I have been trying to figure this one out, because my company vehicle is a 1991 Japanese import 2.8 double cab hilux at work, i have the two to compare.
On the nissan, you think, great nothing at all hangs down below the chassis rails (you pay for it inside the cab), where as on the toyota like you say you have the transfercase crossmember hanging down lower than the chassis rails. It gives the appearence of the hilux having way more ground clearence than a Safari, but in truth, you measure from the bottom center of both crossmembers, and the safari comes out on top, but only by 15mm.
My Hilux has OME leaves and shocks and 31X10.5's
The Safari was stock on 32's.
The catch with the nissan is that although it measured slightly higher, all the sills, chassis rails, gearbox etc are at that same level approx, where as the Hilux, although the cross member hangs down, the rest of it is nice and high out of the way, and you only have one point under neath that you can get hung up on.
Its 6 and two 3's as to whats better really.
In my opinion, comparing the vehicles as standard, the hilux is better of with its low cross member, than the Nissan with the low everything.
So where was i going with this?? I've lost my self as well
Umm, yeah, because every thing on the Nissan is inside the Chassis rails, dropping the crossmember doesn't cause that much drama, its only going to hang 30mm in total lower than the rest of the chassis, and to have the rest of the vehicle up higher out of he way, its a small price to pay.
In my opinion any way.
Will get some photos when it comes back from the wheel alignment.
) but the original crossmember is 60mm thick - thats a lot. Made from folded 10mm plate instead you can save 50mm! I also have one that lifts the T/C by 25mm, so its nearly flat by comparison to the factory "horses dick"
) - I run that one on my truck, its great.
ben gilmore, used to race him in motox many many years ago.(sorry i meant used beat him) 