CaptainMorgan_SOS's Official Build Thread (finally)

[CaptainMorgan_SOS]

Thanks for the info! I actually was going with the MTRs because I heard they wore well on the road and I can get a good deal on them. I love the KM2s, but price them out at 37" and then tell me to get them I am also looking at some Cooper Discoverer STTs or even Toyo Open Country MTs. I also found some Nitto Mud Grapplers and Trail Grappler MTs for a great price but haven't heard much on them.

 

[Roadwarrior]

Thanks for the info! I actually was going with the MTRs because I heard they wore well on the road and I can get a good deal on them. I love the KM2s, but price them out at 37" and then tell me to get them I am also looking at some Cooper Discoverer STTs or even Toyo Open Country MTs.

I know that Mirage had like 25k on his MTRs and they are wearing lower. I also know Prime had a hard time balancing them.. On to the Open countries, I have seen them on Xterror04's rig for two NXM's now and they look almost the same, over a year later, those are awesome. I would recommend those after seeing their performance.

 

[AZhiAZiAM]

i wouldn't recommend the STT's man, unless its a dedicated off road truck. now the Toyo Open countrys MT i'd recommend in a heart beat. i had 40's on my diesel for 5 years and still had tread left.

 

[CaptainMorgan_SOS]

I do like the Toyos and have heard great things about them. Also looking at some Mickey Thompson Baja MTZs.

Either way I am looking at about $375 per tire and $60 per wheel. And I want a full set of 5.

 

[caseycamby]

Daily driveable rock crawler to begin with and then evolve to be both. I want to start building a camping trailer this summer and from there we will see what I want to do.

With this build, someone else is going to be doing the huge majority of it. There is soooo much custom work and fabrication to be done. There is no kit for any of this, but the guy doing it is planning on making this a kit once it's tested. The trailer I can do all myself (with the help of a buddy's welder). I'd like to build one I could drive a 4 wheeler onto.

This tickles my heart! :sure:

 

[Macland]

Beastly man! I love my gears cog so I say go for it.

 

[CaptainMorgan_SOS]

So I met up with some guys this weekend who are going to be working on the X for the next couple months. I drove all the way out to California for a class I had out here. I'll be leaving the Xterra with them next week and then picking it up at the beginning of February. The guy who is going to be doing the work posts on here every once in a while. He has a really bad ass Pathfinder running around on 37s...

 

[Xterra Performance]

Steevo?

 

[AZhiAZiAM]

Steevo?

yep that would be my guess too.

 

[Xterrafauss]

So I met up with some guys this weekend who are going to be working on the X for the next couple months. I drove all the way out to California for a class I had out here. I'll be leaving the Xterra with them next week and then picking it up at the beginning of February. The guy who is going to be doing the work posts on here every once in a while. He has a really bad ass Pathfinder running around on 37s...

Rugged rocks for the win?

 

[caseycamby]

Rugged rocks for the win?

For the win.

 

[Prime]

Okay. That's pretty damn awesome. I am envious of your build now.

 

[yellowx16]

x2, i just became extremely jealous. Cant wait to see this done.

 

[CaptainMorgan_SOS]

Steevo?

Yes. I'll have more info after this weekend.

 

[NMTerras]

Well, now we know who is stepping in to replace terra

 

[Prime]

Noticed what you said in caseycamby's build thread and decided to bring it over here........

Why would you have to remove the BL for the SAS? I would think the SAS would take advantage of the BL.

 

[NMTerras]

Noticed what you said in caseycamby's build thread and decided to bring it over here........

Why would you have to remove the BL for the SAS? I would think the SAS would take advantage of the BL.

The BL becomes unnecessary when you do this swap. BL is to clear tires, and with this SAS the lift is built in. Check Steevo's pathy and grandpa X's rig to see what I'm talking about. Had I sent Terra to LA SAS camp, her 1" BL would have come off.

 

[Prime]

Would have to? Just for the center of gravity? Is there anything else detrimental to leaving it on.

 

[NMTerras]

Would have to? Just for the center of gravity? Is there anything else detrimental to leaving it on.

Detrimental? Other than unnecessary height I suppose not, but for wheeling purposes not sure you want your COG higher than necessary. And if you have a 2" BL, and then you SAS, which if I remember correctly we're talking 5-6" off stock height for the RR system (he fit 37s under that pathy with no BL), then you're getting pretty high up there

 

[CaptainMorgan_SOS]

Exactly what NMTerras is saying. The lower center of gravity is one reason, but another reason is that he is planning on making this a kit, so this one is going to be the test-fit of all the parts and everything. It will basically be the exact same setup in the front as his Pathy but he wants to ensure it will fit an X. He is even going to be using the wheels and tires he has on his rig now in order to test it out to make sure it works exactly the same.

He wants it to resemble a stock X as much as possible when putting on the lift/SAS. That way when he does make this up as a kit, he can sell it outright and not have to have a disclaimer of "Will need to order 2 inch budy lift in order to make this work." He is planning to have it to where, with some minor-moderate fab work, this kit can be bought and put on any stock Xterra. Yes, there will need to be some fender trimming (not as much as you would think) and hacking off of some stock parts (where the IFS setup is/used to be), but besides that it should mostly be to where you put the parts/axle together, weld on the brackets and hoops, build the links, put up the coil overs and then hook everything up and do a spring-over-rear on the back axle. The majority of the cost in this is the axle. There are a few parts with this kit that will be fabbed by them and you won't be able to get anywhere else, but they are designed specifically for this application.

Eventually, maybe next winter, I would like to do a 4 link setup with coils in the rear, but that will take more custom work. Besides the obvious cutting out of the stock rear suspension and welding in new link brackets, the stock gas tank would have to be removed and a Pathfinder gas tank would have to be modified and fitted where the spare tire now resides in order to clear everything. This could cause some issues as there are quite a few sensors back in that area that, if done incorrectly, could cause some codes to be thrown.

 

[CaptainMorgan_SOS]

NEW MEATS!!!!
To be installed soon!

These things are massive. I bought 5 from this guy. He had 500 miles on them and I was able to pick them up for $1200!!! I couldn't pass up the deal.



I am looking at picking up these wheels in the near future:

 

[Prime]

I like those wheels! What's the skinny on them?

 

[CaptainMorgan_SOS]

I like those wheels! What's the skinny on them?

Discount Tire carries them. Level 8 Mk6 wheels.
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/findWheelDetail.do?bp=6-139.7&fl=&pc=16150&counter=2&wd=17&rw=9

They are 17x9s, aluminum, and match the color of the Desert Runners I currently have and should go well with the color theme I have going. I am very conscientious about the aesthetics of this build, but I am not going to be just doing things for looks; EVERYTHING has, and will have, a function (even though the snorkel is not going to be used out here in NM...). These wheels are a little more expensive but I am really wanting to run aluminum wheels rather than steelies in order to keep the weight down. I also saved a boatload by getting these tires so the blow to the wallet isn't going to be as extreme as it would have been if I had bought the tires new ($381 x 5 = $1905!).

I dropped it off with Steve just about an hour ago and I miss it already I won't get to see it again, in person, until the end of January or beginning of February.

 

[caseycamby]

I'd always loved those wheels!!! I've wanted to see what they would like on an X! Granted yours won't be the normal X when they're on but nonetheless

I can't wait to see those tires on! How much metal trimming do you think you'll have to do?

 

[CaptainMorgan_SOS]

I'd always loved those wheels!!! I've wanted to see what they would like on an X! Granted yours won't be the normal X when they're on but nonetheless

I can't wait to see those tires on! How much metal trimming do you think you'll have to do?

The only thing different about the wheels for this will be that for the fronts, I will not be able to use the center cap because of the manual Yukon hubs. I'm pretty stoked about them and really like that they look very similar to the desert runners.

There will be quite a bit of trimming but not as much as I originally expected. Steve is thinking that he can just follow the lines right above the wheel well (the line that the plastic "fender flare" sits on) and that should open up the top enough. But the fenders will have to be trimmed out a bit more than that on the sides though; maybe an inch or so. So not near as much as I was thinking. The rear is probably going to have to be trimmed the most.

 

[Roadwarrior]

Are you going to have him move the rear axle back? I guess that would be considered stretching it.

 

[CaptainMorgan_SOS]

Maybe, he is thinking about moving the existing leaf spring hangers (front and back) back about an inch. With that rear fender well being so close to the door, there isn't much you can trim. But that, along with the spring over axle and new shocks is pretty much all that is going to happen with the rear suspension for a while.

 

[Prime]

Yeah. Those wheels are awesome. If I ever decide to get away from the DRs that's where I'd be going. How does the back spacing and offset play out?

 

[CaptainMorgan_SOS]

Yeah. Those wheels are awesome. If I ever decide to get away from the DRs that's where I'd be going. How does the back spacing and offset play out?

I am not positive yet, but I believe they are 4.5" backspacing. I sent an email to them to see what kind of deal I might be able to get and also to inquire about the backspacing. I really need to have 4", not 4.5" because when the larger tires go on, at full lock, there is a possibility that the tire will rub on the front body mount. But we will see. I'll probably shoot them a call tomorrow if they don't respond to the email by then.

 

[caseycamby]

I am not positive yet...

Hehehe was that a clever pun or a coincidence?? haha

 

[CaptainMorgan_SOS]

Hehehe was that a clever pun or a coincidence?? haha

Haha, completely a coincidence. I wish I was that clever now...

 

[CaptainMorgan_SOS]

Updated front page with "wish list/to do list." I got in touch with Steevo today and he said Diamond Axle should be ready very soon and he ordered up some headers, so work should begin shortly!

I am also just registered for GONE. I am looking at doing the following trails:
1. Backwards Bill
2. Top of the World - Reverse
3. Metal Masher
4. Flat Iron Mesa
5. Tip Toe Behind the Rocks

 

[Jmac289gt]

Checking out the rig sir, looks good and can't wait to see more...specially about the SAS.

 

[CaptainMorgan_SOS]

Thanks! Unfortunately there is not much to see yet, but it should be getting torn down soon! I should be getting pics up as it progresses. I'm also going to have the headers done since the exhaust has to be rerouted; it was one of those "well I might as well" things, but I have to keep those to a minimum. If not, this will get really expensive really quick.

 

[CaptainMorgan_SOS]

So I am going to go ahead and get a rear tire carrier bumper made and I got bored this morning and drew this up. I took some inspiration from Casper's old bumper as well as the RLC front bumper (the gap between the tube and the plate would be open, kinda like the RLC bumper). This is what I drew up, and of course it isn't to scale, but it should work. The 37" tire and wheel is really what I am concerned about as to whether or not this setup would be strong enough to hold it up. Since the back corner plastics are going to get cut up so much, I figured I'd have one that will wrap around the sides. I want this to be a kinda hybrid tube/plate style bumper. Who knows if it can/will be built like this.

 

[Prime]

Ideas. You has them. And they are epic.

 

[CaptainMorgan_SOS]

Thanks! I'm going to talk to the fab guy soon and see if he can do something like this and see what it will cost. If it is in the budget, I also want to see if he can add a ladder to each side piece that connects with the roof rack. I REALLY want to do the ladder thing but my only issue (besides cost) with that is that if I hit a rock or something with the sides, whether or not it will flex the bumper and cause it to damage the roof rack since it is just thin aluminum. The tiniest movement, I feel, will damage the rack. Oh, and it may also cover up the orange Xterra decal, so there is that downside too Maybe I can see about a removable ladder so that I can throw them on when not wheeling...? But something like this:

Below is what I am talking about when I said there would be a gap between the tube and the plate in the previous post; imagine this on both side pieces and then along the rear. On the side pieces, I also want a small horizontal plate put in those and have the hole big enough to be able to use it as a step (pointed out in the pic above).

Again, this is just me messing around and may never come to fruition, but maybe it could... So drawing time is over now, I just needed to brain dump a few ideas.

 

[Prime]

I can see it.

However, if you're doing a double swing, I have to agree with most bumpers out there and put the tire on the left. Because of the step in the back glass you are already losing rear view real estate. You'd lose a LOT more if you put the tire on the low side of the step.

 

[CaptainMorgan_SOS]

I originally was going to put it on the driver's side. There are a couple reasons I chose the passenger side though. The 37" tire will make it impossible to see no matter which side it is on and so I will eventually be adding a rear view camera. Also, since I'll be the only one in the vehicle most of the time, I would like the heavy ass tire to be over on the passenger side to balance out the weight a bit. But this is not set in stone, so if the weight balance thing is just an issue I am making up in my head, then I'd probably move it to the driver's side.

 

[NMTerras]

Thread moved for ya