinnc]

You don't need a lift to run 32's (265/75/r16). They come stock on the nismo/pro4x with the same suspension/wheel well opening. But lifting these trucks slightly is a good idea regardless.

After all these years and various manufactures of spacers, the general consensus is that they are all the same. In fact the cheapest welded ebay one if the most generally recommended.

Your biggest issue will be height, and the unfamiliarity with the nuances of frontier independent front suspension. On these trucks the front drop travel is limited by an internal bump stop in the shock. When you use a shock top spacer to lift you push the drop stop point lower. Too low in fact and the upper control arm (UCA) will contact the coil bucket (CB) before the bump stop comes into play. This is not necessarily bad, but audibly disconcerting. You can add a small bump stop to your UCA to soften the contact. Or you can get aftermarket UCA (expensive). Adding a spacer also lengthens the total shock. So much so that at 2" the shock will max out its compression and "crush" itself. in order to prevent this you will need to add a taller bump stop to limit your compression travel. PRG is the only company to offer this with it kit.

My personal recommendation for a basic lift would to get a PRG 1.5" front spacer and call it a day. If you haul load then add some airbags to the rear.
If you want to step up a bit then go with the Bilstein 5100 lift shock. They are sized so that you don't have CB contact nor shock crush and ekks out the most travel for the least mount of money and effort. If you want to keep the stance the same and don't haul a load, then get a small rear block or add a leaf (AAL).

A lot of good info!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Erics Idaho Frontier]

You don't need a lift to run 32's (265/75/r16). They come stock on the nismo/pro4x with the same suspension/wheel well opening. But lifting these trucks slightly is a good idea regardless.

I just bought a 2012 Frontier SV 4x4. I just had brand new 265/75R16 on my Dodge when I traded. So I had the dealership swap the tires from the original 265/70R16. And now they are rubbing in tight turns, especially if I'm on uneven ground.

 

[raine]

You don't need a lift to run 32's (265/75/r16). They come stock on the nismo/pro4x with the same suspension/wheel well opening. But lifting these trucks slightly is a good idea regardless.

I just bought a 2012 Frontier SV 4x4. I just had brand new 265/75R16 on my Dodge when I traded. So I had the dealership swap the tires from the original 265/70R16. And now they are rubbing in tight turns, especially if I'm on uneven ground.

You shouldn't be rubbing anything with 265/75-16's unless you are on aftermarket wheels or lifted without adjusting your caster. A stock Pro-4X doesn't rub.

 

[Erics Idaho Frontier]

You shouldn't be rubbing anything with 265/75-16's unless you are on aftermarket wheels or lifted without adjusting your caster. A stock Pro-4X doesn't rub.

Well I do. And I have the stock aluminum rims. And I don't have a lift. I'm looking at a 2.5 inch spacer lift because of this issue. But I promise you. I AM rubbing. By the way. This doesn't sit nearly as tall as a pro-4x. But it also doesn't sit lower than any other sv that I've seen either. I keep hearing that the pro-4x has the same suspension. But all the ones I've seen sit way taller than the sv's that I've seen, including mine.

 

[raine]

Well I do. And I have the stock aluminum rims. And I don't have a lift. I'm looking at a 2.5 inch spacer lift because of this issue. But I promise you. I AM rubbing. By the way. This doesn't sit nearly as tall as a pro-4x. But it also doesn't sit lower than any other sv that I've seen either. I keep hearing that the pro-4x has the same suspension. But all the ones I've seen sit way taller than the sv's that I've seen, including mine.

When's the last time you had an alignment? If you're stock height and stock wheels and you're rubbing with 265/75-16's then there's something else wrong and maybe you should figure it out first.

 

[MNCarl]

Maybe the truck has wheel spacers on it to make the stock rims poke out ?
Or maybe the tires are actually 285/75-16 ?

 

[raine]

Maybe the truck has wheel spacers on it to make the stock rims poke out ?
Or maybe the tires are actually 285/75-16 ?

I was thinking this too

 

[Nissan4Life]

An accident or hard hit could have tweeked the body, fender, frame, of suspension. The mud flap can be a loose or out a little more. Take a picture. Let's see what we are dealing with.

Unfortunately spacer lift will not change the rub. It will run in the same spot when the suspension cycles to that location.

 

[RobFrisco415]

Is it ok to run the PRG lift in the front on a Pro-4x? i noticed a lot of body lift kits say NOT FOR PRO-4x.... is that true?

eventually im going with Old Man Emu suspension front and back, but would like to add a small lift to the front.... any thoughts? should i still get the bump stops ?

 

[raine]

Is it ok to run the PRG lift in the front on a Pro-4x? i noticed a lot of body lift kits say NOT FOR PRO-4x.... is that true?

eventually im going with Old Man Emu suspension front and back, but would like to add a small lift to the front.... any thoughts? should i still get the bump stops ?

I think you mean "levelling kits" not body lifts

This is usually because the Pro-4x is about 1/2" higher up front stock. Most leveling kits are for the raked non-Pro4x models, so if you install the leveling kit on a Pro-4x it won't be level at all, but 1/2" higher up front.

 

[RobFrisco415]

Do you think i can run 285-75-16's on stock rims with the OME suspension?

 

[raine]

Do you think i can run 285-75-16's on stock rims with the OME suspension?

Of course you can.
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Will it rub? sure it will.

 

[Erics Idaho Frontier]

Thanks for the info guys. I just bought the truck a week and a half ago. And I had just bought some 265/75 R16 tires for the dodge that I traded in. The tires that were on the Frontier were not that great. So I had the dealership swap them. My brother is also the Dealership manager. And I'm sure that the alignment check was part of the inspection. It sounds like the tires are rubbing. But now I'm thinking maybe the cv joint is bad. But it only has 60,000 miles.

 

[raine]

It sounds like the tires are rubbing. But now I'm thinking maybe the cv joint is bad.

Wait... so you didn't actually look to see if the tires are even touching anything?

 

[Erics Idaho Frontier]

I have tomorrow off. So that's what I'll be doing. But it does sound like rubber rubbing on something. But it could be the cv joint. I'll find out for sure tomorrow.

 

[Nissan4Life]

Is it ok to run the PRG lift in the front on a Pro-4x? i noticed a lot of body lift kits say NOT FOR PRO-4x.... is that true?

eventually im going with Old Man Emu suspension front and back, but would like to add a small lift to the front.... any thoughts? should i still get the bump stops ?

The reason that many of the lifts say not for the pro4x is because of the bilstein shocks. They are a little bit longer than the black stock Takico (?). Thus when you add a 2.5" spacer the shock will/can crush at full compression. You will need to add a taller bottom out bump stop to prevent this. None of the lift companies include a taller bump stop except for PRG. Thus PRG does not say "No Pro4x".

I have tomorrow off. So that's what I'll be doing. But it does sound like rubber rubbing on something. But it could be the cv joint. I'll find out for sure tomorrow.

A badly worn tire will make all kinds of howling noises at low speed. Typically rubbing occurs when you are turning. Turning and driving over a bump (and cycling the suspension) is where people find the limits of their clearance. If you are rubbing it will be obvious. Just look for marks on the plastic inner wheel well linear. At the rear of the fender is usually the first place it rubs.