2nd Gen INFINITI QX56/QX80 Build

[leeleatherwood]

2011 Infiniti QX56
No HBMC (knew I wanted aftermarket suspension)
VQ56VD 400hp/410 torques
7 Speed Automatic
Auto/4hi/4low
IRS/IFS
Paid $18,000







Current Mods:
Icon Compression Wheels
Toyo MT 37x13.5x17 Tires
CBI Moab 2.0 Bumper (modified)
Smittybilt X2O 9500 Winch with Synthetic line
SPC Upper Control Arms
Dobinsons C45-357 Rear Coil Springs
2" Nisstec Xterra Body Lift
4x Innovations Tacoma Double Cab DOM Rock Sliders
Hefty Radiator, Engine, Transmission, Tcase Skid Plates (modified)
1.25" Wheel Spacers
Patrol y62 Snorkel
King y62 Patrol Coilovers with Compression Adjusters
King y62 Patrol Rear Shocks with Compression Adjusters
Air Lift 1000 HD Airbags (60818 for Dodge RAM 1500)
PRG Rear Subframe Drop


Future Plans:
Drawer/Organization system
Secondary Electrical System with additional battery and 3000w inverter.
Onboard Air
Dual Exhaust with Magnaflow Crossflow muffler
Rear bumper with tire carrier
MaxTrax


Trips Taken:
Yosemite Valley, CA - March 2019
GONE Moab - May 2019
WCORA Lost Coast Adventure (NorCal) - June 2019
Kings Canyon & Sequoia National Forest, CA - July 2019
WCORA Yosemite Backcountry - August 2019
WCORA Death Valley - January 2020
Imogene Pass - July 2020
Moab, UT - July 2020

Trips Planned:
GONE Moab 2021
WENTWINDROCK 10

 

[leeleatherwood]

80" Rock Sliders for Double Cab Tacoma

 

[leeleatherwood]

SPC UCA's add like 2" of droop... notch coil buckets for 1" more droop.

 

[leeleatherwood]

Making sure these 17" Icon wheels clear the brake calipers, they do.

Tires mounted. Toyo RT's 37x13.5x17

37's no lift! This drove fine around town lol.

 

[XJLI]

YES

 

[leeleatherwood]

2 of the Tacoma CBI Moab 2.0 bumper slots lined up with the QX56 bumper mounts, but the frame rails were wider and the rest of the holes didnt line up.

It was easy to just cut off the mount locations of the bumper and weld on some custom ones. Decision was made do just do the same to the frame as well since it would be stronger that way. I also decided to chop the frame rails back 2" to get the bumper as close to wheels as possible for best approach angle. It turned out very nice I think.

 

[docwatson]

Awesome build

 

[nickw]

Impressive! Can you school us (me) on the diffs in these suckers? What size are the stock ones and why swap to Patrol diffs? I've looked high and low to figure out the size but have never been able to find data.

 

[leeleatherwood]

Impressive! Can you school us (me) on the diffs in these suckers? What size are the stock ones and why swap to Patrol diffs? I've looked high and low to figure out the size but have never been able to find data.

Hi Nick.

Front:

The stock front diff is R180, same as from Nissan Frontier and Xterra. It is weak even in the Frontier and Xterra and a very popular upgrade is to the m205 diff from Nissan Titan.
Aluminum case that cracks quickly when loaded in reverse and broken CV's where they enter the differential are the main points of failure.

R180
180mm (7") ring gear
27 Spline / 1.09" Shaft Diameter
Aluminum Housing


Upgrade Path 1) m205 differential from 2008+ Nissan Titan or Armada. Substantially stronger and the CV's are bolt on so they are very easy to change if one goes out. Still has thin aluminum case that is prone to cracking when loaded in reverse but as long as you are aware of this issue you can avoid it for the most-part.

M205
205mm (8") ring gear
30 Spline / 1.29" Shaft Diameter
Aluminum Housing


Upgrade Path 2) Patrol y62 C200K from V8 (They offer V6 in Patrols in some counties). This is the IFS version of the C200K rear axle. The housing is Iron and the CV's are significantly larger. The downside is that they are not available in the US so they will need to be imported.

C200K (IFS)
200mm (8") ring gear
34 Spline / 1.37" Shaft Diameter
Iron Housing

 

[leeleatherwood]

Rear:

The stock rear diff is the R230, same as from the 1st Gen Armadas/QX56 and R51 Pathfinders. I have not really seen much bad things about these.

R230
230mm (9") ring gear
33 Spline / 1.31" Shaft Diameter
Iron Housing


Upgrade Path 1) R248 differential from V8 y62 Patrol. Higher spline count and larger CV shaft diameter, plus they come with ELocker/LSD rear end from the factory. (Has LSD when not locked!)

R248
248mm (9.76") ring gear
34 Spline / 1.37" Shaft Diameter
Iron Housing
Factory Elocker/LSD

 

[leeleatherwood]

Information can mostly be found here in ARB's application guide as well as various other sources I managed to google.

https://www.arb.com.au/assets/air-lockers/application_chart.pdf

 

[nickw]

Thanks for

Hi Nick.

Front:

The stock front diff is R180, same as from Nissan Frontier and Xterra. It is weak even in the Frontier and Xterra and a very popular upgrade is to the m205 diff from Nissan Titan.
Aluminum case that cracks quickly when loaded in reverse and broken CV's where they enter the differential are the main points of failure.

R180
180mm (7") ring gear
27 Spline / 1.09" Shaft Diameter
Aluminum Housing


Upgrade Path 1) m205 differential from 2008+ Nissan Titan or Armada. Substantially stronger and the CV's are bolt on so they are very easy to change if one goes out. Still has thin aluminum case that is prone to cracking when loaded in reverse but as long as you are aware of this issue you can avoid it for the most-part.

M205
205mm (8") ring gear
30 Spline / 1.29" Shaft Diameter
Aluminum Housing


Upgrade Path 2) Patrol y62 C200K from V8 (They offer V6 in Patrols in some counties). This is the IFS version of the C200K rear axle. The housing is Iron and the CV's are significantly larger. The downside is that they are not available in the US so they will need to be imported.

C200K (IFS)
200mm (8") ring gear
34 Spline / 1.37" Shaft Diameter
Iron Housing

Thanks for the reply....I'm confused, the ARB literature says M205 for front diff on the 2004+ Armadas...would that be the same with yours?

 

[leeleatherwood]

Thanks for


Thanks for the reply....I'm confused, the ARB literature says M205 for front diff on the 2004+ Armadas...would that be the same with yours?

The ARB doesnt seem to account for the US spec version of the 2011+ QX56/QX80 nor the new Armada.

EDIT: For clarification, I have a 2006 Frontier and have experience with the platform. I know the R180 and can identify it easily just by looking at it. Every 2nd Gen Armada/QX56/QX80 I have looked at has an R180. Even brand new 2019 models at the dealership.

 

[leeleatherwood]

Automatic Hatch lighting.

 

[leeleatherwood]

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