Drop Bracket Lifts

[TerryD]

There's quite a few Xs and Frontiers running drop bracket lifts with Titan swaps.

There seems to be some guys running the Frontier kits and some running the Titan kits.

I'm curious what the difference between the two kits is?

I would think the Titan kit knuckles would require running the Titan bearings and brakes which would require a lot of other brake changes.

Also, with this setup, do most people swap to SOA in the rear?

 

[jsexton]

Titan kit would need wheel bearings, calipers, rotors, mc, and booster out of a titan. Also different wheels (6x5.5 vs 6x4.5)

Most of the kits require 18" wheels because of where they relocate the tie rod end mount placement. CJD makes some custom spindles that address this issue and they come with heim steering.

The rear is an issue on the xterra to get it that high. Some people have gone spring over, most results have been poor. I believe most of the issue with this is they are using springs with too much arch combined with too short of an axle perch. Axle wrap has been a problem for some. I know of one who had custom springs made by deaver with spring over in mind. His turned out fine. You are still looking at a huge lift (thickness of original perch + axle tube + new perch + leaf pack thickness). Really the only way to do it right is custom leaf springs. Maybe frontier leafs and move the rear shackle back (frontier leafs are longer). This would also move the axle to the rear a little which would be good imo.

I thought really really hard about doing it when i titan swapped. It sure helps get the belly of the xterra up, but causes a lot of other problems and doesn't fix the two weakest links after titan swapping. The cv's and the steering rack. In fact i believe it makes the steering rack more of an issue. Wasn't worth it to me, but sometimes i still think about it lol.

the rough country titan 4" DB would be my choice. Add braces to the back of the bracket that tie into the frame.

oh and you have to make custom skids for the rad and engine skids at least. Probably mod the trans skid.

 

[AlbatrossCafe]

^^Same. I spent far too long looking into a DB lift for underbody clearance that IFS doesn't have (I have had the rancho kit open in a browser tab for like 14 months : https://www.jegs.com/i/Rancho/801/RS6594B/10002/-1). I like the rancho kit because it has the braces included.

I ultimately decided against it because of the reasons Jsexton said, because of all the titan components required, and also because the X is already SUPER tall, even at stock height. I'm 7'4" with TS. Don't need anymore overall height.

 

[TerryD]

Good info guys! Thanks.