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Cruiser's Kiddy Carrier

6K views 26 replies 14 participants last post by  Drewsky510 
#1 · (Edited)
Cruiser’s Kiddy Carrier

Username: Cruiser
Year: 2008
Make: Nissan
Model: Xterra
Trim: Off Road
Color: Night Armor

Mods:
Interior:
3 carseats in the back :D

Exterior:
Shrockworks Front Bumper with no hoops
Smittybilt XRC8 winch with roller fairlead
OBA courtesy of Harbor Freight with male quick disconnect mounted on the top of the bumper
Shrockworks radiator skid
NXRocks original engine, transmission, X-fer, and gas tank skids all 3/16” steel
Shrockworks rear differential cover
NXRocks original split sliders
Shrockworks rear bumper without tire carrier
Yakima SpaceBooster cargo box
WeatherTech in channel vent visors

Electrical:
Optima yellow top
Sylvania Silverstar replacement bulbs in the main headlights
35w 4500K HID’s in the stock fog lights
Fancy Harbor Freight 6” Chrome off road lights on the front bumper
Less fancy Harbor Freight Hella nock-off rock lights on the front bumper
750w inverter currently using the alligator clips but I’ll get it wired under the passenger’s seat soon
Midland CB in the center console with 4' Firestik and heavy duty spring mounted to the front bumper
Nissan keyless entry pad mounted under the driver's side mirror

Suspension:
Front:
Radflo 2.0 Coilovers w/750# springs
Calmini cam bolts
Front sway bar delete
Rear:
Calmini 2 leaf AAL added into the main pack by length
Calmini extended shackles
PRG shim kit with new u-bolts
Rancho RS-9000 rear shocks
Rear sway bar delete

255/85/16(E) BFG Mud Terrain KM2's

Engine / Powertrain:
Volant cool air intake without the big stupid hole cut in the side for the horns ;)
Flowmaster 50 series delta flow muffler
Superchips Cortex
All synthetic oils in engine, transmission, differentials, and x-fer case


Comments: I’ve been building this rig as an access vehicle for 14er trailheads and other Colorado camping areas. So far it’s taken me everywhere I’ve needed to go. I haven’t had to walk to a single trailhead since I got it. Lake Como is the next big challenge. We’ll see if I have time for that this summer. If not, then I’ll give it a go next summer for sure.

Photos:

Last summer at the end of the Castle Creek Road in the Montezuma Basin. This was before the Radflo's, AAL's and front Shrock.


And a quick driveway shot after having the new tires mounted up.


Hooked up to the Coachmen Apex 16RBX Hybrid


Parked at the upper trailhead in the American Basin
 
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#5 ·
Thanks guys! Ever since I started looking at the Shrock website I wanted the flat top bumper. It just appealed to me from a design standpoint. Functional but still clean and unencumbered, ya know? I also liked the idea of reducing the weight hanging off the front of the truck. Now I just need to swap out my winch cable for a synthetic rope. That'll drop another 30# or so off. Oh god, more mods...
 
#6 · (Edited)
Nice ride, Cruiser. I'm diggin' the flat top Shrock, too; looks good. I didn't see a rear diff skid/cover listed in the mods; I would definitely recommend one before you attempt Blanca in the X since you'll be abusing those skids- lots of big rocks. ;) Here is a shot of my old Sami on Jaws 3 about 10 years ago... http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2179/2186998981_ceebeb6782_z.jpg?zz=1 (picture only linked to avoid cluttering your thread). But man is Lake Como a priceless destination!
 
#10 ·
Rocky: Yeah, I thought Remy was going to make us some sweet rear diff protection but then he decided that his family was more important than making xterra armor. So I guess I'll have to settle for Shrock or BTF. That pic is absurd. There's no logical reason for your rig to be upright there. Well done!

Shawn: Nope, Roxborough. The first hogback is rises just a block to the west of our house though.

Adam: Thanks man!

Remy: You're the reason I started putting armor on it in the first place. I knew that I had to get in while you were making such high quality gear. Good things like that never last, ya know? I hope you'll consider attempting Lake Como with me. That's not a solo destination and it'd be great to have a guy with your skillset out on the trail whether it's on a quad or in the X.
 
#11 ·
I am looking forward to do Lake Como this summer. Only couple more months to go :) On the other hand - you are all set up right now and I'm glad I could help.

And ...... - who said that I quit making the "sweet rear diff protection" ???? :)
 
#17 ·
{Sorry for the thread hi-jack, Cruiser; maybe we should continue this in a new post in the appropriate topic section (events/trail runs?).}

---

This is one of the most extreme trails in Colorado, with all different kinds of obstacles. 33" tires, a winch, and at least one differential locker are required to successfully complete this dangerous and beautiful trail.
http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php?id=112

I'll look forward to pictures. Having been there, I won't be making this run in the X. ;)
 
#19 ·
No worries Rocky. What sort of vehicle did you use for access? Or did you just walk it?
The picture I posted was my old Samurai; I blew a power steering line shortly after the first obstacle, but I just disco'd the drive belt and ran it "armstrong" style the rest of the day and it did great. Wheelbase seems to be the biggest killer on this trail. You need a good break-over angle, especially on Jaws I, or you'll get high-centered. We had a 4Runner with our group w/ monster lift and 35's, but it was just too darn long and kept getting hung up.
 
#20 ·
Thought I'd add a couple of pics of my recently installed CB setup. I got a super cheap Midland 1001Z from Amazon and a 4' Firestik II setup with heavy duty spring from Skibum. I drilled a hole in the front bumper that was just barely large enough to get the stud mount through. The ground tested well with a multi meter without having to grind off any extra powdercoat around the hole. Then I ran the coax through the firewall, past the gear shift, and into a 13/16" hole that I drilled through the bottom of the center console. I pulled the cupholders and wired the power using the power from the cig lighter. Then I used 3M velcro strips to attach the CB to the side of the console. Pics show the mount with a 3/8" x 1" fine threaded bolt screwed into it to keep water from accumulating in there when the antenna isn't installed. Sadly it doesn't fit into my garage with the antenna installed since I only have about 2" of clearance between the roof rack and the bottom of the door.

Just gotta tweak the tip of the antenna to adjust the SWR and I'll be good to go on the trail this summer.





 
#22 ·
I've been very satisfied with the Nitto's. They're at 36,xxx miles right now and are in fantastic shape. The interweb is full of complaints about limited tread life but mine are holding up well. I recently had them flipped around on the rims to keep them wearing evenly inside and out. I rotate them every 5K to 7K miles and keep them at 45psi. I should get at least 50K miles out of them with enough tread left to sell them on CL for a couple hundred bucks. They're good in snow and decent on the ice after the plows come through. Road noise is pretty limited too.
 
#23 ·
Nice job on that install ... I did manage to find my SWR meter over the weekend, so give me a call (hopefully you still have my number, if not shoot me a PM) and we can meet up for you to borrow it.

I've gotta say, those hoopless Shrock bumpers sure do look pretty darn good ... truck's coming together quite well for you!
 
#25 ·
Yeah, in retrospect it seems like it was a fairly original choice. I hunted around a good bit looking for pics of the flat top Shrock on an X and couldn't find many. It's clean despite not offering quite the amount of animal/zombie strike protection that one with the full hoops would have given me. As an added benefit I can walk across the bumper when the truck is in my garage. Things are so tight in my garage in there because of the snowmobile trailer that I regularly have to climb across it to get to something on the far side of the truck.

Thanks J. I'll give you a holler sometime later in the week.
 
#26 ·
I wanted to put up a quick update to show off some new rock lights that I installed. These are some left over Harbor Freight fog 55w fog lights that I was using in the bumper mouth before I got the Shrock. The wiring was already there I just had to run some new leads to tie in the lights. I'll try to get some night shots soon. But here are a couple of day time driveway shots anyway.





 
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