I have the Calmini AAL's installed right now on the X using a PML. I have a full 3" lift coming and ordered the SLR 3 pack AAL in an effort to ditch the load leaf. Now, the big question....

Do I keep the Calmini bump stop extensions with the SLR AAL's or do I remove them?

They can be seen here... there are the part at the very top of the pic.
http://www.xterraparts.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=Xterra&Product_Code=NP12638

I'm sure keeping the bump extensions will be fine, but I can't understand why you still have the load leaf on your vehicle. In the AAL instrucityons I have it said to throw it out. I just installed mine about a month ago and I didn't even think twice abuot keeping that thing. I say ditch it. You get the same amount of lift from both leaf packages so why not return the SLR and buy something else.

Ditch the load leaf. Keep the 2pack Calmini AAL. Add shackles.

Get a refund from SLR.

Well, the directions I had said to keep the load leaf.

Also, the Calmini AAL's do not fit right for some reason. The largest Calmini leaf is smaller than my OEM #2 leaf. I don't know why but it is. According to Calmini you are suppose to put their leafs in the 2 and 4 slot in the pack. I had to put their leafs in the 3 and 4 slot because their leaf didn't fit inbetween like it stated in the directions. So, I had to go get some brackets to put on the leaf pack to hold the Calmini leafs in place because they wouldn't fit like the directions stated.

I installed these with a family friend who has been a mechanic for 18 years and he was as confused as well as me as to why it wasn't working. To make a long story short, we made it work but it isn't pretty and I really don't trust the set up to heavy off-roading. Reccomendations from this site seem to give SLR as a top pick.

If I remove the Calmini bump stops that would allow me to get more travel? Correct? I guess I will just put in the SLR and remove everything Calmini that has to do with their AAL's.

The Calmini AAL make the load leaf optional, the SLR AAL's say to ditch it.

If you get an AAL for your 3"...w/o shackles, I think you'll end up with a 1.5" lift out back (After the 2" AAL settles as they do...quickly)

The bumpstop extensions have ZERO to do with the lift, ALL they do is stop the uptravel so your LARGER tire won't hit on the way up...if the tires are the 31's or less, you never needed to extend the stops...and you only need to extend them if the tires get larger...nothing to do with the lift at all.

So, you could get more uptravel, but you might hit if the tires are over 31", etc...I did a 2" BL to solve that problem...no stops, and I can stuff 33's.



Good Luck!

I'm running 32's right now without any rubbing. I will be removing my rear sway bar and installing the Calmini shackles. I guess I will eye it up as to if I should remove the bumpstops. I would like to in order to get more travel but on the same token I don't want to be tearing up rubber.

I stuff 32's with no bumpstop extentions.

I might make a set of them 1" tall if I step up to the 33's

I'm actually now thinking of doing a 2" BL and running 33x11.2x16 (305/70/16 I think). I will probably take the stops out either way when I get under the truck to do the full 3" lift.

The 3" SL only helps at ride height...the tire will still stuff up to the same point as before the SL...the BL will eliminate the need to extend stops, the SL will not.

305/70/16's are a full 33", and the tread is slightly wider than the tread on the 33x12.5/15's...so if you have 16" rims, its a good size....more like a big 33x12.5/16.

(The 285's are more like the 11.5's section width.)

TJ, any issue with loss of power with those tires? You are running the same setup I am now thinking of... to include the bumper/winch and everything. Although I have the XD9000 on order. I was going to order the Shrock rear bumper as well and then eventually full skids and a locker. I am trying to determine the cost/benefit ratio for the BL.

I figure if I do a SL only I will get 32x11.5x15 so I have to buy new rims and then new rubber. Well, for the cost of rims I can do a BL and then use my rims I already have and get a 12.5 wide tire. Seems worth it. Especially since on the '02 and above year people are reporting no notching and no need to the t-case extender to be welded in. The rest is just busy work... and not really that bad considering I am already getting aftermarket bumpers and can just have them made for the BL.

I just got word I am being moved to Vegas so the wheeling I am going to do out there will be loose sand I would assume which means wider=better.

Really the only thing I am worried about is the loss of power and the truck overheating in the Vegas heat... and proabably not being able to fit in a garage which is up for debate if I can fit in with just a SL anyway. I figure why not go for the whole thing in one shot.

The gearing is a bit higher, but not a problem on the road, in fact, it makes cruising more relaxed, as the rpm is dropped, and I have a deeper overdrive.

(The difference is pretty much if the speedo is saying 60, I'm doing about 70, if it says I'm doing ~30 I'm doing ~ 35, etc...say a 15%-ish difference.)

The BL is WAY cheaper than new rims.

Overheating is a non-issue, the cooling system has really nothing to worry about...I went through 100+ degree summer for example, bumper to bumper traffic, and slow crawling...never a problem.



So - Definetely worth it.

Keep the load leaf if you think you are ever going to overload the truck with weight. But you will need longer U bolts. Downside is that they can get caught on stuff off the road.

TJ, did you see/help anyone with a '02+ year X? I seem to be reading that my year X will HAVE to have the tcase extender welded in. This is really the biggest pain as I do not have a welder or the skills to do so... nor do I know/trust someone to do it.

I think some of the guys from VAXC might give me a hand with the BL but they are 6hrs away. I was thinking I might just tackle this and the SL myself but as I keep reading about the BL I keep getting discouraged as to how much of a complete pain it is going to be for me installing it on my own without any prior experience.

The t-case lever just ends up 2" shorter...if you notch the pan where it hits trying to swing down to 4-lo, it should make it w/o having to weld anything.

Dremelling some plastic or the body pan is all you should be faced with, not welding.

Notching the pan I am assuming would mean, seats, center console all come out. I would would like to use "cutting plastic" as a last resort so I can keep the inside looking nice. On the 03 where I would cut plastic would mean I'd have to rip the booty as well since it is secured right there. I would prefer to not have a mess in the middle of my truck from doing this. :0 Notching the pan is very doable though. Wouldn't mind doing that... or getting someone to weld provided it isn't a biatch to do. Looks like I will have to use someone with experience to give me a hand with this venture. I was thinking of tackling it in my driveway but the more info you give me TJ the more I start to worry (X is my daily driver and I need to go to work!).

Its just a notch, don't panic.



You don't have to gut the truck....you are making a little bitty notch for the lever to move the extra inch rearwards...it doesn't even show.

Your interior is different. I am concerned with cutting plastic. I don't care about a notch in the pan. I can handle that. I just don't want visable cuts into the plastic/cup holder like you need to do on the 00 and 01 models.

I am back and forth everyday as to if I should do the BL or not. After all, the X is a daily driver and I can't imagine this would help gas mileage... and then there is the whole will I fit into the garage issue on the house I am going to buy out in Vegas.