I've been searching all over this forum for about a month now trying to piece together an answer to my question. Unfortunately my knowledge of mods is half-bright at best and I think I've actually begun confusing myself. The basic stuff like the Calmini cat-back and the K&N air filter I installed no problem, but getting into lifts and steering is beyond me (both the installing and understanding). So, at the considerable risk of getting flamed here goes:

I've got an '02 SE S/C X with 32" Dueler Revo's (well, more like 31.61, but I'm rounding) and I've got a TJM T17 steel bumper en route. Will this combination require any lift or steering mods now or down the road? Is there anything else going on here that I'm not understanding or missing completely?

I appreciate all the knowledge you can share with me, please be gentle...

This thread should answer your questions:

Topic: Getting a Calmini bumper and have Susp. ?'s

I don't know how to link to another post, so search for that and you'll find it.

Due to the extra weight of the bumper you ordered (which if I was going that route I would get the 17 also it looks great) and the large tires that may or may not rub you might have to adjust your torsion bars to bring the front end up a little to compensate for the greater weight. If it is that important to you to upgrade you could order new tbars from calmini or swayaway which would have a high spring rate thus handling the weight of the new bumper better. Or for a cheaper solution get new shocks in the front possibly Bilstein 20% stiffer to help with the extra load if you keep the stock tbars.

The tires might be stressing the steering...and an upgrade there might be proactive...or you could wait for it to get progressively loose and sloppy, and make the jump then.

The bumper itself (no winch or other armor) might not be too bad on the F end...its around 100 lb or so...if a 200 passenger were to ask for a ride, would you do suspension mods before letting them in?



If you are getting the bumper because you are going to go play on rocks, etc...and plan on a winch, other armor...then a lift makes some sense for that..but armor w/o a lift is doable too.

If the 32's fit now, in other words, the bumper itself won't require too much adjustment in the rest of your set-up...other factors might though.



What's your long term build-up plan?

(100 lb at the bumper area at the front edge of the truck has more impact on handling than 100 lb inside pass compartment...)

You might need a little T-Bar tweak to compensate, but I recommend measuring what you already have clearance wise (Say from ground to well arch, etc...)...and that will tell you what you lost with the extra weight.

(Measure before the bumper comes...you will be too excited and rushing to get in on later...)



PS- Shocks don't help support weight (Except air shocks...)...they just help to damp the motion, otherwise the truck would be bouncing all over the place, etc...

The stiffer shocks are to help control the motion of the larger mass, not to help hold it up.

Gbizzle, how hard is it for someone with limited skills and tools to install their own tbars? Should I look for a good 4x4 shop in my area and go that route? What about just tweaking them for a slight lift?

TJ, my long term build up is nearly complete. I don't do enough offroading or the type that would necessitate a suspension or body lift, body armor, or a heavy duty winch. My offroading is generally limited to mud, old creek beds, and the occasional stream. My mods to this point have been for performance gains, and I won't lie, aesthetics. I do manage to do some wheeling when the opportunity arises though, and I want to be sure I won't be asking for trouble when I'm out there.

As far as measuring to the wheel arch, what sort of clearance should I be looking for? Or will that number be different from vehicle to vehicle?

Also, would upgrading the tbars be considered a proactive effort to improve the steering?

Thanks for the help guys!

Only for DBAX girlfriend, she's a biggun'

Just been through the same experience, and here's my take.

I have a Shrockworks bumper on my truck. I ordered it without the hoops, so I'd guess it weighs right around 100 lb. I haven't weighed all the stock bumper components, but I'd guess them to be around 35 lb. or so.

Generally speaking, the front of my truck didn't sag noticeably after the new bumper was installed. However, as with most every Xterra I've seen, the front end tends to sit a little lower anyway.

I cranked my t-bars to bring the truck level. I didn't do any measurements before/after, but just cranked the t-bar adjuster bolts 5 turns each. I'd guess I brought the front end up maybe an inch, max.

Alignments are always recommended after adjusting the front height, but in my experience, going from stock height up one inch generally keeps the front-end in alignment. I did this on my 2000 truck and drove it for several thousand miles before having the alignment checked when I got new tires. They said it was within spec and didn't adjust it. My tires wore evenly and the truck didn't wander (typical of a toe-in condition that is possible with lifting the front).

With all that said, however, I would recommend that you at least have the alignment checked.

Unless you go with a winch, I'd stay with the stock torsion bars for now. A steering upgrade could come later, if you start noticing the stock components wearing and the front-end getting sloppy.

The Bilstein shocks are a good suggestion. Without a winch, I'd go with 10% stiffer in front, standard stiffness in the rear. (With a winch, up the fronts to 20% extra stiffness).

Hope this (and the other posters' comments) help. Since you are in the Atlanta area, you might drop by rhe SXFC website ( click here ) and say hi to all us southeast Xterra and Frontier owners.

OK -

Sounds like you might be ok the way you are...

It does not matter what your numbers are now...just get them as a baseline. (You might want to return to it, or get a wee bit of lift...your choice/no wrong answer) - measure at all four wells.

If you are ok with your present ground clearance (The trails you described...if you don't drag the bottom/hit stuff, you're OK)...leave it that way.

If you add the bumper, and it sags the front a bit (Smaller numbers at the wells after adding the bumper..) you want to crank the t-bars you already have up a bit, back to get the baseline well height numbers again.

The height of the truck will change your alignment a bit...so if the front sags, it will affect your alignment (Might not be a measurable difference though for just a bumper...)...but all things being equal...

You will maintain the original handling, etc...better if you bring the front end back up to where it was, if it had sagged.

(Before/after #'s tell you if it sagged...)

Cranking the T-bars is easy...anyone can do it.

Loosen the lock nut, crank the bolt head a few turns, retighten the lock nut...that's it. (Two of them though, one on each side)

The t-bars go from the frame crossmember (Where the adjuster and those nuts are...) into the front lower control arms (LCA).

They brace/support the (LCA) arm with tension provided by the twist on the bar...so as the wheel goes up and down, the bar is twisting and untwisting...its a spring essentially.

Twisting the bar more forces the LCA downwards, raising the truck's front on that side.

Adding weight can fight and win against the tension a bit, and just like adding weight can compress a spring, it can twist the bar more than is was, lowering the truck.

When you crank the t-bar back to raise the truck back where it was height-wise...you are adding some more tension/twist to fight the extra weight's resistance to the intitial twist.

New idea -

If you want another 1.5" of height than you have now, for about $50...

Order a longer set of rear shackles (The things the rear leaf springs are hanging from at the rear end of the truck...about $50.

When they arrive...

Do the t-bar crank like above...but give it an extra turn or so until you are about 1.5" higher on your well #'s than you were at baseline...

Install the longer shackles...and

Voila!

1.5" lift is done.



You should have an alignment done afterwards to restore the original handling feel/tire wear.

I've typically waited for new tires, as I typically have an alignment done then anyway...but aligments are not that expensive..so its not a big deal.



If you've never crawled under the truck before, and are unfamiliar with the parts...its a 30 minute job to do the t-bars, and an hour and a half for the shackles...because you'll be wasting a lot of time getting to know what's what..."wow, look at all that rust!" and "where's that wrench?" type stuff.

It takes me about 10 minutes to do both t-bars (combined), now...and about 30 - 45 for both shackles, mostly jack limited.

If you spray the involved nuts/bolts with a good penetrating oil every day for a week before you start...it will loosen the rust welds on the involved nuts/bolts...which takes more time the first time for that reason.

Man, thanks for all the help guys. I think I'll wait until the TJM gets here, but the rear shackles and the tbar crank sound exactly like what I'm looking for. And depending on how the ride feels I may look to the shocks down the road.

Thanks again, I appreciate all the info you've given me.