Upgrades

[Bdcottom]

Probably the center stack. I saw all the others. Was it hard to cut the holes for the right side of the steering wheel?

What's the difference between the SE and the XE? I know one has the power door locks and windows. I don't know which one tho cuz my car doesn't have the badges on the back

 

[Muadeeb]

Really not much. My XE has power doors and windows, and came with a CD/Cass. With no badges, you're probably an XE. If you look on the ID plate in the driver door jamb, you'll find the model details

The 'E' that is pointed at shows this is an XE, while an 'F' there would be an SE.

Gen 2s are different.

 

[Bdcottom]

Thanks! Ya I have the XE. Does anyone else notice that when you turn your halogen off-road lights on they drain the power? I know they take more power than LEDs. I need a bigger alternator to keep up with it better but I just put a new alternator in a couple months ago so it can wait.

Also does the X not have factory engine skid plates?

 

[Prime]

It does have a front end skid from the factory that goes from the bumper to the front crossmember of the diff.

 

[Bdcottom]

Thanks! I didn't see one on mine so I guess the person who had it before took it off.

I want to paint my plastics and roof rack one of these weekends. What type of paint works best and where can I get the xterra logo in yellow?

 

[TheFauxFox]

Thanks! I didn't see one on mine so I guess the person who had it before took it off.

I want to paint my plastics and roof rack one of these weekends. What type of paint works best and where can I get the xterra logo in yellow?

drbandkgb and I had the discussion awhile ago whether or not they fall off, don't come with them, or if owners take them off. I can't remember the answer...

Anyway, I will suggest that you don't use Krylon Ultra Flat Black unless you want a coarse, difficult to clean texture. I used them on my wheels for my Gen 1 and had the toughest time cleaning them.

As for your graphics, GraveyardGraphics already has the designs for the decal you want. Hit up Creepy at the email address on their site and he'll hook you up.

 

[Bdcottom]

It'd make sense to take it off to change the oil because of the oil filter. But it doesn't make sense to not put it back on.

Thanks! I was looking into plasti-dipping them. Have you guys done this? Can you get it at like Walmart or Ace Hardware?

 

[TJTJ]

Plastidip is soft and tends to delaminate after a year or so.

Also, the factory "skid plates" are more like splash guards than skid plates, and do help keep splashes from coming up into the engine bay, etc...but that's about it.

 

[Bdcottom]

Plastidip is soft and tends to delaminate after a year or so.

Also, the factory "skid plates" are more like splash guards than skid plates, and do help keep splashes from coming up into the engine bay, etc...but that's about it.

Thanks! Any suggestions of what paint that I should use? Looking for a glossy smooth black.

The splash gaurd would've been nice when I went through a mud lake when I took it offroading the first time. Trashed my alternator

 

[TJTJ]

Thanks! Any suggestions of what paint that I should use? Looking for a glossy smooth black.

The splash gaurd would've been nice when I went through a mud lake when I took it offroading the first time. Trashed my alternator

Before trashing another one, get some Si spray, and, spray the alternator inside and out (Through the vent slots, etc...), both before and during running it...to coat the windings, etc....then spray the wires to it, and all your ignition wires, etc, all the way back to the battery/fuse box, etc.

That way, the crud sloughs right off and doesn't kill you later. I still have my 80 amp POS OEM alternator from my 2001 X, and, I have taken it apart and cleaned it a few times, but, it has hundreds of thousands of miles on it and still works despite living in acidic bog water, etc.

I did a write up on how to save them if you kill them too btw....its ~ 45 minutes of work, and, can be done in the field if needed.

 

[Bdcottom]

Before trashing another one, get some Si spray, and, spray the alternator inside and out (Through the vent slots, etc...), both before and during running it...to coat the windings, etc....then spray the wires to it, and all your ignition wires, etc, all the way back to the battery/fuse box, etc.

That way, the crud sloughs right off and doesn't kill you later. I still have my 80 amp POS OEM alternator from my 2001 X, and, I have taken it apart and cleaned it a few times, but, it has hundreds of thousands of miles on it and still works despite living in acidic bog water, etc.

I did a write up on how to save them if you kill them too btw....its ~ 45 minutes of work, and, can be done in the field if needed.

Thanks! I will have to look into that when I have time

 

[Bdcottom]

Has anyone mounted their switches on top of the dash above the heater controls?

 

[Bdcottom]

So recently I thought of getting a long travel prerunner type suspension, such as the Total Chaos suspension, for my X but I have a few questions...

1. Would it work at all for rock crawling?
2. Do any of you guys have any expirience with these suspensions?
3. Is it worth the cost?

Any help is great. Thanks!

 

[Jbat]

So recently I thought of getting a long travel prerunner type suspension for my X but I have a couple concerns...

1. Would it work at all for rock crawling?
2. Do any of you guys have any expirience with these suspensions?

Any help is great. Thanks!

So you can double duty a suspension (prerunner/rockcrawling) to a certain extent but beyond a 'decent' setup you will be either compromising one for the other or you will be constantly adjusting it. For prerunning I would keep the IFS and look at long travel setups especially titan swap stuff. For serious rockcrawling I would look at SAS. Both will do what its not designed for but only 'adequately' and not fantastically. Typically a rockcrawler setup has less sag than a prerunner as the prerunner needs more down travel than up travel and a rockcrawler can also get away with softer valving and cheaper shocks (less adjustability).

 

[Bdcottom]

Thanks! I was just thinking for the occasional desert runs, going to the sand dunes, and going crawling when I have time

 

[Jbat]

Thanks! I was just thinking for the occasional desert runs, going to the sand dunes, and going crawling when I have time

If that's the case I would look a long travel Titan swaps...seems to fit the bill a little better. I have considered doing this myself on a Frontier once my Xterra is done. Everyone does Ranger and Tacoma (had one) prerunners, a Frontier runner would be fairly unique and could still double duty for a little crawling now and again. The issue with SUV prerunners is rear suspension travel...you can only go so far before you run into the cargo compartment.

 

[Bdcottom]

How would a SAS work overall. It'd be best for me to find a suspension that's the happy medium between rock crawling and sand/desert

 

[Jbat]

IMO the SAS is a great setup but not for prerunning. It can be made very humble on the street and yet badass offroad but can only go so far prerunning. A good LT (long travel) IFS will cost you as much as a SAS but will handle all the different variables better. I like the F150 TTB for prerunning for a good inexpensive setup that does decent in the rocks but I'd really like to give a LT Titan swap a go.

 

[Bdcottom]

Well I guess all I need my X to do in the sand is just get me to the bottom of the hill at night when the fast bikes are racing If I want to haul a** in the sand I'll just build a sand rail. Has anyone done a rear coil over swap at all?

 

[Jbat]

Well I guess all I need my X to do in the sand is just get me to the bottom of the hill at night when the fast bikes are racing If I want to haul a** in the sand I'll just build a sand rail. Has anyone done a rear coil over swap at all?

I was reading a thread over on CX earlier that's a few years old now, guy did a LS6 motor swap with SAS and 4-link with coilovers in the rear. Seemed to have petered out due to driveability and running issues but seemed like pretty solid suspension. I will probably do coilovers and 4-link out back eventually but want to get up and running first. Check out Ruffstuffspecialties.com for 4-link kits if your considering heading that route. I like Sway-a-way coilovers but Fox are sometimes more readily and cheaply available. Rear 4-link and coilovers really aren't that difficult with all the companies offering kits these days but people get intimidated trying to figure out frame side mounts and shock mounts.

 

[Bdcottom]

Cool! I'll look into that. Have you gotten to drive your X since you put the 4bt in it?

 

[Bdcottom]

Just out of couriosity, is there a computer available for the xterras that will provide you with real time tempuratures and rpms, etc?

 

[Prime]

A Scanguage or a $15 obd dongle from Amazon and a $10 phone app.

 

[Bdcottom]

Thanks! That scangauge seems really useful. It seems like it shows most of the functions that my dads bullydog does on his jeep. I will have to invest in one eventually

 

[Muadeeb]

Don't get something thinking you can push an engine tweak with it. The Gen 1 ecu isn't smart enough to know what to do with it

A scangauge is perfect

 

[Prime]

Yeah. The Scanguage is for monitoring only. You can't change anything in the ECU on these trucks.

 

[Intender]

or an ultragauge. I have one that a swap between the xterra and my g35. cheaper than a scangauge, and does the same thing from what I can tell. I just wish it would remember more than one vehicle so I didnt have to do the setup every time.

 

[Bdcottom]

Don't get something thinking you can push an engine tweak with it. The Gen 1 ecu isn't smart enough to know what to do with it

A scangauge is perfect

Ya I know. I just gave the bullydog as an example cuz i just want some features that it shows. I'm not into fooling the computer for more power. At least not on a gasser

 

[Bdcottom]

Ok so it's been a while and I've been thinking about joining the Snorkel Club. What is the best, cheapest, and easiest to install snorkel? I was thinking a navara snorkel but how easy are they to install on an '02?

 

[Prime]

You're correct.

Navara snorkel in the same year range. It's the closest match to our fenders. The mounting isn't spot on but you can't tell unless you know what you're at.
My advice is to go for the ABS plastic one and not the fiberglass.

Figure about 140 for the snorkel plus what it's going to cost you in plumbing. The air box is different and the stuff that comes with the snorkel won't work.

 

[Bdcottom]

So me and some buddies are wanting to plan a wheeling trip in the near future, but first I need to fix my manual hubs. One is really hard to turn and the other I cannot turn at all. Any suggestions on how to fix it or would I be better off just buying warn hubs to replace them?

Also, my X is throwing CEL codes P0456 and P0442(evap leaks). And of course the knock sensor, which I know isn't a big problem. Does anyone know of any fixes for the evap leaks?

 

[ApacheX]

I'm a little late to the party, here, but just wanted to suggest Craigslist as a resource for mod parts. I got my 4" Calmini lift (est. $1100 before shipping) for $200 lightly used. Got my rear light guards ($90) for $35. It pays to be a Craigslist scavenger. ^^

 

[Bdcottom]

UPDATE:
I finally got my manual hubs to turn. Thank gobble for PB Blaster! Now i just need to get time to go have fun and test them And I've decided I'm going to replace the Oh Sh** handles with custom paracord handles to match the yellow:happy: