Go with AC, if you had the Calmini lift for your X you would most likely agree. I hate Calmini...

quote:

Originally posted by James J:
Go with AC, if you had the Calmini lift for your X you would most likely agree. I hate Calmini...

When it comes to vendors on this site, you need to back up comments like this with facts.

quote:

Originally posted by Desert Rat:

quote:

Originally posted by James J:
Go with AC, if you had the Calmini lift for your X you would most likely agree. I hate Calmini...

When it comes to vendors on this site, you need to back up comments like this with facts.

Or just check out this thread:

http://www.xterrafirma.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file...ic&t=5290&highlight=

I am soccerbrace



---------------

Calmini issues, some good, some bad (These are my experiences, and those of the people I wheel with....obviously, Calmini has some people who are loyal, and will point out that THEIR parts were perfect, etc...):

Their powder coat flakes off, it delaminates like a colorform, and then the parts rust badly in some cases. The other makers do not have quality control problems with their paints/coatings.

They sold a lot of people steering reinforcement kits that had a tendancy to fail...denied it, made people return the steering for evaluation (So the trucks were out of action the entire time...), told the people there was nothing wrong with the design, refused to help them, etc...I have the calmini kit, its been fine for me...others, not fine.

...then they changed the design, etc....SLR had no problems with failed steering kits.

Their shackles are made with two simple steel plates, and some people have broken them. SLR uses a reinforced welded section between the plates, and has not had breakage problems.

Their sliders are simple step designs, but do not curve up to protect the rocker panels. They are quite sturdy, but quickly rust.

Their bumpers are also sturdy, but rust quickly when the powder coat comes off in sheets, etc. The approach angle of their front bumper is not as good as Shrock's, as it sticks out too far, whereas the Shrock is tucked in to increase clearance, etc.

Calmini's UCA's follow the stock contour, are solidly built, with a turn up for alignment correction at the pointed end of the "A". They do not increase wheel travel...and alot of people has squeeking issues requireing retro fits of zerks, etc... SLR's are also solid, and the UCA's increase wheel travel....and come with the zerks built-in....and use a better ball joint than Calmini's std unit.

Calmini's T-Bars and SLR's are the same make, just private labeled.

Calmini uses a 2 pack AAL, SLR uses a 3 pack AAL, or, a brand new replacement leaf pack tuned for your application, etc.

Calmini's std lift shocks have 24" extended lengths, SLR's std lift shocks have a 26" extended length....note that a stock shock has a 23" extended length.

Calmini' shock is a cheap twin tube design with valving that people have been unhappy with, except for a few months in comparison to shot oem shocks...and they seem to go bad after 1-3 yrs....SLR's come with Bilstein 5100's, a state of the art monotube shock with digressive valving, etc...that people universally have been very happy with....and have a lifetime warrenty.

Calmini's lift shackle is 3" longer than stock, to provide 1.5" of lift...SLR's shackles are labeled in terms of the number of inches longer than stock, rather than the inches of lift....and provide only 1/2" - 1" of lift for their 1" and 2" lift shackles respectively.

(AC makes some parts that are better too btw...like shackles that are longer than SLR's and Calmini's, but also reinforced, etc....)

There's more, but I have to get going.

Very <br /> Happy

_________________
- TJ

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soccerbrace

Post subject: PostPosted: Aug 31, 2007 - 12:07 AM
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Joined: Dec 20, 2006
Posts: 848
Location: Colorado Springs Colorado

Well, I agree with much of what TJ said. However I cannot agree for sure on any other parts besides their 3" SL. I have not seen any other parts on the Xterra besides some sliders and suspension lift.
I have had the same complaints as far as the powdercoating goes.

My main complaint is the UCA's.
Calmini really did not engineer them too well IMHO.

First thing's first. Let's address the ball joints. When you install the ball joints, you tighten down on (4) 3/4" bolts into the threaded ball joint.

After the SL and about 10 miles later, you get an alignment. When you get an alignment, they send call you in to look at the ball joints. You see that there is about a 1/4" gap there and that bolts are extracting themselves.

you say to yourself"self? How much did I spend on this SL?" self responds"over $1000 including shipping...self" and then you ask yourself why did you spend so much on something that is failing after 10 miles? You go to the local hardware store and get (16) lockwashers,(Cool 1-1/2" grade 8 bolts, and 8 nylock nuts. Then you pull off your tires and throw those on there along with some loctite. So there is $20. I am not the only one that has experienced this problem. Scratchkins also experienced this.

Now, I was luck enought to have zerk fittings with mine. A smart thing since they should be greased. This is where they went wrong though. If you look at the zerk, you will notice that it is pointing straight up. So I bought a grease gun and proceeded to grease the bushings. Now, after buying it, I try to grease it naturally. Whe I go to grease it, there is no way on hell that I can get it on there! There is something blocking you from getting it in there. It is a brace of some sort. Soo, I bought a flexible hose thinking this will do the trick.....Nope! Still wont fit, it is restricted all the way around. So finally, I pull the wheel off and exercise the T-bars as much as possible so that I can access the Zerks, I made that UCA go all the way up, and all the way down. NOTHING!!!!!

Finally, I went to the parts store and bought some zerk fittings with at 90 degree angle on it and installed them.

Point is, it is not ready out of the box. Extremely frustrating considering the price.

Mind you, no lift is completely ready to go right out of the box, you still have to buy the camber bolts and eccentric washers. (will run you about $30 for 4 of them.)

Ok, so the shackles. I agree with TJ that the AC are more stout. I feel like the give a little too much side to side flex.

All painted parts, I have a problem with powder coating.

The AAL,I have no problem with. I have seen a broken leafspring from them in a picture.

The T-bars, I really cannot complain about besides the aforementioned powdercoating.

The kit has been nothing but trouble for me since I put it on and I really do not think that I got my money's worth.

No experience with the shocks.....

Keep in mind that their kits have bumpstops and they also have sway bay quick disonnects. You might have already ditched your sway bar.

I personally did not use the bumpstops and my sway bar is in the garbage.

I have had bad experience with Calmini, and do not wish you the same. They tried to tell me that I had to go with a SAS to fit 33" tires. That is what really got me.

Not only do I cry myself to sleep but I would rather go on a corn eating binge, shit, smear it in my hair, and call it blond before going back to them.

Valid question though. Anthony has had similar experience.

-James

That's better. Just trying to keep posts objective here. This is not XOC

I hope that I didn't come off XOC-ish. I am not that way. I just wanted to let him know before he made a bad decision. All is good!

Like I said, when it comes to vendors (you can see who sponsors this site and helps us keep the bills paid), I simply require information to be objective and fact based. You covered it. Thanks.