I know there are alot of you out there that would like more ground clearance. So my questions is how many of you guys/gals would be interested in a 6 inch lift kit?

Basically that's impossible to manufacture correctly with the IFS design of the Xterra. If it drops the front end, you will leave torsion bars exposed and prone to damage. Steering will have to be radically altered in order to work. The back end is easy though with a spring over.

How do you plan on doing it ?

BTW, a lift kit doesn't create ground clearance, only tires do. You would see some more up front but that changes based on the state of the front suspension (compressed or extended).

This is still in the early design stage. I have a freind that works at a machine shop. He said that he would cut me a deal on the materials and labour, if I drew up the plans. A 6 inch lift can be done with out moving the torson bars but would require new upper and lower control arms. The T-case would also need to be moved down about 3 inchs to correct the angles that CV's could operate (without causing more damage than good). A 6 inch lift will allow for bigger tire creating more ground clearance. Thats my idea, like I said its still in the early stages of design.

Right now I am just looking for some feed back on the topic

Sounds like you're thinking of curved or angled control arms, which you won't find anywhere in the OEM or aftermarket because they don't work well.

Moving the transfer case down 3 inches would also require lowering the front diff 3 inches, which would require new frame members to do so. That would cause the axle shafts to sit lower and you would need a lot of clearance at the lower arm, which would leave an empty space where there needs to be material for strength. You would also need to lower all of the steering linkage components which would require a lot of fabrication.

Even with a 6 inch suspension lift you're only going to get a 33" tire under it without trimming, and you'll have to deal with axle wrap at the rear end. A much better solution is a 3 inch suspension lift and 3 inch body lift.

In order to get feedback, you're going to have to explain how you plan to do it. I don't see it as being possible unless a change is made to coil over shocks, dropped lower arms and a new knuckle casting.

Anyone know the gear ratios of hummer knuckles?

Even if you got 35" or bigger tires under there, do we even have aftermarket gear ratios?

When you see IFS trucks lifted really high, is that aftermarket component in the front a dropped crossmember to correct the angle of the axles? It's a shame because it ends up voiding a few inches of the lift. As does the transfer case drop.

Although I would personally never drop that kind of dough on the Xterra, I would be interested if anyone else did.

I haven't worked out the fine details and bugs yet, when i have the answers I will post my solutions too get your opinion on the matter.

I think you'd have to replace half the frame to do that? The rear driveshaft, for instance, wouldn't clear the crossmembers. Seems like a lot of work and then if you have to lower all the drive gear then what's the point? Might as well just do a 3" suspension and a 3" body lift, as the results would be essentially the same, for thousands less.

thats true. I personally don't like body lifts, I had a bad run in with the one that was on my 93 Ford 150.

Well, here's a novel idea.

Instead of redesigning the wheel (although I think keeping the X wheels would be great) why not use your design talents and design a bolt on Solid Axle Swap instead?

You could use the last model solid axle from a Toyota, with some coilovers. Hiem jointed locating rods and track bar, and convert the steering linkage to a Jeep style crossover steering setup.

Make it weldable if you want. Make it so that folks would have to locate their own axle (Dana 44 would suffice). But I'm just a simple guy.

Thats not a bad idea. I think I will devote my time to that i stead of a 6 inch lift for the IFS, it makes more sense. A solid front would alow for more articulation in the front. I know you guys would set me stright if I had a bad idea.

I don't even think I'd want to go up that high. 3" is such a perfect number, it increases your approach, departure, and breakover angles without making you too top heavy.

Look at how well Land Rovers, Discos, Tacomas, and Xterras do with just a 3" lift. And look at the way rock buggies are being built now. Instead of tall and narrow, they're getting short and wide.

A tall offroading vehicle can fit big tires and straddle big rocks, but stability is a very underestimated factor in 4-wheeling. A good driver can use correct wheel placement to avoid having to straddle big rocks, but there aren't many ways you can use wheel placement to avoid off camber situations.

Older Toyota Axles are passenger side drop. Wrong side for the X.

I happen to know that, but the tubes can be swapped and the axles used opposite of each other. Any decent drive-line shop can handle the task. And while you're at it, upgrade to the IFS Calipers with the FJ40 front discs. Mucho brake upgrade. And while they're at it, nose up the pinion and reangle the diff ends for decent street caster angles.

But then again, using a late model Forerunner High Pinion 3rd member would be great as well. Lessen the driveline angle for prolonged u-joint life.

I could go on, but I won't.

A Dana 44 from various vehicles would work as well. I just like the universality of the Yoter axles. Different widths as well.

True...but ins't the "American" way more of a point and click sort of ordeal?

I hadn't even thought of swaping axle tube sides on a yota. For some reason I thought that the housing was a one piece unit. Hmm...more food for thought. Those yota housings are strong.

Yes, the Toyota axles are just like our rear axles, a one-piece housing. There's no "tube swapping" to be done, you have to very precisely cut the axle housing and re-weld it back together. It's not a simple task, and I don't think it would be at all cost-effective.
It's been done by the way: http://www.nissanoffroad.net/how_to/SAS/sas2.asp

For anything but one-off projects, I'd say just stick with the tried-and-true driver-drop D44 from a Wagoneer or old Bronco, much cheaper and therefore easier to market.
Calmini was rumbling about making a custom axle either from an H233B center or otherwise accepting the H233B third-member, with custom tubes/shafts and D44 outers/knuckles.

I've got a wild hair to eventually build a left-drop H233B from one or more Patrol axles one of these days. Plan is solid, not terribly complex (doesn't involve nearly the cutting/welding of the above Toyota axle), but may be pricey regardless.

Brent

There was an article on the Pirate board several months ago about flipping the 3rd member 180 degrees and rotating the knuckles to get a driver side diff Toyota axle.

If you flip the 3rd member, you have to get reverse cut gears. Not only does it put the stress on the pressure side of the teeth (instead of the coast side) but it also helps to sling the oil to the pinion bearings that are now higher than the level of oil.

Oh, and when I said tubes, I meant knuckles. I'm in the middle of a customizing a Dana 60 for a Blazer. I get mixed up sometimes.

But yeah, can still be pricey. A Dana 44 from Jeep would still be readily available from junkyards. Just getting the one you want can be a bit tricky. Axle disconnects and vacuum actuators would be a step backwards there.

You can't flip the third-member, period, it will rotate backwards if you do. You may be able to flip the housing upside down and put the third in it still upright, but then the knuckles are upside-down, and you have to put in new fill/drain plugs, and deal with getting oil out to the ends of the tubes.
The "reverse cut" gear scenario comes into play between low-pinion and high-pinion diffs.

Brent

No, it still rotates in the same direction, just on the coast side of the gears. We use that method to get a high pinion 3rd member for us Toyota drivers. But, we just get reverse cut gears and walla, correct drive member.

That's all the later model Forerunner was, but with an electric locker in the front from the factory. It was IFS with a 3rd member and reverse cut gears. Highly prized amongst those in the know.

I hate to disagree with someone that otherwise knows his stuff, but the direction the R&P drives the wheels is determined by which side of the pinion the ring gear is on. If you invert the third, the ring gear is on the opposite side, and the same rotation at the driveshaft will now drive the wheels the opposite direction. There's no way around it, period. Picture it in your head...
If the ring gear is on the vehicle's right side of the pinion (like ours) then regardless of high or low pinion, the front driveshaft must turn CCW (seen from the t-case) in order to drive the rear of the ring gear upwards which creates a forward rotation.
Flip the ring gear to the other side, and with a CCW rotation of the driveshaft, you're now pulling the rear of the ring gear DOWN (still on the drive side of the gears mind you) which will impart a reverse drive to the front wheels.

The "cut" of the gears is determined by the pinion's orientation to the center of the ring gear. "Reverse cut" is one of the more misunderstood concepts of drivelines, often confused/interchanged with "reverse rotation" which is not the same.

I'll dig up some supporting info later, I gotta get to work...

Brent

My front drive shaft turns in the opposite direction as my rear. So by flipping the rear pinion over, and using reverse cut gears, it's a done deal.

I know exactly what you're talking about, that's why I'd have to reverse the rear 3rd member to use it in the front of my truck.

But, if you end up flipping a toyota front axle backwards to get the driveshaft on the correct side for the X, then you'd have to flip the 3rd member upside down to get the rotation correct again.

Sounds like your thinking, which is good. Refreshing to discuss something with someone that does that.

But trust me, I know my truck. Using a flipped rear 3rd member on my front axle is commonplace. Thus the readily available supply of reverse cut gears. And you're correct there, the reverse cut doesn't mean it rotates in the opposite direction. Just gives a stronger side to drive forwards on.