The first thing we noticed driving the vehicle home after the installation was how much the new ride felt like the old. We hoped our new suspension would ride with the comfort of the stock suspension, and for the most part it does. Because the front coil is compressed more than in its stock form, the front end does have a bit of a bouncy feel to it over highway bumps at high speeds. Our new Rancho shocks have full tuning adjustability. Right now, the entire vehicle is set at Level 5, which is right in the middle between firm and soft.
The handling on-road has really improved due to the new tires. Traction around corners - even in rain - was never compromised. Unfortunately, we do have to report back that we have suffered a small power loss due to the new setup. This is a common occurrence for just about any vehicle that goes through a suspension lift and the addition of larger tires. Currently, there are no gearsets available for this vehicle, but we hope that as they become available we can restore our Xterra's lost power to factory specs.
The combination of the suspension lift and the new BFG T/AKO tires has given us much needed clearance on the trail. Although we haven't achieved so much lift that we can say we're boulder-hopping in our free time, we can say that through the more mild terrain we've thrown at the Nissan performance all-around is improved. During our low-pressure tire test, traction over the rocks was better than with the factory tires, as was climbing ability over a local sand dune.
The most significant improvement we've noticed so far is that the nasty bottoming out in the rear is gone. We spent a day in the dirt at speeds from 5 to 30 mph and never felt the rear end fail. The new tires can stuff completely into the wheelwell without rubbing thanks to the new Quick-Lift system. Please keep in mind this does not mean you can go as fast as you want over anything you want and your Xterra will float over bumps like a Trophy Truck, but if you're an Xterra owner and you like the dirt, you have to agree that the new setup is worth every penny.
Because it is common to notice a mileage loss from a swap like this, we were pleasantly surprised to find out that we only suffered a slight fuel economy loss with the addition of the suspension system and the larger tires. In order to keep our OE computer thinking properly, we disconnected the battery for a few minutes to allow the system to reset itself before testing. If we notice a change in our fuel economy over time, we'll let you know.
Tire Upgrade
So what's next for Project X-Blade? We are working closely with a number of aftermarket companies to help launch some new and exciting products for the Nissan Xterra. Next up for us will be the installation and testing of a set of ShrockWorks rock sliders. If you have any questions or feedback regarding this project, or represent an aftermarket company looking to work with us, please e-mail us at jordan.may@sourceinterlink.com.
Parts List For The Rancho Kit Front(2) RS99790 Quick-Lift shocksRear(2) RS334 add-a-leaves(2) RS860410 center-bolt subassembly(4) RS7414 U-bolts(1) RS8011 U-bolt hardware(2) RS99001 rear shocks(2) RSP01036 sleeves