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I wanted to use the "back of the X" to moving some stuff. I started by folding down the rear seats, and adding a piece of 32 .25 x 46.25 x 0.75 inch plywood, with some padding at the corners:
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This plywood is to protect the driver from stuff sliding forward from the cargo area. It sits on the backseat headrests, and it can't move forward due to the rear seatcushions and the curvature of the roof. From the plywood to just inside the rear liftgate is 5 feet.
I had tried to do some planning to maximize what I could fit into the X. A couple of my measurements were slightly off, but this photo shows what was planned:
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All but two of the boxes made it into the back of the X. That's a 4-foot level on top of the pile. Once you are above the wheel wells, you can put in wider stuff, but it narrows again near the roof.
Here is the result:
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Some of this type of stuff could come into contact with the windows in the rear doors or liftgate, so it may be a good idea to add padding and/or restraints.
The stuff I was carrying had some weight to it, and the result was that the rear end of the X was riding on the bumpstops. When fully loaded, the distance from the ground, through the center of the rear axle, to the lower edge of the fender well was 32 1/8 inches. When unloaded, that measurement is 34 7/8 inches. The 2.75 inch difference seems to correspond with the distance between the top of the rear axle and the bottom of the bumpstops when the X is unloaded.
Warning: The above was performed by a licensed Nissan Xterra owner. Do not try this at home (or anywhere else!) using vehicles such as the Toyota FJ Cruiser or GMC Hummer that do not have fold-flat rear seats. Failure to follow this warning may result in property damage and/or personal injury. Side effects may include depression (due to the realization that you should have bought an Xterra).
This plywood is to protect the driver from stuff sliding forward from the cargo area. It sits on the backseat headrests, and it can't move forward due to the rear seatcushions and the curvature of the roof. From the plywood to just inside the rear liftgate is 5 feet.
I had tried to do some planning to maximize what I could fit into the X. A couple of my measurements were slightly off, but this photo shows what was planned:
All but two of the boxes made it into the back of the X. That's a 4-foot level on top of the pile. Once you are above the wheel wells, you can put in wider stuff, but it narrows again near the roof.
Here is the result:
Some of this type of stuff could come into contact with the windows in the rear doors or liftgate, so it may be a good idea to add padding and/or restraints.
The stuff I was carrying had some weight to it, and the result was that the rear end of the X was riding on the bumpstops. When fully loaded, the distance from the ground, through the center of the rear axle, to the lower edge of the fender well was 32 1/8 inches. When unloaded, that measurement is 34 7/8 inches. The 2.75 inch difference seems to correspond with the distance between the top of the rear axle and the bottom of the bumpstops when the X is unloaded.
Warning: The above was performed by a licensed Nissan Xterra owner. Do not try this at home (or anywhere else!) using vehicles such as the Toyota FJ Cruiser or GMC Hummer that do not have fold-flat rear seats. Failure to follow this warning may result in property damage and/or personal injury. Side effects may include depression (due to the realization that you should have bought an Xterra).
