Special thanks to Alpine Spirit (XOC), SteeevO, TJ (XOC), Xtoolbox (XOC), NissanNut (XOC), Jake (at Calmini), StrikeDistance (SCCX), Powerguy38 (XOC) for their feedback, questions, & suggestions. In addition to answering my questions you guys challenged my thinking and helped me address potential issues.
My recommendation... If you're a good welder, decent fabricator, have a brain to figure out geometry, and have a lot time to work with then I recommend taking a look at a 3 link kit similar to the one I built compared to the Calmini kit.
To install this same kit I recommend you install a 2" BL & having your new wheels and tires ready to go. It helps a lot when fitting & fabricating everything.
Going SOA (Spring Over Axel) is also a good idea if you're doing this SAS. There's a few good writeup on XOC on how to do this
My Total Cost was around $4500
If you learn from my mistakes you can do it for a lot less. Here's what it would have cost if I were to do it all again.
Basic cost: $3400
D44 - $150
SAS Kit - $1200
Steering - $300
Shocks & Springs - $700
Brakes - $300
Gears - $250
DS - $150
Lifetime Firestone alignment - $350
This last weekend I went and did some trail testing in Big Bear, CA on the John Bull trail. Supposedly the toughest trail up in Big Bear. Lots of rocks and lots of crawling. Did the trail in about an hour and a half with no issues whatsoever. I did get stuck behind a line of 30 Jeeps but they were kind enough to let me pass in the middle of the trail. the X got a lot of woots, compliments, thumbs ups, 2nd looks, and the like from most every group I encountered this weekend.
Here are my observations from trail testing this past weekend...
The X has a lot of flex and can easily scale 2'+ boulders and flex out. For most of the day all 4 wheels on the gound because of how much flex there is now.
SAS related issues...
The T-case cross member I built needs to be reworked a bit to better fit the front DS.
The control arm on the passenger side needs to come in about a 1/2" to allow the truck to turn all the way to the passenger side.
Passenger side coil-over setup seems soft compared to the driver side. It was easy to bottom out the passenger side. Need to do some testing to figure out if it's the springs or the shock.
SOA related issues...
The rear frame mount for the passenger leaf spring needs to be pushed back about a 1/2" to level out the ride height.
35's related issues...
The big tires are great off-road. 4.9 gears are not enough to comfortable crawl on 35's with a manual transmission. There were too many times I had to gas and feather it to get the wheels moving up and over a rock. I need to figure out if T-case gears will be enough or if I need to regear the front and rear. If I decide to regear the rear I'll just put another rear axel under it with and scrap the H233B Nissan rear end.
Starting to think the clutch disk may be wearing out. I wasn't getting as much friction as I wanted.
General maintenance issues accelerated by the SAS...
Leaking gear oil from the front diff on the driver's side. Need to replace inner seal.
Transmission leaking fluid from bell housing. Need to replace front seal.
Non issues that I thought I thought might be issues...
Chevy MC is working out great. Lots more breaking power. Able to hold the truck still on steep rocks. Able to stop quickly... well... sorta quickly.
Grassroots front DS adapter works great. Granted, I had to wait 4.5 months for it. But it's definitely the best and most cost efficient rout to go.
3 link SAS is amazing!!! I've got so much flex. No binding, stuffing, drooping, or driving issues. All welds and brackets have been examined and appear to be holding up great.
Custom steering system is holding up great. Very strong.
Custom exhaust system is working out great.
If you're considering going this route read this next section on parts you'll need to buy & installation...
*** You'll need the space of a 2" BL to make this kit work. ***
Here is my parts suggestions if you're looking to do this.
SAS Kits
All Pro kit - Universal (Taco) SAS kit - It will be less than $1349
*DIY - welding to the axle and frame rails
http://www.allprooffroad.com/9504tacomasas *Do not get the shock towers. Ask for the shock hoops.
*Do not get the engine cross member - doesn't fit
*Do not get the upper link housing bracket - you'll need to fab this one yourself
*Do not get the lower shock mounts - don't fit
Front Coil-Over shocks
ORW - Off Road Warehouse
Fox 2.0" x 10" Travel Emulsion 980-99-025-A 10.0 EMULSION $235.00
*best prices at Off Road Warehouse. Call for better pricing. I got 10% more off.
*Call Off-Road Warehouse for better pricing than the visible online pricing.
http://www.offroadwarehouse.com/products/sfID1/12/sfID2/113/sfID3/97Wheels - this is up to you to decide on what you want to use.
* 3.75 BS on 15's was a far as I could go for the D44 front end I used. a 4" BS would have been to much.
Springs
ORW - Off Road Warehouse
Eibach
Top Spring - 0800.250.0350 8.00" Length 2.5" ID 350 LBS
Bottom Spring - 1200.250.0300 12.00" Length 2.5" ID 300 LBS
*eSHOCKS.com, Off Road Warehouse, & Calmini have almost the same pricing on Eibach springs - $65.00 each
*Off-Road Warehouse has best prices for call-in orders.
Shock tabs
You'll need a couple of these because the ones in the All-Pro Kit don't work. Look at my photos for details
http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/paired-bracket-curved-p-97.htmlDriveshaft
Grassroots - CV shaft conversion for use with an XJ front Driveshaft - $120
http://grassroots4x4.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=7&category_id=4&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1 *XJ front Driveshafts can be found on e-bay, craigslist, & ecology for about $25 - $40
*XJ front Driveshafts are very easy to replace because they are very inexpensive due to the volume that's available on the market
*XJ front Driveshafts may need to be shortened to fit the Xterra SAS configuration.
*How to notes -
http://nissannut.com/projects/Driveshaft/Front Brakes
Brake Master Cyliner from a 77 chevy truck. Here's the two thread's I found on the Ronin Wheeler's site where a guy sorta did a write up on his MC swap.
*You'll need to use a bastard file to open up the mounting holes about an 1/8" on each side. The push pin will also need to be ground down a bit.
http://www.roninwheelers.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2681 http://www.roninwheelers.com/vbullet...?t=1137&page=6 Brake Lines -
www.summitracing.com -
http://www.xterraownersclub.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=9;t=000350 EAR-63010124ERL -3 ST./ST. 24" HOSE $12.88 2ea $25.76
EAR-989545ERL BRAKE ADAPTER -3 TO 10MM F I.F $4.99 2ea $9.98
EAR-997631ERL BANJO -3 TO 10MM $7.39 2ea $14.78
Steering
http://www.xterraownersclub.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=9;t=000268#000000 Auto Zone - DIY - Awesome
1) ES2027L - Pitman arm end of draglink (REQUIRES REAMING TO FIT)
2) ES2026R - Tierod end of draglink
3) ES2234R - Driver end of tierod
4) ES2233L - Passenger end of tierod (has a hole in it that the 2026R fits into (ETA - required lots of reaming to fit))
Weld-in Thread Bungs - I'm trying to find the information on where I bought mine. I'll update this eventually.
Gears - My recommendations (other here may disagree with me)
4.89 gears for 31's - 33's
5.13 gears on 35's +
Manual Locking hubs for Dana 44
* 19 spline for Wagoneers 74-91
* Check e-bay, criag's list, & Buy/Sell areas for best pricing
Superwinch - SWI400518
Warn - 20990
H233B - Rear
HG46 - 2000-2001 is the H233B axle with 4.636:1 gearing (33 spline axles). Typically comes with an R200 front axle
HG49 - found in mid year 2001+ Frontiers and Xterras. H233B / R200 combo with 4.90:1 gears.
* Up to 5.143 gearing can be had for H233B's. AC is now the only companies offering gears. Supposedly the gears AC provides were originally designed for the 10mm bolt for the 31 spline H233B used on the Nissan HB and has them machined out to 12mm to fit the carriers for the 33 spline H233B used on the 2000 - 2004 Xterras. Gear from AC cost about $1000 un-installed.
Exhaust - DIY during the build or pay someone to do it for you afterwards.
** Make sure your 2" BL is installed before you begin.
Instructions - easily 100+ man hours involved
1. Read every thread in this section... It took me over a month but it was worth it.
2. Find and buy a doner Axel - you'll know what you're looking for if you followed point #1
3. Buy all your parts
4. Clean up the axel and grind off all old parts.
5. Send off a pitman arm & tie-rod end to get reemed.
6. Install the Chevy Master Cylinder. Your brakes will be amazing!
7. Weld up the two lower control arm mounts to the axel - figure it out. don't weld the mount for the 3rd link or lower shock tabs yet
8. Gut the IFS entirely down to the frame - including driverside percayt & post cayt.
9. Fit Axle under the gutted X
10. Fit & tack shock hoops
11. Fit & tack lower shock tabs
12. Install shocks w/o springs - leave the shock fully compressed for fitting & fabing the control arms
13. Fit & tack lower control arm mounts that weld to the frame
14. Fab, Fit, & Tack 3rd link bracket to the Front Diff - difficult - make sure it fits fully stuffed
15. Fab up new T-case crossmember that goes over front DS
16. Fab, fit, & tack Pan hard bar and brackets
17. Measure, Cut, Fab, Fit, & Test front DS.
18. Fab & Fit new exhaust system to clear Front DS and 3rd link
19. Test everything at full compression, full droop, PS droop w/ PS stuffed, DS droop w/ PS stuffed
10. Make all necessary adjustments & repeat steps 9 thru 19 until everything work right.
20. Weld it all up properly
21. Install Brake lines
22. Install new brakes
23. Install Manual locking hubs
24. Bleed & test braking system
25. Install coil onto shocks
* At this point I'd suggest going SOA with your rear end. You'll have more fab work to do bit it's well worth it. This kit gets you about 8-10" of lift. The rear will need the SOA or some seriously arched springs to match the front.
26. Road testing begins
27. Install gears - you'll need to wait on the front gears until after all fab work is complete if you want to get a warrenty on them.
28. Trail testing begins
30. Become fully satisfied with your work. :-)
My other writeup and questions related to this build.
-
http://www.xterraownersclub.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=9;t=000341;p=1 -
http://www.xterraownersclub.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=9;t=000350 -
http://www.xterraownersclub.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=9;t=000343 -
Pictures - I'll put some photos together of the whole build and post them up here soon.
