the names Kevin im from new jersey. i just got my 03 xterra a week ago and im loving every moment with it. it needs front brakes for now but then ill get the mods going. im hoping for a stormy winter this year to put it to the test because i had a 04 SRT4 that didnt even move from my driveway. ill probably learn alot from this website seeing that you guys have sweet mods and alotta experience. im new to this world and im hoping i fit in..

welcome to the club...where in jersey are you from? i grew up in central jersey...there's lots of great people here with plenty of good advice

-john

Hey Jersey...
welcome to the club! You'll find your X most capable without mods! But, there are pleanty to be had!

The first and best mod to do if you plan on offroading if you've not already done it..remove the rear plastic mud flaps!! Or they will eventually remove themselves!! :wink-big:

Welcome A Board!

Remove the front mud flaps too...and the step rails....and the rear sway bar.

:D

Welcome, I,m also from NJ (Trenton). But now in Rochester ,NY.

haha thx im from hillside nj about 4 miles out of newark(not too much terrain) but im an outdoor fanatic (camping fishing wheelin) and im in search of places to go wheeling in this state but i dont know of any or where to look.

wow removing the sway bar huh? any difference in the drive? on highway or city drives?

Rear sway bar - Most people can't even tell its gone...makes almost no difference at all.

Removing it does two things...it allows the rear suspension to flex better (A LOT better), letting the tires stay on the ground where they can do some good, also making the ride smoother...

and, if you leave it ON, it whacks the HECK out of the passenger side shock absorber, killing it.

:D

So, it comes off easily, and really helps performance....with no harm to street handling.

Now, the FRONT sway bar is another story...removing that one makes the handling noticeably sloppier on the road...and smoother off road.

I'm running around with NO sway bars...so I know first hand.

:D

Welcome to Club X!

Let me know if you need anything! :)

Hey! welcome! :)

Welcome and enjoy your X!

Welcome, I'm new to Nissan myself, drove fords all my life. The X's are very durable, I've really liked mine. Put 17,000 miles on it since march. For all you NJ people, my company sent me to school once in Mahwa NJ (?) for one of the model copiers that we carried. Kind of a quiet place. Is that close to anyone?

haha i removed the mud flaps today...looking better already

Cool on the flap-less-ness. :D

Mawah, NJ is near Suffern, NY...Ramapo College is up there too.

I get out that way once in a while.

Its a bit of a hike north of me though...at least 1.5 hr or so.

:D

ok after all the "free mods" removal of sway bar .mudflaps steprails...

what should be a first add on?

PML?
LIGHTS?
Tire Upgrade?

what?!! help me out with suggestions??? please its pretty much stock for now

TIRES and/or SLIDERS first if you are taking if offroad. Then do the PML.

Assuming I might get a slightly larger tire with a PML, I might do the PML in conjunction with or before the tires though.....same with a BL.

A PML can practically count as one of the free mods, as its only $50 in parts anyway. The BL is closer to the $160-ish range, so would not be so free.

:D

Sliders are really a priority, as you can't do a lot off road w/o them...and a Hi-lift jack.

If you drive in dark deer infested areas, etc, and you can't see where you are going...then lights make sense....If you can see, its kind of a waste/cosmetic affectation.

I think the mod start for most can be along the lines of removing steps, flaps and rear sway bar, removal of brush guard if there is one, followed by a PML and new larger, more aggressive tires (Tire choice is based upon expected terrain and off/on road bias decision), and sliders, a hi-lift jack, a compressor, and a 3" x 30' snatch strap.

An X with the above can go ALOT of places. :D



If I really wanted to maximize tire size (And I DO), I'd do a BL next before getting the tires...and, before getting the sliders and other armor...as sliders and bumpers for example come in BL/Non-BL versions.

One inch of BL gives room for a 2" larger diameter tire...as most trucks came with roughly 29-30" tires, a 1" BL for example would allow ~31-32's, and a 2" BL would allow ~33-34's. (Your choices on a pre-'05 X are 2" and 3" BL's only)

Most people do a 2" BL, as its only 3 hrs or so to put on, and 33's will fit w/it, whereas the 3" BL takes an entire weekend.

After sliders, I'd continue with armor first, as it allows you to get through/over stuff w/o damage (You will NEVER lift enough to NEVER hit the undercarriage...so armor first, lift second)

Bumpers come into play up front if you are hitting deer/want a winch, want better approach angle, etc...

Bumpers in the rear come into play if you are being rear ended/smashing down coming off of ledges/your spare can't fit in the truck w/o inconvenience, and you need a rear tire carrier and or a tow hitch/rear recovery points, etc.

The last stage in build-up is typically the 3" SL, which also necessitates a steering system upgrade, totalling roughly $1,500 as a starting point...but the $50 PML shackles you might already have are part of it, saving you getting another set. :D

There are of course myriad other mods, but the above should give a rough idea of where to go as a baseline.

:D

One thing I like about the PML and the BL, other than the price, is that its typically the first time a newbie actually crawls under the truck, and sees what's under there and how it all works.

This really helps when you are driving over stumps, rocks, rutted roads, etc...because you have a sense of what might hit, and how to reposition so it misses...and...because you know what things looked like BEFORE you whacked them...and theose "Did it curve in like that before?" type questions are easier for you.

:D

Here's what I did:
1. Remove steprails and mudflaps
2. K&N Filter
3. PML and Sliders, plus Gastank skid
4. Tires (on a second set of stock wheels)
5. Roof Basket
6. Air compressor
7. Idler Arm brace

Next:
Full Skids.

Note: In hindsight I wish I had done a BL so I could have larger tires, so for now that will wait until I need new tires.

My Mods in order....

32" BFG AT KO's (IMO, I feel this should be the first mod)
PML
Skid Row Skid plates
EOE sliders
33" Super Swamper TSL Radials.
OBA
3" SL
2" BL
L&P Steering
Schrock Front Bumper (you can get these from AC or directly from Jim)
Schrock Rear Bumper (same as front bumper)

Then added various accessories, suck as roof rack, lights, CB, etc, etc.

Welcome to the Club!!!