Hey guys,

Finally got the Bilsteins on and Wow! you guys weren't kidding. Before I got them, I thought I would put the old sway bar back on with some disconnects, but now I don't really think its necessary.
Speaking of the sway bar, I said before that I had a broken clip (the drivers side bracket on the rear-end) which is why I took it off. I checked for dented or broken shocks (they were OK), but missed some other damage. The left side inner u-bolts had a snapped leg. I didn't even notice it until I was taking off the old shock and noticed that the bottom shock pin was pointing slightly downward.
You guys were right again about doing the work myself, I really dug getting my hands dirty again and learning the underside of my truck.
If any of you work on a military base or have a friend who can invite you onto a military base, here's a tip.
Base Special services (at least at Edwards and the Navy Bases I lived on years ago) have an auto hobby shop. On Edwards Air force base it is open to anyone on base. It cost me $4/ hour for a bay with a lift and a complete tool box including impact tools, air ratchets, jacks, etc.
Also there are real mechanics on duty to answer questions and give pointers. Its a military service perk I forgot about until recently. They even take away your old oil and brake rotors.
Now I'm psyched, as I no longer fear starting a job on my daily driver only to find I am missing a tool or the expertise to finish the job.
Lastly, I was checking old threads about synthetic oils. One of the mechanics there on base has a Nissan Frontier 4x4 with the 3.3L. He said it was the same basic rig underneath as my 2002 XE. He swears by Redline gear oil. Said he put it in both front and rear ends and saw 3 MPG increase. Even if he only got one MPG that can’t hurt. I drive 120 miles a day just in my commute. Anyway he reported no problems with the oil swap.



:wink-big:Best to all.

I couldn't agree more! Those auto shops are great. I haven't been to the one here on Bragg yet, but I was at the one on Benning and I thought it was great I was doing a number of things, but I couldn't figure out the dang fuel filter, only to find out you needed a special tool to remove. So I walked my happy butt to the closest window and got that tool instead of driving to the dang dealership and spending $30. Once I get my body lift parts I think I will try it at the shop here.

That is a handy little connection to have there! Your own workshop with technical staff on standby. We've got Redstone Arsenal here and my buddy (army airborne) can get ridiculous deals on anything at the PX. He's getting me a price list together of tires I can get on the arsenal for WAAAAYYY cheaper than I could find anywhere else. Not bad liquor prices either... hahaha

Good job! Isn't is a warm and toasty feeling when you work on your own rig?
Bilsteins are the way to go!

BRANDON, feel free to ask for advice when it comes to the BL!!!!

Dude, That pretty much sums it up. For the next two days I kept saying, "I put new shocks on my truck" at odd spontaneous moments.
Fifteen years ago I pulled the heads off my old 69’ Ford F100 for a head job, then three years later I pulled axels and replaced the rear end (both jobs were literally shade-tree work in gravel driveways), but after I got into newer rigs I figured my wrench turning days were over. I still don’t have any desire to work on the wife’s little Sebring convertible, but am looking forward to doing more with my Xterra. Maybe at 46 years old I’m a born again shade-tree mechanic.



:wink-big: