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2007 Xterra:Terry's Bolt On Wheeler

A buddy (Jon) and I were supposed to go to the VAXC Wheel Away Winter event last Saturday. I had been talking with Josh, the president of VAXC, about the event and there wasn't supposed to be much of a turn out. Then his X failed inspection for the TREs and he was out as well. That just left Jon and myself. A guy I had taken a trip with before on OB told me about the Mid Atlantic Overland FB page and their trip the same day to the same place. I checked it out and we decided to join in on that ride. It looked like there would be about a dozen trucks going so that's not too bad.

Well, as the day went on, more and more guys signed on for the ride. One guy even coming from Pennsylvania. Then, at 6am Saturday morning, Patch (another Xterra buddy) texts me and says he's wound up with the day off and wanted to know if he could join in. I told him where IssacHunter and I were meeting up at and told him to come along!

Side note: Patch and Jon both got the the Exxon WAY before me. When they got there, they BOTH texted me to ask what the other was driving! IssacHunter had blown past PipeFighter on the interstate as they were coming up on the exit. :haha:

Anyways, we met up with everyone in Harrisonburg, Va around 10am. We basically invaded the Sheetz on rt33 with about 20 rigs.

As Jon put it, my Xterra in it's natural habitat:

IMG_1718 by TerryD, on Flickr

We then convoyed up to Switzer Lake and everyone aired down and had a quick driver's meeting:

FB_IMG_1525027398696 by TerryD, on Flickr

The trip up the mountain is pretty easy. Just one switch back that's rough on the inside line and easier on the outside as the only real obstacle. It's still a beautiful ride up there.

*Not the turn I was talking about*

20180428_122607 by TerryD, on Flickr

Jon and Patch:

20180428_122622 by TerryD, on Flickr

Lunch on top of the mountain at Flag Pole Knob:

20180428_135322 by TerryD, on Flickr

20180428_135428 by TerryD, on Flickr

20180428_135442 by TerryD, on Flickr

Then about half the group took off in a hurry to go set up camp before dark. It was like 2pm, I'm not sure what their rush was. So we hung back with the group that was going to go slower and enjoyed the ride a little bit more.

YJnCto5 by TerryD, on Flickr

I had Jon do a little spotting for me via radio down this little ledge, trying to find a spot where my driver's rear wheel wouldn't have the same 2' of air under it the Tacoma that went before me did.

IMG_1773 by TerryD, on Flickr

Myself:

IMG_1810 by TerryD, on Flickr

Jon:

20180428_153936 by TerryD, on Flickr

Patch:

20180428_154105 by TerryD, on Flickr

20180428_154240 by TerryD, on Flickr

IMG_1782 by TerryD, on Flickr

Nick's factory fresh JLUR:

IMG_1786 by TerryD, on Flickr

IMG_1793 by TerryD, on Flickr

A diesel ZR2 Colorado. Said he got 29mpg on the way down to the meetup:

IMG_1803 by TerryD, on Flickr

Jon and Patch talked me into trying this little obstacle. With just a few rocks under the driver's rear to adjust for wheelbase, it popped right up with a little bump.

20180430_092644 by TerryD, on Flickr

Then Jon came through with the front wheels in the air before I could get back to get a decent picture:

20180428_160721 by TerryD, on Flickr

Then we headed back to camp where one of the lead crew had made enough supper for everyone camping to eat their fill. We had a couple cold brews, the kids played with the dogs, and we had a great evening.

A couple of guys started talking about doing a night run, so we crammed two Xs into a one X hole so they could get back out of the campsite later. At least they got to keep each other warm in those cold valley winds.

IMG_1842 by TerryD, on Flickr
 
Now I'm going to start actively searching for some lower gears. Maybe I can find one of the factory locked 3.69 rear axles for a reasonable price.
 
TerryD said:
Now I'm going to start actively searching for some lower gears. Maybe I can find one of the factory locked 3.69 rear axles for a reasonable price.
Click to expand...
Well I’m the guy to find one. I work for LKQ. I just got an off-road buddy a factory locker axle for his Montero Sport. What year is your X?
 
It's a 07 but I'm looking for one of the later 4 spider gear units. 09+ with manual transmission and Pro4X package gets you the 3.69 gears. I'll need the ABS sensors and the vehicle harness end plug to be able to power it.

Also would need the matching front diff in 3.69 as well.
 
Oldest daughter is taking her reading SOL today and reading isn't her strongest subject. I took her out to breakfast before school at our favorite little breakfast spot in town. After getting the kids off to school, I came home and changed my spark plugs. I started with the passenger side first and you guessed it, it sucked....

But with some universal joints, wrench black magic and copious application of foul language, I got it done. Then the drivers side was a breeze.

After that I shipped the factory headlights I sold off to a guy in SC.

Out to lunch with the wife now. Another local spot started brewing beer and I'm checking out their stuff for the first time.
 
Scored a Shrockworks t-case skid plate off Craigslist today for a great price. Now to get the t-case leak checked out and get the skid installed.

I kinda need to stop working on this for a bit and put some time into Helga. I think her master cylinder is going out and I still need to get the steering replaced and the front dome lights going again....
 
I finally have an answer for my limited droop in the front. I've called all three of the big Nissan parts guys and either been misunderstood or nearly ignored. Greg at PRG was the most helpful but he doesn't know my front strut setup well enough to answer my questions.

I finally heard back from Fat Bob's Garage today though and I now understand what's going on with my struts.

I'm running Bilstein 5100 struts in the front. These use a snap ring to relocate the lower spring mount on the strut body and allow lift in .5" increments up to 2" of total lift. The downside to this is that you have to completely disassemble the strut to change this and the higher you lift using that method, the less down travel you have. ToyTec makes the kit that I have that places a threaded collar on the strut body and makes it adjustable. The guy I bought the struts from had this kit installed by Fat Bob's when his MK84 coilovers failed on him at Moab.

So, here's the catch. His MK84s had 1400.300.600s Eibach coils on them and since he was pressed for time, Fat Bob's just used his coils. BUT, the system for Xterras is supposed to have 1200.300.0600s coils on it. AH HAH! My coils are just too dern long! That's why I'm getting 2" of lift with the adjusters completely bottomed out on the struts and a 1/2" thick spacer where most guys with similar setups use a 7/8" thick spacer and use of the first snap ring groove above stock ride height.

So, now I've got to decide where to go with this info. Those coils are not expensive, about $100 each. I can put $200 into my setup and probably be good for a couple years and save up for some nice Radflo coil overs. But, there's one part of me that wants to just pony up for the Rads and just be DONE with this.
 
swettysblazer said:
I like Radflo stuff. A bunch of guys at the shop use their shocks and they are pretty sweet.
Click to expand...

I've got a set of Radflos in the rear I got a smoking deal on used. I'm hoping someone on the Xterra boards Titan swaps soon and sells off their fronts for a very agreeable price!
 
Well my front coil-over issues are solved! I found a guy selling a new in box set of Radflos with 650lb/in springs for a killer deal, but he didn't want to ship. I messaged him to say if he got ready to ship, I'd take them. He messaged me back and said he hasn't had any interest, he'd be happy to ship them and split the shipping costs with me!!! :saweet::saweet:

Also got to use my new ground clearance to jump the curb at the 5FDP/Shinedown concert last night to get out of the parking lot. We were back at the Waffle House beside the hotel before the other couple we were with were out of the parking lot. :haha:
 
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I think I scared a group of hippies with out of state plates that appeared to be bathing in the creek up the mountain.

I slid to a stop beside them, backed back out in the road and left sideways in a cloud of flying gravel and dirt grinning like a mad man.

I don't think they quite knew what to think of all that.

But man does that thing soak up pot holes!
 
I'm hoping to get my ARB compressor installed in the next couple day to have on our Pisgah trip next week. I've been working up this bracket to mount it with. It'll bolt to the radiator support in front of the air box. I reached the point where I'm probably going to have to pull the air box off to finish it, so I called it a night. I've got to go to town in the morning for some business and then I ordered a 5th 285/75/16 Cooper Discoverer for a spare that should be in after lunch time at the local tire shop. After that, I'll pull the air box and try to get the compressor mounted and hopefully at least begin the wiring. I'll have Friday and Saturday mornings and most of the day Sunday to be working on the finishing touches.

20180606_190514 by TerryD, on Flickr

The only thing I had to work with was a section of aluminum tubing tray I got as scrap from work. I riveted two pieces together, back to back, and I think it'll make a nice mount. I've got some pieces to put the intake filter up next to the brake booster as well to help keep it clean.
 
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