Glamisdude's Do it all Frontier

[glamisdude72000]

The goal of this truck is to do it all, camping, wheeling, and daily duties. None of which can significantly impact the others usage therefore I tired to take the middle ground on all tasks. This has turned out to be a great truck and does everything I ask of it, of course I keep asking for more in each category:ylsmoke: So it will never be "done" so to speak, think of Zeno's paradox
This is the sequel build of my truck as my last was totaled in a rear end collision(http://www.clubfrontier.org/forums/f103/glamisdude72000s-build-thread-76827/). So far this truck has been a substantial upgrade to the last one, having gained half the amount of miles, 2 model years newer, and 4x4 with a locker. This is the story of its progress, enjoy

Username: Glamisdude72000 (Chris)
Year: 2007
Make: Nissan
Model: Frontier
Trim: KC Nismo 4X
Color: Avalanche White


Current Pic:

Mods:
Lower Bumper Valence and Mud Flaps Removed
Blue Sea 6 connection fuse block with ground bus under hood, battery terminal with voltage readout
Rear Diff Breather Extension
Anytime E locker Mod
Fog light Bypass
Trans cooler bypass

Cab Interior:
Magellan Touchscreen Nav
50w Inverter
Cobra 18wx ST II CB
LED dome lights
Stereo:
Kenwood Excelon KDC- x794
Alpine Type R 6 x9 coax. (front, amped)
Old school Infinity Reference 6.5 coax paper cones (Rear)
Polk db 1" Tweeters in factory dash location (amped)
Alpine Type R 12" at 2 ohms in 1 cu sealed box
Kenwood KAC-8105D, 500w rms (sub)
Hifonics Zeus zxi 4406, 55w rms per/ch (FR Doors, tweeters)
Axxess ASWC steering wheel control adaptor
Dual amplifier 2 AWG wiring kit with power and ground distribution blocks
Switched remote turn ons for amps when power consumption matters

Shell Interior:
Detail post that will answer most questions about it
Carpeted custom sleeping platform with storage
4" memory foam mattress
Hand made curtains
Logitech THX speakers with bullet tweeters (switched, deck power)
Blue Sea 12 connection fuse block with ground bus
Switch panel for shell accessories
200w Inverter
Tail gate seal kit
Dust proofed

Exterior:
Paint matched Century Ultra shell (Leer clone) with carpet kit, front boot, and pass. side windoor
55w HID Hella 550's in bumper mouth
55w Halogen back up lights on rack
Dual 20" 15w Samsung LED light bars (camp lighting)
Firestik II 4' CB antenna
Custom made roof rack powdercoated wrinkle coat black with 4 55w KC 57 series lights (2 driving, 2 spot)
U Haul Receiver
Nismo4X badge

Drivetrain:
Auto, 4x4 with rear e locker

Suspension:
MD TJM Extended Travel Coilovers
PRG Upper Control Arms
4 banger Sway Bar
Alignment cams
Bilstien 5125's
OME Dakar HD Leafs

Lift Height:
Overall:
Front: 2.5"
Rear: 3.5"
Ground to Fender
Front: 37.5"
Rear: 39.5"

Wheels and Tires:
Pro 4x Machined faced 6 spokes
Cooper Discoverer ATP's 265/75R16 currently have 25k miles on them

Armor:
Stock Nismo Skids

Performance:
K & N Drop in
Deck plate mod
Optima Red Top

Gear and Other:
Tow strap/ D ring shackles, Jumper cables, folding shovel, extra bolts, etc
Viair 70P Compressor
Mini hand picked tool kit
Joe Hauler (motorcycle receiver carrier)
Receiver mounted 4 bike carrier
Snow Chains
Cooking supplies (stove, bbq, pots and pans)
California USFS Annual Adventure Pass

In Progress:
Solar shower
Curtain Redesign

In the Foreseeable Future
Hitch Plug Relocation
Window Tint on fronts
Custom shell support cage
Custom Swingout Rear bumper (little ways down the road)


Pics:

On the way home from the Dealership in Vegas (Stock):

After Lift:

How she sits today:

Lights:

Electrical:

Under Hood:

In shell:

Shell:

Wheeling:

 

[mortonm]

awesome! this is exactly how I would want mine spec'd out.

I was just in Vegas this past weekend, every time I looked out my hotel window I could see the mountains calling me, jealous of your surroundings.

Welcome!

 

[Allof75]

Very cool! Love the simple and clean approach! What're some of the places you've taken it?

 

[wreckdiver1321]

Such a good looking truck. Nice to see a second gen around here.

I really like your wiring jobs. Any further info?

 

[OKXterra]

Great build! Looks really clean and functional.

 

[glamisdude72000]

Thanks guys!

mortonm:I do love it here and the surroundings are very cool indeed but I have been meaning to venture up your way, maybe not all the way into Canada but would love to see more of the North.

Allof75: This truck has really only seen So Cal as of yet. I've only had it now for a year so most of its adventures have been local. Many, many trips to the deserts around here (Borrego, Ocotillo, Chocolate mtns, etc) and a few up to the mountains like Big Bear and such. I have grander trips in the works, but I just need the time/money to take them. My long time girlfriend and I are looking to get out of CA once we get our degrees so we are state searching This summer the plan is to make our way up to Oregon. I also am attending the Socal Mtn Rendezvous this year, been trying to go to one of these events since they started but evertime something came up, but not this time

Wreckdriver: I was also surprised to see how little second gens there are on here... Its a pretty popular truck, yet not many make them Expo worthy. Thanks for the compliments on the wiring That was one area I really skimped on in the last truck and it screwed me in the long run, so this one got all the goodies. What would you like to know about it?

OkXterra: Thanks! It has served me well as of yet

 

[wreckdiver1321]

Wreckdriver: I was also surprised to see how little second gens there are on here... Its a pretty popular truck, yet not many make them Expo worthy. Thanks for the compliments on the wiring That was one area I really skimped on in the last truck and it screwed me in the long run, so this one got all the goodies. What would you like to know about it?

I know, it's a shame. I would have gotten a second gen if I had just a bit more cash when I was looking.

I'm mostly interested in the underhood stuff. I'm planning more electrical accessories for my first gen and don't really know how to wire up an aux fuse box or anything. Your setup looks really clean and I'd like to emulate it. Is that a voltmeter on the battery post?

My biggest questions regard wiring the box in mostly. Does that supply power to the accessories? How are the lights wired in, for instance. Where are the relays and where do the wires go? Haha the whole seperate fuse box thing is still voodoo to me and I just want to learn how to do it right.

Thanks!

 

[SDDiver5]

Said it before and I'll say it again, Love your truck! Are you taking any trips to Ocotillo in the next few months? Ive spent countless hours out there on dirtbikes, pre runners and buggies but never in an expedition style truck. I'd like to go soon if your up for it. Maybe 2-3 days? Im slowly building my storage/sleeping platform (I'm almost copying your setup because it looks so clean). I still have lots of things I want to do before I'm ready for something bigger but Ocotillo would be a good start!

D

 

[Ryanmb21]

Very nice truck.

 

[Allof75]

Very nice spots all GlamisDude. Death Valley is worth the trip, as is Mojave Nat Preserve, and Joshua Tree. You have the perfect rig to explore all those places too. If you can, in your travels, make it up to Humboldt County, it's a magical place

Said it before and I'll say it again, Love your truck! Are you taking any trips to Ocotillo in the next few months? Ive spent countless hours out there on dirtbikes, pre runners and buggies but never in an expedition style truck. I'd like to go soon if your up for it. Maybe 2-3 days? Im slowly building my storage/sleeping platform (I'm almost copying your setup because it looks so clean). I still have lots of things I want to do before I'm ready for something bigger but Ocotillo would be a good start!

D

I've been to Ocotillo Wells SRVA many times in an expo-type vehicle. Very much worth the trip! Still a very fun place with ample opportunity for honing your skills, aka donuts

 

[glamisdude72000]

I know, it's a shame. I would have gotten a second gen if I had just a bit more cash when I was looking.

I'm mostly interested in the underhood stuff. I'm planning more electrical accessories for my first gen and don't really know how to wire up an aux fuse box or anything. Your setup looks really clean and I'd like to emulate it. Is that a voltmeter on the battery post?

My biggest questions regard wiring the box in mostly. Does that supply power to the accessories? How are the lights wired in, for instance. Where are the relays and where do the wires go? Haha the whole seperate fuse box thing is still voodoo to me and I just want to learn how to do it right.

Thanks!

I know how it goes with the molah... But you still have a very nice truck Had some time to look through your thread.

If there is one thing I can tell you about electrical to make your jobs cleaner and safer it would be to take your time and lay everything out in either a drawing or bench mockup. This will make the job it self much less daunting and easier to complete.

Yes the terminal has a voltage readout (quite handy), yes the fuse block supplies power to lights and other things. I need to take some updated pics as the fuse blocks have much more in them now than the pics show, but the relays are screwed into the side of the factory fuse box under hood and around the perimeter of the opening in the shell.

In my setup under the hood you see a few things: a fancy terminal with voltage readout(This), a 2 awg wire coming out of that to a monster 150amp fuse (stereo amps), a 4 awg wire going to another slightly smaller 100 amp fuse (shell fuse block pwr), and yet another 4 awg wire going to the acc fuse block in the engine bay (no fuse due to such a short run). To connect a fuse block, its pretty easy. They sell a two different kinds, one with power and ground circuits and one with just the power circuit. I opted for the one have both power and ground to eliminate any grounding issues. In my case with the dual circuit type you just need heavy gauge wire coming in and out to the main buses. I happened to have some 4 awg laying around, but depending on how much amperage you plan on using off the block you can go less (8 awg or so). The positive goes to the + post on the battery (add a fuse/ breaker if the run is more than 12") and the negative side can either go back to the - battery post or to a good frame ground (I think for both of mine I did the frame ground option). Then you can add your accessories Basically the fuse block serves as nice big battery terminals that are fuse-able.

For adding things to the block (lights and anything else switched):
Calc how many amps each accessory will use and plug in the corresponding main fuse. Be sure to use a wire awg that is rated for 20% over (<this is your safety cushion) the total amp draw. Use relays when needed (anything over 3A draw I say). Add a 3A fuse for the switch circuit and run small awg (18-14) wire to one end of switch in cab. The return of the switch goes to pin 86 on the relay. Ground pin 85 on relay (frame/ - side of fuse block). Using the bigger wire go from your larger fuse (20A for example in the case of my lights) to pin 30 on the relay. Then wire pin 87 to your lights and ground the - side of them (frame/ - side of fuse block). DONE!

Chart to find correct wire gauge for length of run and amp draw

Hope this helps you out and just ask if you have questions

 

[glamisdude72000]

Thanks all yet again

SDDiver: I do foresee myself going out to Ocotillo in the next few months but will be bringing the bike out to play more so than the truck. I'm pretty busy this month but can probably do something early November. I'm honored to be emulated btw The platform has had a good bit of mods done to it since it was built, but feel that it does its job decently now.

Allof75: Those spot are on my list for sure, just finding the time and money is the issue. If I had it my way, I would be going somewhere every weekend... One can dream right?

 

[Co-opski]

one nice truck!

 

[Mo4130]

I am rapidly approaching the build date for my frontier, and I am still torn on the med vs hvy duty springs. What has your impressions been so far?

 

[stioc]

Great platform for an Expo truck and your's is nicely done! The 2nd gen Frontiers are quite capable off-road right of the gate due to their pretty awesome articulation.