Josh's 2014 Xterra Pro 4x - guided by necessity

jhberria

Adventurer
Great pics!!
How are you liking your front bumper lights? How did you go about wiring them and switch placement?

The old IPF lights were, quite frankly, garbage. Not very bright and they didn't respond well to any moisture.

The new Auxbeam LEDs are awesome. Super bright, throw light in all the right places, and stand up well to the elements thus far.

I have them wired directly to the battery with a light-up rocker switch located adjacent to the factory off-road light switch (in the switch blank where the startup clutch cancel is located on manual Xterras and Frontiers). I'll try and grab a couple pictures tomorrow for reference. I never do a good job of photo-documenting my modifications, I tend to focus more on the trips.
 

jhberria

Adventurer
Well, there’s been a couple of recent updates to the X in the past month or so.

My Hefty aluminum skids arrived (and were subsequently installed). I ordered the full set, minus the rad skid.
Fq9soTE.jpg

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Installed a Bulldog Platinum GT Tuner. Calibrated it for the premium tune, extreme throttle sensitivity, +1 degree timing, and +50 rpms at idle. After about a week and a half, I’m seeing +1 MPG in mixed driving with 92 octane. Throttle response is a little better. The biggest noticeable difference is passing power at highway speeds. Even with a few hundred pounds of steel and aluminum, E-load 33 inch KO2s, and a lift, this thing will really scream in the mid range rpms at highway speeds. I’m very satisfied with the Bullydog, plus it’s nice to monitor coolant and transmission temps.
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Last but not least....mounted the tent for the season! I’m going to be heading down to the Mt Adams area with the wife next weekend, me thinks.
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Dmski

Adventurer
What are you getting for MPG's right now? The aluminum seems like a smart way to go and kind of wished I had done that from the beginning...
 

jhberria

Adventurer
What are you getting for MPG's right now? The aluminum seems like a smart way to go and kind of wished I had done that from the beginning...

With the tuner, I’m getting 15-16 in mixed driving. Straight highway I’m now getting 18-19 depending on speed and calibrated for tire size.

Yeah, I knew if I went full skids I was going to do aluminum from the get go. The weight savings are real, and I don’t do anything extreme enough to warrant steel skids.
 

Dmski

Adventurer
That is some good numbers! Even with the RTT? Man, that alone maybe would make it worth it to get. I drive mostly freeway to work so it would seriously be useful.
 

jhberria

Adventurer
No, not with the tent. I wish! With the tent I lose about 1-2 mpgs of I keep it 60 or below. 2-3 mpgs as I creep towards 70 mph.

Another noticable benefit of the tuner is less downshifting on long, gradual climbs at highway speeds. Used to be a big issue with the 285s, now not so much. Much more pleasant drive on the highway.
 

hovenator

Explorer
All I have to say is "WOW!" Great truck man!!! Thinking of heading to the PNW in the spring for vacation, your photos sure make it look fantastic.
 
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jhberria

Adventurer
Al I have to say is "WOW!" Great truck man!!! Thinking of heading to the PNW in the spring for vacation, your photos sure make it look fantastic.

Thanks! Let me know when you’re in the area, if I’m available I’d be glad to show you adound.
 

jhberria

Adventurer
Here’s a post a made back in June on an Xterra site after a trek up the Washington Backcountry Discovery Route. Transplanting it here.....

Just got done running some of the Washington Backcountry Discovery Route with [MENTION=13926]Trixter404[/MENTION]. Started at Takhlakh Lake down near Mt Adams Adams finished up in Plain at the Northwest Overland Rally. It was an incredible trip, and the Cascade scenery never gets old. Also tested out the new Roofnest tent (I can set it up, ready to sleep, in 10 seconds), and General Grabber ATX tires. Both performed admirably, sans a couple small quality issues with the roofnest that I plan to address with the company.

I also popped my first CEL somewhere on a rocky, dusty mountain trail above plain. Ran diagnostics with the bullydog, ended up being the evap canister sensor. Cleared the code, and it hasn't come back. I will clean it away some point and likely add a breather. I've read that this is a common issue with lots of dusty off highway driving.

Enjoy the photos!

The Burley Mountain fire Lookout. The road up is fun.



Camping at Taklagh Lake in the shadow of Mt. Adams.



Bethel Ridge along the WABDR.







More trail between Packwood and Ellensburg.



Manastash Ridge west of Ellensburg. The trail up is scenic and simple..... the technical trail that runs through the tree line at the top of the ridge is tough with a large RTT and a week's worth of camping gear.





Finally.... we culminated at the Northwest Overland Rally. I literally took one picture while I was at the rally. I didn't see the need to document the endless sea of toyotas and jeeps.

This beast, however, needed to be enshrined in the glorious annals of photographic history....


Also let the Expedition Overland crew pull out in front of me in traffic. Didn't get any good pictures, but here's the back of one of their trailers #lame (the picture, not the x overland crew)
 
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jhberria

Adventurer
Decided to venture up to Gallagher Head Lake along the Fortune Creek Trail in the Cascades today. I wanted to get the new pup, my 5 month old Miniature Schnauzer, out for his first off road venture. Linked up with [MENTION=64809]MrBoJangles_91[/MENTION] and another local X owner up at the lake. Archie (the Schnauzer) did great, and slept the whole way back down the technical, bumpy trail. This will probably be the last weekend this popular route is accessible as there were already signs of early season snowfall.









 

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