# xtrail shock absorbers



## MARKTHEEVILDUDE (Nov 23, 2006)

So i had a P2 service done on the x-trail today(made the stealers fight and got it down to £195). Everything was good, had that nice tight after service ride home, Always nice to feel where ur money has gone. The only thing they pointed out was that although the shock absorbers are ok, the gaiters on all 4 have spilt and i should look into replacing them.

Its a 7 year old car, and i have just spent the summer on some rougher roads in scandinavia, so doesn't surprise me, but the quote of £518.12 was a bit of a body blow. i have no money for that at the moment, but how soon should i look into getting it done? Will go round other places and get quotes also of course. But with just everyday surburban road use, will it become a problem soon?

Also, anyone got any suggestion on any other makes/types of shock aabsorber, if i am gonna pay out, then i wanna get the best for my money!

cheers!


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## The Mad Hat Man (Oct 3, 2006)

how about £275? - front and rear

and a little time


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## TKH (May 19, 2007)

Ours are fitted with Tokicos. I have since changed them for a set Nismos. Lowers the ride by about an inch. 

http://www.zerotohundred.com/features/nismoxtrail/catalogue/nismo_s_tune_suspension.jpg

Some are running with the OEMs and have changed the springs to Eibach.


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## The Mad Hat Man (Oct 3, 2006)

Old man emu are very good, but difficult to get in the UK - and maybe a bit OTT for just the school run .

I spose it depends if yu want a bling machine, a tricked up off-roader or a Chelsea tratta.


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## MARKTHEEVILDUDE (Nov 23, 2006)

i don't tend to use the car much atm, but having had it sitting around before and then driving up thru europe to the north of sweden this summer, gotta expect some wear and tear.

Contacted my warranty company earlier, and they seemed suspect, said a lot of stealers are looking for work atm and found it weird they say all 4 shocks need doing at the same time, but said to get the stealers to send the info via 'link one' and if they were broke would look into paying out.

In the mean time i went to my local ATS and they had a look and confirmed the gaiters were split at the front, but said the suspension seems great for a 4x4 thats got 75,000 on the clock, so i shall see what the warranty people say and if not i shall leave it, paying £25 excess and 20% of £500 seems harsh if there fine, esp for just local use.


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## The Mad Hat Man (Oct 3, 2006)

MARKTHEEVILDUDE said:


> i shall leave it, paying £25 excess and 20% of £500 seems harsh if there fine, esp for just local use.


especially if yu can get a pair of noo front ones for £116 .


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## Phantom798 (Oct 31, 2008)

I liked the idea of the OME Shocks and Coils. I've fitted a `skidplate/sump protector' from tbruk which is great and I think very necessary for the use I make of my 2003 x-trail - BUT it lowers the front underbody by 7mm. I was looking to use the OME coil and shocks to both improve the suspension for off road but also to raise the suspension overall by 20mm by way of enhancement and I guess compensation for the skidplate. The problem is the OME only provide the bare shocks, which means that the base for the coil etc has to be welded onto them. Beyond my DIY skils. Cost? add around £300-350 for this (and fitting) to the £550 for the parts... A tad high.

If anyone knows of x-trail shocks that would be suitable for fairly frequent `greenlane' use that would also raise the suspension by say 20mm to an inch then I'd really like to know about it. 
Thanks


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## TKH (May 19, 2007)

http://www.hotbits.org/new/uploads/excel/HOT BITS Susp Cat & Prices.pdf

don't know if it is availabe in your country. HotBits makes a set of adjustables for the XT. recommended settings 20 - 30 mm higher than the OEMs.


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## The Mad Hat Man (Oct 3, 2006)

Hey Phantom. Whereabouts are you based. It doesnt say in yo profile.

Where did yu get yo stuff? When I tried tricking my X-T - I would have had to import the guard from Israel, the Rock/tree sliders from SA and the Old Man EMU stuff from Auz. No-one seemed to do that sort of stuff for the X-T in the UK.


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## Phantom798 (Oct 31, 2008)

Hi Guys, Thanks for this. Appreciated. The hotcars shocks look good! I'm UK Based (Nottinghamshire) so it looks like no supplier in this country for this maker, but I'll check price against exchange rate have a look at import from Germany.


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## The Mad Hat Man (Oct 3, 2006)

I tried that - in the end decided that it was gonna cost me a LOT of money to import from all over the world. What with the scratchy nature of the green lanes in Hampshire, decided to buy myself a cheap Land Rover Discovery for a toy. They are only about £800-1000 for a reasonable mid 90's one and it doesnt matter what happens to it. Lets face it, one scratchy lane and its a grands worth of paint damage on an X-T!.


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## Phantom798 (Oct 31, 2008)

Hmm I kind of agree with this, but the domestic politics of having a landy purely for fun may mean my having to sell my other fun item - my small yacht (agghhh). Also I use the x-trail for family holidays, mainly in the Spanish mountains and the frence Alps, so On the plus side, the EU distributors for hotcar shocks is tbr in Germany. I've bought bits from tbruk in the past (a very helpful company) so I may well find that I'm able to get the shcks direct via them.


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## The Mad Hat Man (Oct 3, 2006)

nar! - yu can use the Landy to tow yo yacht. Thereby saving wear and tear on the X-T, for when you want to take those comfy holidays abroad. and, lets face it.... the domestic politics of repairing the X-T aint nice plus you can do the *really *muddy stuff  in the landy - have yu ever smelled carpets after having "done" Salisbury Plain? - yeeeuk!


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## Phantom798 (Oct 31, 2008)

You may well have a point! 
I got mired in mud in a lane today and by the time I got her out (with it must be said the kind assistance of a farmer) there was mud all through the interior and I've been cleaning her out this afternoon... I needed MTs (rather than ATs) and more clearance that I have at present - an old mk3 landy would provide that and cost the same as new shocks and springs for the x-trail. 

However, I'd still like to do this if only to improve the x-trails ride. I'll be hanging onto her for a few years yet and I use her regularly in a lot of lane type roads, even without doing `green laning' with the inherent risks of scratchs to the paintwork.

Phantom


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## Phantom798 (Oct 31, 2008)

*Lifting suspension*

Hi Guys,

Purely for information - I've found that GIZ has a very competitively priced 2" lift kit for an xtrail. That will provide the xtrail with about the same ground clearance as a Land Rover discovery 2. Its a Taiwan company but they will ship to the UK and elsewhere. The cost is USD $779 (email [email protected]).

TJM provide an `upgraded suspension' for the xtrail which has a standard 1" lift - OEC are the dealers in the UK (OEC 4x4 International - Home ). These cost - springs (per pair) £114.55 pair (+ tax in the UK) XGS Shocks - £89.99 each (+ tax in the UK). However OEC will provide a higher lift on application.

Tbr will provide a standard 20mm lift. The OME coils are £65 (inc tax) and the OME struts are £75 (inc tax). There is some welding required here though as the struts are bare struts. See http://www.tbruk.com/ and click on Nissan then xtrail. 

Phantom


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## The Mad Hat Man (Oct 3, 2006)

Phantom798 said:


> You may well have a point!
> I got mired in mud in a lane today and by the time I got her out (with it must be said the kind assistance of a farmer) there was mud all through the interior and I've been cleaning her out this afternoon... I needed MTs (rather than ATs) and more clearance that I have at present - an old mk3 landy would provide that and cost the same as new shocks and springs for the x-trail.
> 
> However, I'd still like to do this if only to improve the x-trails ride. I'll be hanging onto her for a few years yet and I use her regularly in a lot of lane type roads, even without doing `green laning' with the inherent risks of scratchs to the paintwork.
> ...



I have General Grabber AT2's on my X-T and find them fine - a fairly agressive tread, so a little more road noise, but hard wearing as well.

Dont forget, if you trick up you X-T, the resale value will drop like a stone, if it looks like it has gone off-road. Mind you - prices for SUV's have dropped like a stone recently, somone I know said that he has seen deals for new Naviras at less then he paid for his, second hand, two years ago .


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## Phantom798 (Oct 31, 2008)

The Mad Hat Man said:


> I have General Grabber AT2's on my X-T and find them fine - a fairly agressive tread, so a little more road noise, but hard wearing as well.
> 
> Dont forget, if you trick up you X-T, the resale value will drop like a stone, if it looks like it has gone off-road. Mind you - prices for SUV's have dropped like a stone recently, somone I know said that he has seen deals for new Naviras at less then he paid for his, second hand, two years ago .


Thanks for this. I've got General Grabber AT2s as well (only 3 weeks old too - so full tread!). I think the resale values are down to the UK road tax situation (which may possibly change post budget speech next month) and the x-trail doesnt do as badly from that tax as say the Terrano ii.

I hear what you say about the upgrade and resale - and in general I would agree (though mine is now getting older anyway (2003) and its perhaps at about the age where I dont have to consider resale value too much) . However, the GSX suspension upgrade by TJM (sold via OEC in the UK) is just a 1" lift but with a significant enhancement on the ride. These are being marketed as a general `suspension enhancement' for the xtrail rather than something for off-roaders (though they do provide a better suspension for green laning!). I've now spoken to people who have had these fitted (who have no interest in green laning - but like to, say, caravan occassionally) and they rave about the upgrade and the smoother ride. Given the suspension system in the xtrail I've realised that this is about as big a lift as one can have using the same Independent suspension system - and I certainly dont want to go for a more radical restructuring of the suspension (which OEC could offer).


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## Phantom798 (Oct 31, 2008)

Decided you were right. Cant even buy mud tyres for the Xtrail and too worried about bending her without them. I'm getting a Landy 90 for the mud!


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## The Mad Hat Man (Oct 3, 2006)

If you want a bit more comfort, and a cheaper fun motor - go for a Discovery. Nice and cheap now - but look out for corrosion (rear floor, inner wings, footwells and, of course chassis). Best (least complicated option) is a 200Tdi 3dr with no sun roofs.


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