Installing the winch


Underneath view while fabricating the rad skid














Lighting control panel installed




Installing the carling lighted rockers, relocating the VDC switch.

 

Reserved

I want your front bumper, i gave a quick glance in the thread but didn't see anything...interested in making another one of those? I apologize if you've been asked before and said no, i haven't been on this forum for a while.

 

Titan swap (long overdue) finally done!

Did the swap during a week off from work (as not to affect the bumper biz schedule) a couple of weeks ago

Finally had this last sunday to finish up all the things I couldn't get to a couple of weeks ago.

Here's the progress of the initial swap:

Off comes all the PRG advanced coilover kit components after 5 yrs or so of hard use. Everything pretty well worn out.



Man the frame looks fugly! Went up to O'reilly's and got a 3" cup brush for the die grinder and went to town once everything was off and cleaned it down to metal. Coat of primer & black and we're SO much better! M205 w/ ARB locker installed, LCS, tie rods. Damn if both old rear LCA bolts weren't seized and I had to sawzall them both off!!!



One side all complete and have installed radflo hydraulic bumpstops and poly-performance 14" limit straps (ended up having to double the limit straps as believe it or not, the 7k rating still stretched too far). Everything cleaned up and re-painted along the way. Brake lines installed and anchored into the back of the spindle to keep everything away from the tires, even the remote rez radflos had to be tucked in tight.



In the back, the m226 had some rework as well. New dropped and gusseted HD lower shock mounts so I could get all the travel out of the Fox 26" shocks for max travel & articulation. Raised up all the e-brake and brake line mounts & the abs sensor mounts for full articulation w/o pulling on anything. As always, had to add dimple dies to everything that I could. Timbren bumpstops up top for a cush stop at full compression. PRG U-bolt flip kit & diff cover too.



Testing the flex of the alcan 3" 450+ springs, shock travel & droop, and making sure everything extended or compressed without problems.



The Alcans are flexible, Very flexible!



Had it up to the point of just balancing on two tires. Everything looking good except for some future front fender trimming soon.





Still gotta install the viair ultra OBA setup so I can hook up the front locker. Rear locker now working now. At least off-road worthy again.

Just love the way it looks and rides! Can blast about any dip or curb at high speed and it just soaks it all up!!!!! :tunes:












So, List of Things on This Round of Changes:
New M205, with ARB air locker installed
Titan CV's
Moog LCA's
Moog inner & outer tie rods
Rough Country UCA"s
Radflo 2.5 w/remote rez coilovers
Radflo 2"x2" hyd bumpstops
Poly Performance adjustable bumpstop cans
Poly Performance 14" limit straps with upper mount kit
PRG stainless brake lines
PRG u-bolt flip kit
PRG cam bolt kit
Fox 2"x26" remote rez shock from Greg @ prg
Timbren rear bump stops
M226 out of a 2012 w 11k mi.
2" wheel spacers in rear
Alcan 3" rear springs w/450# cap.
PRG rear shackles
Rear driveline modified by Seagull Diesel w/parts from Tom Woods
E-locker harness for m226 locker switching


Next Up:
4:56 gears
2" BL
35" tires
Finish OBA install
2nd battery in rear
LED perimeter lighting on new roof rack (in works)

Q? Why did I wait so long to do the best mod evah??:dontknow:

 

Great job Dave!! The rig looks freaking sweet. Congrats on the TS, it'll serve you well.

 

Legit setup! West Haven, huh? Awesome seeing XTerra's "maxed" out around here, cheers!

 

that bumper :drool:

 

Congrats, Dave! It looks awesome. Such a nice clean job you did on that install, esp the grinding and repainting- it almost looks like new under there.

 

Congrats on the TS!

 

Thanks all very much.
Been waiting a long time to be at this point.

Really liking my X again.
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The TS and that front bumper look awesome.

Clean build too.

 

Nice work, I can definitely empathize on the waiting to get it done ... I've been accumulating my parts for far too long, myself. Can you comment on the choice of Rough Country UCAs over the other, more popular, options (like PRG)?

 

I ran the PRG uca's for 5 yrs previous with the advanced coil over kit. They were great, but we're getting slop in the exposed uniballs and required constant lube to keep from squeaking/creaking (these were some early models and I think they've made improvements over mine). Road salt is harsh on them! Also, not slamming the old kit in any way. I drove the Sh!# outta it. Everything was needing refreshed/rebuilt so either spend money on that, or spend more and go to the next level. (Quite a bit more..)

Justin from Fat Bobs told me about these. OEM style pivot bushings and sealed & replaceable moog ball joint sold me.
They have great travel as at full droop w/o the limit straps set, they're just a hair from hitting the coil bucket.

Thought I'd give them a try this time and see how the maintenance/wear compares.
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You do fantastic work! I can't stop staring at all the pics - it looks great!

 

Makes sense ... the long term wear & maintenance on the typical exposed heim inner joint and uniball outer have always been a bit of a turn-off for me. I had forgotten about the RC arms, so thanks for reminding me! I think they could be a great option, and it sounds like the outer ball-joints don't lose you any articulation over a uniball outer (at least for the way you have yours set-up); so that's a bonus!

 

do you ever get "talked to" about your front plate mounted like that?

 

Not yet, in 3 or so yrs it's been on there.
At least it's there, as required (more or less) :iconbiggrin:

Everything is subject to interpretation?

 

i totally agree... I had just wondered when I get a new bumper where to put mine

 

Every time I see your front bumper.... I just drool. So much awesome!

 

who manufactures that bumper? I love it, do they make it for the frontier?

 

That's made by the fab king himself. The OP.

 

He created it. Its a one and only.

 

Dave that looks fantastic!!! I want to see it in person, ready for a day trip?

 

Pretty soon. Really need to do some fender trimming still and OBA install, air locker hook up.

Well we only have a few months until snow!

Meet me in Moab when I'm out there in September!

 

Pretty soon. Really need to do some fender trimming still and OBA install, air locker hook up.

 

Well we only have a few months until snow!

 

How do you like the new radflo 2.5's compared to your old 2.0's?


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I definitely like!
Took it out over the weekend and ran it hard.
Very impressed at the ride quality. Did not experience one hard bottom-out at all.
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Where did you set your limit straps to? Why not just let the coilover's extension limit down travel?

To be vague, how much work was it to install the bump stop cans? More to the point what would be a reasonable price to pay to have them installed?

 

Where did you set your limit straps to? Why not just let the coilover's extension limit down travel??

The UCA's (primarily pass side) are hitting the coil bucket at full droop and I'm thinking the upper ball joint is getting close to bind at droop.
Also, the rod piston is what's stopping your down travel, so add up the coilover spring tension, suspension and tire wheel weight (plus inertia of all that weight) becoming quickly unloaded and dropping, lots of stress on the coilover innards trying to instantly stop that load. The straps should cushion the instantly unloaded "full droop" too.
Probably overkill on my part, but that's what I wanted to do.

Also to note, I added a second limit strap like Chris H's setup was, as I couldn't believe how much the 8k load limit straps stretched while trying to adjust travel limit (now I see why a lot of them use triple straps..) Then I also had to add a spring to pull the straps inboard on compression, as the race trucks do to keep the strap from hitting the inside of the tire. If I had smooth sidewalls, maybe not so much an issue, but the wranglers definitely grabbed it.

To be vague, how much work was it to install the bump stop cans? More to the point what would be a reasonable price to pay to have them installed?

Took me a while to figure out the exact location for the cans. Found that I needed to place them so the bumpstop could be removed from the top instead of having to disassemble suspension to take them out the bottom. Placed the stop up high in the can mount and adjusted until it cleared brake lines and other obstructions. Then tacked into place. It's welded to the rear of the coil bucket, with about 3/8" clearance out from the frame, and then a gusset plate welded to the rearward side to the frame. Also had to cut about a 1/2" off the bottom of the can so it didn't hit the LCA.

Also welded a 1/4" plate on top of the LCA for the bumpstop to impact at compression, as I doubt the thin LCA steel would have held up.

Gotta say, these bumpstops seem like they work awesome! Bounced over some stuff extremely hard and front end airborn, and landing was smooth! Never did hit & bottom out like before. :rockin:

As for price to install, If I was doing it, guessing around $100.

Radflo bumpstops, 2" bore x 2" travel with bump cans from poly performance. 14" Limit straps & adjsutable hardware also from poly performance

Here's the best pic I can find right now. You can also see the small spring in the middle of the strap tied forward to the lca.

 

Thanks for the pics and information on the bumpstops and limit straps. It's giving me ideas!