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echo_nine Build

16K views 52 replies 20 participants last post by  caseycamby 
#1 · (Edited)
Ok so here's the start of my build thread. This will sound like everyone else but I will say it anyway, I bought the xterra and was not planning on modding then I found this website and kept away the build bug for about 3 or 4 months then I finally broke down. So this thread is retrospective and I will try to remember everything and see if I have pics for most the upgrades.

So day one I bought this baby in Philly for $7200


I then drove it around for a bit then decided the step rails had to go so they went. I still wanted to keep the mudflaps on at this point.

The first "mod" was a set on desert runner rims with some stock size tires so I ran those. I picked up the desert runner rims for $125 including the tires. I then sold my stock rims for a $100 so that mod only cost $25. Also did a small tune up with ngk plugs and wires and cap and rotor.



I then took it down to the Delaware canal for some fun just driving on some of the dirt trails.


After this I decided mud flaps had to go.Now for the next 2 months I held off the mod bug.. but after being bored and looking thru craigslist ads I found a full AC body lift for $100 so that was the first mod.




This took me and a friend 8 hours the first day doing everything. However, the next day we decided the steering linkage was too questionable so we spent another 4 hours making spacers and grinding notches to make it to our standard.

Previous to actually installing a body lift Yellowmonsta had a part out and I picked up shrock sliders for the 2in body lift bc I knew I was going to do the bl. So the same day we did the body lift we also installed the sliders. I picked up the sliders for $230 in perfect condition including hardware.

A couple days afterwards I installed the AC IAB that I picked up on here for $15 because I knew bigger tires were coming soon.



After that the next mod was tires! The puny 265/70/15 weren't cutting it so the 33x12.5r15 Duratracs came. I picked these up at the tirerack distribution center because the same friend that helped with the body lift had a commercial account there so I could pick them up there with no shipping and at a slightly reduced price of $149 each. Then I had a $100 treadlightly rebate so I paid $496 for all 4 brand new. I then paid my friend $40 to mount them with me. Were he works they have a road force balancer which is state of the art. These babies are high quality. Roadforce shows you if your tires have flat spots or irregularities. He said they were equivalent to some passenger tires he had roadforced before.



Then came christmas.... got a bunch of gift certificates to 4x4 parts. So then came ac lift shackles, 3in bilstien shocks and AC tie rod adjusters. Also unfortunately don't have any pics of this. I have another friend whose a mechanic and has a full on garage with everything you need and air tools with a 80 gallon air tank. This was all in preparation for the nexterra winter run. We installed the shackles, cranked the torsion bars, installed the TRA's amd shocks and also took off the sway bar to keep my new shocks purty lol.
I installed all this stuff the saturday before the trip.




showing off the new shackles, shocks and tires



After this trip I was feeling pretty good. Only ran greens that day but it was really slippery and there was lots of snow. I then didn't really spend any money for the next month. At this time though I was toying with the idea of a custom tube bumper. Then my birthday came around and people started giving me money for the bumper. Also for my birthday I got a 48in hi-lift and the NATO valve cover screws which are awesomeeee. They are brass so they won't seize to the brass valve stems and have o-rings that just keep a nice seal.


Now with the 48in hi-lift rolling around in the back and me always having to shop for a restaurant and needing the space I decided I needed to mount my hi-lift on the roof rack. I looked at peoples mounts and thought about Yakima Mighty mounts and thought that was perfect for me. So i picked up a set of 4 for $20. And mounted up the Hi lift






After this on the roof i picked up a hi-lift neoprene cover and a handle isolator.

Now after my birthday I started contacting fabricators for the tube bumper. I was getting quotes for the design i wanted around $1000-$1200 and expected times around 3-4 months. I then found a fabricator out of lower Delaware that usually builds custom jeep suspensions and mud trucks. I drove there and talked to them and they said no problem. Booked me for the next week and fabbed it up in a day and a half on the xterra just incase something was bent.


here it is just primed for $750. This included the tube bumper, oversized winch plate, 2 ingenious recovery points and 2 light mounts.

I then rattle canned it a black semi gloss. This was all in prep for the Nexterra April Fools Run






I also painted around the radiator a matte black just to clean it all up




I then went to the Nexterra April fools Run. Lots of fog this time.






After this run I noticed the paint starting to peel... So I am not sure if I didn't prep it right or if the paint couldn't stand up to the beating of digging it into the ground. So next came powder coating for the bumper. The cost to me was $0 because I pulled a favor.

Around this time I also purchased some SLR econo UCA's off of the Nexterra forums for $144 and bought new greasable Moog ball joint's. I also had that sand blasted and I just rattle canned them blue. I have yet to install them as of 7/21/2011.

I also picked up some Hella 700ff's for my front bumper.
 
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#2 · (Edited)
Next was a fun mod just messing around with a friend to spice up the interior and test out what hydro dipped gold carbon fiber looked like.





After that I had a full set of skid row skid plates waiting to be installed. I also picked these up off of Yellowmonsta for $300. I also painted these the blue color I have been painting other things. I also picked up all brand new hardware from skid row for $23 shipped. This was all in prep for the ECXC i knew I would be there for 3 days.



The install took me 5 hours by myself trying to figure everything out and get everything into place.









After a bashed finger and 5 hours, success.This was also a week before ECXC. ha you see the trend it? I wait until the last minute before a trip for me to do stuff that needs to be done.

Also the monday before the trip I bought a Handheld cobra with a mag antenna for ECXC. Heres the roof setup with me loaded up with the Hi-lift, antenna and spare tire.


So Thursday morning me and my friend load up and 545am and head out to Rausch Creek. So we stay there till saturday and have a blast with some great people and great weather.











Just a side pic of my ever growing sticker collection.


So that is where she sits today. Stay tuned because a 3in sl is in the works. I am looking for some used or discounted torsion bars and leaf packs for the Back to School Run. Hopefully I remembered everything. If i didn't I will just add it.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Just adding a couple pics of the hid conversion




 
#4 ·
save2
 
#6 · (Edited)
Good to see the progression, awesome truck. There are some Calmini torsion bars for sale in the classified section.

Edit: I see you already know that...
 
#7 ·
yeah I pmed him but he hasn't been on for awhile. I might have to bite the bullet and buy em new... i am also trying to pick up a set of rear leaf springs with the calmini AAL's already installed off of racerXXL on ronin but he hasn't responded to me yet and thats been several days.
 
#8 ·
more updated pics
 
#13 ·
thanks guys... also got an android eating an apple sticker today and a banner sticker for the rear window saying authorized vehicle. these will go on today if it's not 100 degrees outside and 100% humidity lol
 
#14 ·
behold the new stickers.


 
#15 ·
Awsome thread and build bro !!!!!!!!!!!
 
#17 ·
oh drb don't be bitter lol... we all know androids rock :rocker-big:
 
#18 ·
Went to rausch creek with Bklyn.X (Tom) and XterraMike. Had a great time running purples and blacks. I had never run anything over a blue before. Couldn't believe the capabilities. Ran all of snake bite, 22, and 13. However I do need a upgraded centerlink before the B2SR and preferably need to finish up the 3in SL bc of the extra weight of 3 extra people coming with me and losing my ground clearance.







 
#19 ·
starting to put together a complete hybrid steering system for the B2SR... just sent a core centerlink to grassroots (complements of XterraMike), just bought a calmini iab from zackbiz to replace the ac iab that i bashed up at rausch (pics to come of why its not my favorite design), and about to order a bandit4x4 idler arm brass bushing and I have my AC TRA's... should be a bullet proof system
 
#20 ·
I don't understand why they have that tab that sticks down pretty low.. to its credit it did its job bracing it I just am getting rid of it bc I don't like the design.

 
#21 ·
more post whoring by myself lol.. today i ordered the grassroots4x4 centerlink and the bandit 4x4 bushings... I am now $300 poorer lol
 
#23 ·
just finished receiving all the parts for the steering project. Hopefully will get a chance to install this weekend.

 
#25 ·
Love the solar yellow! I wish mine was :( Yellow is my favorite color
 
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