Any/Max Lift with Bilstein 4600 Shocks?

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Neeginan
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Re: Any/Max Lift with Bilstein 4600 Shocks?

Postby Neeginan » Fri May 14, 2021 5:47 am

20210513_184024.jpg


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Neeginan
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Re: Any/Max Lift with Bilstein 4600 Shocks?

Postby Neeginan » Fri May 14, 2021 5:48 am

20210513_184031.jpg

silverarrow27
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Re: Any/Max Lift with Bilstein 4600 Shocks?

Postby silverarrow27 » Fri May 21, 2021 1:20 am

Looks good. Notice any differences in ride quality?

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Neeginan
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Re: Any/Max Lift with Bilstein 4600 Shocks?

Postby Neeginan » Fri May 21, 2021 11:52 am

Ride quality generally is the same. I alread had the Bilsteins on. Just added spacer lift. So that is as expected.

I say generally but I noticed three things now.

1. Vehicle is a bit more affected by moderate to heavy cross winds.
2. At speed over 60 mph, the front end / steering is a bit lighter. The on center feel is a little bit lighter.
3. I got about 3/4 mpg better gas mileage on a long highway trip with avg hwy speed ~ 70-75 mph

Number 1 and 2 could be due to the reduced front wheel castor.
Re number 3 - I didnt have a tail wind. I think that there is more air now flowing under the vehicle (can contribute to 1 & 2 also). That may improve fuel economy on these trucks? Idk - Just a theory. I have the factory skid plates. If you look under the truck it is very flat front to back. Nothing really hanging down to grab air and create resistance. It defies logic, but maybe? I have no other explanation. I never got consistantly almost 18 mpg on a long trip before at these speeds.

silverarrow27
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Re: Any/Max Lift with Bilstein 4600 Shocks?

Postby silverarrow27 » Sat May 22, 2021 12:42 am

Ah, didn't realize you already have the Bilsteins on.

1 and 2 could be caster related like you said. 3 could be coincidence or perhaps mostly downhill? A lifted vehicle will always get worst fuel mileage due to the height allowing more air to flow underneath which causes more drag. The factory skid plates will only do so much for you as it doesn't cover the whole undercarriage like sports cars do nowadays.

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Neeginan
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Re: Any/Max Lift with Bilstein 4600 Shocks?

Postby Neeginan » Mon May 24, 2021 7:02 am

800 miles from Florida to western NC. Uphill all the way. From sea level to about 3500 feet elevation.

I track my fuel economy pretty closely. I will have the return trip to add to the data point in about a week.

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Neeginan
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Re: Any/Max Lift with Bilstein 4600 Shocks?

Postby Neeginan » Fri May 28, 2021 9:21 am

Return 800 mile trip got back to normal fuel economy. Low 17's mpg at 70-75mph. I guess the trip up was an anomaly at almost 18 mpg. Maybe there was a tailwind I wasn't aware of.

But with 1600 miles of highway mileage, I don't think my fuel economy dropped at all with this moderate 1.5 inch lift. Basically the same.

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palmerwmd
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Re: Any/Max Lift with Bilstein 4600 Shocks?

Postby palmerwmd » Sun May 30, 2021 8:02 am

Neeginan wrote:
Fri May 28, 2021 9:21 am
Return 800 mile trip got back to normal fuel economy. Low 17's mpg at 70-75mph. I guess the trip up was an anomaly at almost 18 mpg. Maybe there was a tailwind I wasn't aware of.

But with 1600 miles of highway mileage, I don't think my fuel economy dropped at all with this moderate 1.5 inch lift. Basically the same.
Pretty close to my V8 numbers.
about 18 if I drive moderate on interstate
Just drove my Xterra long distance.
Got exactly 20 mpg on my 2 fill ups each (19.98 mpg, and 20.2 mpg)
That has the same V6 and same transmission as the V6 R51.
Its lighter but more boxy than the R51

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Neeginan
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Re: Any/Max Lift with Bilstein 4600 Shocks?

Postby Neeginan » Tue Jun 01, 2021 8:34 am

Yeah, I think the V8 and V6 fuel economy is pretty similar. I can get ~20 mpg highway if I stay around 60 mph. I am usually around 70 mph on the interstate.

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palmerwmd
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Re: Any/Max Lift with Bilstein 4600 Shocks?

Postby palmerwmd » Tue Jun 01, 2021 6:17 pm

Neeginan wrote:
Tue Jun 01, 2021 8:34 am
Yeah, I think the V8 and V6 fuel economy is pretty similar. I can get ~20 mpg highway if I stay around 60 mph. I am usually around 70 mph on the interstate.
Ironically I find myself driving current V8 Pathy more gently than the V6 Pathy I used to own, trying to lighten the mpgs.

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Neeginan
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Re: Any/Max Lift with Bilstein 4600 Shocks?

Postby Neeginan » Mon Oct 04, 2021 7:40 am

Neeginan wrote:
Thu May 13, 2021 2:15 pm
Alignment Results
20210513_170151.jpg
So with this alignment result, the extra camber is giving me some additional wear on the outside edge of the rear tires. So I have decided to go with the offset rear upper control arm bushings SPAC458RUCAB from 4x4parts.

I will post the alignment results when all is done.

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Neeginan
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Re: Any/Max Lift with Bilstein 4600 Shocks?

Postby Neeginan » Mon Oct 04, 2021 7:43 am

Upper Control Arm Bushings.jpg

silverarrow27
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Re: Any/Max Lift with Bilstein 4600 Shocks?

Postby silverarrow27 » Mon Oct 04, 2021 10:37 am

Personally, if I had to do it all over again. I would go with something like this instead of the bushings:

https://cjdracing.com/collections/fabri ... ir-gussets

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Neeginan
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Re: Any/Max Lift with Bilstein 4600 Shocks?

Postby Neeginan » Tue Oct 05, 2021 1:32 pm

silverarrow27 wrote:
Mon Oct 04, 2021 10:37 am
Personally, if I had to do it all over again. I would go with something like this instead of the bushings:

https://cjdracing.com/collections/fabri ... ir-gussets
I am unable to quickly understand how this would address the issue. My issue is rear camber and rear toe. Can get one in spec but not both.

silverarrow27
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Re: Any/Max Lift with Bilstein 4600 Shocks?

Postby silverarrow27 » Tue Oct 05, 2021 10:43 pm

Same concept as the bushings. Instead of playing with the bushings trying to get the camber to spec, you instead would move the whole control arm via those welded slots instead. If you ever need to replace control arms, you don't need to worry about buying a new set of bushings with new control arms. Any control arm would work.


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