dentedvw
Wire twister
I've got a vehicle that nobody makes nearly anything for. It's an NV2500, 4x4, 3" lift. We use it quite a lot on rutty, bumpy, rocky trails and roads pretty often. I think it's for this reason that I have ruined the struts at only 50k.
It is really very awful at dirt road travel. For comparison though, our other vehicle is a Toyota PreRunner. Hardly a fair comparison. But, we use both on the same roads weekly. The toyota is still on it's original Bilsteins, after 180k. No excessive bobbing, or weird characteristics. It plain rips up this mountain. But, we use both. We will leave one vehicle at the bottom, and take one to the top. Then we fly paragiders as long as conditions allow, then drive the bottom vehicle up to retrieve. Often, I take a handful of other pilots too.
I understand that there will be only limited improvement in the ride on the Nissan, but honestly, the OEM struts are really shot. it bobs around alarmingly, even on pavement. My wife keeps bugging me about it. But, I don't want to replace with cheap junk, I want to do it correctly. Probably overheated them with constant rocky road abuse, suggested a passenger one day. I don't know much about this stuff, but I feel certain the OEM bits were made for traveling on pavement. It was originally a catering van, and despite the commercial showing the two dudes ripping through the desert, it's no Tacoma. Ha ha!
I would like to switch the front to coil overs, in the hopes that having some higher quality parts will last longer, and perhaps absorb the abuse better. I know there is no bolt on kits for this vehicle, I originally adapted Titan coil spacers in the front, but later when it was converted to 4x4, the shop used some steel spacers instead. I was hoping that by using coilovers I might gain a small amount of articulation as well.
In the rear, I am hoping I can use different leafs, maybe something longer, or suggestions welcome. Currently, it's only got lift blocks. The shop used some shocks intended for lifted tacomas (I checked the part number) and they don't even fit properly. They rattle around, loose on the lower mount. Incorrect bushings. I would like to remedy that as well.
Since having it converted to 4x4, it's slightly heavier, and I think this is contributing to the way it hits the bumpstops hard, and often, compared to before. There was no change of the springs, front or rear.
Thoughts, suggestions?
I've called several local shops (Salt Lake City) but all that I have spoken to are only interested in working on easy vehicles with bolt on kits. This isn't exactly like that. It will take someone with some skill, and experience with custom applications. Even if the coilovers are off the shelf items, the brackets won't be. Or is there a place I can buy pre made bits, and have them welded on? Is there a "bucket" I can install on the front strut mount to accommodate a coilover, perhaps?
It is really very awful at dirt road travel. For comparison though, our other vehicle is a Toyota PreRunner. Hardly a fair comparison. But, we use both on the same roads weekly. The toyota is still on it's original Bilsteins, after 180k. No excessive bobbing, or weird characteristics. It plain rips up this mountain. But, we use both. We will leave one vehicle at the bottom, and take one to the top. Then we fly paragiders as long as conditions allow, then drive the bottom vehicle up to retrieve. Often, I take a handful of other pilots too.
I understand that there will be only limited improvement in the ride on the Nissan, but honestly, the OEM struts are really shot. it bobs around alarmingly, even on pavement. My wife keeps bugging me about it. But, I don't want to replace with cheap junk, I want to do it correctly. Probably overheated them with constant rocky road abuse, suggested a passenger one day. I don't know much about this stuff, but I feel certain the OEM bits were made for traveling on pavement. It was originally a catering van, and despite the commercial showing the two dudes ripping through the desert, it's no Tacoma. Ha ha!
I would like to switch the front to coil overs, in the hopes that having some higher quality parts will last longer, and perhaps absorb the abuse better. I know there is no bolt on kits for this vehicle, I originally adapted Titan coil spacers in the front, but later when it was converted to 4x4, the shop used some steel spacers instead. I was hoping that by using coilovers I might gain a small amount of articulation as well.
In the rear, I am hoping I can use different leafs, maybe something longer, or suggestions welcome. Currently, it's only got lift blocks. The shop used some shocks intended for lifted tacomas (I checked the part number) and they don't even fit properly. They rattle around, loose on the lower mount. Incorrect bushings. I would like to remedy that as well.
Since having it converted to 4x4, it's slightly heavier, and I think this is contributing to the way it hits the bumpstops hard, and often, compared to before. There was no change of the springs, front or rear.
Thoughts, suggestions?
I've called several local shops (Salt Lake City) but all that I have spoken to are only interested in working on easy vehicles with bolt on kits. This isn't exactly like that. It will take someone with some skill, and experience with custom applications. Even if the coilovers are off the shelf items, the brackets won't be. Or is there a place I can buy pre made bits, and have them welded on? Is there a "bucket" I can install on the front strut mount to accommodate a coilover, perhaps?