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Discussion starter · #62 ·
U-Bolt flip kit arrived... they are aluminum billet plates and attaching hardware. I'm pretty excited to get the OEMs out of there.
From Gregs website " This offers about and inch more ground clearance and looks really clean. " Anyhoo... here's a shot of the kit on my living room floor.
 

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U-Bolt flip kit arrived... they are aluminum billet plates and attaching hardware. I'm pretty excited to get the OEMs out of there.

From Gregs website " This offers about and inch more ground clearance and looks really clean. " Anyhoo... here's a shot of the kit on my living room floor.
That's the kit I have on mine. I'm happy with it. The only thing I'm not crazy about is those u-bolt plates don't have drain holes so they sit full of water/silt/road grime. I make it a point to wash them out when I wash the X so the bolts aren't constantly submerged in filth.
 
U-Bolt flip kit arrived... they are aluminum billet plates and attaching hardware. I'm pretty excited to get the OEMs out of there.
From Gregs website " This offers about and inch more ground clearance and looks really clean. " Anyhoo... here's a shot of the kit on my living room floor.
FYI, with this set, be prepared to cut/modify the ABS brackets to them to fit. Dremel or something similar will help save ya a headache.
 
@TerryD - thanks for the heads up. Should I drill some small drain holes in each plate then? Think this would help ?
I've been thinking bout it and I'm not sure what to do. I think the hole would have to be about 3/8"-1/2" to do much good. Just make sure you keep an eye on them and keep them washed out. I just make sure I try to rinse them as well as I can when I wash it. I occasionally set it up on stands and pull the tires and wheels so I can wash it better. I need to break out the power washer and do it, but I just never do.
 
Discussion starter · #68 ·
@AdventureRider81 thank you for the tip - I'll dremel this ABS bracket ahead of time.
You've got an '11 Xterra and mine is a '12 so I suspect yes - I'll need to make this small modification.

Also took the advice of @TerryD on here and drilled some small drain holes for the u-bolt flip kit top plate. See photo.

The lower control arms - remember the seized bushings from two weeks ago - hence I couldn't even put in adjustable camber bolts - the replacements were ordered from RockAuto. They had been sitting on a Fed Ex Ground truck with daily updates of " Postponed delivery from inclement weather"
for 7 days straight now. I'd laugh out loud really if this wasn't just so retarded...but they were just now delivered as I type this.

And so the build might be the slowest in American history...but is still chugging along.
 

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Discussion starter · #69 ·
I didn't photograph any of it - but yesterday I spent 12 hours at Stews Garage in Kirkland...trying to replace two lower control arms.

I chewed through more than 7 sawzall blades. Each bloody bolt took over an hour of sawing.... which was shocking.

Disconnecting the CV axle assembly I had somehow shredded the end of the axle threads (! )...and could not get the bolt to rethread...hence I ordered a replacement from Napa. I had no clue how easy it was to do this. I had tried to thread file them back into shape...no avail. I tried to clean them off with a wire brush...no avail. Napa delivered this replacement in about an hour.

What was the biggest challenge of all of this- was the fight that this Nissan was putting up every.step.of.the.way.
I got me frustrated to the point of never wanting to touch this damned Xterra ever again in my life.
The truck is 9 years old, but the level of frozen bolts and rock hard bushings was really, really bad.

The take away is - plan on any job taking twice as long. Plan on replacing things you didn't imagine would need it. Have deep pockets.
 
I chewed through more than 7 sawzall blades. Each bloody bolt took over an hour of sawing.... which was shocking.

I swear lol. Something is weird here. I can't get over it. Were you using blades reserved for cutting paper? I used a sawzall to get through my UCA bolt and it took me only a few minutes. I just don't get how that saw can be moving on the bolt for 60 minutes straight and barely cut it out.
 
Discussion starter · #73 · (Edited)
Man...who knows. First time using a sawzall...and they were some pretty cheap $ 2.00 blades.
When you're a captive audience with your Xterra up on a lift- ya make due with the tools at hand, ya know ?

After over three hours of this - totally exhausted and low blood sugar - irritable as hell... I felt like Joe Pesci - my GF swung by and brought me some Black and Decker blades which were freakin' magic. I would still be there otherwise.

Stew mentioned even the high $ 17.00 price blades bend and get dull just as fast as the $ 2.00 cheapies...which I suspect is not entirely true.

Just felt exhilarating to be done with LCA...I can't even describe it.
 
Discussion starter · #78 ·
The alignment has happened- you can see just how far out of spec the toe was on each front tire.
Also - I was holding the steering wheel at the 10 o'clock position just to keep it straight on the road. Wild.

Don't let anybody tell you they don't need no stinkin alignment after changing out upper or lower control arms.
 

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Discussion starter · #80 ·
REPRESENT ! In my daily life I don't typically wear Nike swooshes or Addidas stripes...but
I've learned a lot from this site and the cool people on here - so I'm happy to give props to www.thenewx.org on my Xterra.
 

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