Lots of newb questions from me here.
Found this tidbit in the Xterra FAQ on the Automotive Customizers discussion board...
"Shackles are another way to lift the rear of an X, but not as commonly used any more due to the problems they introduce in the rear springs. A shackle is bolted to the rear of the leaf spring and they create lift by making them longer. Due to leverage, a 3" shackle will produce approximately a 1.5" lift. They are not used as often anymore because they actually create two problems. First and foremost, the leaf springs on an X are designed to provide a nice smooth ride on the highway. That softness allows the shackles to put a negative arch on the backside of the spring pack, reducing their life on the vehicle exponentially. The second problem with them is they lower the rear departure angle when off-roading. Do not use shackles on a factory pack if the plan is to pull a trailer or carry heavy weight in the back of the X on a reglar basis."
I know lots of you have lift shackles on your X; so is the above info paranoid BS, or is there anything to it?
I know the lift, tire size thing has been beat to death on other boards. It looks to me like everyone who runs 32s does the PML. Is there just not enough fenderwell left for 32s if you don't do the PML? Also do I have to get longer shocks for the PML, or will the factory setup be adequate?
I read somewhere that the front to back height difference should be 1 and a half inches. Where is the rake measured from?
The back end of my 2001 X seems more than high enough, there is a lot of gap between the fender lip and the top of the tire. Not so much in the front though. It looks like I could crank my t-bars a ways and still have plenty of rake. I'll post a photo tomorrow.
I'm about to buy new tires. I'll probably go with 31x10.5x15 GY Duratracs, unless I can do BFG AT KO 32x11.5x15 without many issues. If I can do it with just a slight t-bar crank that would be ok. Or do 32s without a PML look weird? All tire, no fenderwell?
Thanks for your patience and help!
Found this tidbit in the Xterra FAQ on the Automotive Customizers discussion board...
"Shackles are another way to lift the rear of an X, but not as commonly used any more due to the problems they introduce in the rear springs. A shackle is bolted to the rear of the leaf spring and they create lift by making them longer. Due to leverage, a 3" shackle will produce approximately a 1.5" lift. They are not used as often anymore because they actually create two problems. First and foremost, the leaf springs on an X are designed to provide a nice smooth ride on the highway. That softness allows the shackles to put a negative arch on the backside of the spring pack, reducing their life on the vehicle exponentially. The second problem with them is they lower the rear departure angle when off-roading. Do not use shackles on a factory pack if the plan is to pull a trailer or carry heavy weight in the back of the X on a reglar basis."
I know lots of you have lift shackles on your X; so is the above info paranoid BS, or is there anything to it?
I know the lift, tire size thing has been beat to death on other boards. It looks to me like everyone who runs 32s does the PML. Is there just not enough fenderwell left for 32s if you don't do the PML? Also do I have to get longer shocks for the PML, or will the factory setup be adequate?
I read somewhere that the front to back height difference should be 1 and a half inches. Where is the rake measured from?
The back end of my 2001 X seems more than high enough, there is a lot of gap between the fender lip and the top of the tire. Not so much in the front though. It looks like I could crank my t-bars a ways and still have plenty of rake. I'll post a photo tomorrow.
I'm about to buy new tires. I'll probably go with 31x10.5x15 GY Duratracs, unless I can do BFG AT KO 32x11.5x15 without many issues. If I can do it with just a slight t-bar crank that would be ok. Or do 32s without a PML look weird? All tire, no fenderwell?
Thanks for your patience and help!