Michael's 02 X build thread

MichaelS75

MichaelS75

Bought an X
Location
Charlottesville, VA
Figured I might as well transfer everything over from CX onto this forum since it's really the only one I use now. It's gonna be quite a process just like building this thing was. Bear with me as I transfer all the pics over

Here's a teaser of all the mods I've done so far:
-Step rails and mud flaps removed
-3" SL with Calmini UCA's and AC adjustable shackles
-2" homemade BL
-15" Cragar rims
-33x12.5 Duratracs
-AC idler arm brace
-Moog centerlink (for now)
-RLCWeldfab bumper
-Smittybilt XRC9.5 winch
-LED fog lights in bumper
-Flush mount reverse lights in rear corners
-PP Engineering rear shackle tabs
-Front and rear sway bars removed
-Straight pipe exhaust (factory 2" piping for now)
-Resonators removed
-Blacked out plastics
-DIY black headliner
-(and more things I'm forgetting)
 
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MichaelS75

MichaelS75

Bought an X
Location
Charlottesville, VA


Here's as close to stock as I've got. Step rails and mud flaps removed, and torsion bars cranked.



Around the same time, back in February of 2014. I originally bought it fully stock December of 2013.




Next is right after the 2" BL was put in. Still on stock 265s at that point
 
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MichaelS75

MichaelS75

Bought an X
Location
Charlottesville, VA



Shortly after, 33x12.5x15 Duratracs were installed with 15" Cragars. 4.75" backspacing. I'm a big fan of these tires. Light, decent tread for an AT, and relatively cheap.



First trip out in mud after getting the tires. They performed very well in the thick mud I was in. Also you'll notice at this point I installed two hella 500FF driving lights on the front grill.
 
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MichaelS75

MichaelS75

Bought an X
Location
Charlottesville, VA



Next mod up was the PP Engineering rear shackles tabs. These things are BEEFY, I've got 3/4" shackles in them still. Definitely a worthy purchase if anyone is debating them. Took me a long time to get the holes lined up perfectly before I started cutting, but they turned out well.





After that was fog light mod. Required taking the cover off the top of the steering wheel and splicing the fog lights into the running lights. Fairly easy and cool mod to do. Third pic is with the hella's on, Those things were bright as crap for just having two of them.
 
MichaelS75

MichaelS75

Bought an X
Location
Charlottesville, VA








Next big mod was moving the 2 hella 500FF's I had on the front grill up to the roof. Also Bought two more and fabbed up a DIY light bar. For that, I just bought a 4" piece of angle iron from lowes and bolted it up to the stock roof rack bolts. I didn't want to drill through the roof so I ran them down the outside A & B pillars and down through the hood. Last pic shows the switch placement, which was actually good work on Nissan's part to put those cutouts there.
 
MichaelS75

MichaelS75

Bought an X
Location
Charlottesville, VA



First time I was really able to see the flex at this point. I was pleasantly survived given that the X was still on stock shackles and leaf springs. Goes to show how crappy that rear sway bar is and how much you can benefit with it off







Next is after the adjustable shackles installed and full PML finished up. I believe the shackles were set to 1.5" as well as the torsion bars. Next came PARTS!
 
MichaelS75

MichaelS75

Bought an X
Location
Charlottesville, VA





Next mod up was bedlining the lower paneling of the doors. I got hung up on a stump while wheeling and ended up denting and scratching the rocker panel pretty good. Just used some rustoleum rattle can bedliner. That stuff is great, goes on even and i love the texture/look. Also at this point I had the full 3" SL with the Calmini UCA's and full 2.125" shackle adjustment. Finally got it out on some real trails as well:




 
MichaelS75

MichaelS75

Bought an X
Location
Charlottesville, VA
Thanks guys! Yeah I love those LED's. And for $30 shipped thru Amazon Prime, they can't be beat. I really don't even need headlights when I've got them on
 
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MichaelS75

MichaelS75

Bought an X
Location
Charlottesville, VA
Here's the headliner I redid. Picked up the black from a fabric store. It's actual headliner that would go in just about any vehicle. A couple cans of spray on adhesive later and it was finished

 
MichaelS75

MichaelS75

Bought an X
Location
Charlottesville, VA
Pics below were just a few of the pics I was able to find of my first trip to shoe creek. Still probably my favorite pics of the X since I've had it. Probably because this was before all the body damage I've done to the passenger side since then



 
cpalka9

cpalka9

Bought an X
Location
Ocala, FL
This is an great build so far! Out of curiosity where did you place the solenoid for your winch? I have the same bumper winch combo.
 
MichaelS75

MichaelS75

Bought an X
Location
Charlottesville, VA
cpalka9 said:
This is an great build so far! Out of curiosity where did you place the solenoid for your winch? I have the same bumper winch combo.
Click to expand...

I mounted it on the left side if you're looking at the front of the vehicle. Makes it a tight fit to plug in the remote but should keep just about all the rain off the plug since its right below the plastic grill
 
cpalka9

cpalka9

Bought an X
Location
Ocala, FL
MichaelS75 said:
I mounted it on the left side if you're looking at the front of the vehicle. Makes it a tight fit to plug in the remote but should keep just about all the rain off the plug since its right below the plastic grill
Click to expand...

Oh okay I put mine flat above the line and drilled a hole throught the grill for the plug to go through. I still want to get a rubber plug to put in the grill to cover the hole
 
cpalka9

cpalka9

Bought an X
Location
Ocala, FL
MichaelS75 said:
Have you had a chance to pull with it yet?
Click to expand...

Plenty of times and it has done everything I've asked it to do. The only issue I've had with winching is my RLC bumper sags. I need to find a way to better support it. I always have to push it back up. I haven't heard of anyone else having this problem though.
 
MichaelS75

MichaelS75

Bought an X
Location
Charlottesville, VA
Yeah I could see that happening. I've still got the stock bolts running through it. I think the best setup would be to drill all the way through the frame horns and get longer, higher grade bolts to run all the way through
 
ThompsonXterra

ThompsonXterra

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
California
MichaelS75 said:
Yeah I could see that happening. I've still got the stock bolts running through it. I think the best setup would be to drill all the way through the frame horns and get longer, higher grade bolts to run all the way through
Click to expand...

I ran some grade 8 bolts through mine and it didn't budge taking the weight of my truck on a rock. Seemed to make it a lot sturdier than having the stock bolts on
 
cpalka9

cpalka9

Bought an X
Location
Ocala, FL
ThompsonXterra said:
I ran some grade 8 bolts through mine and it didn't budge taking the weight of my truck on a rock. Seemed to make it a lot sturdier than having the stock bolts on
Click to expand...

MichaelS75 said:
Yeah I could see that happening. I've still got the stock bolts running through it. I think the best setup would be to drill all the way through the frame horns and get longer, higher grade bolts to run all the way through
Click to expand...

This was exactly what I was planning on doing. Thanks
 
Prime

Prime

Shut up Baby, I know it!
Admin
Location
Denver Adjacent
Since you have a body lift it shouldn't be that bad. Use the PB Blaster liberally. And be patient breaking the nuts loose.

I'd also pick up a few extra manifold studs just in case.
 
MichaelS75

MichaelS75

Bought an X
Location
Charlottesville, VA
Prime said:
Since you have a body lift it shouldn't be that bad. Use the PB Blaster liberally. And be patient breaking the nuts loose.

I'd also pick up a few extra manifold studs just in case.
Click to expand...

That's what I'm hoping. I've been spraying the heat shield bolts since yesterday but it's been raining all day so I haven't been able to get them off and spray the studs. I've got 2 cans of it and the torch ready. Then maybe this stupid thing will pass inspection
 
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