I realized that I just don't have the time to do a lot of fab work. I have the equipment and some basic ability but I just can't seem to find any down time in my schedule to do it. I sold the K5 back in January and decided to focus on my Xterra and shoot for a moderately capable wheeler and something comfortable to do some traveling and camping in. "Overlanding" if you will.
It started as just a stock 07 Xterra S. Nothing fancy.
After a couple trips last year, I realized that the step tubes had to go! I ordered a set of the White Knuckle Offroad sliders for it with the 10* tube option. The flatter tube angle makes a great step for the wife and kids and really helps getting to stuff up on the roof. I also swapped headlights for the black bezel ones after they originals started fogging up on me.
I've been slowly gathering lift parts for almost a year now. I've managed to find some pretty good deals on quality parts for it too. You can only really lift these about 3" before you start having issues with the driveline or you have to go with a drop bracket kit which I don't want to deal with.
My parts list so far:
SPC UCAs
Fat Bob's Garage adjustable coil over converted Bilstein 5100 struts with 650lb/in springs
Alcan Full replacement rear leaf packs +3" lift +450lb capacity
Radflo rear shocks
PRG U-bolt flip kit
Timbren active off-road bumpstops for the rear
I've still got to order the extended rear brake hoses for it.
I used some of the K5 money to order a Warn Zeon 10S winch for it and just placed an order for a Shrockworks front bumper to carry it. It should be here in June. The issue with such a niche vehicle is that the guys who make parts for them don't keep anything in stock since it's not a big seller. I'm just glad there are some companies that support these things.
I added a cheap roof basket to it to make carrying things up there easier than strapping it to the two factory cross bars. The clamps are from McMaster-Carr and the basket came from Amazon. I think I have $120 in the whole thing? At least I do a little fab work, right?
I'm considering putting a piece of 5" PVC on one side of the bars that hang out for a water tank for wash-up water around camp. I'm afraid I'm probably going to buy a set of the traction boards like the MaxTrax in the future and I'll probably use the bars on the other side to mount a bracket for them. I've never used them but I've seen them used quite a bit and I think they are honestly pretty good to have if you use them as intended. I want to take this thing out on the beach in the future and I think they'd be really useful in the sand.
20180216_130647 by TerryD, on Flickr
These things can fit 285/75/16 tires in factory form. You just have to heat a little section of the front inner fender liner and push it back to make room. This is refered to as the "Melt Mod". I did this last week and had my tire guy order me a set of Cooper Discoverer AT3's for it. I argued with myself over that choice of tire, but in the end, I've been running them and they are quiet on the road, have good traction everywhere I've had them, and are affordable. If I decide I need something more aggressive, my K2500 uses the same size and is in need of tires as well so I'll just move them to it and get something else for the X.
If I find that I'm pleased with them on the X, I'm going to order a second set for the K2500. I'm hoping to keep new tires on the truck and move the low mileage, couple year old tires from the K2500 to the Xterra as I wear out the tires on the Xterra since it is still currently, and for the forseeable future will be, my DD.
With a couple hitch pins, my Hi-Lift is disassembled and stashed under the back seat along with my shovel and small camp axe. I also added Raingler ceiling attic and full barrier net behind the back seat. The ceiling attic is nice to keep my umbrella, sun hat, wool blanket, extra hoodie, and my rain gear in. The barrier net keeps camping gear piled above the top of the back seat from hitting the kids in the head during hard braking.
Ron's visit 4-6-18 by TerryD, on Flickr
When the weather breaks and I can spend evenings wrenching a bit more, I have an ARB compressor to install under the hood for OBA as well as powering an eventual pair of ARB lockers. I also need to finish the install of my quad band Ham radio under the passenger seat. I've run the power cable but have not made up the bracket to mount the radio yet. It's on the list....
It started as just a stock 07 Xterra S. Nothing fancy.
After a couple trips last year, I realized that the step tubes had to go! I ordered a set of the White Knuckle Offroad sliders for it with the 10* tube option. The flatter tube angle makes a great step for the wife and kids and really helps getting to stuff up on the roof. I also swapped headlights for the black bezel ones after they originals started fogging up on me.
I've been slowly gathering lift parts for almost a year now. I've managed to find some pretty good deals on quality parts for it too. You can only really lift these about 3" before you start having issues with the driveline or you have to go with a drop bracket kit which I don't want to deal with.
My parts list so far:
SPC UCAs
Fat Bob's Garage adjustable coil over converted Bilstein 5100 struts with 650lb/in springs
Alcan Full replacement rear leaf packs +3" lift +450lb capacity
Radflo rear shocks
PRG U-bolt flip kit
Timbren active off-road bumpstops for the rear
I've still got to order the extended rear brake hoses for it.
I used some of the K5 money to order a Warn Zeon 10S winch for it and just placed an order for a Shrockworks front bumper to carry it. It should be here in June. The issue with such a niche vehicle is that the guys who make parts for them don't keep anything in stock since it's not a big seller. I'm just glad there are some companies that support these things.
I added a cheap roof basket to it to make carrying things up there easier than strapping it to the two factory cross bars. The clamps are from McMaster-Carr and the basket came from Amazon. I think I have $120 in the whole thing? At least I do a little fab work, right?
I'm considering putting a piece of 5" PVC on one side of the bars that hang out for a water tank for wash-up water around camp. I'm afraid I'm probably going to buy a set of the traction boards like the MaxTrax in the future and I'll probably use the bars on the other side to mount a bracket for them. I've never used them but I've seen them used quite a bit and I think they are honestly pretty good to have if you use them as intended. I want to take this thing out on the beach in the future and I think they'd be really useful in the sand.
20180216_130647 by TerryD, on FlickrThese things can fit 285/75/16 tires in factory form. You just have to heat a little section of the front inner fender liner and push it back to make room. This is refered to as the "Melt Mod". I did this last week and had my tire guy order me a set of Cooper Discoverer AT3's for it. I argued with myself over that choice of tire, but in the end, I've been running them and they are quiet on the road, have good traction everywhere I've had them, and are affordable. If I decide I need something more aggressive, my K2500 uses the same size and is in need of tires as well so I'll just move them to it and get something else for the X.
If I find that I'm pleased with them on the X, I'm going to order a second set for the K2500. I'm hoping to keep new tires on the truck and move the low mileage, couple year old tires from the K2500 to the Xterra as I wear out the tires on the Xterra since it is still currently, and for the forseeable future will be, my DD.
With a couple hitch pins, my Hi-Lift is disassembled and stashed under the back seat along with my shovel and small camp axe. I also added Raingler ceiling attic and full barrier net behind the back seat. The ceiling attic is nice to keep my umbrella, sun hat, wool blanket, extra hoodie, and my rain gear in. The barrier net keeps camping gear piled above the top of the back seat from hitting the kids in the head during hard braking.
Ron's visit 4-6-18 by TerryD, on FlickrWhen the weather breaks and I can spend evenings wrenching a bit more, I have an ARB compressor to install under the hood for OBA as well as powering an eventual pair of ARB lockers. I also need to finish the install of my quad band Ham radio under the passenger seat. I've run the power cable but have not made up the bracket to mount the radio yet. It's on the list....
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New Tires
New Tires
New Tires
New Tires
) and a pair of LCA's for it from Rock Auto. I figure with almost 170k on the clock, I might as well replace the LCA's since it's getting new upper ball joints and UCA's. Plus I'm a little bit worried that my passenger side LCA is bent. It wears the outside of that tire and is also the side that seems to have taken a hit at some point in time. The fender is bent up, factory bumper is busted up a little around the mounts and that head light had been replaced when I got it. 
. Guess the lift will be waiting a while longer.
Don's visit 4-6-18
20180411_195407
