I was just thinking about modifications to do to the Xterra when I get home and wanted to get some opininons on what others would do in my place.

The situation is that you're adding a Calmini LSD to the front and a Selectable Locker (ARB) to the rear. You only have enough money to do one at a time and it may be a year or two before you do the other one.

Which would you do first and why?

I've already decided which units I'm going to buy so don't say I should get a locker in front or something like that. I just want some opinions which would be preferable. I especially want opinions from people who have the LSD in front already. I like the idea of haveing front and rear LSD's so I'm leaning toward putting the LSD on first. I just wonder how it would affect offroad driving and Rockcrawling.

You've not been paying attention. Aero_steve put the front LSD in first and was eating steering components constantly, and now has a chipped ring gear that's been there for who knows how long since it was installed. Oh yeah, broken motor mounts too, may or may not be related. If you don't have the Calmini steering yet, you better get it. Just hope you don't start wasting CVs and/or hubs too.
You definitely don't want the front to be doing more work than the rear, and that's just what will happen with a nice tight Calmini LSD in front and the weak one in the rear.

Brent

Dustin,
Like you I wanted the LSD/ARB combo in mine. Also like you I only had cash for one at the time. I did the Calmini LSD first, only because Calmini had it in stock with no idea when they would get more. If Calmini's supply were more stable I would have gotten the rear locker first. Another option that may be attractive for you is to put the Calmini LSD in the front and add an extra disk to the rear LSD like wheelit and TK1 have done. Adding the extra disk is something that can be done in the driveway to save some bucks.

As to all of Brents other comments. I'd guess it's my driving. I'm able to tackle tougher obstacles and I'm breaking more parts in the process. I would definitely invest in the Calmini steering with any kind of traction device in the front end. Or try the TK1 mod on the centerlink. I went from one centerlink in 6 months to 1 a weekend with only the front LSD. The stock steering can't hold up with the front axle doing most of the work if the rear is spinning.

I broke one motor mount with the LSD only and one with both the LSD and locker. The mounts are a weak point, so it wouldn't matter which end is locked, the torque has to go somewhere. Spinning tires act as a safety release and unload the drivetrain. With lockers the mount has to hold the torque of the engine. In each case I could have winched myself and prevented the damage, but it's more fun finding the limits. However, Steve Kramer has said motor mounts are on Calmini to do list.

I've also replaced the passenger side front axle shaft. It was getting loose on the inner tripod joint. After I got it apart it looked like the tracks the tripod slides in had been notched. This was right before I installed the locker.

The broken tooth on the ring gear happened sometime after the LSD was installed, but I don't have any idea when, I only found it a couple nights ago when I did my first fluid change on that diff. It could have been improper installation, me pushing the truck too hard or due to the violence of the LSD slipping.

As to my impressions of the Calmini LSD. It's basically a spool that lets go every now and then. It's not at all smooth like the stock rear LSD. When it slips in my truck it sounds like something has broken. The thing bangs. It's gradually getting a little smoother as it wears, Steve Kramer warned me of the behavior when I bought it and at goneMOAB this year he told me to call him if it ever quit making noise. This is really only an issue at low speed tight turns with power. I've never noticed it blasting down dirt roads in 4wd or driving in deep snow on the street. But do a U-turn with the steering against a stop and you will feel it.

On the plus side I have yet to see only one front tire spin. It seems to get tighter with load on it. As it is now I only use the rear locker when I think I need the extra traction, most of the time it is off. Between the front LSD and rear locker, the LSD made the biggest improvement in my truck. It's probably because it was first, but locking the second axle wasn't nearly as noticeable an improvement as locking the first.

Lastly it's very tough to steer at a standstill, much worse than the binding inherent to a part time 4x4. Usually I have to let it roll a little to unload the drivetrain and really crank on the wheel to pop the LSD loose.

Just a quick question. Does anyone else on this board have the Calmini LSD? I have yet to hear of another owner with it.

Always lock the rear of a vehicle before the front. When you need traction, it's almost always the rear tire that needs it.

I haven't heard hide nor hair of it on any of the other boards either (I read 4 others daily). I'll let you know how my 99k mile road-worn 300ZX LSD works when I get it rolling.

Brent: The Calmini steering will be in long before the LSD. The order of my next upgredes is roughly:

Rubber Floor Mats
GPS Mount
Raingler Ballistic Grips
Calmini Exhaust
Calmini Upper Control Arms
Calmini Shackles
Bilstein 5100 Shocks
Calmini Steering System
Calmini Rocker Guards
Calmini Front Winch Bumper
Calmini Torsion Bars
Optima Yellow Top Battery
Raingler X-Net
<This is about where the money runs out. If I have more money I'm trying to figure out which of these is next.>

Skid Row Skid Plates
ARB Air Locker
Calmini LSD

Steve: Thanks for the information. I hope you still show up to GOX and GONE even if you don't have the Xterra.

Ian: It's funny whenever I seem to be stuck its usually my front tire that's about to go airborne and loses traction first. My resoning is that I never feel like I'm getting much work out of the front end. The rear is always pushing the Xterra, the front doesn't help out very much. That's why I want it to pull more.

All: Just for the record I try to keep a light foot on the pedal and let the stock LSD do all it can, I only start giving it too much gas when I get frusterated.

I like the idea of adding a disk to the rear LSD, it seems that it would help if it were a bit tighter. I just don't relish the idea of taking the third member out and putting the disk in.

i want to put the arb locker in the rear of my 2003 x. i cant find anyone here in ny that really knows how to set up a ring and pinon. anyone know of any real 4x4 shops in ny pa or nj.

Rubber Floor Mats
GPS Mount
Raingler Ballistic Grips
Calmini Exhaust
Calmini Upper Control Arms
Calmini Shackles
Bilstein 5100 Shocks
Calmini Steering System
Calmini Rocker Guards
Calmini Front Winch Bumper
Calmini Torsion Bars
Optima Yellow Top Battery
Raingler X-Net

Get the shocks first!!! That is something that gets used everyday and you will appreciate it the most!

It's pretty much all going in at once.

I have a ton of money in the bank and it was all going to go toward paying off the Xterra.
I did some quick calculating with Quicken and dumping $4000 paying off the X would save me $856 in intrest. If I put $1500 I save about $565, I figured $300 was a good price to pay to have my fun now rather than 4 years from now. :p

Did you try OK4WD in North Jersey? They should be able to do it for you.

Stone

Definately do the rear first. Mine is going to be installed in a couple of weeks.

That's the other bennifit to putting the rear ARB first. I don't have to worry about buying a separate air compressor to air up at the end of the day.

I was always told that if you are going to put a traction device in the front, to use a selectable device as "soft" devices eat up components if you are driving on road????? Seems like there is some truth to this???

I've always heard to do the rear first.

On a related note, if you do the rear first, report back and let us know if the rear makes a huge difference. This point has been debated and from what I understand, a rear locker will get you through 90% of what a dual locked vehicle will do (or locked and LSD).

I have noticed that the only time I'm using the front locker on the Rubicon is when one tire in the rear is hanging and a front tire is lifted on a climb.

I have a pretty good rear LSD now and it takes me quite far.

I've had my ARB locker for about a year now. I lock it up only when I really need it and it gives me that extra edge when I'm offroading. A big improvement over stock. I think the rear driveline is tougher and probably could take more abuse than the front.

I've put alot of thought into the Calmini front LSD, but some of the horror stories I've heard make me a little hesitant. I'm sure that it would be an improvement over stock, but once again I wonder if it would be worth it should I start tearing shit up. IMO, the front end is not that strong and you put enough torque on the front drivetrain, somethings bound to give sooner or later. My guess would be the CV's.

I'm going to wait and see how they perform over time, and what damage I may risk if I go that route.