2014 Xterra Pro-4x Build and Adventure Thread

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Trixter404

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Olympia, WA, USA
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Steve
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Nice pics! I keep saying it, but I really do need to spend some time on the peninsula.
 
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.shark.

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There are a lot of cool X builds on OB.....mine is probably one of the more tame examples.
I'm right there with you. PRG acp plus kit going on order next week and rocking 33's but that'll be about it other than factory winch mount haha
 

utspoolup

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Tame my left ball. Your X is right up there with the greatest we have to offer, don't sell yourself of the rig short brother. But it is amazing to see a place where even our little niche builds exist. That is one thing I love about my X. Relatively speaking. There are very few modified on the road. You can honestly see 300 modified Jeeps for every Xterra you see that is modified. While 95% of the owners of the Xterra are soccer moms or familys that want a entry level SUV that is not a car, but more of a truck (typically the selling point to the male figure in the family). So many add bumper lights, or brush guards, maybe a more aggressive tire pattern, but thats it. When you see them lifted, armored, and setup for over landing/ off-roading. They are sure to be noticed, as you know driving yours down the road. Great photos and outings. Next time I'm up in OR/ WA, Ill have to give you guys a heads up and maybe we can hit up on outing.
 

Jhberria

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Lacey, WA
I'm right there with you. PRG acp plus kit going on order next week and rocking 33's but that'll be about it other than factory winch mount haha
Nice! Make sure to post some pictures when you get the lift installed.

Tame my left ball. Your X is right up there with the greatest we have to offer, don't sell yourself of the rig short brother. But it is amazing to see a place where even our little niche builds exist. That is one thing I love about my X. Relatively speaking. There are very few modified on the road. You can honestly see 300 modified Jeeps for every Xterra you see that is modified. While 95% of the owners of the Xterra are soccer moms or familys that want a entry level SUV that is not a car, but more of a truck (typically the selling point to the male figure in the family). So many add bumper lights, or brush guards, maybe a more aggressive tire pattern, but thats it. When you see them lifted, armored, and setup for over landing/ off-roading. They are sure to be noticed, as you know driving yours down the road. Great photos and outings. Next time I'm up in OR/ WA, Ill have to give you guys a heads up and maybe we can hit up on outing.
I'm not sure I'm capable of taming your left ball, but I'm willing to give it the old college try (I jest). No doubt that my eyes are drawn like a freaking magnet to any other modified X I see out and about, as they're so few and far inbetween. I appreciate the compliments, but I'm just trying to get on your level right now. What I really need is to get better with electrical modifications (of which I've done none). I'm hesitant as I've got this mental image of my truck burning to the ground after I haphazardly wire up some rear lights.

You do need to come up to WA! We could definitely get a group together to camp and hit some trails. I've got a couple spare bedrooms that you're welcome to, as well.

Awesome X and photos!


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Thanks!

Nice build and awesome trip reports!

Sub'd for more....
Thanks, as well. I dig the videos you've been posting up over on thenewx.
 

Jhberria

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Lacey, WA
Another local Nissan guy (driving a yellow 1st Gen, El Bandito Amarillo) trekked out to the Olympic Peninsula on the 23rd and 24th to camp and do some high country snow exploration.

We made our way to our camp site on the shores of the Skokomish River in the darkness, narrowly avoiding a herd of elk in the trail on the way in. Apologies, no photos of the elk herd.

Camp site wasn't bad, though. Neither were the views waking up.




Packing the X up in the morning for some visually-stimulating snow rompage.
 
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Jhberria

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Lacey, WA
On Christmas Eve, our goal was to reach Upper Elk Lake in the Olympics through Washington Pass from Lake Cushman. We made it about a mile up the mountain from the south, but the snow got too slick and the incline too steep. It would have been irresponsible to keep going. Instead, we pursued an alternate route to the lake from the north along Jefferson Creek. The snow was just as deep, but the climbs were more mild. Airing down, 4wd, and good tires carried us all the way to the our desired destination. This was immensely rewarding for two reasons. Firstly, we went further than anyone else had been in days, as evidenced by the lack of tire tracks in the snow for the last few miles of our journey. Secondly.....the scenery.





Taken by my buddy in El Bandito Amarillo...


After a few hours of joyous tribulations...Upper Elk Lake.


It was a fun Holiday trip.
 

Jhberria

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Lacey, WA
Great photos! I really like what you've done with your X. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the kind words!

I haven't updated this thread very much in the past couple of months, as I've been out of town for work quite a bit. However, as the weather starts to improve here in the PNW, I'll begin repopulating this baby with trip reports.

My recent focus with the X has been regular maintenance. In the past month, I've swapped out the fluid in both differentials, flushed the transmission, transfer case, and power steering fluid, and replaced all four brake pads. Additionally, I added a set of Timbren Active Off-road bump stops to the rear and swapped the Duratracs out for a set of BFG KO2s in the 285 flavor. The duratracs had ~30k miles on them, and while there was still plenty of tread left, their highway handling characteristics were beginning to degrade. I got a screaming good deal on the KO2s, and was able to sell the duratracs to a guy wanting to throw them on his trail truck for half of what I paid for the KO2s. I haven't had the new tires on long, but immediate observations include much better handling characteristics, they're virtually silent compared to the old tires, and comparable traction to the Duratracs. Also, the KO2s are noticeably heavier than the worn duratracs (which I'll hopefully get used to).
Bump stops.

New rubber.


A random shot taken during a camping trip with the Mrs. while camping in the Hoh Rainforest on the Olympic Peninsula recently.


Thanks for looking!
 

EricB72

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I want to get a set of KO2s when I change out my tires. My X is bone stock and more than capable for most of my driving back and forth to work, but when I start to take it off road I want it to be ready. Advice one where to start? Suspension, lift, armor?

Thanks!
 

TreXTerra

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I would start with tires and see what you actually need after that. The direction of your building based on your use.

Personally, I would do a lift to keep the back end from bottoming out. I went with PRG, it my brother is happy with his Old Man Emu kit.
 

EricB72

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I would start with tires and see what you actually need after that. The direction of your building based on your use.

Personally, I would do a lift to keep the back end from bottoming out. I went with PRG, it my brother is happy with his Old Man Emu kit.
Thanks!
 

Jhberria

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Lacey, WA
Little update to be had.....

I know @Trixter404 posted about this in his thread already, but we took a camping trip out to the Olympic Peninsula a few weeks ago. We saw rain, we saw snow, we dangled the Xterras precariously over waterfalls, we drove through flood waters, and we drank beer.







Most recently, I finally filled the empty void inside the ARB bumper with a winch. A Smiitbilt XRC 9500, to be exact. The fairlead that came with the winch wouldn't work with the ARB bumper, so I picked up a Custom Splice offset hawse to throw on it. Here's a picture right after install.


Also took the time to paint the grill while I had everything apart.


Thanks for looking.
 
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Jhberria

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Launch Member

Pathfinder I

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Lacey, WA
Been a while since I've touched this thread, so here goes.

Over Memorial Day weekend, I loaded up the X with a couple of days worth of camping gear and the tent and met some folks from the Overland Bound PNW crew to run the southernmost section of the Washington Backcountry Discovery Route. Unfortunately, we got snagged up and late season snow drifts quite a bit, but the views of Mt Adams and Mt Hood along the way were amazing. Great camping weather, as well.






This weekend, I met up with a couple of guys from the Northwest Xterra Club and ran a couple trails at Evans Creek. Evans Creek is technically an "OHV" park, and it's got a healthy mix of dirt roads and VERY technical trails. Some of the trails in Evans Creek aren't suitable for anything other than SFA vehicles with 37+ inch tires. The views of Mt Ranier throughout the park are amazing, however. At least when the clouds are kind enough to break.





Derek, one of the guys with the us, has a beast of an Xterra. Dual lockers (OEM rear with ARB up front), full Radflo Titan Swap with M205 front diff, and all the fixings. #truckgoals





Thanks for looking!