SAS Liberty...

FYI: Sort of on topic since the Liberty is the closest competitor to the Xterra on the market.

http://forums.jeepsunlimited.com/ubb/Forum21/HTML/003110.html

Of course Jeep gets all the attention...

TrailReady makes some funky ass bumpers. Some of their bumpers actually look decent, too bad this isn't one of them.

Gotta love that flex but those neon bumpers and wheels look like shit.

Dog

FSRBiker mentioned doing this about a year ago. He was going to swap in a dana 44 from an old Bronco. Has he made any progress?

I have the front dana 44 out of a Scout sitting in my garage, but I don't have the balls to chop up my Xterra.

I read on Voy that the liberty in the picture has a dana 30. I wonder why they didn't use something stronger.

Keep an eye on http://www.trailready.com/liberty.htm and see what they have to say about using the D30

Brent

Originally posted by ScottG
FSRBiker mentioned doing this about a year ago. He was going to swap in a dana 44 from an old Bronco. Has he made any progress?

I have the front dana 44 out of a Scout sitting in my garage, but I don't have the balls to chop up my Xterra.


Not sure what happened to Todd's plans, but there's a Fronteir owner that hangs out over on the NOR board (http://www.nissanoffroad.net) that picked up front and rear Dana 44s to swap into his truck later this year. He goes by the name of MVM, the same guy that's already welded up a flatbed on his truck. Should be interesting to see how it goes.

Dog

Originally posted by ScottG
FSRBiker mentioned doing this about a year ago. He was going to swap in a dana 44 from an old Bronco. Has he made any progress?

I have the front dana 44 out of a Scout sitting in my garage, but I don't have the balls to chop up my Xterra.

I read on Voy that the liberty in the picture has a dana 30. I wonder why they didn't use something stronger.

There were tons of guys putting SAS on their Tacomas. It should be easier on an Xterra as it doesn't have the rack and pinion steering the Tacoma does. The steering was the biggest challenge. I'd say about 10% of the club I was in had gone SAS, one guy just did it on a 2001 Tacoma Double Cab and went coil over!

Originally posted by OffroadX
Keep an eye on http://www.trailready.com/liberty.htm and see what they have to say about using the D30

Brent

I have read recently that the newer Dana 30s can be built up to be pretty strong. I have a 79 CJ with the older Dana 30. I have never heard or read anything good about my axle. The magazines say that it is not even worth upgrading it with a locker or gears because it is so weak. That being said, I haven't had any trouble with mine.

I bought the Scout Dana 44s for the Jeep, but they are probably about the right width for an Xterra. The front axle's pumkin is on the passenger side which I think is what you would need for an Xterra, but I can't remember for sure.

I don't think I would swap our rear axle. It is probably stronger than a Dana 44. However, you would have more locker choices with the Dana 44.

Originally posted by ScottG


The front axle's pumkin is on the passenger side which I think is what you would need for an Xterra, but I can't remember for sure.



I just looked under the X, and it looks like the pumkin is closer to the driver's side so I don't think a Scout axle would work.

Originally posted by ScottG


I just looked under the X, and it looks like the pumkin is closer to the driver's side so I don't think a Scout axle would work.

Jeep Wagoneer axles are what everyone was using on the Taco. The Taco diff is on the driver's side.

Originally posted by Toy4x4Guy


I'd say about 10% of the club I was in had gone SAS, one guy just did it on a 2001 Tacoma Double Cab and went coil over!

It seems a little crazy to do that to a new vehicle. I'm considering it for the day my Xterra is no longer a daily driver. I would like to see someone else do it though. In fact, I wish someone else would go SAS and then post instructions for the rest of us. :D

Originally posted by ScottG


It seems a little crazy to do that to a new vehicle. I'm considering it for the day my Xterra is no longer a daily driver. I would like to see someone else do it though. In fact, I wish someone else would go SAS and then post instructions for the rest of us. :D

Yeah, alot of those Tacoma guys are pretty extreme. I would never do anything like that to a daily driver. Most of these guys are even still making payments on these vehicles as well. I admire them though, brass balls that's for sure. One took a ton of pictures of him torching off the IFS and grinding down the welds.

Some have gone all out with full exo cage, marlin dual t-cases, SAS, etc on vehicles as new a 1998 models.

Here are some links:

http://128.83.80.200/taco/ (this one's really wild)

http://www.azttora.com/tacomasas4.html

Originally posted by Toy4x4Guy


Jeep Wagoneer axles are what everyone was using on the Taco. The Taco diff is on the driver's side.

Maybe a 1985 Toyota 4Runner axle could be used (I think they went IFS in 86'). Have you seen the All Pro Offroad website? That guy takes Toyota axles and puts Dana 60 knuckles on them. That is pretty cool, if you ask me. ;)

Originally posted by ScottG


Maybe a 1985 Toyota 4Runner axle could be used (I think they went IFS in 86'). Have you seen the All Pro Offroad website? That guy takes Toyota axles and puts Dana 60 knuckles on them. That is pretty cool, if you ask me. ;)

Toyota axles have the diff on the passengers side, they won't work on the Xterra without a xfer case change out. You're correct that 1985 was the last year of the solid axle Toyotas.

Have any of you guys looked into Nissan Patrol axles? Maybe they will work on the Xterra.

Patrols use the H233B up front.... That would make a FINE front axle. Nissan axles are very strong, they just don't put them in the front where they belong :( I believe the Patrol axles have the pumpkin on the passenger side though :(

http://communities.msn.com/NissanPatrolDiesel4x4drivers/photoalbum1.msnw?ACTION=SHOWPHOTO&PHOTOID=22%20File

Sweet!

Not sure on this, but I think that the early Ford Bronco has a front axle that could work. I think the pumpkin is on the driver's side and the track is close.

Dog

Originally posted by Toy4x4Guy


Yeah, alot of those Tacoma guys are pretty extreme. I would never do anything like that to a daily driver. Most of these guys are even still making payments on these vehicles as well. I admire them though, brass balls that's for sure. One took a ton of pictures of him torching off the IFS and grinding down the welds.

Some have gone all out with full exo cage, marlin dual t-cases, SAS, etc on vehicles as new a 1998 models.


I think I saw that flat bed Toyota in the 4 Wheel Adventure magazine put out by 4 Wheel Parts Wholesalers. They did an article about wheeling in the Lano River bottom near Austin, Texas.

Some of the guys on these Xterra boards are pretty extreme. I think in time we will be seeing solid axle swaps. Nissan hasn't had the offroad following Toyota has had, but we seem to be catching up. I'm hoping that by the time I'm ready to do more extreme stuff with my Xterra, there will be more ideas floating around.

The Patrol axle would be awesome if it will work. In the picture wqbang just posted, the pumpkin looks to be on the passener side.

Are those guys cutting the Wagoneer axles to fit a Toyota? I had thought that a Wagoneer was quite a bit wider than a Toyota.

Can't you just flip the axle over and put in a reverse-cut ring and pinion? Only other issue might be the steering setup, but that may be a simple fix.

Brent

Originally posted by OffroadX
Can't you just flip the axle over and put in a reverse-cut ring and pinion? Only other issue might be the steering setup, but that may be a simple fix.

Brent

I don't know. It doesn't sound like that would be a do it yourself job. Currie builds custom reverse rotation Ford 9 inch axles, but they are about $2,500.00.

Originally posted by ScottG


I think I saw that flat bed Toyota in the 4 Wheel Adventure magazine put out by 4 Wheel Parts Wholesalers. They did an article about wheeling in the Lano River bottom near Austin, Texas.

Some of the guys on these Xterra boards are pretty extreme. I think in time we will be seeing solid axle swaps. Nissan hasn't had the offroad following Toyota has had, but we seem to be catching up. I'm hoping that by the time I'm ready to do more extreme stuff with my Xterra, there will be more ideas floating around.

The Patrol axle would be awesome if it will work. In the picture wqbang just posted, the pumpkin looks to be on the passener side.

Are those guys cutting the Wagoneer axles to fit a Toyota? I had thought that a Wagoneer was quite a bit wider than a Toyota.

To my knowledge they are not cutting the axle down.

Originally posted by ScottG
FSRBiker mentioned doing this about a year ago. He was going to swap in a dana 44 from an old Bronco. Has he made any progress?

I have the front dana 44 out of a Scout sitting in my garage, but I don't have the balls to chop up my Xterra.

I read on Voy that the liberty in the picture has a dana 30. I wonder why they didn't use something stronger.

If I did not start EOE it would have been completed by now, it pains me to look at all the parts I bought and not having enough time for the swap. On an upside my wife has been nagging me lately on why I just don't take some vaction time and do the swap...hmmmm :) What I would not mind is having another well knowledged interested swap candidate give me a hand, for this I would be willing to get them parts for cost and lend them a hand and shop space for their swap.

BTW I have a Dana 44 out of an early Bronco and the plans are to swap the rear diff to a Ford 9" with discs. To upgrade the Nissan axle cost wise is a little ridiculous($450+ for just gears!) and since the rear will be a spring over and you are removing it anyway to do this I figured why not swap in a diff that after everything is completed saved you money...and open up the wheel choice possibilites(5 lug).

FSR,

A couple things to think about. The Nissan axle is as tough as a Ford. Gears may be cheaper, but do you REALLY need gears with a 4.62/1 ratio? Most Jeeps would bust a nut with that gear. If you get as close as you can to that ratio with the front Dana 44, you will have a monstrocity. Your problem is horsepower, not gear ratio. I would save the money and time on the Ford 9" and invest it in an engine combination. If you get the hp up, add in a crawl gear and dual lockers, you will have a serious @#$kicker even with 35" tires! Also, most hard core off-roaders use a 6 lug pattern on their trucks. The reason is for strength with the bigger tires. The extra lug spreads more of the torque applied and reduces the likelihood of busting lugs off. Something to think about.

With the nissan 4.62 ratio in combination with tranny, the Xterra's effective gearing about the same as other 4x4's. Lower gears would be quite effective at retrieving power lost to larger tire diameters.

No matter how much engine power you put in it, it doesn't make a difference if your crawl ratio sucks. 35's would be almost useless offroad (read rock crawling) in the Xterra without gearing to match, regardless of how much HP is on tap.

The problem with using the rear Nissan axle maybe finding gears for the front to match the rear. That 4.62 ratio (or whatever it is- I thought it was 5. something) sounds like an oddball size.

I saw some pictures last night of Currie's high pinion Ford 9 inch for a Jeep TJ. The pumkin is on the driver's side. It looks like it would work for a front swap, but it is unbelievably expensive. With disc brakes, gears, etc. it is over $3,000.00. YIKES!

Well our transfer case gearing options just might open up in the near future so swapping the rear diff might not be in the cards, I could invest some money into the motor to gain some horsepower which is not a bad idea...especially since my warranty will be just about useless after the swap anyaway. I have to check around again to see if there is a set of gears for the Dana that is close to the stock Nissan gear ratio, I just hate to sink that kind of money into the Nissan gears and then still be limited with locker choices(two fingers and two toes crossed that I have 31 spline axles)

Originally posted by warmonger
FSR,

Gears may be cheaper, but do you REALLY need gears with a 4.62/1 ratio? Most Jeeps would bust a nut with that gear. If you get as close as you can to that ratio with the front Dana 44, you will have a monstrocity.

Wouldn't you have to get exactly the same gears? That is unless you run different size tires front and back to make up for the difference.

My Scout axles have 4.67 gears. I haven't heard of 4.62 for a Dana 44. I would think you would need them to be exactly the same.

I was mistaken, the H233B (2000-2001) with LSD has 4.636 gears.

Originally posted by ScottG


Wouldn't you have to get exactly the same gears? That is unless you run different size tires front and back to make up for the difference.

My Scout axles have 4.67 gears. I haven't heard of 4.62 for a Dana 44. I would think you would need them to be exactly the same.

Actually no. Sand draggers use varied gear ratios all the time. They want a different torque level at the front wheels so they commonly put a different gear in the front. If you operate the truck in 4WD on hard pavement it will cause problems. But in slippage-type enviroments it will cause no issue as long as you get close. If you put a 4.56/1 ratio in the Dana and leave the 4.63 in the Nissan H233B, you are close enough that it will not be noticable.