CV Joint Question (related to EOE/AC lift)

Alright guys....I got a question for you folks...I have installed the EOE/AC 3" suspension lift on my 2000 X. I have seen a couple of instances where guys have blown up their CV joints at full droop when using this lift (or other 3" lifts without a diff drop).

My question is....would NOT disconnecting my front sway bar while off-roading have a lessening effect on the possibility of this happening if my front wheel(s) droop while under full power. I know that this will also lessen my articulation, but a little stiffer front end is far more tolerable on the trail than an exploded CV joint. And I also know that being aware of the front wheels' positions on the ground (or lack thereof) can help me in knowing when to power through or knowing when to back off and try another line (one less taxing on the front end).

I may be asking a totally assinine question here, but I'm just trying to contemplate ways to reduce the possibility of destroying a CV joint on the trail, without going with a diff drop right yet.

Any thoughts or ideas would be welcome.

Even with the sway bar hooked up, you can still easily fully droop the suspension.

The problem lies somewhere within Nissans design. I have checked several Xterras now, and at full droop, the passenger side CV joint binds at 60 degree intervals, which means the outside joint is binding. The drivers side is fine.

I'm now running a slightly taller bumpstop on the passenger side.

The solution is a better (lower) diff drop kit.

Rubber or urethane? That could make a difference in full compression.

Originally posted by xoc
Even with the sway bar hooked up, you can still easily fully droop the suspension.



If you can get full droop with the sway bar on, what's the point of disconecting offroad? Is there some other way that it limits articulation that I am missing?

Originally posted by ScottG


If you can get full droop with the sway bar on, what's the point of disconecting offroad? Is there some other way that it limits articulation that I am missing?

Yep...that was my thinkin'. Wrong I guess.

Also, what kind of bumpstop would you recommend Ian?

You can theoretically get full droop with the swaybar connected if both wheels drop together. THough I don't see how this can happen unless you are high centered on the diff. Disconnecting the swaybar helps when one wheel is stuffed in the wheelwell and the other is trying to droop.

My swaybar was connected when mine went...

...also, I only know of 2 people, including myself, who have blown cv's.

Originally posted by xoc
Even with the sway bar hooked up, you can still easily fully droop the suspension.

The problem lies somewhere within Nissans design. I have checked several Xterras now, and at full droop, the passenger side CV joint binds at 60 degree intervals, which means the outside joint is binding. The drivers side is fine.

I'm now running a slightly taller bumpstop on the passenger side.

The solution is a better (lower) diff drop kit.

Do you have any pic's of the modified bumpstop?

I agree with the binding. I noticed it when I was bolting on the new driveshaft. I was turning it to get to the other bolts and then it would bind on me.

Stormy....I think you covered this in saying you could have stopped and taken a different line, but was the CV explosion preventable? In terms of...did you notice things going awry...and could you have stopped and backed off?

I'm not asking in an antagonistic way...I'm just getting ready to head to Uwharrie in a few weeks...with a long road trip planned for the following weekend after our wheeling trip. The last thing I need to do is blow up a CV joint, then try to replace it in 4 days to head out of town.

I'm just trying to determine how fragile this problem really is. I have not experienced any noticeable binding in articulation playing I've done since I installed the lift. But playing around on ramps and logs is VERY different than taxing hillclimbs and ruts.

RedX,

did you notice things going awry
Yup, I took a shit line and kept with it.
and could you have stopped and backed off?
I guess I could have the second I realized I was taking a bad route. I made a choice and stuck with it. The last thing I thought would happen was blowing a cv. It sucked but if you're going to play, you do run the risk of trail breakage. It's part of the game. I'd be more worried about bent tie-rods than a blown cv. I bought EOE's HD tie-rod adjusters and when I was taking the stock ones off, I found that one was bent.

Thanx for your response....I'm not worried about paying to play...part of the game. Just won't have time to play in this instance. If I didn't have a road trip four days following this wheelin' trip, I would not be concerned at all. You can't blame me really. If the truck became undriveable, I would get to drive the wifey's '91 Celica for over 1300 miles. Ummmm....fun. Not the most comfortable road-trip car.

So anyhoo...I have an idea of where I stand on this thing. I appreciate your input. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't gonna be popping a joint just from looking at something the wrong way. (Plus....some of the other ENCXC are going on this run with numerous other Nissan owners...and we got to show them that the X's are worthy of running with their older pathy's and HB's. There seems to be some doubt on their part. And I didn't want to be hitting one of the tougher trails out there and hear the unmistakable hand-grenade sound of the joint exploding. "Uh yeah...those X's sure are tuff."):confused:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it wouldn't be undriveable even if you did blow the CV joint. You could drive around all you like in 2WD after pulling the half-shaft and unlocking the hubs.

Brent

Yeah....you're right about that Brent. Thanx. Well....hell. Let's go balls out then.

i'm not worried about my CV's anymore. the transfer case chain is what worries me. after streching it out on a rutted hill climb i can say that i'd rather take the $99 hit for a blown CV over a $600 hit for the replacement of a transfer case chain.

Yeah Ag...I can agree with you on that statement.