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Build My X ...

10K views 46 replies 13 participants last post by  MitchellHunter 
#1 ·
What I Have: 2001 Xterra SE 4WD; PML w/ 4x4parts.com shackles; 265/75/16 Mud/Snow tires; Custom tubular front bumper and sliders; Mechanically the X is in great shape. I have removed the rear sway bar, but all of the suspension components are stock other than the shackles.

What I Do: Drive it everywhere (about 10k miles per year), but I also push it to the limits offroad. Nothing TOO serious, but I wheel with friends with an H3, Rubicon and FJ60 and can't really keep up with the first two.

What I Want: For YOU to tell me what you would do to make this into a better offroad machine while still maintaining its streetability ... and most importantly WHY you would do it. I will be implementing the best of these ideas.

Thanks ... and have fun with your suggestions!

BTW here's a pic of the X as it is now.

 
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#27 · (Edited)
If those are your two options, I'd go with the first. SAS is awesome and if it's a serious wheeling rig you will want to do a SAS at some point but it a SAS job means you can't afford bigger/better tires then it's not worth it. A rear locker will do more to increase overall traction that an SAS job with an open diff up front. Of course if you planned on installing a locker while you build the front axle then that last comment may not be relevant.

I wheeled hard today with 4 SASed and locked trucks and they were amazed what the Xterra could do with 33s and IFS... I got though some of the hairy sections better than solid axle Yotas locked front and rear on 35" KM2s.
 
#28 ·
I've made some headway in the decision-making department. I have two options in mind now.

Option 1: Fix my failing lower ball joints, keep my PML as-is, new shocks in the rear, purchase the fiberglass fenders, run 33's on black steelies. Eventually install an air locker (and pray that Richmond decides to introduce a 33-spline Lock-Right in the mean time).

Price should run around $1500 plus another $1200-1500 for the ARB locker OR maybe $400 or so for a Lock-Right :)
As much as I'd like to see another SAS'd X I think personally I would go for option #1 especially since it's still gonna get 10k miles a year. You've got a lot of knowledge on the forum to that are running a similar setup too if any questions come up
 
#30 ·
I see pics like this and I think "HECK YEAH!!" ...



But then I have to ask myself, "Would I want to drive that EVERY day?"

Now, I do have another vehicle to drive daily, but I really like driving the X and I like keeping miles off of my Pontiac G8 GT.
The VAST majority of SAS'd X's are quickly retired from DD duty, and, migrate to trailer queen status pretty regularly.


The reasons are varied, but, essentially, the more hard core off road you modify a rig to handle, the less suited it is for the highway at speed.

If your roads are slow enough/your DD route is not that long, sure it can work...but, for most of us, going SAS means we have another DD.


Personally, I would not SAS mine, simply because I use mine for work, and that involves long hwy stretches to get TO my off road sites, etc...

...and, its still a 2001 X with umpteen thousand miles on it that will give me bumptkiss if I am in an accident and total it, etc....so The $ for a SAS would exceed its total value.


Having your truck upside down financially is as bad as physically.

:D


I can do all the trails I need to w/o a SAS....so, all a SAS would do is drain my wallet, and make the trails I run more boring....not a great deal.


If I HAD to run harder trails TOO, I'd use the SAS $ to buy an old Sami, CJ, etc....which COMES WITH a front live axle, stock, and modify THAT instead.

:D
 
#31 ·
When I think of a SASed first gen I see this in my head (Zachbiz's Xterra):



...which is more than most people want to do to their X's if it's their daily driver.

All the more reason to consider the 33s/BL/rear ARB option...
 
#32 ·
Thanks for all of your input. I think Option #1 is the direction I will go. I will start a "build thread" on here soon to update ... even though a lot of the stuff I've done already will be missing.

As for now, I just found out that my idler arm, center link and passenger-side LBJ are toast ... so I'm going to fix all of that at the same time.

What is the best way to go about that? Just purchase OEM parts from Nissan and then get aftermarket support products (i.e. idler arm brace) or do you recommend getting aftermarket steering components? If so ... where?
 
#33 · (Edited)
What is the best way to go about that? Just purchase OEM parts from Nissan and then get aftermarket support products (i.e. idler arm brace) or do you recommend getting aftermarket steering components? If so ... where?
Here is Calmini's steering system. Not cheap at $600 but very beefy (definitely stronger than an OEM idler arm and centerlink with an aftermarket idler arm brace). There is a full steering kit on 4x4parts.com as well but then want $1140 for it which is ridiculous... The Calmini kit is half that.

List prices for an OEM idler arm and centerlink are $130 and $215 respectively (prices from Nissanpartsconnetion.com) so already you're looking at around $350 for replacing the OEM parts plus another $40 or so for the IAB... That makes the Calmini kit much more appealing in my opinion.
 
#34 ·
In the first part of this thread, someone mentioned that I had "small tires." 265/75/16 is just shy of 32", right? So ... in everyone's honest opinion ... is it really worth having to buy the fiberglass fenders and have them painted for around $500 total in order to clear 33"? (Remember, I can't BL due to the fact that my custom bumper would look stupid after a BL). Is the extra 1.3" really worth it?
 
#35 · (Edited)
It's the width, not the diameter, that makes the biggest difference... A 12.50" wide tire puts a lot more rubber on the deck than a metric 265 (just over 10" wide).

Honestly, how hard would it be to cut your bumper off and build some 2" relocation brackets? My buddy who is a career welder could fashion some relocation brackets in about an hour and he'd do it for a 6-pack and a few slices of Domino's... Can't imagine it would be too hard for you to find someone to do the same. Lot cheaper than $500+ for the fiberglass fenders and paint.

I didn't want to do the 2" BL either but I'm glad it did now.
 
#36 ·
How hard would it be for ME to do? Impossible lol. But for my fab guy, it might not be too bad of a project.

For now, my money is going toward the Calmini steering kit, air locker and shocks. I'll start the build thread when I start throwing that stuff on. :)
 
#37 ·
How hard would it be for ME to do? Impossible lol. But for my fab guy, it might not be too bad of a project.

For now, my money is going toward the Calmini steering kit, air locker and shocks. I'll start the build thread when I start throwing that stuff on. :)
Man, your X will be a tank after those mods! Yes, our IFS sucks for articulation up front but that doesn't make our trucks any less rugged. We can gun it up shit that the Heep guys can't cuz they're scared of breaking stuff...

At least that's how my wheeling trip played out yesterday! :D
 
#39 ·
If you don't do a stronger steering upgrade make sure you carry a spare set of tie rod ends and the tools to change them on the trails cause this could happen...even though you can't see the bent area you get the "picture"...so to speak.

Wouldn't the bent piece be the tie rod adjuster and not the TRE?
 
#41 ·
It seems to be the TRA that get damaged, but the TRE that wear out.

You can drive on a bad TRE if you have to if its in one piece, but a bent/broken TRA makes it so you can't steer.







Broken TRA, Pizza Rock Obstacle, Rausch Creek


Now, the buddy who suffered this had spares with him, and, had gotten upgraded Heavier Duty TRA, and was replacing the broken OEM ones with the upgraded ones, after getting fed up replacing broken OEM with OEM, etc...

He wheels hard, and has the tools and experience to fix what he breaks on the trail...often. :D

IIRC, the HD TRA have yet to break...and, as far as I know, have solved that problem for him.
 
#43 ·
Well, maybe I'm doing the wrong thing here ... so chime in if you think I am. But I honestly don't want to wait forever for the Calmini kit to come in. I have to have these things fixed NOW to feel safe driving the Xterra. So, I bought this:

https://www.4x4parts.com/nissan/steering-enhancement-package-p-2580.html

Can I use the bushings that come with the kit to fix my stock idler arm? And I'm a little confused on the center link. Basically, the piece that attaches to the pitman arm is the problem. The piece that looks like a ball joint or tie rod end is in shambles. So do I need to buy a new center link or can I replace just that part?

While I was ordering from 4x4parts.com, I also had them to send me a set of Bielstein 5100's ;)
 
#45 · (Edited)
Well, maybe I'm doing the wrong thing here ... so chime in if you think I am. But I honestly don't want to wait forever for the Calmini kit to come in. I have to have these things fixed NOW to feel safe driving the Xterra. So, I bought this:

https://www.4x4parts.com/nissan/steering-enhancement-package-p-2580.html

Can I use the bushings that come with the kit to fix my stock idler arm? And I'm a little confused on the center link. Basically, the piece that attaches to the pitman arm is the problem. The piece that looks like a ball joint or tie rod end is in shambles. So do I need to buy a new center link or can I replace just that part?

While I was ordering from 4x4parts.com, I also had them to send me a set of Bielstein 5100's ;)

The steering stabilizer (The shock and mounts) is a waste of money, as it doesn't actually protect you in anyway shape or form, it merely MASKS input to the steering wheel...so, no matter what's WRONG, you can't tell, because it "Feels Better".

:D

The brace part is fine.


The center link is the long rod running across the front....and, there are ball joints attached for the tie-rods. (Tie-rod ends at either side of a tie-rod adjuster, etc..)



 
#46 ·
Thanks, guys.

Well, since I already have the stabilizer and what-not, I'm going to go ahead and install it ... along with a new center link, new tie rod ends, new lower ball joints and new bushings in the idler arm. So maybe I'll be good to go for a while. If not ... lesson learned and I'll wait around a month or two on better parts.

In the mean time, I'm drawing this thread to a close. Thanks for all of your suggestions, and some of them WILL eventually be implemented.

In the mean time, you can keep up with the build thread I started HERE
 
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