Since you dont want much, if any, lift for the time being, have you thought about the helwig helper springs? I know many members run them and are happy with them. Cheap and shouldnt affect ride height. Good luck.

 

I definitely think that Alcans are overkill if you don't want lift and do mostly road driving. If you want to maintain stock height or have no lift, your options become cheaper.

Since your springs are still new-ish, I would also recommend helper springs. Very easy to install and relatively cheap.

Or you could try those General Spring ones. I'm not sure who has done that yet. Someone has had to... be our guinea pig :snorting:

 

I spoke with someone at General spring on the phone, and they said that even their "stock replacement" spring pack should not have the sagging/ weakening over time problem as the oems. if you only want a small lift i would say their HD pack is about as cost effective as it gets.

one member bought a set of the general HDs a while back and was happy with them, iirc they said they got 1" over stock height.

you could also go with the Medium Duty OME leafs, most people that have installed them are pretty happy, they should give about 1.5" over stock height.

I'm running the OME HD pack, and while they are a bit stiff when new, once they wear in a bit they are very good, but be aware that the standard "X inches" of lift shock setups work for them as they do not compress as far as the same height stock pack would, and thus require slightly longer shocks to allow them to flex by extending more rather than by compressing like the stockers tend to do.

 

I personally would not upgrade nor lift the rear without a matching upgrade to the front at the same time. So the Generals would be my choice if you're just doing the rear.

OR... just get Timbren bump stops and keep your OEM setup for a couple years, then upgrade the front and rear suspension at the same time.
http://www.thenewx.org/forum/14-suspension-steering/91-timbren-bump-stops.html

And another link for a different version of these.
http://www.thenewx.org/forum/70-pro...orum/70-product-reviews/186985-review-new-timbren-active-offroad-bumpstops.html

 

No lift but need load capacity and bottom out resistance?

- Timbren SES (load capacity and bottom out control without affecting ride is exactly what they are made to do and the do it fantastically. They are also offroad friendly as you cant hurt them)

- Air bags (load capacity and bottom out control, and adjustable. not as offroad friendly as they limit articulation and can get damaged. Also can get damaged if vehicle is put on lift. So definitely not set and forget, and need some precautions at times.)

Edit: both these options are an excellent match for stock from suspension

 

My 2 cents.

I'm pretty lucky to have a REALLY well regarded local spring shop, Stuver Spring in Akron, OH. They're one of those mom and pop spring shops that have been around for decades, a place all the garages refer folks to. Your situation sounds like a job best done by a local specialist rather than a buy and bolt on type of fix. In addition to having something completely custom built for your truck, you'll likely save a good bit of coin while you're at it. Springs aren't voodoo, and they aren't particularly exclusive to any one truck. A good spring shop stocks, modifies, and builds their own spring packs for all makes and models of truck. That's the route I'm going when I'm ready, rather than shell out $700 for Alcans and pray they do what I want them to do.

A good spring shop can build you a new pack from scratch giving you as much or little lift as you want, and the comfort and riding characteristics you're looking for. But having a reputable one local to you is key. My shop, Stuver, is so old school they don't even accept appointments, first come first serve every day. Cranky old guys in the front, helpful, skilled, friendly and well compensated techs in the back.

 

Thanks for all the input everyone, im going to give the HD Rear Leaf Springs Nissan Xterra 2005-2013 | General Spring set up and see how it works. I'll probably attempt to install them on my own, unless i can find a shop that will install them cheap enough. Does anyone have any recommendations for bushings? Are bushings pretty much universal? or do some leaf packs use different bushings than others? i was thinking of using OME Dakar Spring Bushings - Nisstec Lifts: Nissan Lift Kits: XTerra Lift Kits, Frontier Lift Kits, Titan Lift Kits, Nissan Truck Lift Kits with the General Spring setup. im like 95% sure that bushings are universal, but never hurts to get confirmation!

Cheers

 

I would get the bushings on General's site that they say are needed. Then you know they will fit and may be needed for them to cover any warranty claims you may have.

 

It's simple

1. If you want to lift then do the OME leafs or other similar leafs

2. If you do not want to lift then get leaf assists and Timbren bumpstops which is what i did and it doesn't bottom out anymore even with 3 people in the back, cargo full of gear, on and off road.

Obviously staying stock height would be the least expensive if you're looking to save money. The leaf assist will increase load carrying capacity and prevent sagging leafs. This combined with the Timbren bumsptops will solve the problem on and off road. You can get both for $250 and its easy to install.

 

Re-reading the thread, I gotta concur with those who suggest a pair of Helwig's or the knock off version sold at Advance Auto Parts for something like $30 grand total. Then maybe 30 minutes to install em. They were a sufficient enough band aid to keep my 90,000 mile old stock leaf pack from bottoming out with the weight of a 400 lb motorcycle directly on the tongue. You stated this is a DD and you do little to no OR. I don't see the point in throwing $350 plus shop labor to install em, unless you just like spending $$$. (that's not a snark..... I like spending $$$ I don't need to spend on my toys as well). But armor, HID'S, LED's, car audio etc is more gratifying. Again imho. I'm still rolling with a stock pack, Nisstec AAL, Helwig knock offs, Bilstein 5100's and Firestone airbags and still hauling my scoot around the country with no issues.

 

I ended up going with the HD Rear Leaf Springs Nissan Xterra 2005-2013 | General Spring because of the increase in payload they offer (not to mention the good value). I failed to mention in my original post that I do a decent amount of towing (nothing major, just a ~4000 lbs boat/trailer a couple times a month). I agree that helwig's (or something similar) would probably be enough for my daily use. But luckily I have a separate account that I put a small amount of money into every month or so, that's dedicated just to my X (so the ~$400 has no effect on my budget). I'm probably going to be installing the leafs myself as well, looks easy enough and i'm not worried about any of the bolts being rusted shut, so i'll save ~$150-$200 there. Luckily General Spring isn't too far away from where I attend university, so shipping was only ~$70. In total I spent ~$400, and they will be here in ~2 days (tracking number shows they should be here by 10/26/16). I'll probably install them that weekend and i'll make a new post with my opinions of how the springs are working out. I'm hoping that this was a better choice, as i think the HD springs will do better than helper springs or something similar while towing.

Thanks for the input though!

 

In for results. I have been debating new leafs for my 2011 pro-4x. drove from FL to MD with 4 people plus a cooler and bags. needless to say, it was a pretty harsh ride.

 

I just ordered a set of the HD leaf springs from General Spring of Kansas to install on my 06 Off Road with 160k miles.

I placed the order over the weekend and they arrived earlier today.

Pretty weird that they come individually and not in any boxes....UPS stickers placed on the leaf springs themselves.

I am currently PB blasting the heck out of all fasteners before getting started with the installation of the leaf packs.

I will be back in a few weeks to report on everything.

Pretty much cost $397 for 2 x HD leafs , 4 bushings, and shipping.

Great deal if you ask me because they look way more substantial than OE.

I bottom out going over parking lot speed bumps currently.

 

I was looking at those too. Might upgrade to them in the future, but I ended up getting the Pep Boys Overleaf Helper Springs for about $30 and figured it couldn't hurt for the money. I'll post up what I observe after a few weeks.

 

Sort of off topic/thread hijack...anyone who has installed the OME Dakar leaf springs, how much lift did you see when unloaded? I'm going to replace mine, I'm pretty sure I've settled on these but want to know how much I should plan to lift the front. Advertised as lifting the rear 1.5-2" so I'm thinking a 1.5" spacer would be appropriate? I don't tow or usually carry a lot of people/weight but sometimes there are 3 of us in the X, with my dogs in the back.

 

Are you looking to get the HD or MD setup? After installing the MD OME kit I got about 1.75" front and 1.25" rear. More info here:

http://www.thenewx.org/forum/14-sus...7546-old-man-emu-ome-install-initial-thoughts-1000-mile-update.html#post2977594

 

General Spring HD leaf review

Hey guys, as promised here is my review of the HD Rear Leaf Springs Nissan Xterra 2005-2013 | General Spring leafs after driving on them for a couple days. Keep in mind there will be absolutely nothing scientific in this review.

I recently purchased the HD Rear Leaf Springs Nissan Xterra 2005-2013 | General Spring to replace the stock leaf springs on my 2015 Pro-4X with 24k miles on it.

Performance: Before switching to these leafs, I was bottoming out the stock springs with 4 people + gear in the car. I payed $392 for both leafs, and 4 bushings (this price includes shipping). I received the springs 2 days after I placed my order Monday morning and the springs were at my front door by wednesday afternoon. I installed them over the weekend before i took a short fishing trip, and i noticed a huge difference. To start with the ride in my opinion has been significantly improved. The car feels much more stable around corners, there feels like there is less body roll, but most importantly these leafs have increased payload capacity of the X. I had 4 people in my car, including gear AND i was towing a ~4000lb trailer/boat set up and it felt great. It feels like I'm driving a full sized pickup truck in terms of how the rear leafs feel. They are stiffer when the car is unloaded, but not too stiff. Bumps are a little more pronounced, but they are by no means uncomfortable. I actually prefer the feeling of the stiffer ride, it makes the truck feel sturdier. During the trip the car felt sturdier on the road and even going over some bigger bumps a little too fast, I did not bottom out. It added about 1" of lift to the rear of the truck when unloaded, but when loaded, it did not squat much (i didn't take measurements fully loaded, sue me). I was also having issues with my stock springs, as when they got dirty they sounded like a 30 year old farm truck. While these springs did not get filthy, I drove through some mud and coated the leafs in dirt, and i'm glad to say that there is absolutely no noise coming from them.

Appearance: The 1" lift is slightly noticeable, but it does make the Xterra look a little bit more rugged. The HD leafs are heavier than the stock leafs, but they are also built better. They are made out of a heavier material, as well as each leaf being thicker than the stock leafs. You can definitely see the fact that they are a HD springs. The paint that comes on the leafs does appear to be a little thin, so if you live in an environment with lots of salt/snow I would recommend adding some high quality high temperature engine paint onto them, just to add to the longevity of the springs.

Shipping: Ordered the spring monday morning and they were on my doorstep wednesday afternoon (they ship from kansas and I am currently located in Oklahoma). The leafs come with no wrapping, they are just opened to the world. If you purchase bushings, they install them into the leafs for you. They were just slightly scratched up from shipping, but nothing terrible. I wish they used some form of protection over the springs, even if it was just cheap bubble wrap.

Conclusion: Overall, I am very happy with these springs. I have only had them for a couple days, so i will update this review in a new post in about a month or so.

Update (2/27/17): I was up in wolf creek, CO during january for a ski trip with some friends . On the 1200 mile drive up from Houston, TX, i had 4 People (4 full grown men) in my car, the truck completely stuffed with gear (~120lbs of gear) and then over ~100lbs of gear on my luggage hitch box. I had ~1/2 inch sag during the drive. When we arrived on the mountain, my car was the only car able to make it up the pass (the other vehicle was a camaro) so i had 6 full grown men in the cab of the vehicle (1 guy got the trunk). I then had all of our ski gear in the luggage rack at the back of the car. I had ~1inch sag with 6 full grown men (~1200lbs) in the vehicle during 5 degree (fahrenheit) weather. In my opinion, these leafs will easily handle any gear/amount of people loaded up in the vehicle. At its lowest point, my vehicle was completely level (front and rear were same height). The ride with 6 people in it felt like riding on stock springs, it was nice and soft and even hitting potholes hidden under the snow never felt like it was struggling. I personally like the ride of the springs when they are not under heavy load. I like the stiffer ride, feels more like a 1500hd truck. Fully loaded it felt more like a suburban. Ill attach a couple pictures of the trip, just because of how beautiful it was up there.

 

Hey guys, as promised here is my review of the HD Rear Leaf Springs Nissan Xterra 2005-2013 | General Spring leafs after driving on them for a couple days. Keep in mind there will be absolutely nothing scientific in this review.

I recently purchased the HD Rear Leaf Springs Nissan Xterra 2005-2013 | General Spring to replace the stock leaf springs on my 2015 Pro-4X with 24k miles on it.

Performance: Before switching to these leafs, I was bottoming out the stock springs with 4 people + gear in the car. I payed $392 for both leafs, and 4 bushings (this price includes shipping). I received the springs 2 days after I placed my order Monday morning and the springs were at my front door by wednesday afternoon. I installed them over the weekend before i took a short fishing trip, and i noticed a huge difference. To start with the ride in my opinion has been significantly improved. The car feels much more stable around corners, there feels like there is less body roll, but most importantly these leafs have increased payload capacity of the X. I had 4 people in my car, including gear AND i was towing a ~4000lb trailer/boat set up and it felt great. It feels like I'm driving a full sized pickup truck in terms of how the rear leafs feel. They are stiffer when the car is unloaded, but not too stiff. Bumps are a little more pronounced, but they are by no means uncomfortable. I actually prefer the feeling of the stiffer ride, it makes the truck feel sturdier. During the trip the car felt sturdier on the road and even going over some bigger bumps a little too fast, I did not bottom out. It added about 1" of lift to the rear of the truck when unloaded, but when loaded, it did not squat much (i didn't take measurements fully loaded, sue me). I was also having issues with my stock springs, as when they got dirty they sounded like a 30 year old farm truck. While these springs did not get filthy, I drove through some mud and coated the leafs in dirt, and i'm glad to say that there is absolutely no noise coming from them.

Appearance: The 1" lift is slightly noticeable, but it does make the Xterra look a little bit more rugged. The HD leafs are heavier than the stock leafs, but they are also built better. They are made out of a heavier material, as well as each leaf being thicker than the stock leafs. You can definitely see the fact that they are a HD springs. The paint that comes on the leafs does appear to be a little thin, so if you live in an environment with lots of salt/snow I would recommend adding some high quality high temperature engine paint onto them, just to add to the longevity of the springs.

Shipping: Ordered the spring monday morning and they were on my doorstep wednesday afternoon (they ship from kansas and I am currently located in Oklahoma). The leafs come with no wrapping, they are just opened to the world. If you purchase bushings, they install them into the leafs for you. They were just slightly scratched up from shipping, but nothing terrible. I wish they used some form of protection over the springs, even if it was just cheap bubble wrap.

Conclusion: Overall, I am very happy with these springs. I have only had them for a couple days, so i will update this review in a new post in about a month or so.

Great review, I'm thinking of going this route for my 2011 Pro-4x with 73k miles. I feel like it could benefit from them. Just debating on the regular or HD version. I don't do any towing, typically the only person in the back seat is our 17 month old daughter in her car seat. I do load up the cargo area though for trips and when I go wheeling.

 

I did the OME HD Dakar Springs in the back, with super saggy Original front Springs and struts it does sit nose heavy. But with a mild lift, or even stock replacement struts/Springs I think it would be ok.

As it sits now even with the worn out front suspension it rides great, either empty or with 4 people, camping gear to the gills and 2 kayaks on top.

For reference the rear is 3" higher than the front measuring to the wheel arch. A big part of this is the front being so saggy too...

 

How have those rear springs been working for you? How do you like them?

 

I've got OME/Dakar HD leaf springs as well. Had them since the end of August. So far very little sag and I wheel pretty hard. I also have it loaded all the time with something- whether it be gear or wood or whatever.

Gave 2.5-3" of lift for my vehicle, closer to 3" of lift because my stock leafs were actually broken and sagging (missing chunks of leafspring).

 

Hey guys, so went up Tray Mountain today and on the way back down the hill I broke a stock leaf and it was a absolute bitch to fix in 20 degrees nearing dark with a hammer, two jacks, 5 guys and paracord+duct tape. anyways got her off the mountain in 1st limping along. They were due for an upgrade anyways, so the general springs seems the most cost effective route especially with a ski trip coming up, my question is will the hd ones support a rear bumper and tired carrier? I don't tow often, so that isn't as much of a concern, just the saggy rear due to the maxterra

thanks for the help, Ill attract a pic of the leaf for ur entertainment.

 

Hey man, sorry for the super late reply. I have not been very active lately. To answer your question, yes it will easily handle it. I was up in wolf creek, CO during january for a ski trip with some friends (actually i arrived the same day you made this post). On the 1200 mile drive up from Houston, TX, i had 4 People (4 full grown men) in my car, the truck completely stuffed with gear (~120lbs of gear) and then over ~100lbs of gear on my luggage hitch box. I had ~1/2 inch sag during the drive. When we arrived on the mountain, my car was the only car able to make it up the pass (the other vehicle was a camaro) so i had 6 full grown men in the cab of the vehicle (1 guy got the trunk). I then had all of our ski gear in the luggage rack at the back of the car. I had ~1inch sag with 6 full grown men (~1200lbs) in the vehicle during 5 degree (fahrenheit) weather. In my opinion, these leafs will easily handle your bumper and any gear/amount of people loaded up in the vehicle. At its lowest point, my vehicle was completely level (front and rear were same height). The ride with 6 people in it felt like riding on stock springs, it was nice and soft and even hitting potholes hidden under the snow never felt like it was struggling. I personally like the ride of the springs when they are not under heavy load. I like the stiffer ride, feels more like a 1500hd truck. Fully loaded it felt more like a suburban. Hopefully this advice isn't too late!

I would be 100% confident it would handle a tire carrier and armour on your Xterra. Let me know if you need anything.

 

I'm also looking at options for springs, and the generals look like a good option, but I'm interested in about 2 inches of lift. Curious how the heavy duty springs with an aftermarket shackle would perform. I don't tow a lot but do prefer a stiffer ride.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

i have the hd general springs and 5100's and am sitting about 1 inch over stock in the back. i'd like to get another inch or so of lift and am wondering (dumb question) if i can use an AAL on the general springs just like one could with stock springs? or, would it be better to use a shackle? i don't want to prematurely flatten the springs and would prefer to strengthen them using an aal...I'm assuming this is possible, and I would just remove the overload? i have 5100's set to an inch in the front, and would compensate by adding a small spacer...

thoughts?

 

Helper springs from Autozone gave me about an inch of lift on stock leafs set at 500#. At around $35 it's not much of a risk to try for yourself.

 

I am in the market for replacing my rear springs with Alcan leaf springs and need some advice on the amount of weight and lift.

Here is my set-up as it applies to weight over rear axle:

Shrockworks bumper Rear Tire Carrier - at the shop install mid-December
P&P Stage II Sliders - installed
Hefty aluminum skids - on order
PRG AAL - installed to be replaced with Alcan springs
PRG Ubolt - installed
Radflo 2.0 Shocks w/remote res 0-3" - installed
Tire - 285/75/16 KO2 on Aluminum wheels

My measurement are 37.5" from ground to fender about 21.5 to 22 from center hub.

Given I want to maintain the same height (trying to avoid vibrations and longer brake lines etc.) and taking into account the additional weight (saw a chart and it estimates 145lb extra weight over stock for the above items). Its daily driver and the trunk is always empty unless I venture off although I may have plans later for towing small trailer and loading the trunk with 100 lbs or so of gear etc. ...thoughts of tent if I don't get trailer (those things are expensive!!) may come into play what would be your recommendations for weight and height?

Thx

 

Gear is almost always more than 100lbs

Really look at a good full load out for a four day jaunt and start to add it up. I figure at around 300lbs of gear and food then add two kids and a wife


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Thanks for the reply although, no kids no wife ($$ for xterra mods and my girlfriend weighs about 90 lol.

I called Nisstec and I guess the idea is what weight do you carry on daily basis and based on that is how you order the springs. I'm leaning to either 0-250 or 251 to 350 lb range if I go higher my springs will be stiff and my rake high since 90 percent of the time I have an empty trunk.

My fuel consumption took hit with the ARB bumper, tires, sliders and now the addition of rear tire bumper and skids therefore I don't need to add any more unnecessary weight.