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IntellectualRedneck's (Re)Build - More Lift Please

10K views 36 replies 9 participants last post by  westslope 
#1 · (Edited)
Intro Comments: There are a lot a really nice X builds on this site. This is not one of them LOL. Its 13 years old and been driven on salted winter road, but I'm doing what I can to make it mine.
I got my Xterra in 2010, it's now retired from family vehicle duty and nowI want to mod it a bit and keep it around for my needs as long as I can. Just want it to look nice and make it offroad capable for accessign my hunting and fishing spots

Since it's not my daily driver anymore I gave myself a rule that I would not have the X worked on by anyone else than myself, so sometimes stuff takes a long time to get done.

UserName: IntellectualRedneck

Xterra's Nickname: Midlife Crisis

Make: Nissan
Year: 2006
Model: Xterra
Trim: 4x4 SE
Color: Night Armor

Mods:

Wheels/Tiires:

  • 285/70/17 Falken Wildpeak AT3W on Stock SE 17" wheels - Graphite Wheel paint
  • Winter: 265/75/16 Geolandar G072 on 16" Steelies
  • 1.5" Wheel spacers front and rear
Suspension:
  • Front: 2" Spacer lift - Supreme Suspensions
  • Rear: 3" 3 Leaf Progressive Add a Leaf - AC
Exterior:
  • Dep Hep Roof Rack
  • Stubby Antennae
  • Mudflaps - Removed
  • Running boards - Removed
  • Nerf Bars - Removed
  • All plastics bedlined
Interior:
  • WeatherTech Mats Front & Rear
Major Maintenance:
  • Koyorad Radiator - 120k km
  • Timing Chains - 190k km
  • Water Pump - 190k km
  • Eastern Catalytic Converters - 190k km
  • Every single freakin' ABS sensor
Pics:

Not new but stock

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Winter Mode:

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Current:

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#2 ·
So this is where it started.
That supercharger whine was feeling like a ticking timebomb. I changed the timing chains myself over a few weeks in the winter. I can honestly say I would never have tried this without the help of this forum. A lot of reading how-tos and videos, and going through the FSM to be really sure of what I was doing.
This job sucked for a few reasons. A LOT of stuff had to be removed to get to the chains, and because of 13 years of salt, some stuff, mainly the crank pulley was darn near impossible to get off. I really struggled with that one for a while. Did all of the chains, tensioner shoes, water pump and sparks plugs all at the same time.

If you've done it before... you know this view:



Gory tensioner pics to remind what could have been.... ya she was getting pretty close to a disaster....



This bolt..... This freakin' bolt......
1000 ft-lbs impact and a torch wouldn't budge it. Got desperate and decided to try and cut the flange... but it's recessed in the pulley so I used a dremel... it took hours and hours but I finally ground enough material away that the torch was effective and it finally came out... was very happy when that impact started to turn....

 
#3 · (Edited)
******* Tip:

I refused to pay the $$$ for the "tool" to hold the flywheel. It was going to cost more than the parts going in. I just needed to fab something up, when I saw something staring me in the face.. (or foot) Every X owner has 6 of these free flywheel tools!



Perfect fit. (I cleaned up the one I used but couldn't find it for the pic so I just grabbed another one to show the fit)



Just needed to be held in place with a strap and wedge something behind so it didn't move.
warning - at your own risk
 
#6 ·
Embarassing to say but the OEM BFG Long Trails lasted 13 years! OK, so almost 5 months of the year I have another set of winter tires... but still. They all had plugs in the them, and it was waaaaaay overdue.
Got a set of 285/70/17 Falken Wildpeak AT3W's.
It actually drives better on 33s that on the old worn OEMs, but you definitely feel the sprung weight difference. Hopefully the AAL I'm waiting to put on will dampen that.



 
#7 ·
My A/C / Blower has been flaky for a while now. At first, it was just speed #3 that was gone. After a while, it would blink for a bit and come on sometimes. Then I lost A/C at all speeds except #1 but the fan wouldn't work. Was more that time to change the Blower motor resistor.
Ya think?


Ordered a replacement on Amazon, and works like a charm. Also got some retainer clips for the bumper/fender liners that ended up being too big (10mm). The listing said they would fit.. but they did not. Will have to order some new ones (that are apparently 8mm)
 
#12 ·
I picked up a Dep Hep roof rack from another member this past winter. I had to wait 4 months to get it back from Florida when the snowbirds finally migrate back. By that time I was deep into other jobs and it sat in the back of the garage until I was finally ready for it. It was in decent shape, just a little bit of rust and a few spots where the powder coat had chipped off.
I prepped it, then gave it a coat of primer.



Then went over that with about four or five coats of bedliner.



Installed:



I really like it. In the near future, I would like to get a cargo net to haul my hunting/fishing stuff on the roof, mostly stuff that I would prefer not to keep inside like gas can, outboard motor tanks, etc.. Also, I'd like to wire up some lights to the rear.
 
#13 ·
Installed a lift kit. Nothing too wild, just 2" lift spacers and 3" 3 leaf progressive AAL.



I have some upgrading to do, I kept the coilovers I have because I wasn't sure if I would get too much CBC and have to upgrade the UCA, which would allow me to get lift coilovers and gain a bit more. In the end I discovered very little CBC and my camber stayed in spec, although close to the limit, so will probably upgrade to an assembled kyb or maybe make my own bilstein coilovers.



Really liking how the progressive AAL feels. The rear slides a bit more on washboard, but not too bad. Takes a load well too. My rear shocks were only a few years old so I left them, they dont top out, so I'll stick with that, although I do have to adjust the abs line brackets.
Oh, and painted the calipers because its +5 HP.



 
#15 ·
Can't all be Tswaps and 35s lol...
Been working on a few things for the X. Freaking rust... The arse end was looking pretty sad.

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Grinding off the surface rust, spraying with rust converters, priming, painting... buying some time and improving the look from underneath.

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#17 ·
.....
Been working on a few things for the X. Freaking rust... The arse end was looking pretty sad.
......
LOL! You sound just like folks I grew up with Back East.

Great lookin' X. Curious: do you hunt for moose?
 
#21 · (Edited)
An update to some stuff I've worked on during lockdown. Been wanting to facelift for a while now.

Did some mods to the front bumper, making it less bulky looking I think. Just folding it along the lower crease. Passenger foglight was busted up, sourcing another.

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Added some 1.5" spacers. Probably going to have to bfh the pinch weld in the front fender. Will have to test it out.
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Bedlined the trim and door handles
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Painted the stock SE mags with duplicolor wheel paint in graphite.

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I've got a pair of SPC UCAs and cam bolts sitting in the garage.
Next major project is probably 5100/lca/shakles, try to get another 1", maybe 1.5".
I'm still undecided about the coil spring. Been reading some unhappiness with the moogs... I may just keep my stock spring and see how that goes.
 
#26 ·
Back recently from a moose hunting trip. I'm not much for documenting trips, but wanted to relay this story.
One of our gang's gen1 Tundra busted a leaf spring on BOTH the driver and passenger side.
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So he's worried about bringing out his gear, and his 16ft tandem trailer with 2 bikes loaded in it, so I offer to take it back to civilization.

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Well it had rained 2 days straight and we are waaaaay back in some nasty logging roads. A few muddy, rocky hills are worrying me a bit coming is a lot easier than going, and that trailer empty is 1500lbs...
But the X never got stuck. Was pretty impressed with the Wildpeaks. Up a few muddy hills they kept slinging mud until it reached something harder and kept me going.
The X earned a bit of respect from some of the full size pickup owners who habitually call it a "station wagon".
Dropped off the trailer, patted the X on the hood, and said "attaboy"...

For anyone who likes off roading, try doing it with a trailer load, it adds a whole other dimension, lol.

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#29 ·
Nissan Xterra SUV to the rescue of a Toyota Tundra truck. Superbe. Taber....

I scoured your post IR for mention of .... moose. Not this time?

A neighbour is or certainly was an avid hunter before health issues caught up. He recently mentioned that he thought moose meat in a tourtière was pretty good. I have eaten lots of tourtière over the years -- ma femme est québécoise -- but never with moose meat despite the fact that she is from Abitibi in NW Québec and the males in her family hunt moose.

So now I am on the hunt for fresh moose meat. Brother and nephew are hunting near the Mica Dam for moose at the end of the month. Just maybe.

I know it is off-topic, nevertheless, please explain explain the .450 Marlin Mod.
 
#30 ·
Nissan Xterra SUV to the rescue of a Toyota Tundra truck. Superbe. Taber....

I scoured your post IR for mention of .... moose. Not this time?

A neighbour is or certainly was an avid hunter before health issues caught up. He recently mentioned that he thought moose meat in a tourtière was pretty good. I have eaten lots of tourtière over the years -- ma femme est québécoise -- but never with moose meat despite the fact that she is from Abitibi in NW Québec and the males in her family hunt moose.

So now I am on the hunt for fresh moose meat. Brother and nephew are hunting near the Mica Dam for moose at the end of the month. Just maybe.

I know it is off-topic, nevertheless, please explain explain the .450 Marlin Mod.
No moose this year unfortunately. We've had a string of good luck over several years, (I got a young bull last year myself) but it cant last forever. We'll get 'we next year.
Can't say I've had moose in a tourtiėre, although sounds good. But moose in a cipaille? That's the bees knees.....

The .450 Marlin Mod is perfect for keeping one round handy on moose hunts. Works best for big bore cartridges nearest a half inch.
 
#31 · (Edited)
My brakes have been something I really didn't like on my X, I've been meaning to do a flush and upgrade for a while now. Well, procrastination bit me in the beehind half way through the deer season last fall when I blew a brake line on my way to the camp with the X full of gear. Luckily I wasn't too far from home when it happened.

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Just my own stupidity. I had replaced the hardline on the other side of the axle the year before... should have changed them both at the same time...
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Well that lit the fire needed to get on with what I'd wanted to do.
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I'd changed the disks just last year and they came with pads, but they were complete garbage... like buttered blocks of wood.
First touch of the pedal told me I'd made a mistake.
So this time, better quality pads, new slider pins, hardlines, changed the bleeder valves because they were getting sketchy, and a complete flush...

I feel I still need another bleeding session after I've triggered the abs a few times now but braking is much improved.
 
#32 · (Edited)
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Lifting up a tad more, got a lift shackle, new bushings and a pinion angle shim. I got the Rubicon Express steel in 4 degree. With a 3" aal, and a 2" shackle, put right about that size. It is pretty beefy. maybe a bit thicker than I'd like...
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Had to drill out the hole to 3/8" to fit the leaf pack pin, but other than that install went fine, and driveline vibes seem to be gone.

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#33 · (Edited)
Getting started on the front. Got a set of Bilstein 5100 struts and new-to-me low mileage oem pro-4x springs off a frontier. Dont really know if the pro-4x springs are rated any better than what I have on the SE.
My gut tells me its all the same... BUT the pro-4x spring IS a different part number than other 4wd model springs, so who knows. My old ones have 200k km on them and ride like an old couch.
Got KYB spring insulators and spring seats.
Borrowed a spring compressor from a local parts store, and putting them together was pretty quick and straightforward.
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