So I'm piecing my own kit together and I was looking at the parts needed for a 2" BL. The bolt measurements confused me...could anyone break it down for me?

From XterraFirma.com
http://xterrafirma.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=5302

Alrighty my friends....here is the much anticipated thread about how to make a body lift cheap. I personally bought the AC kit and was extremely upset considering I used pretty much only the pucks and bolts.

Alright, here is a vendor that sells puck. They are called Sportztrailers.com.

Pucks are $2.50ea. You need 10 of them. It says that they are sold out, but give them a call, they are not.

http://app.vendio.com/stores/sf_item...1582461&mode=1

This is what you need for hardware...

Go to your local Fastenal, Ace Hardware, etc. and Purchase the following(grade 8 ) hardware:

6) 3/8" nylock locking nuts
(6) 3/8" washers
( 8 ) 1/2" washers
(2) 12mm x 180mm x 1.25" bolts (rear of truck by bumper going up)
(2) 10mm x 160mm x 1.25" bolts (2nd to last body mount toward the rear bumper)
!(6) 6" x 7/16" x 14mm bolts (the other 6 body mounts of the truck)!

________________________________________________________________

These bolts are going to be the most difficult to find. You are going to be doing some shopping around for them. Good luck!

The same thing always get copied all over the various boards.

You can't put a 3/8 Nylock nut on a 7/16 bolt.

The 7/16 should be changed to 3/8's or vice versa.

And I know this, because I printed off this very list and took it into my local fastner supply store and gave it to the guy behind the counter to have filled.

Anyways, he pointed out that the nuts won't work with the bolts, and I felt kind of stupid.

Cheers!

You felt stupid? I felt stupid because I was the OP who was trying to put something together. I asked for help on the hardware and that is what I got. Apparently if you try that link again, the new correct hardware is up.

So is this the right list?
Also what does the 1.25" stand for?

(2) 12mm x 180mm x 1.25" bolts (rear of truck by bumper going up)
(2) 10mm x 160mm x 1.25" bolts (2nd to last body mount toward the rear bumper)
(6)7/16" x 14 x 6" bolts (the other 6 body mounts of the truck)!

6) 7/16-14 nylock locking nuts
12- 7/16" washers

2- 10mm washers

2- 12mm washers

10 2"x3" pucks

Yes...that is what I used last fall when I put my BL on....

1.25 is the thread pitch, the space between the threads tip to tip. This is important to know so you dont strip threads..

Any suggestions on where to find those longer metric bolts...and...i know its grade 8 on the standard...but what is the grade for the metric...?

Metric equivalent of grade 8 is more or less property class 10.5

Anyway, a guy on XterraFirma has a few extra bolts he's parting with:
http://xterrafirma.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=5086

You can also substitute a fine American thread on the bolts with no adverse effects. I have them in mine. Finding that long of metrics is sometimes hard and costly.

Metric Specialties...found the site online and they where very helpful....

I can't really find those four metric bolts for under 60 and thats only from one place...how do they figure its a $65 put together...its over a hundred between those four and the pucks

Like I said look at Americn fine thread bolts. They are WAY cheaper and work fine. I have wheeled Moab and they have not loosened or fallen out.

You know, something about using bolts with an incorrect thread to hold the body to the frame makes me feel very uncomfortable.

I mean, why use grade 8 bolts, when stainless is so much cheaper? :rolleyes:

Personally, I'm addicted to breathing. I'd rather not rehab myself by being cheap and using bolts with the wrong thread. TJMO.

I don't understand the need for metric? Can someone please clear this up for me?

What follows below is summerized somewhat by this picture:


Physics/engineering education time:
The bolt and nut works because it is a special application of the inclined plane. The inlcined plane is called the thread of the bolt/nut, and goes around the shaft of the bolt/nut. The main concept is to tension the bolt, and compress parts being held together, creating a spring-like assembly. The stress thus introduced to the bolt is called a preload. When external forces try to separate the parts, the bolt experiences no strain unless the preload force is exceeded. This because the reads of the bolt and the thread of the nut mate together preventing the bolt/nut from slipping free.
However, if the bolt or nut is crossthreaded (Cross-threading means to screw together two threaded pieces without aligning the threads correctly) the bolt and nut can lose the ability to mate togehter, lose the ability to properly compress and create the spring-like assembly, and may fail. Sometimes crossthreading will not cause an immediate failure, but will still damage the threads on the bolt or in the the nut. The damaged threads can not withstand the same amount of force as an undamaged thread, which in effect lowers the preload force on the bolt. This means that less force is required to cause the bolt and nut to fail.

So by using the improper threaded bolt in the differenlty threaded nut, you are cross threading them and making it more likely for the bolts to fail and have the body of your Xterra seperate from the frame - which is bad.

6 of the 10 body bolts pass through and have nuts on the other side. For these 6 bolts and nuts you can use your choice of metric or standard. The other 4 bolts (2 M10x1.25 and 2 M12 x 1.25) screw up into threaded inserts built into the body. If you want to avoid problems with stripped out bolts or inserts you need to get the correct metric bolts.

The reason the M12 bolts are hard to find is two fold. First is they're "extra fine pitch." A M12 "coarse" pitch is 1.75 and a M12 "fine" is 1.5 - but Nissan decided to use a non standard M12 x 1.25 (possibly to avoid homebrew body lifts?) The second thing that makes these bolts hard to find is the length is 170mm. These longer bolts are hard to find in the more standard pitch metrics and almost impossible to find in this unusual extra fine pitch.

When I was putting together the hardware for my body lift, the purchasing agent at my machine shop called multiple suppliers to try to find these bolts. In the long run one of the suppliers just cut M12 blanks with a 1.25 pitch threads because they just were not available. There was a minimum order of 25 bolts to have them made. I have sold several sets to guys here on XOC but I still have a few sets left if someone needs them.

Thanks for clearing that up.

When I made my last post, I was only thinking about the bolts that go into the threaded nuts attached to the body.

hey MMNIAC I was just wondering if those were precut to size that you have because i would be interested in picking some up... my email is sosa_45@hotmail.com

Why metric? Well, there are 5 bolts per side.

3 of them have nuts,

The other 2 thread into the frame. The ones that thread into the frame are metric. You can use SAE on the other stuff.

As far as using SAE on the place where the metric is, can you give us the bolt specs? Thanks!-James

So...i have everything coming in the mail...i'm stoked...i was out lookin at my X making sure i know what all i'm doing...considering i'm a newb. So should i do anything with the brake lines when i lift my x for the 2" lift and will the radiator be okaY?

You can use a fine thread american bolt on the ones that go into the body, they do not strip them out. I have them on, air wrenched them, took them out put the metrics back in...they threaded fine. The American threaded ones have been there 2 years, wheeled Moab, still there as tight as new. besides the price is way cheaper, just get grade 8.

Re-read the first post in this thread - by putting a bolt with one thread pitch into a nut with a different thread pitch, you have cross threaded the nut and bolt.

The threads are not aligned properly, thus you have compromised the strength of the bolt. :rolleyes:

To each his own... I am not going to argue the point just telling what has worked for me. If its that big a problem retap it to american or spend the extra for the metric I don't care. The bolt is not falling out and the body is not coming off. Haven't had any fall out or come loose from my vehicles in 20 yrs of rough roads and wheelin. Sometimes you can inject to much 'science' into something simple. Done.

Because the bolts used by Nissan are Metric and not SAE(commonly know as American). DON'T USE SAE BOLTS! You are cross threading the bolts if you do and this can lead to the bolt stripping or breaking.

Look up Nut/Bolt/Hardware suppliers in the yellow pages near you and get the right bolts.

So I found someone who was selling the metric bolts so i took the safe route...but! as much fun as saying the same thing about standard and metric is...does anyone know about the brake line questions i had mentioned haha?

For the sake of clarification here - that SAE bolt I beleive he is talking about would be a 7/16 fine pitch (which is 20 threads per inch pitch)

The 12mm x 1.75 are the factory bolts (the pitch equivilant of 20.325 threads per inch)

So the the reality is that you are talking about a .2% difference in thread. That would likely NOT be enough to strip the inserts in the body or the bolts. That being said, I would still rather have the correct bolts threaded up into the body so as not to stress anything at all.

If anybody cares, here are the ACTUAL US fine threaded bolts I used on my Xterra body lift instead of Metric bolts


US threaded bolts for the Xterra
From the front:

2 - 7/16" x 6" bolts, nyloc nuts, washers
2 - 7/16" x 6" bolts, nyloc nuts, washers
2 - 3/8" x 6" bolts fine thread(24tpi), washers
2 - 7/16" x 6" bolts, nyloc nuts, washers
2 - 7/16" x 6" bolts fine thread(20tpi), washers

All bolts need to be Grade 8
Use thread loc on all threads

It is entirely up to you if you use US or Metric threads on the body bolts. Make your own decision. This is just an alternative suggestion. Like already said, about .2% difference in thread pitch between the two.

Good source body blocks: www.sportztrailers.com
10 - 3" dia body blocks

Hey so thanks to everyone for all the help..I just did the lift today...just have to re-drill some holes and but the back bumper back on and make some brackets for the front! When I brake there is def some friction noise...I didnt mess with anything that had to do with the brakes. Any ideas? I dont have the resources for welding.. to make brackets for the front...does anyone have any ideas for the front bumper?

So I know I just posted but...i went to get tires today...gonna get some rock crawlers with bf m/t 33" there was quite a bit of rubbing at that was on a 10.5 rim so gonna try a lil narrower rim with same tire...what do you guys think...will i still be able to handle mud/jeep trails/ offroad snow?

Yes...try an 8" rim with as close to stock or 5.5" bs to prevent the rubbing issues...

might sound dumb...but what is bs.."5.5 bs"

bs = backspacing

So...like i said I just lifted my x...but now my turn signals won't work...I put a new fuse in and it opened(blew it)it worked for a few seconds and stopped...it blew threw in a row...so i'm without signals for now...does anyone have any ideas?

This is what I used and where I bought the parts when I put together my 2" BL.
Listed as (quantity) description - where purchased:

• (10) 2" tall x 3" wide body pucks - www.sportztrailers.com
• (6) 7/16" x 6" bolts grade 8- Ace Hardware
• (6) 7/16" Nylock nuts grade 8-Ace Hardware
• (6) 7/16" flat washers grade 8-Ace Hardware
• (2) M10 x 1.25 x 160mm bolts-Local bolt company
• (2) 10mm flat washer-Ace Hardware
• (2) 10mm lock washer-Ace Hardware
• (2) M12 x 1.25 x 170mm bolts-MMNIAC
• (2) 12mm flat washer-Ace Hardware
• (2) 12mm lock washer-Ace Hardware
• (2) M10 x 1.25 x 75mm bolts-for safety loop-Ace Hardware
• (2)2" safety loop extension sleeves (copper pipe, 2" pieces)-Ace Hardware
• (1) large zip tie for powersteering reservoir-Ace Hardware