RobCaryNC's Build Updates

robcarync

Sliders
Location
Raleigh, NC
First page updated:


Well...it has been a while. December 2014, I decided to spend some money. The Herculined fenders, hacked up snorkel fender, dented doors, and peeling paint all had to go. I got sick of the beat up and abused truck look (my wife was REALLY sick of it!)...and I rolled the dice on some Macco body work and a full paint job. It paid off, because they did a fantastic job. Peeling clear coat was stripped to bare metal. Both fenders replaced with junk yard parts, and my rear driver door was replaced. Dropped it off with all mismatched body panels...and it was returned as the original deep red look. I removed all bumpers and the rear corner pieces to make it easier to spray. Here it is after I put it back together:

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I didn't get a huge amount of joy out of it right away. I had maintenance to catch up on. New drums, brake shoes, wheel cylinders, and bleeding the brakes. I then engineered a way to re-attached the front sway bar. I got so sick of the boat like ride, and it just wasn't pleasant to be driven on a normal basis. One of the mounting bolts had broken off in the cross member, so I had to weld one mount on so it could be used. New end links and bushings installed...this truck was dying to get back on the road:

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During the maintenance period, I sent my center link, idler arm, and pitman arm into PPEgineering so they could develop their steering kit. They added some reinforcement to the arms, but progress stalled on the center link. I got the arms returned, along with a stock link to use in the time being. Problem was the center link threads were damaged badly. I finally tracked down an M12 1.25 die and carefully re-threaded the center link studs. It took some careful turns, but I was finally able to install the stock link on the truck to get by. I am still excitedly waiting for the heavy duty link from PPEngineering...but man, it feels great to be back on the road after 8+ weeks of sitting in the garage!!!

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robcarync

Sliders
Location
Raleigh, NC
Saturday will have a more formal update...but just because I am excited...I just got 5 tires: 33x10.50 R15 BF Goodrich KM2 M/T to be installed Saturday. I am swapping the stock 16 inch rims for stock 15 inch rims (got sick of the crappy bed liner look).

I also have some other goodies to update (steering system, tire carrier)...but will update all together after the tires get put on.

On a side note, I finally found the source of a nerve racking high pitched squeak, which was an exhaust heat shield rubbing over the driver side catalytic converter. So happy I finally found it so the Xterra is actually pleasing to drive!
 

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Jack Stilts

Skid Plates
Location
Michigan
Just caught up on your build - it's going to be a whole new truck after that's all done! Those beefy tires alone will change the look, the paint looks great, and the steering will be nice and tight. Looking forward to seeing it all put together!
 

robcarync

Sliders
Location
Raleigh, NC
OK...so talk about a long time between updates. 2015 was the year of my Xterra. Not much offroading to speak of, but lots of TLC to get it back to looking sharp and road worthy as well. My steering had to be upgraded to prevent the rapid tire wear the stock center link gives you. My bed lined rims were looking pretty sorry, and my tires were worn unevenly. On top of that, I needed a real spare tire. So here we go!

A man can only be so patient. PPEngineering never came through for me. What was supposed to be a 2 week turn around turned into 6+ months before I finally gave up and splurged on a GrassRoots4x4 center link. I over-drilled the idler and pitman arms, pressed in a Super Oilite bearing to reduce wear on the arms, and double sheared the center link. I also have Bandit4x4 idler arm bushings, Total Chaos idler arm brace, gussets on the idler and pitman arm, heavy duty tie rod adjusters, and fresh tie rod ends. This left a LOT less play in the steering, so I could finally get, and keep, an alignment.

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What is the point of a fresh and clean alignment without fresh and clean tires?! My 16" rims had the spray on bedliner, which was peeling off, chipping, and looking not so fresh and clean. I picked up a set of 15" stock rims for 60 bucks on CraigsList, and a fifth for the spare from a local junkyard. Santa noticed that I was good this year, and 4WheelParts had a good deal on BFGoodrich tires. I jumped on a set of 5 33x10.50R15 BF Goodrich MT KM2. I just got them installed today (December 2015) and freshly aligned. The stock alloys (no bedliner!) and the bigger tires look and drive GREAT.

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Now...you may have also noticed in the first photo an empty tire carrier. I had come up with a few designs for cool and awesome tire carriers. At the end of the day, I went with cheap, easy, and effective. Fold down tire carrier mounted on top of the hitch of the rear bumper. Steel sleeves were welded through the tube to serve as the pivot point and locking pin hole. This is rock solid, folds down to the horizontal position (serving as a great camping or tail gate table), and sits low enough to not block all of the rear window. I have cargo space back, and a full size spare!

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At the end of the year, I am happy with these major improvements to the Xterra. Even without offroading as much as I'd like to, the truck is nice to drive, great steering response, and the larger tires with clean rims look awesome.
 
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robcarync

Sliders
Location
Raleigh, NC
Whoa! Awesome, awesome, awesome. Love that tire carrier idea.

Thanks man! I thought long and hard about different designs...full width swing out, half width double swing out, swing down off to the side that rotates all the way to the ground, and finally the hitch mounted swing down half way. It was just simpler, easier, cheaper, and a good mix between function and comfort.

Swing downs require you to bear the brunt of the weight to lower and raise, which is less convenient. It partially blocks the hatch access. Swinging all the way down to the ground gives more hatch access, but makes it tough to have to lift it further every time. Doing the half swing down makes it easier to lift since it isn't too low to the ground. It is just tall enough to give equal access to both sides of the hatch when folded, and it is perfectly centered so both tail lights are visible. Best part is since the weight is directly supported by the double shear brackets vertically, you don't need a ridiculously strong spindle or hinge, since it is the bending stress that is big for having 75 pounds that far offset of the pivot (like in a swing out).

The pivot is a 1/2" bolt that goes through the vertical tube, which has a sleeve welded through the tube to increase the contact area. Between the side plates and the side of the vertical tube/welded sleeve are an oilite thrust bearing/washer. With the pivot bolt clamped down nice and tight, the thrust bearing lubricates the side wall of the tube and the vertical plates to reduce wear while pivoting. It makes for a very tight pivot point. The upper pin is just a 5/8" pull type hitch pin. There is also a sleeve welded through the vertical tube that the hitch pin goes through. The carrier is strongest for vertical and front/black forces, which is the direction of most driving forces (bouncing up and down on the highway, getting rear ended, super fast acceleration with this beasty V6 etc). There are no lateral braces with this kind of design, but that is also mitigated by having the tire mounted low on the pivot.

I didn't bother making the tire mount adjustable in and out, etc...I sized it for a less than an inch of clearance with a 33x12.50 tire and just live with the gap. I looked at doing a tensioning device to prevent rattling between the two pins...but the fit is so tight, that it isn't needed. I may add an adjustable bolt stop behind the lower edge of the tire to brace it against the vertical tube, but that will wait for later.
 

robcarync

Sliders
Location
Raleigh, NC
Well, after enjoying daily driving my Xterra for a few months...I decided that I really needed to test out the new tires. Nothing too crazy, but a nice stroll on the beach for the 4th of July. Nothing like a 4WD stroll on the beach to get away from an otherwise crazy and crowded holiday. Beautiful weather, beautiful ocean, beautiful Xterra.

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robcarync

Sliders
Location
Raleigh, NC
You have regular shrock sliders modified for a body lift correct?

I have regular Shrock sliders that WERE modified for a body lift, but they are no longer modified. They are the standard non-body lift configuration on a body lifted truck.

The modification was essentially a rectangular plate that was a bit longer than the normal one. It had 3 holes in it: the bottom hole, bolted through the plate only and into the bottom frame hole. The middle hole bolted through the plate and the bottom slider mount and into the top frame hole. The top hole had a bolt and a nut that bolted the top of the plate to the top of the slider mount. The bolt was above the frame rail, which made room for the nut.

I drew up a quick diagram to explain how it was done. I liked the slider a bit lower so you could actually use it as a step.
 

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caseycamby

Suspension Lift
Location
Marion, NC
I have regular Shrock sliders that WERE modified for a body lift, but they are no longer modified. They are the standard non-body lift configuration on a body lifted truck.

The modification was essentially a rectangular plate that was a bit longer than the normal one. It had 3 holes in it: the bottom hole, bolted through the plate only and into the bottom frame hole. The middle hole bolted through the plate and the bottom slider mount and into the top frame hole. The top hole had a bolt and a nut that bolted the top of the plate to the top of the slider mount. The bolt was above the frame rail, which made room for the nut.

I drew up a quick diagram to explain how it was done. I liked the slider a bit lower so you could actually use it as a step.

Did you take my idea or I take yours? haha ;)

http://www.xterranation.org/showthr...s-Build-Thread&p=137599&viewfull=1#post137599
 

robcarync

Sliders
Location
Raleigh, NC
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Great news...I finally got to go offroading in July 2016! You can check out how much mud was everywhere! These trails were pretty rough and tons of boggy mud. The KM2s did great until we got to one creek crossing. 9 out of 13 rigs had to be winched across...myself included. I needed a winch!


But winches are expensive! Instead of having a lot of fun offroading this weekend, my wife put me to work, wanting to have 10 shrubs removed from our landscaped area beside the house.


A deal could be made...and let me tell you, I make the BEST deals, believe me. Harbor Freight had a coupon for their 9000 pound winch for $250. A professional landscaper wants $800 to remove the shrubs. My wife appropriated the funds for a winch in exchange for me yanking the shrubs. It was still some rough labor, as these shrubs were over-grown with tight roots in compacted soil...but it was worth it.



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robcarync

Sliders
Location
Raleigh, NC
This was an update from March 2019 that I forgot to make here:

Well...My build never stops. Too much tire, too much steel, too much weight.

I know, let me add a set of cams to get some more power to push all of this!

I grabbed stock cams from a 1989 Nissan 300zx (Z31) at my local pull-a-part junk yard...and sent them in through The Z Store, which then sends them into Schneider Racing Cams, which then send them back to The Z Store, which then sends them back to me. Schneider Racing Cams re-grinds the cam to a more performance oriented profile.

I got the 131-h profile which is 262 duration for both intake and exhaust, and 0.42" of total lift. Definitely helps on the high way. I can pass cars now and merge onto the interstate!
 

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Prime

Shut up Baby, I know it!
Admin
Location
Denver Adjacent
This was an update from March 2019 that I forgot to make here:

Well...My build never stops. Too much tire, too much steel, too much weight.

I know, let me add a set of cams to get some more power to push all of this!

I grabbed stock cams from a 1989 Nissan 300zx (Z31) at my local pull-a-part junk yard...and sent them in through The Z Store, which then sends them into Schneider Racing Cams, which then send them back to The Z Store, which then sends them back to me. Schneider Racing Cams re-grinds the cam to a more performance oriented profile.

I got the 131-h profile which is 262 duration for both intake and exhaust, and 0.42" of total lift. Definitely helps on the high way. I can pass cars now and merge onto the interstate!
That's pretty awesome. I wonder what the actual HP/TQ gains were.
 

robcarync

Sliders
Location
Raleigh, NC
No tune, but did adjust ignition timing, and had to screw around with the adjuster screw on the idle air control valve.

I get a bit of lope, but it smooths out with the AC compressor on...which tells me the cam mechanically could run smooth if I got a tune. Issue with Xterras is that it isn't a very in demand vehicle to do custom tunes on...so most places don't have our ECUs cracked. I looked into RevTune a little bit, but decided it wasn't worth it since they charged a decent fee (500+ as I recall) just for them to do the effort to crack the ECU. I was hoping they would be similar enough to the VG30 series...300ZXs, but they weren't.

Who knows the real numbers...but I will say that they were actually noticeable around 2500 RPM and up.

I did a youtube review if you are curious:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KFPDKNr6Ek&t=1s


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTsZtgRWCh0



Basically, it shifts the power band upwards. More power in mid RPMs while idle is still stable enough to not hurt off road performance.
 
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