I did a search came up with nothing...wondering if anyone out there is currently running this lift kit...on the new generation X's and what they thought of it...

I know the only thing its missing is the shims for AAL to cure the driveline vibration. My other concern is replacing the front stock Bilsteins that I have with the Rancho Struts and coils? could someone shed some light on this kit..would there be any changes that you would make? should I go with something elese?
I am a novice Offroader looking to become more of an active participant. All inputs are much appreciated.
Thanks

my personal opinion/experience: stay away from the AC coils. the noise from the calmini or PRG spacers is much less annoying than having your shock blow up and bend in half

You mean the new shocks as in the pic( as above) blowing up or do you mean the original bilsteins?
How much experience do you have with the Ac coils because I know a few people that have them and say besides the stiffness in ride quality everything elese is great...this is the first I have heard of the noise of the coils and the blowing up of shocks.
Can anyone elese testify to this happening too?

Charlie has a '06 OR that the front shock bent at Shomokin yesterday, and he has the AC front set up (Coils/UCA).

It was the stock shock that bent...

Not sure if its a AC thing....but it may be an emerging pattern on the New X's.

I dont know of any old X's with bent shock issues.

Anyone study a broken one to do a failure analysis?

that is the first "bending shock" issue I've heard of on the 2nd gen so it's by no means a chronic problem. have also yet to hear of anyone blowing a shock with the AC's.
the rancho 9000's (pic above) do have a larger shaft than the stockers so will be far less prone to bend.

Yeah - first for you, but, not the first...seems to be a few now.

I haven't had a chance to forensically examine an example yet though.

The last one, that happened on Sunday, seemed to have occurred during hwy driving....BEFORE Shamokin it now seems, based upon shock fluids found on the way there.

So - it may be that the shocks are bleeding out before bending, or the bending isn't noticed until articulation hi-lights the condition.

I like the fact that the rancho 9000's have larger shaft that keep the shock from snapping. I think with stock shock being constantly extended past where it is supposed to be..the oil probably leaked or started to leak out. This probably made the stock bilstein weaker and more prone to snapping....
I think its worth a try with the new coils and the longer and thicker rancho 9000's in the front.
Thanks for the input guys and if you hear of anything elese let me know...

to me, they bent the factory shock. i wouldnt know about the ranchos. but i also had a lower shock mount snap off during street driving. between the mount and the shock itself, that is enough to convince me of them not being safe. im tired of limping home...

So now what are you going to do?

what the little red dial on the rancho's near the top?

That allows you to adjust the stiffness of the shock, it works just like the other Rancho 9000s that people have used on the first gen Xterras.

Hmmmm, seems the guys doing the repair work for a bunch of us (OK4WD), with the AC lift on the new X's, are reporting that the Rancho's are getting bent too....so its not necessarily shock specific, like just the OEM shocks...

...but the suppossedly longer / stronger aftermarket ones as well....although no aftermarket bilsteins have blown yet...(The OEM Bils are the primary one's blowing though).

Not sure if the 9000's are twin tube or monotube, typically, the monotubes are more robust.

The intriguing part is that the shocks mount to the LCA, which is unchanged, and the frame, which is unchanged, and merely go through the area with the coil and UCA, supposedly w/o interacting...

So, what would BEND the shock, that isn't NORMALLY a factor?

(Note - ARE any UN-lifted new X's bending shocks? - I haven't heard that yet...)

About the only thing that comes to mind is that changing the coil lead to a condition where the new coil moved/bowed into the path of the shock under certain circumstances...imposing a side load on the extended shaft for example, or jamming it so it was unable to evenly extend or compress....so it buckled.

I STILL want to do a forensic on one though. Its all anecdotal at this point.

well the thing is; they are so stiff that when they get to a certain point where they cant compress anymore, they have nowhere left to go but sideways. that or if the compression is quick enough itll just shoot the shock sideway from the start.
what im gonna do now is replace my entire suspension with titan stuff. i already have everything. all thats left is making the tie rods

I have almost 18k miles on my AC front coils (with stock Bilstein shocks) and have not had a problem or seen a problem.

Are those having problems running the front sway bar?

The next time out I'll have to flex the front end and take a look at the position of the spring.

Yes the AC coils are stiff, but they are not that stiff. I put them on with a hand compressor with no problems.

Now, what I can say, I did read some where that someone put the coils on upside down and it was causing the shock to bow. Once they flipped the spring over the shock straightened out. So, maybe that was the problem.

TJ when you find out more info let me know...

Muzikman- thats a good point...I have someone up here in Canada that just installed the AC coils and I am going to keep in touch with him and maybe get a 3,6, 9 month followup on the performance of these coils and their effects on the stock Bilsteins.

Here was the pick about the coils being upside down. The one in the pic though is correct. So...

http://thenewx.org/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=1728

i think youd really have to be pretty simple to put them on upside down. they have the bottom spring seat shaped like it is for a reason...
im not saying they are all going to cause this problem. i was merely stating that i had problems and was letting miles know my opinion (what the thread was originaly about). there are a few people in my local club that have them and have not had any problems.

The pic is my ride...
AC owner, Mike, is the one who installed
it that way...

davey I appreciate the info....thanks

well that sure shows how intelligent he is. no problem miles. i had no idea this was gonna turn into such a big discussion...

Everyone gave their opinion and some are trying to figure out why some are having problems.

Actually I like the fact that there are two different opinions on this kit. This way if I decide to purchase it well at least then I know what can happen so its not a hug surprise if it does.

Hey...TJ
thanks for the intellectual inside look at the shocks...if you get anymore info let me know...I am still down the middle on this decision...

So I went on the rancho site and the model number of those rancho's are RS9000 triple X they are supposed to be adjustable 2-2.5 inches and 9 position compression and rebound adjustment.
Here is the write up at Automove Customizers
http://www.4x4parts.com/public_html/shop...f2b0a2c3cfda3c2