just some advice on lifted hardbodys

ahardb0dy · Sep 22nd, 2004, 11:45 PM

Just wanted to share this with anyone that owns a hardbody style 4x4 ( may apply to all nissan 4x4's also) when lifting the suspension using new upper control arms, or ball joint spacers, you should check the holes in the frame where the strut rods connect for wear ( rod goes from rear of the lower control arm to the frame, has a bushing on each side of the strut rod bracket), I know from experience on my 87 that the holes in the bracket can become oblonged ( no longer round) which causes play and I'm sure would effect the alignment, I had 4 plates made with the stock diameter holes punched into them and a friend welded the plates over the existing bracket both on the front and back of the bracket. this fixed the wear problem, just wanted to post this infomation

mookie · Sep 22nd, 2004, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahardb0dy

Just wanted to share this with anyone that owns a hardbody style 4x4 ( may apply to all nissan 4x4's also) when lifting the suspension using new upper control arms, or ball joint spacers, you should check the holes in the frame where the strut rods connect for wear ( rod goes from rear of the lower control arm to the frame, has a bushing on each side of the strut rod bracket), I know from experience on my 87 that the holes in the bracket can become oblonged ( no longer round) which causes play and I'm sure would effect the alignment, I had 4 plates made with the stock diameter holes punched into them and a friend welded the plates over the existing bracket both on the front and back of the bracket. this fixed the wear problem, just wanted to post this infomation

Just to add, once the bushings wear out, it will wear down your compression rod to pencil thin or smaller before it snaps as it's metal on metal.
Over on the AC board, the common fix to the oblonged holes is a bearing and weld it in - though I can't recall the bearing part number.

Thanks for sharing