Nismo torsion bars

2. Nismo torsion bars-- on a non-modified xterra, will these help in handling (stop wollow in corners, transition [aka,slalom], body lean)? will the ride be noticably stiffer?

i'm trying to find out if these are worth getting or will stiffer shocks improve handling enough?
thanks guys

Very few of the regulars around here have a completely 'non-modified' truck, but nonetheless--yes, the torsion bars will act just like stiffer springs in a car would (since that is all they are...)

Yes, the ride will be noticeably stiffer. Uncomfortably so? That depends on your definition of uncomfortable...I consider my truck just barely tolerable for long drives (6+ hours) when my Swampers are on. (Exhibit A in the argument for not selling my AT's off...)


In my opinion the reduction in body lean & brake dive make the t-bars worth it. Not sure about slaloming...with my tendency not to reconnect my front swaybars very often, I stay as far away from slalom manuevers as I can!!! :eek:

lol, not a racecar slalom1

if you have ever made the los angeles to northern calif. trek on PCH then you know what i mean by slalom- high speed (50-70mph) transitions on the 2 lane freeways.
anything to improve the body roll and composure on this type of driving while keeping my off-road ability once i get to my destination (probably why i would never buy anything more aggressive than a a/t tire).

thanks for the info.

Originally posted by gothamist
I consider my truck just barely tolerable for long drives (6+ hours) when my Swampers are on. (Exhibit A in the argument for not selling my AT's off...)



What shocks do you have? I barely feel the SSR's except in the morning when they're a bit flat on one side. I'll be rolling on carpet once I get my AT's.

I didn't really mean that the ride was terrible...Bilsteins in the front, Ranchos in the back, btw. It's more that the noise, bump-steer (no steering stabilizer yet), lack of highway power, and more noise (tire + a lot more wind noise now) make for a fatiguing highway cruise. I have no problem doing a 4 or even 6 hour jaunt, but if I sell of my AT's I'm going to be dreading the yearly visit to my parents in Maine at Christmas time...I usually make the drive up or down from here in one day. Part of the problem is I can't seem to use cruise control anymore, because I need to downshift quite frequently to stay caught up with 70-75mph traffic on I-95 or 81.

I know that by ditching completely my rear sway bar and adding the +20% Bilstien shocks that my ride has greatly improved. The truck going the same speed with stock shocks and rear swaybar connected had a lot more body lean in corners and more dive from highway speed stops! The washboards on the highway are also a lot smoother now. The stock shocks I think were completely inadequate! I only run my TSL Swampers on PNWX outing weekends to save wear and tear on them, but Schlud is right in saying that they have a nice flat spot in them till they warm up after 10 minutes or so of continuous driving!

Your TSL's are bias ply, right rrdstar? I know I've heard lots about the bias Swampers flat spotting.

What is really weird is that I have yet to experience any noticeable flat spotting with my SSR's, but yet Schlud has it with his SSR's, and Will (who runs 32x10.50 TSL/Radials) also encounters it. Strange...I'm starting to feel left out. ;)

Goth, you are correct sir! If I wasn't such a cheapskate this first tire purchase I would have got the TSL Radials or the SSR's!

Originally posted by gothamist
Your TSL's are bias ply, right rrdstar? I know I've heard lots about the bias Swampers flat spotting.

What is really weird is that I have yet to experience any noticeable flat spotting with my SSR's, but yet Schlud has it with his SSR's, and Will (who runs 32x10.50 TSL/Radials) also encounters it. Strange...I'm starting to feel left out. ;)

It's not REAL bad just noticeable for the first few miles.

While on this subject, (since we have no more tire forum) what have you guys experienced regarding cold weather bounce on your tires? Have you noticed it and what kind of tires and how bad? I know on both my Jeep and my Chevy I had it, but it seemed to be worse on the bias ply tires I had on my Chevy. My Jeep wasn't nearly as bad with the street radials on it (I had two sets of tires for the Jeep, both were mud, but the street tires were less aggressive radials). Both wore 33's. The Chevy used to do the heebie jeebies for the first 10 miles or so on cold days.