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Xtacular's Build Thread (Pic Heavy)

31K views 188 replies 50 participants last post by  dejablue 
#1 · (Edited)
Current Pic:

Shackles, UCAs, BL, 33x12.5 Duratracs, Desert Runners









Shackles, UCAs, BL, 33x10.5 BFGs, Desert Runners





PML, BL, 33s



Doug Thorley headers



PML, BL, 32s



PML, 32s





PML, 31s



When I got it



The X:
4x4 5 speed
4.9 gears
base model, except for mirror with compass/outside temp/auto dim


Mods:
AC shackles and UCAs
DIY 2" BL
Calmini IAB
Extended HD Bilsteins
ARB front bumper
Skid Row rear bumper w/ custom tire carrier
K&N cold air intake
Magnaflow muffler
Doug Thorley headers
AC HD TRAs
Bandit 4x4 idler arm bushings
Backup camera
Pioneer Bluetooth head unit
Rear Sony Xplod 6x9s
12" JL Audio w0 w/ JBL 770 watt mono amp
Garmin Nuvi- bottom end
Front windows tinted to 35%

Tire progression:
265/70/16 Maxxis Bravo HT
265/75/16 Hankook Dynapro ATM RF10
33x10.5x15 BFG AT KO
33x12.5x15 Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac (current tires)

Synthetic fluids:
Mobil1 High Mileage 5w30 motor oil/Bosch filter
Redline MT90 in transfer case and tranny
Royal Purple Max Gear in diffs
Royal Purple grease in front driveshaft/u joints/tire carrier hinge/ball joints

Maintenance and repairs:
timing belt/water pump
power steering flush
front wheel bearings repacked 2x
driver rear axle shaft replaced
tune up
fuel filter
PCV valve
replace power steering clamps
driveshaft rebalanced and greasable u joints installed
unclog rear diff breather
front sway bar end links and frame mount bushings
tranny rebuild/clutch
camber bolts/eccentric washers
upper and lower ball joints
tie rod assemblies
centerlink
exhaust manifolds
way too many alignments


Got the X 10/17/09: 2002 Black 5 speed 4x4 with ~100,000 miles. The interior and exterior are in great condition. It was in a front end collision, but I had a mechanic look at it before I bought it and he said everything was repaired properly. I overpayed a bit, but I got the dealer to throw in tires, alignment, battery, and battery terminal. I absolutely love it, and that much more now that I'm on this forum!
 
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#3 ·
Looks good!
 
#6 ·
Thanks everybody! I am worried about the mods, but I'm having a lot of fun and I've hardly done anything!
 
#7 ·
Finally got it aligned after the PML... This cheap lift turned out to be not so cheap because my camber adjustment bolts were frozen (Utah car previously). :(

new camber adjustment bolts + hardware: $90
2.5 hours labor: $150
alignment: $60
shackles: $85 shipped

Total cost: over $400 with tax


So now that I've driven it a bit after this alignment, I'm pretty sure that Les Schwab didn't do a complete job when I had them align it 8 months ago. It steers and handles way better than it ever did since I got it... if I understand correctly, previously they could have only done toe-in adjustments... those bolts sure didn't freeze since I got it.

Anyway, it's good to go now... here are some up to date pictures of her shined up:





 
#11 ·
2.5 hours to replace chamber bolts?!!!!!! wow you got cheated, thats a 45 minute job tops, just cut them out

90 bucks for chamber bolts? they can all be bought OEM from courtesy nissan for 40 bucks shipped to your door

man, you could of easily saved yourself a couple hundred bucks
 
#12 ·
Thanks for the comments everyone!

@fusionfronty- I know I could have gotten the parts cheaper, but my mechanic would not install them unless they bought them, so they could guarantee them. And it wasn't just bolts, it was nuts and washers too. There was about 20-$25 profit in there for them for those parts, and I was ok paying it. As for the labor, you live and learn. I've never cut bolts out before, I'm sure I could do it, but oh well.
 
#13 ·
#14 ·
2.5 hours to replace chamber bolts?!!!!!! wow you got cheated, thats a 45 minute job tops, just cut them out

90 bucks for chamber bolts? they can all be bought OEM from courtesy nissan for 40 bucks shipped to your door

man, you could of easily saved yourself a couple hundred bucks
Bolts only for both sides are just over $40 shipped. Bolts, eccentric washers, and nuts for both sides are just over $70 shipped.
 
#15 ·
Bolts only for both sides are just over $40 shipped. Bolts, eccentric washers, and nuts for both sides are just over $70 shipped.
no,

when i did my lift, the whole deal with the washers/nuts AND ALSO the t-bar adjuster bolts/nuts came to 60 or so bucks, the t-bar adjuster bolts were 10 bucks a pop

unless they drastically changed their prices...

also, 4x4 parts sells them for roughly the same price as courtesy
 
#16 ·
Don't know why we're arguing about this but...

from Courtesy:
$10 per cam bolt
$3.50 per eccentric disk
$1.87 per nut
= ~$60 plus shipping

There are sets on 4x4parts, but not for first gen Xs that I can see
 
#17 ·
no,

when i did my lift, the whole deal with the washers/nuts AND ALSO the t-bar adjuster bolts/nuts came to 60 or so bucks, the t-bar adjuster bolts were 10 bucks a pop

unless they drastically changed their prices...

also, 4x4 parts sells them for roughly the same price as courtesy
Apparently the prices have changed.

My order for camber bolts on May 3rd 2010
 
#18 ·
before and after satin black plastics.. i know its a different color but would look really good on your truck you should do it.. paint is fusion satin black

before


after

 
#19 ·
Completed a few mods and maintenance items today. I changed the fuel filter and cleaned the MAF sensor, hopefully I'll get a little better mileage.

I also switched tool boxes, made a LOBO rack, and did a little something with the rear tailgate/edge of the cargo area.

Here's the LOBO rack:



Here's the tool box I'm using now. I was using one of the plastic containers and it took up way too much cargo space, and the tools wouldn't stay in their spots.

Top section- multimeter, calipers, pipe wrenches, clippers, zip ties, etc.

1/4" and SAE wrenches (metric ones on the rack)

3/8"

1/2" and screwdriver and bits


And here is my favorite part:




I gotta give credit to xearth. It's grip tape type stuff I got at Lowe's. I made an impression of the design on a piece of paper and made a stencil. It took a while but I'm really happy with how it looks (from a little distance), and who knows, it may even come in handy some time :D
 
#20 ·
Forgot to say, xearth did this to his running boards, so I thought I'd try it on the rear thingy
 
#22 ·
Thanks!
 
#24 ·
Nice X, I was wanting to see someone rock the PML without getting new wheels for a while. As this will be the same thing that I will have to do until my tires wear out.

BTW, I've noticed an increase in price from Courtesy as well.
 
#25 ·
Nice X, I was wanting to see someone rock the PML without getting new wheels for a while. As this will be the same thing that I will have to do until my tires wear out.

BTW, I've noticed an increase in price from Courtesy as well.
I'm with ya... no new tires for me for another 35,000 or so, or until I get out of college and get a real job :D I know I could sell them to recoup some of the cost, but I haven't received a reasonable offer yet, and even if I did it would be a long way from taking a significant chunk out of some nice 32s.

BTW, I have the 265/70R16 tires, the largest stock size for this gen.
 
#26 ·
Just figured I'd let you know that you can slip the garmin charger cord in between the trim along the top and side of the dash without any issues. Just use something smooth that wont scratch the plastic and push it in there.

I had my GPS set up the same way until mine got broken into a couple weeks ago. It makes it much cleaner.
 
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