U-PULL-IT score . . . or no?

[Hetzer]

So, I hit U-PULL-IT Friday after work, and scored a nice receiver hitch off of a 04 Xterra. Factory NISSAN with minimal rust and the plastic step pad intact. All mounting hardware as well, for approx. $20.00. This hitch looks more "heavy duty" than the one off my wife's X. I had always assumed it was factory, but maybe I was mistaken. I know the price was good, but my question is whether there will be any difficulties putting this hitch on my wife's 02 Xterra? Will the bracketry all work? It's quite a bit different than what came off her's. Did I score, or waste my money?

 

[Bushnut]

It should bolt up fine.
Score!

 

[Hetzer]

Awesome. I'm gonna take it to work on Monday and have it run through the blast booth. I had the one off my wife's X blasted, then painted it with Rustoleum flat black. Had to do little bondo on that one, because parts of it were quite pitted. As you can see it the photos, it came out nice and pretty (albeit with a few runs). Guess I'll end up putting that one on my '01.

 

[Bklyn.X]

Great deal! Make sure you use the frame stiffeners...

 

[Hetzer]

Great deal! Make sure you use the frame stiffeners...

Yeah, that was my main question, because the one that I took of my wife's X just had rectangular "washers" inside the frame rails, whereas this one had the one-piece brackets that also the bumper bolts pass through. I didn't know if there was some change in bracketry between 02 and 04. Sounds like the consensus is it'll work.

 

[Hetzer]

FINALLY was able to get the blast booth guy at work to sandblast my hitch last week. (Gotta keep those "government" projects on the down-low) Then a buddy in the paint department primed it for me. I painted it myself with some Krylon black semi-gloss. It came out real nice. Hopefully, I'll get it put on the wife's X tomorrow.

 

[Unruely]

Wish there was a good yard near me. Need a jack and the tools for mine.

 

[Hetzer]

Wish there was a good yard near me. Need a jack and the tools for mine.

Well, at the self-service yards, you have to be fast (and lucky). There are characters who cruise those places looking for all the easy-score pieces, like jacks, the tools, cargo covers, sunroof covers, cup holders, etc. I'm sure you've seen the prices they sell that stuff for on eBay. I monitor the yards' websites every day at lunch time, and whenever I see a fresh Xterra hit the yard, I go THAT DAY, hopefully to get to it before the vultures pick the carcass clean. I have managed a few pretty decent scores, including this hitch, a rear hatch wind deflector, a set of NISSAN rubber floormats, and a nice set of WARN manual locking hubs. It's fortunate that around the metro Kansas City area, where I work, there are 5 or 6 self-service yards.