How about a detailed FAQ that has alot of the uh, frequently asked questions? I've been to a few sites where they have stuff like spreadsheets showing general years and mods required to fit certain size tires, and all types of good info.

I know, I know, search... but there are times when having a central repository would be helpful. For instance, when looking up shock part numbers, I've found about 5 different numbers for the same shock, some obviously wrong - and a centralized FAQ would certainly clear up some of these issues.

Some detailed write-ups on the pros/cons of going with certain manufacturer's products as opposed to another would answer alot of the newbie type questions as well I think.

(see the link below for an incredibly useful amount of info for IH's)
http://www.binderbulletin.org/forums/faq.php?

I realize that's a time consuming process and I'd be willing to help anyway possible (and have noticed there are *spots* for a FAQ on the main site, just nothing more). Anyone else think it's worth putting some time into?

My fear is that it would be a waste of time to create and maintain. My basis for this fear is caused by the number of people who either:

a: do not search

or

b: post in the incorrect forum

This tells me people do not want to read, they just want to ask a question and have the answer handed to them.

and the faq cuts out the middle man, no need to clutter up the forum with questions if the answer is handed over

except for the fact that they questions will still come because people are either

a: too stupid

or

b: too lazy

to look at the FAQ

the only thing it would change is you would see a lot of "read the FAQ" instead of "use the search"

I wrote an extensive Frontier FAQ for AC...90% of this would apply to Xterras. You're welcome to heist it if you want....just credit me

I think an FAQ would still be a good idea. I also noticed that there's nothing in the how-to section.

I know that some of the member here have done write-ups (how to's) on differents mods and what not. I have a 2" BL write up and the backwayrd machanic, I know Gabe posted another one there as well not too long ago regarding steering stops. Why don't we gather all the write ups and put them into the How-TO section and still create the FAQ. I think that both will help fellow mebers quite a bit.

I think tuff may have a point. Having the FAQ will slightly reduce the clutter on the forums. There will be no need to point someone who did not search over and over again, as they will probably ask numerous times. At least clicking on the FAQ will be easier for lazy folks that searching.

Here's what I created for AC. The links are to N4W's How To, which I spent a lot of time on. Granted, this is specific to Frontiers, but most applies to Xterras as well.

Have seen a lot here in the last 5 years since AC brought their BB online and the subsequent versions of it. Of that, I've seen a LOT of questions asked over and over.

What size tires fit?
Here's the common one. It's been covered extensively in the Xterra forum, and pretty much what applies there applies here.

On stock rims with over 5" of backspacing, a 31/10.50 is a good fit on a stock truck with stock 15" rims. 98-00 may need minor trimming at the rear of the front fender well and possible removal of the mudflaps. The'll fit without issue on a 2001+.

With a 16" rim, a 265/70/16 works well on stock 16" rims. A 265/75/16 is marginal and will likely require the aforementioned trimming.

Now, to dispel myths. A Suspension lift does not provide additional tire clearance because the suspension can cycle upward just as far when lifted as it can when it's stock. Therefore, when a wheel is stuffed and turned, you experience the same clearances as you would on an unlifted truck.

Tire fitment issues are compounded with aftermarket rims. Most aftermarket rims range from 3.25-4" of backspacing, placing the tires outward from the stock location. As a result, when you're stuffed and turning, the tire actually comes back farther in the fender well than stock. Even a 31" tire can rub if used on a rim with less backspacing, and more trimming is required. A 32" tire on an aftermarket rim with or without lift will require trimming of not only plastic, but also of the fender itself and the body seam underneath. An angle grinder works well for this work.

With any Nissan front suspension lift, you alter steering angles, and the tierods will now push upward on the dogbone shaped centerlink. This quickly becomes a weak link on the truck, and on many occassions, I've seen it flex the centerlink upward enough during wheeling to but the tie rod end studs into the frame - the result? Tierods snap like twigs, and you have trail breakage. While AC does not yet offer a steering upgrade, they are available and come highly recommended if you plan on wheeling your lifted Frontier with any regularity.

A body lift provides true tire clearance. 32's can be run without issue on pretty much any reasonable aftermarket rim with a body lift. 33's will still require some trimming with or without a suspension lift added if you want full articulation and steering movement.

Out back, width is everything. A 31" tire fits in pretty much all circumstances. A 32" tire or larger can rub if used on a rim with less than 4" of backspacing.

Metric Tire Sizing

What do those numbers mean? Say: 265/75/16
265 = 265mm tread width
75 = aspect ratio - this is the percentage of the tread width equalling the sidewall height.
16 = Diameter of rim in inches.
1mm = 0.0396701 inches
265 x 0.396701 = 10.5126 x 75% = 7.88
7.88 x 2 (double the sidewall height) = 15.77 + 16 (rim diameter) = 31.77" tall. Got it?

One last note - fight the urge to put on those big 15x10 rims on any IFS Nissan. They'll stick out wide, cause rubbing, provide terrible bead prtection, and you don't want to run tires that are an optimal fit on a 15x10.

31x10.50 tires work well on a 7" rim.
32x11.50 tires work well on a 7-8" rim
33x12.50 (and 35x12.50) work well on an 8" rim.

This will keep the wheel/tire combination reasonably in the fenders and will place far less leverage on suspension and steering components.

Suspension Lifts

Regardless of manufacturer, all Nissan front suspension lifts work off the same principle - a slightly longer upper control arm with a corrected ball joint angle that enables you to crank (or reindex) torsion bars for a lift of up to 2.75" over stock.

When do you need stiffer torsion bars? They come in handy with heavier front bumpers, winches, or if you're into high speed truck flogging. Without those, save the money and keep the better ride quality and reliability offered from stock bars and instead use a better shock up front to stiffen things up. Stock Nissan shocks are mushy and allow the suspension to bottom out quite easily off road.

Out back, I'm not a fan of single add a leaves. With hardcore offroad use, they will eventually kink the second leaf in the pack and cause it to fail. In 3 years of hard wheeling with my '98 regular cab I broke 3 secondary leaves and eventually broke one of the AAL's in two. This is from normal suspension flexing. Opt for a 3 pack setup that increases the spring rate of the whole pack and distributes the load more evenly throughout the pack. Combine with longer shackles and overload leaf removal for great flex.

Going with a shackle lift only will eventually stress the stock leaf pack and you'll lose the arch. Also, keep in mind, that by adding longer shackles, you only gain half the difference in length between stock shackles and the new ones in ride height. Example: Stock shackles are 3" long. You install a 6" shackle. You net 1 1/2" in increased ride height.

Shocks? Rancho RS5000's are a great, all around budget shock. RS9000's are an upgrade and provide adjustability, however some clearance problems have been reported with the fatter shock body and some aftermarket upper control arms. Other alternatives such as Bilsteins, KYB's, etc....all are a huge improvement over stock.

For Rancho part numbers, 5188/9188's fit on front. 5116/9116's fit out back. If running a 3 pack AAL and a minimum 6" shackle, you can use 5112/9112's out back for greater travel.

What axles / gear ratios do I have?

I've compiled a pretty comprehensive listing of axle / gearing availability, build dates, and how to identify each on our website.

Nissan Axle Guide

Lockers

Adding a rear locker is the single most performance enhancing modification you can do to a 4x4. Unless you have a '99 V6 model with the H233B axle and a build date prior to 9/99, your only option for the 33 spline H233B and 30 spline C200 is an ARB Air locker. The pre 9/99 V6 rears had 31 spline shafts. If it's fully open, you can pop in a Lockrite. If it's LSD, a Detroit or an ARB are your options. The 31 spline Detroit has been discontinued, but you might be lucky enough to find one. Detroits and ARB's are full carrier replacements. A Lockrite installs in a stock open carrier. Those with LSD can add an additional friction disk on each side (this takes some knowledge of differentials). This essentially spools the rear end and has nearly the same effect as welding the diff. Stock Frontier LSD's have a very low breakaway torque rating and aren't really much better than an open diff.

Hardbody axle shafts will not interchange. Frontier axles are wider.

Up front, you can get an ARB for the R200A front found in most V6 trucks. Beware though - some V6 trucks built in 2003 had a C200 rear / R180 front combo like the 4 cylinder 4x4's. No traction devices are available for an R180 front. A modified '86-89 300ZX LSD can also be made to work in an R200A front end if LSD is your desire.

Never weld the front. You won't be able to turn it. The steering isn't up to the task.

Manual hubs

Tired of the auto hubs? They're pretty reliable and pretty durable, but if manuals are your gig, MileMarker and Warn both make hubs to fit. The Warns, while extremely strong, are notorious for snapping the moutning studs. If you opt for the Warns, consider getting grade 8 cap screws to use in place of the stud/nut combo provided with the hubs. Remember that grade 8.8 in metric is really a grade 5 equivelent in standard. You want 11+ grade bolts in Metric sizes. I've seen one Milemarker grenade on the trail, but that was because it wasn't fully engaged.

Nissan stock manuals can be purchased through Nissan (or maybe AC could get their hands on some). A couple additional parts are needed if you opt for these. They're built by Warn and mount using the same allen head cap screws that hold on the autos. I've seen 3 of these broken as well, so nothing is failsafe. Better a hub than a halfshaft, right?

Regearing

I want to put 35's on my Nissan. Consider this if this is you. What terrain do you normally drive? The normal gearing in Frontiers ranges from 4.375:1 to 4.625:1. A few lucky owners may find 4.90's in theirs, but these are not common in Frontiers. Even with the V6 non-SC engine, if your driving includes any grades on the highway, your overdrive gear becomes all but useless and a regear is in order. 5.143:1 gearing is available. It's expensive, but with 33-35" tires, they're a great investment in drivability of your truck on anything but flat land on the highway. A budget alternative may be sourcing a set of 4.90's from a boneyard 2002+ 4x4 Xterra, if you can find one.

Some Random Thoughts on Body Armor

Weld on sliders are better than bolt on. Bolt ons will flex some, possibly damaging the pinch seam on the bottom of the cab.

Fully integrated aftermarket bumpers are worth the extra $$ over a brush guard. In a collision, a brushguard will likely cause MORE damage to the front of your truck than without one.

Full belly skids can be worth their weight in gold. Aside from the protection to vital components they provide, they also keep you from getting hung up in the rocks, as you can slide over stuff instead of snagging crossmembers, oil pans, etc.

Diff armor is also great if you wheel in the rocks. Ever try removing a mangled differential drain plug? Not fun. The C200 axle is more vulnerable due to having a removable diff cover.

AWESOME Andy!!! Thank you.

Sweet

thanks desert_rat, now we can tell people to search here (suggestions for xoc)for answers. problem solved.