[texarkanacard]

I detailed (the inside anyway) my ride after hitting Peters Mill Trail up here in VA. I took the seats out and started cleaning this nonsense View attachment 79413

I would hate to even look under my seats. It'd probably scare the hell out of me if I did!

 

[DickyDck]

I would hate to even look under my seats. It'd probably scare the hell out of me if I did!

as long as nothing is looking back at you you should be ok!

 

[DickyDck]

Added a new light bar and switch panel this week.

• Rugged Ridge X-Clamps
• 32 inch Rigidhorse single row light bar. 300 watt/30,000 lumens. Not sure if the lumens metric is correct but the bloody thing is bright for a single row light.
• Auxbeam 6 gang switch panel. So I can add even more lights!

The 32 inch light bar fit almost perfectly with the X-Clamps in this set up. I wonder if the mounting bracket might be a bit too tall but I still think it's a good fit. Two added benefits with the location. No wind noise or whistling at highway speed and no hood glare.

I just notice my neighbor's X in a couple of the photos!

View attachment 79606 View attachment 79607 View attachment 79609
View attachment 79608 View attachment 79610
View attachment 79611 View attachment 79612

I'm really digging those X-xlamp things, dare I ask how much they cost per clamp?

 

[texarkanacard]

I'm really digging those X-xlamp things, dare I ask how much they cost per clamp?

Got the set of them from 4WheelParts for $44. That included tax and shipping. Might be able to find them cheaper on Amazon or Ebay. Be careful if you order though. There are different sizes. I almost ordered the incorrect size at first.

The size I'm using:

 

[texarkanacard]

A little field trip last night to try out the new lights. I LIKEY!

Low Beam:

High Beam:

With bumper floods:

With light bar:

ZERO hood glare!

 

[MeToo]

That is one of the issues I've seen on every off-road video. Ever! I like your version and just might adopt it for mine one of these days.

 

[DickyDck]

Didn't get the same X Brackets that Tex did but I found another set that served the purpose. I made a shelf for my roof rack out of some spare metal I had lying around and these decent brackets I got off amazon.

quick weld job

now I have a little lip and dont need an additional rack on top of the cross bars.

 

[texarkanacard]

Nice. I'm not a DIYer so that's impressive to me.

 

[MeToo]

On my 2004 3.3L, the timing belt is off, all but one gasket surface is cleaned, all of the hose nipples are cleaned, and I bought the bypass hose and both heater core hoses locally.

There was a LOT of gunk built up on the nipples that needed to come off, and my Dremel helped speed the work. Sunday, I'll get the 3 gaskets locally, a gasket scraper, and a new container of anti-seize.

 

[DickyDck]

a 5 gallon tank fits snugly behind my spare tire, which is perfect for my overlanding trip beginning this weekend!

 

[DickyDck]

had to rearrange things for better space consumption. Brought the spare tire in closer to the tailgate so it was less weight hanging out. Move the jack to the roof.

 

[MeToo]

Slowly getting the t-belt job done that I started several weeks ago. Replaced the rectangular gasket for the bypass outlet, then installed a new bypass hose and new worm clamps. I tried to use the stock spring clamps but the new hose is just thick enough that they don't fit. (Won't open wide enough.)

Got almost all of the factory bolts and 1 nut wire-wheeled and cleaned up. Installed the new water pump using the factory bolts with silver anti-seize. Tightened the 6 bolts in a twin-triangle pattern, then final tightening in a counter-clockwise circle. The last bolt was the special one that has a threaded head for the timing cover. Just as I tightened it, it snapped off. Sometimes I hate life!

I added onto my thread with a question about removing the bolt, to save getting this thread off-topic...

Same nut and bolt. (Not kidding!)

Borked bolt.

 

[vambrizz]

...
Got almost all of the factory bolts and 1 nut wire-wheeled and cleaned up. Installed the new water pump using the factory bolts with silver anti-seize. Tightened the 6 bolts in a twin-triangle pattern, then final tightening in a counter-clockwise circle. The last bolt was the special one that has a threaded head for the timing cover. Just as I tightened it, it snapped off. Sometimes I hate life!

I added onto my thread with a question about removing the bolt, to save getting this thread off-topic...

Same nut and bolt....

Drop in a new vg33e 😂 Just throwing that out there before anyone else does.

 

[vambrizz]

Here's a really good video on how to perform a toe alignment. Pretty accurate and saved myself from having to take my car to a shop. I did this in a couple of hours.

 

[MeToo]

Drop in a new vg33e 😂 Just throwing that out there before anyone else does.

I love the humor, but you actually aren't far off from what I was thinking. If I spend the energy to pull that engine, I'm gonna look into swapping in a 4.3L GM or maybe even a small V8, rebuilt 4L80 or 6L90 trans, and a dual-shift transfer case. (Hey, a guy can dream big, eh?)

The stock diffs should be plenty tough enough, but I'd want to see about some kind of lockers.

* Checks his bank account, carries 1, divides by π (pi), can't swing it with this job. *

Here's the good news. I took a shower, had dinner, and then my thinking juices started working again. I popped the water pump off and there she was, stickin' out of the block! I removed it with my bare fingers. Niiiiccce.

 

[vambrizz]

I love the humor, but you actually aren't far off from what I was thinking. If I spend the energy to pull that engine, I'm gonna look into swapping in a 4.3L GM or maybe even a small V8, rebuilt 4L80 or 6L90 trans, and a dual-shift transfer case. (Hey, a guy can dream big, eh?)

The stock diffs should be plenty tough enough, but I'd want to see about some kind of lockers.

* Checks his bank account, carries 1, divides by π (pi), can't swing it with this job. *

Here's the good news. I took a shower, had dinner, and then my thinking juices started working again. I popped the water pump off and there she was, stickin' out of the block! I removed it with my bare fingers. Niiiiccce.
View attachment 79894

Nice 👍 easy fixes are the best fixes

 

[DickyDck]

today, I replaced the clock spring (aka spiral cable) in the new xterra. The flashing Cruise light went away and what was really surprising was...... it now shifts through all the gears!!!!!!!

had no idea a faulty clockspring would affect the transmission

 

[KyTerra]

I washed it. Does that count? Oh, and, I, uh, kinda maybe crunkled the driver's fender abit...

 

[MeToo]

I washed it. Does that count? Oh, and, I, uh, kinda maybe crunkled the driver's fender abit...

So long as you were either 4-wheelin' and having fun, or defending the honor of someone, then you get not only a pass but a 'good-boi' for that!

 

[MeToo]

Today (Saturday) I got my external trans cooler with thermostatic valve mounted and plumbed. The cooler with fan was already in place last week. I just needed to hang the valve, add a Tee for the temp switch, then run all of the hoses.

That cut-off bumper is from my previous 2001 with collision damage. I used it to hang the new 2004 bumper skin that I did not get when I purchased the rig. The awesome stinger bumper had necessitated removing it, and I fully intend to find a way to mount it back on again, only this time retaining the bumper skin.

More pics in my build thread here.