[twowheeladdict]

My 2017 4.0 SV KC 2x4 is all stock in the drivetrain and suspension. When taking a curve rather aggressively it feels like the front end is being pushed through the curve instead of following a nice line. Anyone else experience this and are there any improvements that can be made? I know it will never handle like a 370z but I would like it to handle better than it currently does.

 

[phatB]

I understand what you mean. imagine if you had a crew cab and 4x4 (and i have a canopy) it feels like it wants to flip over when the weight shifts back when i straighten out from a turn.
The #1 thing i've read that helps is the Hellwig rear sway bar, followed by upgraded shocks like bilsteins. I'm saving my pennies to get he Hellwig bar, wish I could find it for a good price. $300 is really expensive. I bought a front AND rear for my ranger NEW together for $75!

 

[The other Sean]

Titan swap, SPC upper control arms and remove the front sway bar.... Handles better than OEM, though more body roll. >

Or, the camber in stock form is a bit horrible. More than likely your OEM tires have pliable sidewalls. Cheap option is finding polyurethane bushings and end links for the sway bar. Expensive is SPC upper arms and or tires with more grip.

 

[phatB]

Titan swap, SPC upper control arms and remove the front sway bar.... Handles better than OEM, though more body roll. >

Or, the camber in stock form is a bit horrible. More than likely your OEM tires have pliable sidewalls. Cheap option is finding polyurethane bushings and end links for the sway bar. Expensive is SPC upper arms and or tires with more grip.

ah, i wasnt sure how effective installing bushings and/or links in the front would be. Any idea which end links fit? i see PRG makes a solid type that would allow ZERO slop, probably works ridiculously well but wonder how long it would last.
Was looking at the Energy Suspension endlinks but nothing specific to the Fronty so it would have to be a universal one, so not sure if the studs are the same size / would fit... would need to get under the truck and do some measuring... would be cool if we could bolt those right on w/o modification.

 

[AndysLog]

My 2017 4.0 SV KC 2x4 is all stock in the drivetrain and suspension. When taking a curve rather aggressively it feels like the front end is being pushed through the curve instead of following a nice line. Anyone else experience this and are there any improvements that can be made? I know it will never handle like a 370z but I would like it to handle better than it currently does.

i would add a rear swaybar to start, cheap effective way to keep you planted more evenly at the rear axle and through the truck and you.
2005-2017 Nissan Frontier - REAR Sway Bar (7/8 Diameter) [7694] | $295.37 | SD Truck Springs | Leaf Springs, Helper Springs and Suspension Parts

if you like the streetable nature of it, firmer suspension, bushings, mounts all have a role in how power and performance are enhanced to the ground and through you.

edit.
dude i need to start reading everything. FIRST HAHAHHA

 

[The other Sean]

ah, i wasnt sure how effective installing bushings and/or links in the front would be. Any idea which end links fit? i see PRG makes a solid type that would allow ZERO slop, probably works ridiculously well but wonder how long it would last.
Was looking at the Energy Suspension endlinks but nothing specific to the Fronty so it would have to be a universal one, so not sure if the studs are the same size / would fit... would need to get under the truck and do some measuring... would be cool if we could bolt those right on w/o modification.

Never looked in to it on the Frontier, I don't run a sway bar on mine. However, over the years, I've found Polyurethane bushings and end links to be a great "horsepower per dollar" investment.

 

[twowheeladdict]

i would add a rear swaybar to start, cheap effective way to keep you planted more evenly at the rear axle and through the truck and you.
2005-2017 Nissan Frontier - REAR Sway Bar (7/8 Diameter) [7694] | $295.37 | SD Truck Springs | Leaf Springs, Helper Springs and Suspension Parts

if you like the streetable nature of it, firmer suspension, bushings, mounts all have a role in how power and performance are enhanced to the ground and through you.

edit.
dude i need to start reading everything. FIRST HAHAHHA

Thanks for the link. Once I get the drivers seat sorted to make sure I can be comfortable I will start tackling the handling. I probably won't do tires until they are worn, unless I decide to go with 19s and lower profile tires and keep the stock wheels / tires for road trips.

 

[twowheeladdict]

Thank you for the feedback guys.

So, if I am understanding this correctly I should look at adding the rear sway bar first.

Then look at front end parts if it still feels like the front end it being pushed through the curves.

Then performance shock absorbers

Then larger wheels with lower profile tires to get the sidewalls stiffer.

Of course all of this has to wait until I can see if the seats can be improved for my bad back. I can't get on the customizer's schedule to get the air lumbar installed.

I am liking the new Midnight edition grill that I saw on the dealer lot yesterday. I might add that to my wish list. I think it would look good with my Forged Copper truck. I guess I could try that plasti-dip stuff first and see what it would look like. Wish I had photoshop skills.

 

[TWX]

Since I didn't see anything about caster angle, on older cars that had actual upper control arms, a common technique to help with the handling is to adjust the upper arm so that the balljoint pivot is as rearward as possible, to get as much caster as possible, then align for camber/toe from there. The advantage is that the steering will be inclined to re-center automatically after coming out of turns.

This technique was most needed when the vehicle had a fairly severe rake where the back end was up really high, but I've used it on my old Chryslers and on my Impala with decent success. The Impala's suspension is much like these trucks, with discrete upper and lower control arms.

 

[shift_RUSH]

Street/Sport truck tires will have softer compounds along w/ street performance tread design/pattern. Can go All Season - or a Summer design which will be an even softer compound. When comparing tread widths, some of these 'Street' tires are a bit wider than other similarly sized counterparts. Of course, one can essentially count on fewer miles of tire/tread life/warranty when running softer compounds.

 

[TWX]

Street/Sport truck tires will have softer compounds along w/ street performance tread design/pattern. Can go All Season - or a Summer design which will be an even softer compound. When comparing tread widths, some of these 'Street' tires are a bit wider than other similarly sized counterparts. Of course, one can essentially count on fewer miles of tire/tread life/warranty when running softer compounds.

I will attest to this. My '95 Impala uses a tire size that was OEM on only the Impala and on a few years of Mustang. The Impala weighs in at 4300lb, the mustang was more like 3500lb. When BFGoodrich stopped making the OE tire I had to go with tires intended for the 'stang and they don't even come close to the original distance/wear.

Lately that tire size has apparently become either popular for SUVs and trucks now, or else is OEM on something like that, so I was able to buy some sport/truck oriented rubber intended for a heavier vehicle again. So far they seem to be wearing a little better than the Nittos I had before that barely went 30,000 miles.

 

[Nissan4Life]

Adjustable UCA so that you can dial in some more negative camber.

 

[roo_ster]

The KYB shocks & springs helped out up front, combined with the Hellwig helper leaves in the back dramatically improved my Frontier's ride/driveability.

The Hellwig sway bar looks nifty. If I had a new-ish Frinty with good shocks & springs, the Hellwig sway bar would be #1 on the list to improve handling.

 

[Contra]

since you are asking for suggestions I have one
you could slow down...

 

[BurninChrome]

since you are asking for suggestions I have one
you could slow down...

 

[twowheeladdict]

since you are asking for suggestions I have one
you could slow down...

You have obviously never driven in Tennessee.

If I had to crawl through every curve I would never get anywhere. I just want to be able to maintain the speed limit without feeling like the truck is wanting to plow through the turns.

 

[RyanD1966]

TwoWheelAddict what you are discussing is called understeer. The rear bar can help out with changing that, but will have more or less effect depending on how stiff your rear spring pack already is. If you have $295 to try, give it a whirl. I'd go urethane mounts on the front bar first.
Tire pressures can also help with this and that is a free mod, make the fronts 4 to 5 PSI higher than the rears and see what it does. I raced an SSCA E-Street Prepared class Camaro in the late 80s early 90s and I had so much fun with it (designing, building & driving), I wrote a suspension self-help modding book for it, A Daily Dose of Vitamin G. I actually sold a few hundred copies which for self-publishing back then was not bad. Everyone's got a history.

 

[phatB]

I've got the Hellwig bar in the garage to be installed. I have since gotten rid of my canopy and it reduced the roll at least 50% just ditching that weight up high. In fact I almost don't need the bar any more so I haven't been in a rush to install it. The truck definitely pushes through corners a lot earlier than any other rig I've owned (it's a lot heavier than any other rig I've owned) so I'm curious to see how well the bar can make it a more neutral feeling. not sure if it can introduce oversteer, i'll find out... Hope to get it installed this weekend. i will post up details on a thread...

 

[Stuarth]

I was thinking about going this route for my 2014 Pro-4X but decided against it just for ground clearance concerns- not that I go off road often, but just in case... I found the Hellwig rear bar kit for $251 here:

https://www.autoaccessoriesgarage.com/Suspension/Hellwig-Anti-Sway-Bar

No interest or affiliation with the company; they just have the best price that I found, with free shipping.

 

[shift_RUSH]

It was shocking how much my topper affected the handling on my new '15 when it was installed. I went from feeling like I could throw my truck around to having to corner like a grandpa. Oh well...it'll save my tires by not driving it like I stole it.