MechPatt's "Xterra Strong" build

[MechPatt587]

Project "Xterra Strong"
Year: 2001
Color: Silver Ice
Trim: SE
Trans: Manual 2WD (soon to be 4x4)
Engine: 3.3L V6

The earliest Pictures I have of the X: Bones stock with street tires on it

With Shrocks and 31" tires

Painted Gril and Dash and Blacked out Tail lights

3" SL with Billstien Shocks, Sway Away T-Bars, and 3 pack AAL (that ended up giving me 4" of lift really)

Continued on next Post

 

[MechPatt587]

New 33" tires!

Warn VR12000!

Peak 1200Watt power inverter with remote outlet

Current Mods:
JVC KW-HDR720 double din head unit with USB and AUX ports. Sat and Bluetooth ready
SHROCKWORKS Front bumper w/ skid
SHROCKWORKS Rear bumper w/ tire carrier and frame stiffeners
33" Mud Claw Radial MTs
Expanded capacity radiator from a Frontier
K&N drop-in filter
Mud Flap Delete
Side Step Delete
Resonator Delete
Painted Grill (black)
Painted Dash (black/yellow)
Painted Stock Skid (yellow)
Blacked out tail lights
AC 3" Suspension Lift with 3 pack AAL, HD Bils, and Torsion Bars
2 Delta driving lights mounted to front bumper
Cobra 19 DX IV
Warn VR12000 12K lb winch (Awesome Christmas present from my wife )
1200watt Peak power inverter w/ remote outlet

Ordered/Delivered Mods:
2" Body lift (pucks at the house, need to order bolts)

Planned Mods:
DT Headers, and Flowmaster Super 44 Muffler
4x4 Conversion (hopefully ordering the above mentioned parts to start down the road towards completing this mod)
Sliders
Skids
Cargo Box
Painted Stock Roof Rails
Hep Style Roof Rack
Painted Plastics
Custom Paint Job
55Watt 5000K HIDs with Projector Retrofit and Euro Housings
Clear Corner Lights
Custom 3rd Brake Light (I've got something special in mind for this, but I will have to have my roof rack first )
8 Off-Road Lights
On Board Air w/ 5-10gal storage
ARB Lockers
Aux Battery and Wiring System (for all electrical mods)

 

[MechPatt587]

Reserved 2

 

[AaronsX]

Yeah buddy looks good so far! Your rig is going to be SICK once you get all these mods installed, them the 4x4 conversion! I'm jealous man keep it up!

 

[Roadwarrior]

Lovin the shrocks. Looks good.

 

[Xterraforce]

That's one awesome 2wd Xterra. It's going to be crazy when you get home and install all the other goodies waiting for you. Prentice Cooper closes some of the trails during the winter months but we'll still have plenty of places to ride when you get back. Maybe we can round up THanks and 20cc and any other local X owners for a group ride.

 

[MechPatt587]

Soon, very soon this thread is going to explode with activity! Leaving from Kuwait in 12 days, then about a week and a half at Camp Shelby, MS, then home to my X!!!! Already have a full 3" SL from AC at the house. The pucks for the 2" BL are there (just need the hardware) 1200watt power inverter sitting at the house. I will be doing the intake mod, painting plastics, and deleting the rear sway bar. Then in March I'll be getting my bonus check and there will be plenty more mods to follow then

 

[Macland]

Looking forward to it man! And glad you'll be back stateside.

 

[xearth]

Soon, very soon this thread is going to explode with activity! Leaving from Kuwait in 12 days, then about a week and a half at Camp Shelby, MS, then home to my X!!!! Already have a full 3" SL from AC at the house. The pucks for the 2" BL are there (just need the hardware) 1200watt power inverter sitting at the house. I will be doing the intake mod, painting plastics, and deleting the rear sway bar. Then in March I'll be getting my bonus check and there will be plenty more mods to follow then

Yessssss, yessssss

 

[mnutz]

I really like that rear bumper with the tire carrier.

 

[MechPatt587]

Well I have been back in the states since Dec 28th. I'm in Hattiesburg, MS and will be until Jan 4th. I've been drunk every night that I've been here and had an awesome new years in Biloxi. Can't wait to get home to my wife and my X!!!!

 

[RacerXXL]

Well I have been back in the states since Dec 28th. I'm in Hattiesburg, MS and will be until Jan 4th. I've been drunk every night that I've been here and had an awesome new years in Biloxi. Can't wait to get home to my wife and my X!!!!

Hey glad to see you're back.

 

[drbandkgb]

Welcome back sir... Glad you made it home safe


Sent from the satellite of love..

 

[Jmac289gt]

Looking forward to seeing what you get done sir.

 

[MechPatt587]

So I've been home for more than a week now, and the weather has been terrible for mods.... but I have managed to do a couple things here and there. I've done a full seafoam treatment (1/2 can in a full gas tank and 1/2 can in the vacuum system). Full synthetic oil change with 1 quart of synthetic Lucas substituted. I've also got her dirty once and bought a few things for her. here are some picture updates.

 

[xearth]

Looks good! What are you painting yellow?

 

[AbuseTheElderly]

Looking good! I bet the X is glad to see you, oh and the wife prolly is too. :sure: Welcome back to the states!

 

[MechPatt587]

Looks good! What are you painting yellow?

I'll keep the yellow a secret til I get it done.

Looking good! I bet the X is glad to see you, oh and the wife prolly is too. :sure: Welcome back to the states!

Thanks for the welcome back, and yes they were both very happy to see me

So a little update. I did the intake mod today! (well most of it) I got really cold and decided I would remove the baffle in the fender tomorrow or the next day...
Here are some pictures for proof

I decided I should probably wash these before putting them back in... didn't get them completely clean, but they do look better....

2 Resonators gone!

1st plug in!

After installing the first plug I realized my intake hose was torn.... guess its time to start hunting the junk yards....

2nd plug in place and lower air box back in place.

I also cleaned the MAF and sprayed out my K&N drop in filter. Gotta find my cleaning kit for it and get it cleaned up now...

 

[AaronsX]

Dayum wash that engine!! All that come from that hole you sunk into?

 

[Diadaga]

I'll keep the yellow a secret til I get it done.

I saw the name of your thread and please for the love of lil baby jeebus in a tuxedo shirt don't let that yellow be for a giant Army star.

 

[MechPatt587]

Dayum wash that engine!! All that come from that hole you sunk into?

Most of it yes....

I saw the name of your thread and please for the love of lil baby jeebus in a tuxedo shirt don't let that yellow be for a giant Army star.

I swear there will be no Army star....

 

[Diadaga]

Good to know

 

[drbandkgb]

No YELLOW!!!

 

[MechPatt587]

What's wrong with yellow Dave?

 

[civicjoe]

No YELLOW!!!

Dave hates school buses thats why

 

[drbandkgb]

LoL I don't hate yellow.. Just can't imagine where it's going


Sent from the satellite of love..

 

[AaronsX]

my guess is the roof rack or front bumper will be yellow

 

[MechPatt587]

Little update... its been a minute since I posted on here.

I did my timing belt, tensioner, water pump, thermostat, hoses, and drive belts.

it was a tight fit in the garage.

first timing belt change at 194K miles

I also ditched the rear sway bar and pushed the dent out of my rear passenger side plastic.

Finally painted my grill and put it back on after its been off for over a month. Also blacked out my tail lights and got a quote to have the X painted and all the dents pulled... $2700... don't think that will happen anytime soon.... Anyway on to the picture....

 

[xearth]

Nice man! Everything turned out great!

 

[Macland]

Looks like things are coming along man.

 

[Jmac289gt]

Are you saying the original timing belt lasted 194K miles without breaking?

 

[MechPatt587]

Are you saying the original timing belt lasted 194K miles without breaking?

Yes sir.... I gt very lucky that it did not break, and it was actually in pretty decent condition when I removed it... When my Bro bought the X it had 84K on it and when I got it, it had 148K. He never had the belt replaced, and I checked with the dealer it was bought from and they didn't replace it before selling it either...

 

[Jmac289gt]

That is the longest I have ever heard of personally that the belt has gone without breaking....that is crazy, did it clatter on accleration alot?

 

[Diadaga]

Looking good man.

 

[akinc]

Nice looking X. i have a 2005, I live in Dayton.......

Saw your X at Academy not too long ago. Parked next to you. Took a side by side pic.......

 

[MechPatt587]

Whats funny is, that is now the most recent picture. Well until this post anyway...

So its been a busy and expensive week for my Xterra.
Monday the distributor went out and I also decided to replace some of the dry rotted hoses under the hood.
in all I spent about $450 on it.

New Distributor, Cap, Rotor button, and Plug Wires.

New intake duct

Just a couple hoses from the PCV system that had dry rotted

She's running like a top again!

Also We had a new $60,000 alignment rack installed at work and the Hunter Rep was there doing training on it today. My ride height was all jacked up and the new rack actually has a live ride height adjustment tool, so no more measuring tapes...

Put the X on the rack and it was pretty bad to start with 17.9" on the driver front and 16.4" on the passenger front... Now its sitting at 17.9" and 18" with the rear sitting at 19.2" on both sides.

The only down side to this is I found out I have more parts to replace before I can put my lift on.... one of my camber bolts has stripped eccentrics so the passenger side wont adjust properly, and 2 of my tie rod lock nuts (1 on each side) were seized up, so I was unable to adjust the toe angle...

 

[MechPatt587]

So yesterday I went and picked up a replacement camber bolt at Nissan ($21) for the stripped out one on my passenger side. And I'm hoping to get my 3" SL installed on Saturday... We'll see...

 

[BlOwNXT]

Anxious to see how that lift looks.


Sent........

 

[MechPatt587]

Sooo, I prepped the UCAs for install this morning. Hopefully the lift will go on tomorrow.

Also working on paint for the torsion bars and IAB. Pictures of those later...

 

[MechPatt587]

Looks like tomorrow is gonna be the big day for the X I'm excited to get this lift on finally

Torsion bars and IAB painted.

Everything layed out and ready to go.

Sway-Away Torsion Bars, AC IAB, AC UCAs, 3 pack Add a Leaf, Bilstein shocks, and Extended brake lines.