newbie questions...

well, i just ogt out of the compact car phase, and with snow season quickly aproaching, im feeling the itch for a suv. with that said...

well, i just wanted to know about lift kits. so there suspension lift kits and body lift kits. i was jsut wondering what which is for. and im definitely not going to keep this as a pavement dweller, im planning on getting it dirty. any info would help...maybe on prices and local shops would be good too...

-tj

Body Lift
* allows you to put larger tires (typical main point)
* no change to your ground clearence
* much cheaper than susp. lift

Suspension Lift
* more expensive than body lift
* increase in ground clearence

Are there anything that CCX or I missed? :rolleyes:

one thing that usually isn't covered are the risks and tensions increased with body lifts. By using a body lift on any vehicle without a interior rollcage you allow a large amount of stress to compound on the frame of your vehicle. Suspension kits do not give any tension on the fram since the lift aspect is not touching the frame. Body lifts connect directly onto stability points on the vehicles frame and changing the ratio of force per square inch on the vehicles foundation.

I used to run prerunners down south and one of the biggest destroyers of vehicles were body lifts installed without the backing strength of a rollcage. I can't tell you how many vehicles, both two wheel and four wheel drive, we encountered on the trail with bent, twisted, broken, hinged, or otherwise destroyed frames due to wheeling and body lift combinations. This is just information I learned and picked up on the trails down there so I figure I would share it with others.

Suspension lifts are much safer and definitely don't
cause an excess of tension to the frame, limited the amount of risk on the vehicle. there you go!

smbiotk.ink.operated.matt.comer

thanks guys, so loks like suspension is the safer and better way to go. does anybody reccomend any kits, if there is any. on www.nissanoffroad.net, they list instructions for ac lift install. is there anyother kits? thanks. i hope i get my x before the 14th, it'd be cool to go down to hollister and check out some real offroading, not just on peoples front lawns and over the bushes on the sidewalk (where my buddies jimmy 4x4 got stuck)...

-tj

from what I've heard the calmini kits are sick as hell. but that was from two different people. the guys who have lifts already installed will give you better feedback but if you go to xterraparts.com and check out the calmini catalog section you'll see some gems.

smbiotk.ink.operated.ninja.gaiden.1984.matt.comer

If you get the X before the 14th and can make it out to the Hollister trip that would be awsome! You can meet the group and learn how to use your new 4x4. This will also allow you to try out the Xterra in stock form (you will be suprised at what it will do!) and decide what you want/need to upgrade. You can also check out what mods others have and talk to them about why they choose what mod.

You should really take your time to do some reseach before spending the big $$$ and the Hollister trip will help. If you can't make it to the Hollister we do monthly meet and greets where you can come meet members and pick their brains for info. If you haven't already, sign up for our email group for more info on events http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/nccxterra/. I would also read as much as you can through posts right here on XOC (I'd start in tires, suspension, and powertrain) there is just a wealth of info.

Welcome to the club, and feel free to ask away in the NCCX section.

I've never heard of the frame problems with BLs but if you've seen it, I believe you . But, I'd say for everyday driving and rockcrawling small BLs are fine.

Also, does Roger Brown make a BL for the xterras? If so, then he makes quality stuff and lives in Santa Clara.