Newbie with questions

[BeccaBing]

I’m a total newbie, just purchased a 2007 S that I’ll be picking up in a few days! We bought it as a winter vehicle and camping/towing vehicle but I could also see it becoming a year round daily driver too. We aren’t going to be using it for a ton of off-roading but do go camping in some remote areas with pretty beat up dirt road access. My dream for this thing is to make it an over landing/ mountain biking rig that I can have everything I need in one spot to ride, take care of my bike, eat, sleep and just have some fun solo adventures. Then when the whole family goes camping (us, our 5 year old daughter, and two 45lb dogs) we have the ability to tow a small trailer and have a little more space and comfort.

So onto the questions…
1. Since I’m going to be doing more “overland lite” style camping and not rock crawling or heavy duty off roading would a poor man’s lift suffice or should I do a 2” lift? Any drawbacks to the poor man’s lift?
2. Tires/wheels… I’m looking for a good all terrain tire for snow/mud that won’t be too loud on the pavement, suggestions? Should I do the lift first so I can fit bigger tires? I don’t want to go massive but do want to go bigger than what’s on there now. And what are good wheel companies that you’ve liked and/or ones to stay away from?
3. There’s so many things I want to do with it but know it’s going to take a long time to get them done. Out of curiosity what was the first interior mod you did, and what was the first exterior mod? Pics always welcome!

Thanks in advance for the advice, feel free to link to where I can find the info if it’s already been covered, I’m a newbie at forums too and might miss things. I’m so excited to get out there with the xterra and to start making it my own!

 

[outback97]

I’m a total newbie, just purchased a 2007 S that I’ll be picking up in a few days! We bought it as a winter vehicle and camping/towing vehicle but I could also see it becoming a year round daily driver too. We aren’t going to be using it for a ton of off-roading but do go camping in some remote areas with pretty beat up dirt road access. My dream for this thing is to make it an over landing/ mountain biking rig that I can have everything I need in one spot to ride, take care of my bike, eat, sleep and just have some fun solo adventures. Then when the whole family goes camping (us, our 5 year old daughter, and two 45lb dogs) we have the ability to tow a small trailer and have a little more space and comfort.

So onto the questions…
1. Since I’m going to be doing more “overland lite” style camping and not rock crawling or heavy duty off roading would a poor man’s lift suffice or should I do a 2” lift? Any drawbacks to the poor man’s lift?
2. Tires/wheels… I’m looking for a good all terrain tire for snow/mud that won’t be too loud on the pavement, suggestions? Should I do the lift first so I can fit bigger tires? I don’t want to go massive but do want to go bigger than what’s on there now. And what are good wheel companies that you’ve liked and/or ones to stay away from?
3. There’s so many things I want to do with it but know it’s going to take a long time to get them done. Out of curiosity what was the first interior mod you did, and what was the first exterior mod? Pics always welcome!

Thanks in advance for the advice, feel free to link to where I can find the info if it’s already been covered, I’m a newbie at forums too and might miss things. I’m so excited to get out there with the xterra and to start making it my own!

Welcome. There's a lot of knowledgeable folks here so you should get some good info.

There's also a great collection of how to and DIY threads here:

List of How to and DIY

2nd Gen How to list this is a bit of a work in progress. as new How to's are created post up the link here and I be able to add them in the proper category Every how to title is hyperlinked ( Clicky link) for ease of getting the information faster Also, for new users: 1st gen = 2000-2004...

www.xterranation.org

Here's my $.02 on your questions.

0. Make sure your new to you Xterra is mechanically sound before worrying about modifying it. It is fifteen years old at this point. You may want to baseline it (perform preventative maintenance and replace fluids) depending on what service records you have. If it's an automatic, look into SMOD, and replace the radiator if necessary.

1. I'm not familiar with a PML (poor man's lift) for 2nd Gen xterras. That was a thing on the 1st Gen's, which were made up until '04. I would take it out and use it as is so you can see what it needs. These are pretty capable in stock form. That said, IMO a suspension upgrade (with side benefit of a slight lift) is not a bad way to go, but to do it well it involves some expense. The weak point with the stock suspension is the rear leaf springs, which if you put much additional weight in the rear (gear or passengers) tend to bottom out.

2. A good LT (truck) rated all terrain tire is money well spent IMO. A 32" tire (265/75R16) is slightly larger than what yours came with stock. 33" (most commonly 285/75R16) is the largest that will fit without any extensive modifications, regardless of lift or no lift. To prevent rubbing on 33" tires, a simple "melt mod" which involves heating up some plastic in the fender liner and clearancing it is all that's necessary. Larger tires bring more weight, slower acceleration, lower MPG's, longer stopping distances, and a bit more wear and tear on suspension components. We have two Xterras with the same tires, but one has the 32" tires and the other has 33". I don't do any hardcore rock crawling, but the 32" tires have taken us everywhere we wanted to go. Currently we're running BFG K02's and plenty happy with them, but there's many good options out there.

3. Not so much a "mod" as an accessory, but one of the first things we did was to get set up to camp inside the Xterra. Get yourself a tote that fits in the rear seat footwell (8GL Action Packers are a popular choice) and you can create a 6'8" long flat platform for sleeping.

Not the first, but favorite exterior mod that has been the most used for me has probably been this:

How To - Strut Channel Cross Bars / Roof Rack

This started off with my needing a solid and low profile way to mount Rotopax fuel cans to my roof. It has become for us a versatile crossbar / rack system that gets used on almost every trip. Using the channel strut crossbars we have carried all of the items below, sometimes multiple items at...

www.xterranation.org

 

[Zack.]

A ‘PML’ for the second gen is going to mean strut spacers in the front and either extended shackles or add-a-leaves in the back. The drawback of this would be that if you are on the original suspension it is 15 years old and probably worn out pretty good at this point. A fairly common thing people do is buy other folks’ takeoff coilovers from newer p4x rigs (incl. frontier), or even takeoff upgraded suspension when people Titan swap. A common ‘budget’ kit is the Old Man Emu setup.

In regards to tires I also run the BFG KO2 A/Ts in 265/75r16 which I like and don’t think are too loud. I noticed recently they also have a new model called Trail Terrain which costs a little less and has I think a 50,000 mile warranty (BFG doesn’t warranty the KO2s).

My first interior mod I think was changing out the stereo deck. Exterior was either new rear shocks or extended shackles, I don’t remember which.

 

[TerryD]

Welcome!

First thing to look at on a 2007 is the radiator if it's an automatic. You'll want to check the SMOD thread for radiator part numbers and make sure yours has been replaced and the transmission cooler hoses are properly hooked to the radiator and external cooler.

A 2" lift is a good start but there's not a good way to Poor Man's lift a 2nd Gen because of the change in geometry and as mentioned, 2007 is 15 years ago. Your suspension is tired.

The Old Man Emu system is a great kit. It's all designed to work together and provide you the increase you're looking for. I recommend it as a one and done kit for mild offroad use and the "overland" builds who aren't looking to greatly increase the weight of their rigs with armor, RTTs and other heavy accessories.

Another option is a set of Bilstein 5100 front shocks set to 1" of lift, a 1" lift (0.5" thick) lift spacer (you'll need the extended stud top hats for this) and a multi-leaf add-a-leaf for the rear with Bilstein shocks for 2" of lift. This will be cheaper, not increase your front spring rates or capacity, and you'll probably want to replace your rear spring and shackle bushings as well.

Note: 2" of front lift is the maximum you'll want to run with stock upper control arms. 2.5" is the most you can run with aftermarket UCAs like the SPC offerings and not decrease the life of your CVS, ball joints and TREs.

In overland use, durability is more important than lift height.

 

[BeccaBing]

Welcome. There's a lot of knowledgeable folks here so you should get some good info.

There's also a great collection of how to and DIY threads here:

List of How to and DIY

2nd Gen How to list this is a bit of a work in progress. as new How to's are created post up the link here and I be able to add them in the proper category Every how to title is hyperlinked ( Clicky link) for ease of getting the information faster Also, for new users: 1st gen = 2000-2004...

www.xterranation.org

Here's my $.02 on your questions.

0. Make sure your new to you Xterra is mechanically sound before worrying about modifying it. It is fiteen years old at this point. You may want to baseline it (perform preventative maintenance and replace fluids) depending on what service records you have. If it's an automatic, look into SMOD, and replace the radiator if necessary.

1. I'm not familiar with a PML (poor man's lift) for 2nd Gen xterras. That was a thing on the 1st Gen's, which were made up until '04. I would take it out and use it as is so you can see what it needs. These are pretty capable in stock form. That said, IMO a suspension upgrade (with side benefit of a slight lift) is not a bad way to go, but to do it well it involves some expense. The weak point with the stock suspension is the rear leaf springs, which if you put much additional weight in the rear (gear or passengers) tend to bottom out.

2. A good LT (truck) rated all terrain tire is money well spent IMO. A 32" tire (265/75R16) is slightly larger than what yours came with stock. 33" (most commonly 285/75R16) is the largest that will fit without any extensive modifications, regardless of lift or no lift. To prevent rubbing on 33" tires, a simple "melt mod" which involves heating up some plastic in the fender liner and clearancing it is all that's necessary. Larger tires bring more weight, slower acceleration, lower MPG's, longer stopping distances, and a bit more wear and tear on suspension components. We have two Xterras with the same tires, but one has the 32" tires and the other has 33". I don't do any hardcore rock crawling, but the 32" tires have taken us everywhere we wanted to go. Currently we're running BFG K02's and plenty happy with them, but there's many good options out there.

3. Not so much a "mod" as an accessory, but one of the first things we did was to get set up to camp inside the Xterra. Get yourself a tote that fits in the rear seat footwell (8GL Action Packers are a popular choice) and you can create a 6'8" long flat platform for sleeping.

Not the first, but favorite exterior mod that has been the most used for me has probably been this:

How To - Strut Channel Cross Bars / Roof Rack

This started off with my needing a solid and low profile way to mount Rotopax fuel cans to my roof. It has become for us a versatile crossbar / rack system that gets used on almost every trip. Using the channel strut crossbars we have carried all of the items below, sometimes multiple items at...

www.xterranation.org

Thank you for all the info! I have been hunting for xterras for a bit so I did read about smod and that made me nervous to buy this model year but they had the radiator replaced in 2013 and it still seems to be going strong, it’s got 141k miles on it now but I’m hoping with good maintenance it still has a decent amount of life left. Either way I’m definitely planning on taking it to my mechanic to get it looked over and make sure that everything is looking good and see what’s on the horizon for repairs. I didn’t realize the poor man’s lift was just for first gens so good to know that’s not an option. Thanks for the tire size info that’s really helpful, I’ll look into those tires too. Do you think that roof rack mod would be strong enough to hold a roof top tent? I’ve got the factory crossbars but heard they’re not strong enough for the tent, that looks like a great option if it would be strong enough. Until then camping in the back will have to do haha.

 

[BeccaBing]

A ‘PML’ for the second gen is going to mean strut spacers in the front and either extended shackles or add-a-leaves in the back. The drawback of this would be that if you are on the original suspension it is 15 years old and probably worn out pretty good at this point. A fairly common thing people do is buy other folks’ takeoff coilovers from newer p4x rigs (incl. frontier), or even takeoff upgraded suspension when people Titan swap. A common ‘budget’ kit is the Old Man Emu setup.

In regards to tires I also run the BFG KO2 A/Ts in 265/75r16 which I like and don’t think are too loud. I noticed recently they also have a new model called Trail Terrain which costs a little less and has I think a 50,000 mile warranty (BFG doesn’t warranty the KO2s).

My first interior mod I think was changing out the stereo deck. Exterior was either new rear shocks or extended shackles, I don’t remember which.

Thanks, I’ll have to check out those tires, good to know about the warranty stuff too. I’ll probably do the stereo too, I swapped out one on my husbands old truck and it was easier than I expected. That would be a nice cheap quick upgrade.

 

[BeccaBing]

Welcome!

First thing to look at on a 2007 is the radiator if it's an automatic. You'll want to check the SMOD thread for radiator part numbers and make sure yours has been replaced and the transmission cooler hoses are properly hooked to the radiator and external cooler.

A 2" lift is a good start but there's not a good way to Poor Man's lift a 2nd Gen because of the change in geometry and as mentioned, 2007 is 15 years ago. Your suspension is tired.

The Old Man Emu system is a great kit. It's all designed to work together and provide you the increase you're looking for. I recommend it as a one and done kit for mild offroad use and the "overland" builds who aren't looking to greatly increase the weight of their rigs with armor, RTTs and other heavy accessories.

Another option is a set of Bilstein 5100 front shocks set to 1" of lift, a 1" lift (0.5" thick) lift spacer (you'll need the extended stud top hats for this) and a multi-leaf add-a-leaf for the rear with Bilstein shocks for 2" of lift. This will be cheaper, not increase your front spring rates or capacity, and you'll probably want to replace your rear spring and shackle bushings as well.

Note: 2" of front lift is the maximum you'll want to run with stock upper control arms. 2.5" is the most you can run with aftermarket UCAs like the SPC offerings and not decrease the life of your CVS, ball joints and TREs.

In overland use, durability is more important than lift height.

Thanks! Yea the radiator was already replaced but I’m gonna have the whole thing looked over to make sure everything is good to go. Will the Old Man Emu kit work with just a rtt? I doubt I’ll be doing any armor on it, closest thing would maybe be a beefier bumper to try to protect from deer haha. Most of our camping is in the upper peninsula of Michigan and they’re everywhere but other than that not armoring, just would like to do a roof top tent at some point.

 

[TerryD]

Thanks! Yea the radiator was already replaced but I’m gonna have the whole thing looked over to make sure everything is good to go. Will the Old Man Emu kit work with just a rtt? I doubt I’ll be doing any armor on it, closest thing would maybe be a beefier bumper to try to protect from deer haha. Most of our camping is in the upper peninsula of Michigan and they’re everywhere but other than that not armoring, just would like to do a roof top tent at some point.

The OME kit with the extra rear leaf should handle a RTT easily for mild offroad use. I think you'll be very happy with their setup.

I've recommended it a lot and never had anyone say they regret it for mild offroad use. It's exactly what it was designed to do. I ran their springs in my old Jeep Cherokee XJ and loved them.

 

[BeccaBing]

The OME kit with the extra rear leaf should handle a RTT easily for mild offroad use. I think you'll be very happy with their setup.

I've recommended it a lot and never had anyone say they regret it for mild offroad use. It's exactly what it was designed to do. I ran their springs in my old Jeep Cherokee XJ and loved them.

Okay awesome! So maybe a dumb question but I don’t know much about cars… if I take it to the mechanic and they say your suspension is worn out you’re gonna need new stuff can I say put this kit on and be good to go? Or would I need to replace the suspension and then add this kit?

 

[outback97]

Do you think that roof rack mod would be strong enough to hold a roof top tent? I’ve got the factory crossbars but heard they’re not strong enough for the tent, that looks like a great option if it would be strong enough. Until then camping in the back will have to do haha.

Yes it should be, the factory rails are probably my weak point now. That said I try to keep roof weights on the lower side for safer handling.

And I agree with Terry about the Old Man Emu being a great choice for upgrading the suspension. We have that setup on both our Xterras.

 

[Zack.]

if I take it to the mechanic and they say your suspension is worn out you’re gonna need new stuff can I say put this kit on and be good to go? Or would I need to replace the suspension and then add this kit?

If you get the full kit, including leaf spring bushings, then the only things I the suspension you aren’t replacing are the upper and lower control arm bushings & ball joints. Which if you want/need to do that, it is around the same price and easier to replace the entire control arms. Oh, also sway bar links - but most people don’t seem to care about that.

 

[BeccaBing]

Yes it should be, the factory rails are probably my weak point now. That said I try to keep roof weights on the lower side for safer handling.

And I agree with Terry about the Old Man Emu being a great choice for upgrading the suspension. We have that setup on both our Xterras.

Awesome! Thanks, I’ll definitely put that on the list for upgrades.

 

[BeccaBing]

If you get the full kit, including leaf spring bushings, then the only things I the suspension you aren’t replacing are the upper and lower control arm bushings & ball joints. Which if you want/need to do that, it is around the same price and easier to replace the entire control arms. Oh, also sway bar links - but most people don’t seem to care about that.

Okay cool, thanks that’s good to know. I have a feeling I may need to do something with my suspension soon, it felt a little soft/bouncy on the test ride and with how old it is it makes sense it’s wearing out. I’ll see what my mechanic says but if I do need to I guess I’ll just have to upgrade right away haha.

 

[General_Tarfun]

Lots of solid advice here so I won't ramble on, but I second the advice to replace what's worn out first.

I've owned my 06 S from when it was new and while it drives/runs about as well as day 1, it required replacing wear items like the suspension, pulleys, belts, etc.

For overlanding you really don't need a lift unless you just like the look, the X is pretty capable in it's stock form. Assuming mechanically everything checks out the first thing I'd replace is the tires with a good AT tire.

 

[BeccaBing]

Lots of solid advice here so I won't ramble on, but I second the advice to replace what's worn out first.

I've owned my 06 S from when it was new and while it drives/runs about as well as day 1, it required replacing wear items like the suspension, pulleys, belts, etc.

For overlanding you really don't need a lift unless you just like the look, the X is pretty capable in it's stock form. Assuming mechanically everything checks out the first thing I'd replace is the tires with a good AT tire.

Good to know, thanks! I do like the look of a lift but good to know how capable it is from the get go. I’m pretty sure I’m going to have to replace the suspension based on how it rode on the test drive so I’m trying to decide if I just lift it whenever I do that or if I just do the suspension and maybe lift it later. Probably will come down to cost and if we have the money to do it at the time. If I do need to replace the suspension should I do an even swap for what comes on it or upgrade to something nicer? If so any suggestions for what to go with?

 

[C3NK0]

I went with Ironman 4x4, pretty happy with the results so far, big thanks to @ffxcores installing it all!

 

[General_Tarfun]

Good to know, thanks! I do like the look of a lift but good to know how capable it is from the get go. I’m pretty sure I’m going to have to replace the suspension based on how it rode on the test drive so I’m trying to decide if I just lift it whenever I do that or if I just do the suspension and maybe lift it later. Probably will come down to cost and if we have the money to do it at the time. If I do need to replace the suspension should I do an even swap for what comes on it or upgrade to something nicer? If so any suggestions for what to go with?

For most of it I’d go with OE parts of you are able to. You can get away with a 2” lift on the stock up control arms but anything higher you’ll need to replace them with something like the SPC arms. I’d recommend against the Bilstein 5100’s if you plan on using the lift rings they have, the ride is usually pretty rough on those.

 

[westslope]

...
1. Since I’m going to be doing more “overland lite” style camping and not rock crawling or heavy duty off roading ......

Go stock. Go for high quality 4-season M&S tires. AT tires are not required. They are noisier, less fuel efficient and not great in heavy rains.

Give your X a complete mid-life maintenance/makeover. The time and money saved by not lifting your X means that this mid-life restoration can be luxurious. Time and money saved can be directed to making the X safer and more comfortable and convenient for family members.

I am a park and self-propel guy (hike, wade, backpack, canoe). Nevertheless, you would be shocked at the places I go in a stock height X with 4 season M&S tires. The kind of places that would have your family cringing in fear.

I kinda doubt your objective is to scare the living daylights out of your family members. Perhaps you have already driven backcountry roads and trails that are on a 30 degree slope (from one side to the other). It can be a little uncanny the first time or two around. Imagine doing that with inexperienced family members in a lifted vehicle. "Don't worry! We are not about to roll over."

On the other hand, a lifted vehicle and aggressive AT tires will get you more dates at the local bar with like-minded dudes.

 

[BeccaBing]

For most of it I’d go with OE parts of you are able to. You can get away with a 2” lift on the stock up control arms but anything higher you’ll need to replace them with something like the SPC arms. I’d recommend against the Bilstein 5100’s if you plan on using the lift rings they have, the ride is usually pretty rough on those.

Okay good to know thanks!

 

[BeccaBing]

Go stock. Go for high quality 4-season M&S tires. AT tires are not required. They are noisier, less fuel efficient and not great in heavy rains.

Give your X a complete mid-life maintenance/makeover. The time and money saved by not lifting your X means that this mid-life restoration can be luxurious. Time and money saved can be directed to making the X safer and more comfortable and convenient for family members.

I am a park and self-propel guy (hike, wade, backpack, canoe). Nevertheless, you would be shocked at the places I go in a stock height X with 4 season M&S tires. The kind of places that would have your family cringing in fear.

I kinda doubt your objective is to scare the living daylights out of your family members. Perhaps you have already driven backcountry roads and trails that are on a 30 degree slope (from one side to the other). It can be a little uncanny the first time or two around. Imagine doing that with inexperienced family members in a lifted vehicle. "Don't worry! We are not about to roll over."

On the other hand, a lifted vehicle and aggressive AT tires will get you more dates at the local bar with like-minded dudes.

Haha yea that’s not the goal. I do like the look of lifted vehicles buuut in reality I wouldn’t need it for the places I go. Maybe someday I’ll get out west and be able to explore some cool spots but everywhere we go regularly for camping I’ve been able to get to with our little Mazda hatchback, it’s rough but doable. What I’m excited about with the xterra is all those roads we see when we’re in those areas and are too nervous to take we can actually go explore now! Thanks for the tips, everyone has been so helpful on here. Seems like a great community to be a part of!

 

[TerryD]

In any case, a real set of frame mounted sliders are a must if you're going to be offroad. The little bit of extra confidence from a real 4wd has led to a lot of folks doing damage to the rocker panels, assuming the side steps are some type of protection, when they actually cause more damage if you impact them offroad.

 

[BeccaBing]

In any case, a real set of frame mounted sliders are a must if you're going to be offroad. The little bit of extra confidence from a real 4wd has led to a lot of folks doing damage to the rocker panels, assuming the side steps are some type of protection, when they actually cause more damage if you impact them offroad.

Okay cool, I don’t plan to do much off-roading, just enough to get to where I want to camp but that seems like a good investment in case I start to get into it.

 

[westslope]

..... What I’m excited about with the xterra is all those roads we see when we’re in those areas and are too nervous to take we can actually go explore now! Thanks for the tips, everyone has been so helpful on here. Seems like a great community to be a part of!

The second generation X has a short wheel base. It goes almost everywhere the old Nissan Pathfinder WD-21 (early 1990s) did except it does it with far more comfort and style.

S model? Think about adding some skid plates to the underside.

Enjoy.

 

[TerryD]

Okay cool, I don’t plan to do much off-roading, just enough to get to where I want to camp but that seems like a good investment in case I start to get into it.

I say this because my very first time offroad in my very first road legal 4x4, I did about $700 of damage to the rocker panel and passenger door. So a set of sliders would have been less.

 

[BeccaBing]

I say this because my very first time offroad in my very first road legal 4x4, I did about $700 of damage to the rocker panel and passenger door. So a set of sliders would have been less.

Uff yea, are the OEM ones okay? They look quite a bit cheaper than the rest. Or… my husband does hvac and they fabricate their own sheet metal fittings so they have the machinery to maybe make them ourselves. Do you know how thick the metal need to be for them?

 

[Brunnie]

Uff yea, are the OEM ones okay? They look quite a bit cheaper than the rest. Or… my husband does hvac and they fabricate their own sheet metal fittings so they have the machinery to maybe make them ourselves. Do you know how thick the metal need to be for them?

OEM are not ok.... they will bend like a pretzel. A good set of sliders will run you about $400+. Do your research, look at Hefty, Shrock, White Knuckle, and there are others as well. They are not made of sheet metal, they are made of steel.

I went for several years before I bought mine, it all depends on what kinds of trails you are on and how hard they are, and how you are driving.

 

[westslope]

I say this because my very first time offroad in my very first road legal 4x4, I did about $700 of damage to the rocker panel and passenger door. So a set of sliders would have been less.

The S does not have sliders or a step up equivalent? Definitely get those!

 

[TerryD]

The S does not have sliders or a step up equivalent? Definitely get those!

No Xterra came with factory sliders. The factory steps/nerf tibes are cosmetic steps that will do more damage to the rocker panel than not having anything.

 

[westslope]

The factory steps/nerf tibes are cosmetic steps that will do more damage to the rocker panel than not having anything.

@Terry D. Well, in that case I have been lucky so far.

Have thought about replacing the factory steps..... I left them in because when this was our go-to driver, my 5' 6" wife had trouble getting into the X without the steps.

I have couple of other things to take care of on the X, but yeah......, the sliders are on the list.

 

[BeccaBing]

OEM are not ok.... they will bend like a pretzel. A good set of sliders will run you about $400+. Do your research, look at Hefty, Shrock, White Knuckle, and there are others as well. They are not made of sheet metal, they are made of steel.

I went for several years before I bought mine, it all depends on what kinds of trails you are on and how hard they are, and how you are driving.

Cool I’ll look into those and do some research. I know sheet metal is way too thin for it, I just thought since they have a break at the shop to make those bends in metal if I knew how thick the steel needed to be to offer good protection and had a template we could maybe make our own. We also have a friend that’s a welder that works with heavy gauge steel so if there’s an option to make something on our own and save a little money we’re all for that haha. Of course if we’re in over our heads and can’t make something that’s quality and safe we’re willing to spend the money but I figured I’d see if it’s an option to DIY.

 

[BeccaBing]

The S does not have sliders or a step up equivalent? Definitely get those!

Nah I don’t have any step at all on it. I’ll get some sliders at some point though cuz they seem useful and look cool too.

 

[TerryD]

There are plans somewhere for Second Gen sliders but I can't remember where. Sheet metal tools won't work with the heavy steel needed for sliders though.

I bought White Knuckle sliders and really like them.

 

[General_Tarfun]

You can sometimes find them used for less $. I bought a set of Heftyfab sliders used for around $300 last year.

 

[BeccaBing]

There are plans somewhere for Second Gen sliders but I can't remember where. Sheet metal tools won't work with the heavy steel needed for sliders though.

I bought White Knuckle sliders and really like them.

Okay cool, yea I wasn’t sure if it would work or not, but good to know it won’t so I don’t get invested in that idea. I’ll take a look at those, would you recommend doing sliders or skid plates first or does it not really matter?

 

[BeccaBing]

You can sometimes find them used for less $. I bought a set of Heftyfab sliders used for around $300 last year.

Nice! Those were some of the first that popped up in my search. I just started looking into all this stuff so still have a lot of research to do but holy cow does it look like I can spend a lot of money making this thing sweet haha.

 

[TerryD]

Okay cool, yea I wasn’t sure if it would work or not, but good to know it won’t so I don’t get invested in that idea. I’ll take a look at those, would you recommend doing sliders or skid plates first or does it not really matter?

I've been running a set of hand me down Pro4X skid plates I got pretty cheap for years doing mild-moderate off-roading and only managed to damage my gas tank skid. But sliders were my first big investment. They are some of the first armor I recommend.

The Xterra yardsale page on FB is a good place to find deals on parts. Stock P4X skids come up occasionally. You might even get them and the hardware from a pull-a-part or local junk yard.

The biggest thing is to decide what you actually want from your Xterra and then build to suit. We can throw out all kinds of ideas, but it's easy to over build a rig to you don't want to use it or it doesn't do what you want well anymore. There are lots of build pages in the 2nd Gen forum and most of us have our builds linked in our signatures so read up and feel free to ask any questions!

 

[BeccaBing]

I've been running a set of hand me down Pro4X skid plates I got pretty cheap for years doing mild-moderate off-roading and only managed to damage my gas tank skid. But sliders were my first big investment. They are some of the first armor I recommend.

The Xterra yardsale page on FB is a good place to find deals on parts. Stock P4X skids come up occasionally. You might even get them and the hardware from a pull-a-part or local junk yard.

The biggest thing is to decide what you actually want from your Xterra and then build to suit. We can throw out all kinds of ideas, but it's easy to over build a rig to you don't want to use it or it doesn't do what you want well anymore. There are lots of build pages in the 2nd Gen forum and most of us have our builds linked in our signatures so read up and feel free to ask any questions!

Awesome, thanks. You guys have been super helpful already! I want to do more of an overlanding build than an off roading build but don’t want to damage anything when Im getting to the spots I’m camping. But I also live and camp mostly in the Midwest so I don’t know how much trouble I can really get into. Don’t want to be underprepared but don’t want to waste money on stuff I don’t need either. I’ll definitely check out build pages. I’d love to see what people are doing and get some ideas.

 

[meisanerd]

There are plans for sliders for a second gen on this site:

DIY Rock Sliders *CPL*

www.thenewx.org

Note that one of the bits is backwards, so have someone carefully look over it and make sure it is cut/welded together properly. But dimensions etc are all correct.

 

[BeccaBing]

There are plans for sliders for a second gen on this site:

DIY Rock Sliders *CPL*

www.thenewx.org

Note that one of the bits is backwards, so have someone carefully look over it and make sure it is cut/welded together properly. But dimensions etc are all correct.

Sweet thanks! I’ll have to check with my friend that welds and see if he’d be up for a project like this.