The check's in the mail; last night I ordered new rims - ProComps in 17x8, new tires - Nitto Terra Grapplers in 295/70R17, and a 3" lift via PRG coil spacers and an AC AAL. With a little luck, I'll install everything next weekend.

For any of you who have installed AALs, did you completely remove your spring pack, or just disconnect the rear shackle? Also, is it alright to do one side at a time with a jack under one side of the axle, or should I remove both sides and support the entire axle witha jack under the pumpkin?

Thanks for any insight.

Lift the truck and set jackstands under the frame so the rear axle is hanging on the springs.

Remove the wheels
Remove the shock from its lower mount
Unbolt and remove your ubolts on one side
Use a floor jack to lift that side of the axle so you can get to the centering pin
unbolt the centering pin
install your AAL and centering pin again.
lower axle on the pack making sure the centering pin finds its hole.
Redo the Ubolts - tighten in a criss cross pattern and crank 'em down.
Repeat on the other side.

Is this a single AAL, or a 3 pack kit? Not sure about the 2nd gens, but the single AAL is responsible for a lot of broken leaves on the 1st gen Xterras and Frontiers.

Should look great!

I have the 285/70/17s terras on my 07 right now with no rubbing but have the daystar lift on order.

Please post pics when you have it done.

Thanks a bunch D_R...that was the approach I had in mind. They are the single leaves, so I'll monitor my stock leaves for any stress cracks; thanks for the heads up.

I feel damned if I do, damned if I don't...I originally planned for shackles, but heard (and saw) a few horror stories about shackles flattening out and even inverting the arch on stock leaf springs. For that reason I went with the AAL.

Thanks again, and I'll try to take install pictures as I work.

I actually like using both shackles and the AAL.

Does AC offer a multi-leaf AAL for the 2nd gens?

If so, you might call and change your order.

Yeah, on some old jeeps, etc...if the shackles were too long, the leaves could be reverse arched, etc...

On the X, it just can't reverse arch, as there's simply enough spring length on the longer trucks wheel base, and very little total increase in leaf mount change...so you just can't reverse arch the X spring with a shackle that's 3-3.5" longer than stock.

If you went to a shackle that was about 6" longer than stock, maybe...but that's a fudge factor of about 100% getting 1.5-2" of rear shackle lift.

What happens in real life, is that leaves sag with time...and, in general, the more you flex the pack, the sooner it fails (Bend a piece of metal back and forth, and eventually, it breaks...)

Some people have had earlier failures, even w/o going offroad, some people have had failures who do offroad....and most have had no problems eitherway.

Its human nature to assume correlation = causation...as in, "I put on the shackles, and then noticed my leaves were flatter".....

Or, "I did a PML, and even though I think I raised both ends 1.5", now my front end is lower than my rear end...what's wrong?"



Ironically, the AAL takes away most of your rear flex...giving height w/o articulation....due to the stiffening of the leaves, which prevents the tire from drooping...as the weight of the axle/tire, etc...is what pulls down against the resistance of the leaf pack, to let the tire stay on the ground.

So, its more like putting a cast on your leaf pack that holds in in a more arched position for a given weight load.

The shackle works by swinging, allowing the rear of the leaf pack mount point to move...which means the leaves do not have to flex as much in day to day use...as the shackle can let the end go up/down, w/o the leaf HAVING to bend to follow the tires. etc.

On the other hand, the shackle also allows the two ends of the leaf pack to get closer together, like when a bow is drawn...which lets the pack droop a tire further with less stress...as the stock pack can more easily let the tire down if one end of the pack can move in as needed....and even a pack with an AAL, can more easily droop the tire if combined with shackle swing.

The more shackle swing...the more easily the pack can let the tire down.

The bottom line is that the longer X shackles don't hurt you....but do help you, by adding to your rear wheel travel/articulation, and leave the stock ride intact, and don't change your load handling, in addition to giving height...

and the AAL's don't hurt you, but do hurt your articulation and wheel travel, and do stiffen the ride, and improve load handling, in addition to giving height.

IE: If getting only one,

1) The best choice for someone who might try offroading is a longer shackle

2) The best choice for someone who will never offroad is an AAL if they need the extra load capacity and/or handling/ride stiffness....or a shackle if they want the ride/handling to remain closer to stock.

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I went both ways, and have TWO AALs...because when loaded with equipment for work...my trucks weighs over 5,800 lb....and get pretty much all the articulation from a set of Revolver Shackles, which only increase height by 2/3" or so, but give the same wheel travel normally associated with a 4-5" lift.



Hope that helps to clarify the shackle/AAL issue.