I've got my Calmini system on and aligned. Yes, the directions are correct! It looks funky cause the new Idler Arms is so much bigger.

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Isaac

1993 Nissan Hardbody 4-cyl 4x4 on 33's
Too many mods to list

Mine is on and aligned too and no problems at all.

Yep, I'm almost done with only the tires to remount and driveway alignment and while it does sit in a little more on the idler arm side, it's nothing major. I'm running without an suspensioin lift, so there's almost no room left for the adjustment on the driver's side. I may have to use the extra room on the IA side to my advantage if push comes to shove.

I'll be finishing this up tommorow morning. It's cool, when I push on the spindle on the passenger side, there's no play anywhere anymore.

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1994 Pathfinder SE
-V6, 5-Speed, Smittybilt Rear Bumper, Lots of rusty chrome
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Alright well i guess mine is normal then... i am not happy with having the passenger side adjuster cranked way out while the drivers side is barely cranked.. i wonder if i were to move my steering shaft over a spline and then center it, to move the pitman over a little and ease up a bit on the passenger side idler.

all i got to say about driving it is TIGHT!! holy crap is it tight, almost uncomfortable tight. but it's still better than a ton of play with the old crap.
Outback and Nissanproject, you guys have the passenger side adjusted out more too?

i went back and read the other new posts, Yup Blue Cat is right, the picture doesent do it justice, it's huge!
Also, of course i'm no engineer(spl?) but i cant see how it wopuld hurt to have the centerline adjusted another inch wider, just to push the idler out more so you can put the adjuster in more. i guess we'll see later.

TJL, if you have that scenario, you need to lengthen the CL. Both tierods should be adjusted evenly. Moving the pitman over a spline would put it way, way off, as it would have to rotate a full 90 degrees.


1998 Frontier 4x4 with ALL the goodies!
2002 Xterra 4x4 still stock
Grow the Nissan Community and stand up for ORV user rights!

Yeah i've been thinking about it. i'll probably go ahead and try that today. I did stop by tire kingdom where my freinds work, the mechanic there who i usually have do alignments for me and he's my consultant for alot of stuff took a look at the calmini setup. this is a guy who isnt impressed by much at all, especially on a foreign car, well all he had to say about the steering was DAMN! it deffinately is beefy.

So Andy, do you agree that the pitman and idler should be square? i dont see why they wouldnt be... thanks!

The CL number is definetly intentionally 30-7/16". It must have been that way to keep center distance close to stock and allow stock height vehicles enough room for adjustment. My first attempt after getting it together made for a toe-out of 17/16". I've completely bottomed out the Driv.'s adjuster to pull it in. Drive's much better, will remeasure and have to tweak the right side in and out for final toe in. I'm within probly +/-1/4" or so.

However, doing this may cause a slightly off centered steering wheel. Unlike the pitman which is kinda 'keyed' 90 deg. apart, the steering shaft can be indexted by popping off the steering wheel in the dirver's seat, or at the gear box (I took my gear box out to remove pitman, I know it's assembly way to well now ) and it can be rotated one spline at a time.

I doubt, I'd do this, having a steering wheel off a few degress doesn't bother me.

Seems to drive better now, but can't tell until I get the alingment tweaked. In a week or two will get a trustworth shop to re-do it.

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1994 Pathfinder SE
-V6, 5-Speed, Smittybilt Rear Bumper, Lots of rusty chrome
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Oops, having the CL adjusted longer is not a big deal if you have suspension lift and have more adjustment in tre's. I actually have mine about 30-3/4", drive's fine and straight now that toe-in is almost correct, just not much room left for adjustment.

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1994 Pathfinder SE
-V6, 5-Speed, Smittybilt Rear Bumper, Lots of rusty chrome
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alright, i went out and played with it. what i did was leave the centerlink at 30 7/16th, but center it so that the TR's would be centered and be at the same adjustment on both sides. this has my steering wheel cocked 90 degree's. with the pittman straight back where it likes to be, this has the steering wheel straight. so i think i need to adjust the centerlink to where it has the pitman and idler at right angles, then re-align.
with the CL still at the 30 7/16 and the TR's adjusted evenly, it drives alright, just i can get the alignment right cause i also installed some new UCA's and they throw it off bad with my worn torsion bars.

On the D22 steering setup, does the specified length of the CL have the idler and pitman square?

The center link does not have to be at 30 7/16 and the pitman and idler arm don't have to be square just make sure the pitman arm goes on where the stock on was(on the right stakes) and the adjusters have enough room on them to adjust your toe in and out right. I have the 4" tm lift and ran out of adjustment so steve is making some new adjusters for the 4" tm lift.

cool. If you have the pitman where it needs to be to have the steering wheel straight, shouldnt the idler be set symetricly? i guess i'll go out and screw withit some more. i'll get a good alignment on tuesday.
i'm gonna go adjust the CL out a little bit and re-align.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by TJL:
cool. If you have the pitman where it needs to be to have the steering wheel straight, shouldnt the idler be set symetricly? QUOTE]

In a perfect theoretical world, you might say yes. But now I realize it really doesn't throw the steering off to have the CL 1" on the short side and the Passenger Side Tie rods adjusted 1" farther than the Driver's side, Unless you are having the tie rods adjusted out so far it no longer has a good amount of thread engagement.

I've tweaked the Toe to get 1/8-1/4" toe-in and took it for a drive on the interstate. Drive's much better than before once I found a nice straight smooth stretch to test out. My tires are stiff, so rough roads make it difficult to judge. The use of the system on the Xterra/Fronty's already have problen the system off road, so hopefully I'll find a weekend sometime to abuse it a bit.

Do any of you have your sway bar hooked up still? and does it interfere with the new centerlink? It hangs down about 2" more than the stock set up but looks like there's still room for interference. I usually only liked to unbolt the links when I needed too.

If you put you pitman arm on right and your center link is adjusted evenly they should be symetric.

what i meant to say is if your steering wheel is straight they don't have to be straight back but if one the tilted to the left some the other arm should be to if the cl is adjusted right.