CALMini's awesome Hard-body...

[MattRX]

I have the Calmini suspension for the front and the Calmini steering...The steering, well, I wish it could be better but it works...the suspension is very solid but I wish it came with grease zerks.

I know a few people that had some issues with Calmini customer service but I can honestly say anytime I needed anything they helped as best they could and even helped me save a few bucks in the process.

It's difficult being one of a handful of manufacturers and making everyone happy. We all have different personalities and everyone can get rubbed the wrong way. Me? I'm a satisfied customer and will go back to them if and when the money comes available.

Digging that seriously cool flatbed! I've considered the solid axle swap but am holding on to the IFS for now. Maybe someday.

I like the flatbed too. I wondered if they sold them, I called and they don't. Still very cool rig.

 

[4Rescue]

Yeah, the flat-bed is REALLY neat eh... I'm glad to hear more folks chime in with some positives for Cal Mini... Like Casper said and I echoed, there are SO few After-market options for Nissan and Isuzu... THey need to be kept alive. plus IMO anything that has you MODIFY the factory suspension means YOU need to be aware that there might be some things to keep an eye on. You can't just replace a whole suspension system and think it's "set it and FOrget it" ... That NEVER works out quite the way you planned. If I had just put my BJ spacers and not gone back to check to see if they'd worked loose then blamed the manu. for ME not checking the wear and tear... Well, that would be stupid.

Cheers

Dave

 

[ddawson]

I can't comment on the Calmini SAS kit, as I'm IFS, but I do have a few of their components on my ride (1999 Frontier V6 4x4). I have their upper control arms, offroad steering, prerunner bumper, and shackles. I find their products work well for my truck and it's use. (I use it for surfing/fishing/camping and long distance Baja exploration. I don't do any rockcrawling.)

The upper control arms have worked well for me. So far, no issues with them. My only complaint is that their powder coating seriously sucks. It was getting nasty so I had them blasted and re-powder coated flat black.

Their offroad steering is ok. I modded mine with a spherical bearing where the idler brace is and it has done it's job so far. Nissan's original steering setup sucked and this helped my issues. I have been running this steering for about two years with about 30k miles put on so far (my truck is my daily driver).

The prerunner bumper is ok. I originally wanted an ARB, however, someone was selling this at a great price that I couldn't pass up. It works great as my lightbar and has survived many miles of Baja backroads.

Everytime I have called them, the guy on the phone has been super helpful.

 

[AYIAPhoto]

4Rescue,
I have no experience with Calmini myself but many have had this problem with the design of the SAS kit and instructions.
http://www.nissanoffroad.net/messageboard/index.php?topic=1321.0

You'll notice that thread is about the coil-over Xterra/Frontier, where the Hard-body SAS uses leaf springs.
That doesn't excuse any design flaws in the Xterra/Frontier system, but a leaf spring swap is pretty hard to screw up. It looks like just as viable an option for older Nissan owners as the many Toyota mini truck leaf sprung SAS's out there.

 

[Alpine Spirit]

I have a few of the calmini parts scattered around the truck and used as designed No issues. But if you push it beyond those designs you better start redesigning and expect it to start wearing out.

That Hardbody is sweet, checked it out a few years ago in Moab. Flexes well and steers great.

 

[KINGSIZE]

Blah!

 

[Alpine Spirit]

Yep that kit needs all of the brackets welded onto the axle, small details make a big difference.

Hey Kingsize... have you guys ever thought about manufacturing that bumper? Seems like it would fit on the Hardbody and older Pathys.