lamontagne
Adventurer
Well, its been awhile now since I installed new springs and shocks on my 2005 Frontier crew cab so thought it time to come back with a progress report.
To recap quickly...the stock stuff in the truck to totally blown out, it was like riding in buick, not a truck. So the first thing I did was call up RuggedRocks for some Bilstein 5100 adjustables in front and mono-tubes in the rear. Price was right, shipping was fast. Then I went over to Will at Sierra Expeditions to pick up a set of OME medium coils. The install was.....problematic. The Bilstiens were designed to use stock coils and as such were not designed for an extended, firmer coil. They achieve lift by compressing the coils with a retainer held in with a snap-ring that fits into machined grooves every 1/2in, giving you options of 0-2.5in of lift. It took a heavy duty press at a machine shop to compress the OME coils enough to install them on the shock....at the 1in lift height.
The rears were super easy, unbolt old, bolt in new. The stone protectors on the Bilstiens were nice touch
When it all done and put back together, I dropped the jack and....
WOW was that front high! I measured before and now after it was 6 inches higher. It was WAY too tall. Off they came off again. At least it faster this time since I knew what I doing and all of the bolts didn't need PB Blaster to get them out.
My resolution? I cut one wrap of coil off the spring and set the shock to 0in lift. Reinstall was quick, new height? 2.75in lift over stock. Perfect!
I had a local guy bend me up a set of 1.5in extended shackles for the rear and the truck sat nice and level.
I installed a set Hankook DynaPro ATM's in 285/75-16 on a set of factory NISMO wheels and called it done.
Almost a year later and I still couldn't be happier. The ride is firm on the little stuff but really shines when it gets rough. Handling is much more predictable than before, body lean is minimal as is brake dive. Best part, it doesn't "look" lifted. It's just enough to fit 285's with zero rubbing and fit the fenderwells perfectly. The tires have been fantastic too. I've put 16,000 miles on them and they still look new(ish). The have great grip on all surfaces I have used them in. Even wet, traction is predictable.
I know some may scoff at my cutting the springs for this install. It was not a rash decision, but rather a calculated one made after consulting several poeple much smarter than myself. The spring rate was decreased by an estimated 15% but this still exceeds the stockers.
While I am very happy with the result, If I were to do it again I would not have used the Bilstien shocks. I would have used a set OME shocks matched and engineered to the OME coils.
To recap quickly...the stock stuff in the truck to totally blown out, it was like riding in buick, not a truck. So the first thing I did was call up RuggedRocks for some Bilstein 5100 adjustables in front and mono-tubes in the rear. Price was right, shipping was fast. Then I went over to Will at Sierra Expeditions to pick up a set of OME medium coils. The install was.....problematic. The Bilstiens were designed to use stock coils and as such were not designed for an extended, firmer coil. They achieve lift by compressing the coils with a retainer held in with a snap-ring that fits into machined grooves every 1/2in, giving you options of 0-2.5in of lift. It took a heavy duty press at a machine shop to compress the OME coils enough to install them on the shock....at the 1in lift height.
The rears were super easy, unbolt old, bolt in new. The stone protectors on the Bilstiens were nice touch
When it all done and put back together, I dropped the jack and....
WOW was that front high! I measured before and now after it was 6 inches higher. It was WAY too tall. Off they came off again. At least it faster this time since I knew what I doing and all of the bolts didn't need PB Blaster to get them out.
My resolution? I cut one wrap of coil off the spring and set the shock to 0in lift. Reinstall was quick, new height? 2.75in lift over stock. Perfect!
I had a local guy bend me up a set of 1.5in extended shackles for the rear and the truck sat nice and level.
I installed a set Hankook DynaPro ATM's in 285/75-16 on a set of factory NISMO wheels and called it done.
Almost a year later and I still couldn't be happier. The ride is firm on the little stuff but really shines when it gets rough. Handling is much more predictable than before, body lean is minimal as is brake dive. Best part, it doesn't "look" lifted. It's just enough to fit 285's with zero rubbing and fit the fenderwells perfectly. The tires have been fantastic too. I've put 16,000 miles on them and they still look new(ish). The have great grip on all surfaces I have used them in. Even wet, traction is predictable.
I know some may scoff at my cutting the springs for this install. It was not a rash decision, but rather a calculated one made after consulting several poeple much smarter than myself. The spring rate was decreased by an estimated 15% but this still exceeds the stockers.
While I am very happy with the result, If I were to do it again I would not have used the Bilstien shocks. I would have used a set OME shocks matched and engineered to the OME coils.
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