INFINITI QX4 LIFT?

[LouDassQ]

Hey all, I have a 1998 Infiniti QX4 that I wanted to do a lift on. Nothing to serious, maybe 2-3 inchs. but I cant seem to find the proper hardware to do so. Maybe some of you with QX4s could give a little advice?

[fastpakr]

You need the same components as an R50 Pathfinder. Lifting on these is actually very simple:
1) Lift the back with new springs or spacers. To replace them, just lift the truck by the frame and disconnect the sway bar and shock on each side. This will allow the axle to droop enough for the coil spring to come right out with no spring compressor. Install the new parts and reassemble.
2) Lift the front (again with new springs or spacers). You'll have to go through the process of removing the strut assembly which takes a bit longer than the rear axle but it's not terrible. Once that's off, use a spring compressor to disassemble and swap out the spring while it's apart, then reinstall.
3) Realign. 4x4Parts sells adjustable camber bolts which may be required to get the everything dialed in.

This is the right time to replace shocks all around, and you should take a close look at all pieces of the steering and suspension while you're there. Trailing arm bushings, sway bar bushings, ball joints, etc should all be inspected.

[Hawairish]

Yep, that just about covers it. QX4 = Pathfinder.

You shouldn't need camber bolts for 2". And I wouldn't lift beyond that without reading into a subframe drop (SFD). I've made a few sets for myself and others, so I can shed light on that if you'd like, as well as any component details and installation procedures.

If you do need camber bolts, they're 14mm and $15 on eBay or Amazon. These for a Mustang worked fine for me: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MJFOVR2. I run 3" of spacers plus OMEs. My truck (and buddy's with the same setup), aligned perfectly.

[fastpakr]

Thanks for the info on the camber bolts. I'd been reading and deciding on whether to order them when I replace the front springs. After tossing in a set of medium duty coils in the back last night, it became obvious how weak the fronts had become.

[Hawairish]

It probably wouldn't hurt to have them, as back-up bolts or just in case. Even with a low amount of lift, you can still install them and keep things aligned.

Some of the nuts on the OE hardware have rounded on me before (despite not even slipping off the nut!), even with the right socket (22mm btw). Same thing with the rear trailing arm hardware. They're on tight (>100 ft-lbs), so rounding or cross-threading isn't uncommon.

If you don't have a lifetime alignment package with your local shop, it would suck to drop off the truck without the camber bolts installed only to realize they can't align your truck (because camber isn't adjustable on our trucks without them). Though, I'd think that if you provide the bolts and ask them to check alignment, using the bolts if necessary, they probably wouldn't have a problem with that. But, easier to just install them, tell them that they're installed, and get the alignment.

I have lifetime alignment with Firestone, and it's already paying for itself. Cost was $140 (two alignments), and I've already done three alignments because of my ever-changing suspension setups. It was a nice feeling to drop off the truck for service and walk out paying $0 (of course, I set camber by eye and they said it was spot on and didn't even adjust it...toe was off though, as expected because of the lift height change). Something to consider if you plan to have your truck for a while.

...not to go too far off topic (sorry).

As for what you need, you have limited options for springs and/or spacers.
Old Man Emu (OME) and Automotive Customizers (AC, http://www.4x4parts.com) are the only springs available, outside of custom springs. OMEs can be purchased from several online retailers, including AC, Rugged Rocks (http://www.ruggedrocks.com), and Rocky Road (http://www.rocky-road.com).

For spacers, also limited selection. The two guys I know that make them are "fleurys" (Steve, 4x4design.com...he's on a few forums) and a vendor on NPORA "liftmaker" (Jeff). Both sell kits on eBay:
Steve: http://www.ebay.com/itm/161623524265
Jeff: http://www.ebay.com/itm/271949406276
You can contact them directly for different sizes.

[rgk]

1) Lift the back with new springs or spacers. To replace them, just lift the truck by the frame and disconnect the sway bar and shock on each side. This will allow the axle to droop enough for the coil spring to come right out with no spring compressor.

I remember seeing a thread in which someone was having a hell of a time getting the spring out.

In this case, it was recommended he jack up the opposite end of the axle to drop it enough on the side he was working, in order to make enough room to remove the spring.

All this with the rear end on jack stands, of course.

[fastpakr]

Interesting. I did have a little bit of tension on the passenger side (the first one I did) when doing this. It was little enough that I could easily overcome it to get the OEM spring out and the new medium duty spring installed. On the drivers side it just slid right out.

[Hawairish]

I remember seeing a thread in which someone was having a hell of a time getting the spring out.

In this case, it was recommended he jack up the opposite end of the axle to drop it enough on the side he was working, in order to make enough room to remove the spring.

All this with the rear end on jack stands, of course.

That might have been me with the suggestion. That's how I do it, works fine every time. Jack stand on one side of the axle, jack on the other. You just have to disconnect the shocks and sway bar end links (or just the hanger they're attached to) to get the droop you need.

Interesting. I did have a little bit of tension on the passenger side (the first one I did) when doing this. It was little enough that I could easily overcome it to get the OEM spring out and the new medium duty spring installed. On the drivers side it just slid right out.

Yep, the tension on the passenger side is because the two pivot points (one theoretical, one real) for the axle on the driver's side were competing against each other. Where the bottom of the springs meets the axle perches is where the axle wants to pivot, but where the panhard bar mounts to the chassis and axle is where it actually pivots. On the passenger side, those points are the same, so the driver's side droops easily. On the driver's side, when the axle moves away from the chassis, it creates a gap between those two pivot points, effectively triangulating things and creating a small cantilever effect. You can press down on the passenger side, and it will attempt to compress the spring on the driver's side to merge those pivot points and allow for droop.

[rgk]

It was you. For those interested: post6656385.html

[Hawairish]

Funny enough, the other month when I swapped out my rear spacers, I had so much lift on the rear that I had to also unbolt my PHB from the axle to get enough droop using my process. Same on my buddy's R50 last weekend. If I had a PHB drop bracket, it would have been easier.

I ended up buying one, but haven't installed it yet. Installed one on my buddy's truck, and didn't like that it required extra work, like cutting the tower the PHB mounts to. The design sucks, so I'm deciding whether I want to cut up my truck, too, or just make a proper one.