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Lift Advice

Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 2:31 pm
by MonkeyMike
One rear strut is toasted... so i'm looking at getting new shocks/struts all around. probably going to get the rancho quick lift on the front and the rancho 9000 series on the back. obviously with the quick lift on the front, i need to do something with the back to even it out.

is it better to keep the stock springs and go with the rancho spacer? or swap the springs for something longer (i.e. an ome medium spring)?

i like the "drop in" arrangement of the rancho front assemblies, so i think i am pretty set on the fronts. i would like to match the rears with rancho equipment, but im open to suggestions as to the rears.

~mike

Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 6:51 pm
by volvite
I don't have any help on the topic, but want to follow what everyone else says to do.

Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 6:51 pm
by PapaRomeo51
I'm not an expert on lifting a pathfinder, but I just used the PRG 2" mini lift kit with new HD Bilsetin Shocks on the rear and new KYB Struts on the front. I'm very happy with the look and the ride.

Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 7:01 pm
by volvite
PapaRomeo51 wrote:I'm not an expert on lifting a pathfinder, but I just used the PRG 2" mini lift kit with new HD Bilsetin Shocks on the rear and new KYB Struts on the front. I'm very happy with the look and the ride.
Can you post some pictures of the before and after lift? I think I saw your post about getting this lift. Just wondering if it levels out the pathfiinder.

Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 7:09 pm
by PapaRomeo51
I will take some tomorrow and post them.

Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2011 9:10 am
by 2006 Pathy
I'm also looking into lifting our PF. I'm going to go the coil over route and new UCAs up front from prg products up front. I'll probably also do a radflo shock for the rear, just a little unsure what to do with the rear coil spring... My objective is to make it very capable in the desert. but that's my plan so far...

Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2011 7:58 pm
by NYPathfinder
Thread with a few different set ups..

http://www.thenissanpath.com/viewtopic.php?t=4823

Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2011 7:49 am
by MonkeyMike
NYPathfinder wrote:Thread with a few different set ups..

http://www.thenissanpath.com/viewtopic.php?t=4823
yup.... been through it a number of times. not too much in there regarding rancho rears with longer rear springs. i think storm is the only who mentioned the possibility of putting ome springs in with ranchos.

~mike

Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2011 7:43 pm
by NYPathfinder
MonkeyMike wrote:
NYPathfinder wrote:Thread with a few different set ups..

http://www.thenissanpath.com/viewtopic.php?t=4823
yup.... been through it a number of times. not too much in there regarding rancho rears with longer rear springs. i think storm is the only who mentioned the possibility of putting ome springs in with ranchos.

~mike
OME lift springs with rancho spacers you would never be able to get the alignment back into spec. I was debating on going that route for more lift but tires get expensive when you cant get everything aligned.

Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2011 8:08 pm
by volvite
So is a spacer lift like the PRG the best way to lift our Pathfinders?

Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 8:54 am
by MonkeyMike
NYPathfinder wrote:
MonkeyMike wrote:
NYPathfinder wrote:Thread with a few different set ups..

http://www.thenissanpath.com/viewtopic.php?t=4823
yup.... been through it a number of times. not too much in there regarding rancho rears with longer rear springs. i think storm is the only who mentioned the possibility of putting ome springs in with ranchos.

~mike
OME lift springs with rancho spacers you would never be able to get the alignment back into spec. I was debating on going that route for more lift but tires get expensive when you cant get everything aligned.
i think you misunderstood (maybe i wasnt exactly clear either)... im asking about two different scenarios for the rear...

1 . OME springs with Rancho Shocks... no spacer involved.
2. stock springs with Rancho Shocks, and the Rancho spacer.

the OME springs are 2.5-3 inch lift.
the rancho spacer is 1.75 inch lift with stock springs.
but the rear end sags... so im not sure if the OME will push the rear too high, or if it will sit relatively level.
volvite wrote:So is a spacer lift like the PRG the best way to lift our Pathfinders?
best is subjective...

the spacer kits are probably the cheapest / quickest way to do it, but you still have the stock suspension components in there. so, you still have the mushy ride, and you wont get any benefits of aftermarket suspension with the PRG spacer kit.


~mike

Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 2:49 pm
by NVSteve
All I can say is that if I had to do it again from scratch, I'd do the same thing: dump the stock springs & put in aftermarket ones. If the mushy back end doesn't bother you, or you don't often notice it, then it won't be much of an issue to keep the stock springs. Personally, I bottomed out daily before I installed the OME & I simply couldn't go back to stock. No idea how well this pertains to your plans for the front, but just wanted to throw in my $.02 in favor of aftermarket springs in the rear.

Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 8:28 pm
by volvite
I know spacers are less expensive and usually not "the best". I've just heard alot of talk about aftermarket springs and not being able to align the pathfinder.

NVSteve, you are running OME springs. Are you having alignment problems? What shocks did you go with on the front and rear?

Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 7:52 am
by NVSteve
volvite wrote: NVSteve, you are running OME springs. Are you having alignment problems? What shocks did you go with on the front and rear?
No alignment problems...yet. The alignment shop told me they were running out of adjustment options the last time, so I will probably have them install the camber bolts next time I'm in. I had OME shocks all around, but now only have them up front w/Monroes in the rear. I'm pretty sure I'll be replacing the front OME/spring combo with some ICON coilovers in the next year.

Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2011 12:30 pm
by MonkeyMike
well, i ordered the rancho quicklift fronts and rs9000xl for the rears... but im still torn on the rear spring situation.

will i be able to use the airlift bags with the OME rear spring, or is that not possible? what about using the airlift bags with the stock springs and the ranhco spacer?

~mike