My New Build: 1990 3-Door Nissan Patrol, 4.2, Diesel

EricMcGrew

Adventurer
I went with some cheap Tractor lights. I've had some for some time and they work great. Not as brightly as the Piaa or Hellas I'm sure, but for $10 each, I've been really impressed. So, you may want to look into them for rock/reverse lights. Which typically are the ones that get busted anyway.

Also, for overlanding gear, there is a good company that i like called Mule Expedition Outfitters. Also, check out www.overlandbound.com. You might like some of what he has there. He's got a LC, but he does have over landing down to a science.
 

Patrollife

Explorer
These arrived for the Patrol today. Can't wait to get them installed.

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EricMcGrew

Adventurer
Looks good man! How do you plan on wiring them? With a relay, straight to the battery, or did it come with a wire kit?
 

Patrollife

Explorer
Haven't gotten that far yet :) ... the Patrol is still in the shop. I won't get it back until Monday. Some of the spare parts took longer than expected to arrive. But I stopped by the garage today and it's looking good. In other news, I found out that ARB has a Guatemala rep/distributor in country! So as soon as the Patrol is back in my hands, and my lights are wired up, I will be taking a drive to the capital to do some suspension/lift kit shopping. I was originally looking at the 2" Superior Lift Kit Stage 1 or the 2" Tough Dog, but now that I know OMEs are available in Guatemala that saves me a whole lot of money and time!
 

EricMcGrew

Adventurer
Really looking forward to seeing how the rig looks with the fog lamps on it. Not to mention the repain, lift and all. There's a bunch going on with this all. I like to see the transformation of these rigs.
 

Patrollife

Explorer
Me too! The mod bug has bitten hard. Luckily the Christmas break is coming up and I'll have plenty of time to work on this thing :)
 

EricMcGrew

Adventurer
I hear ya man. I've been modding on both my rigs at the same time. My Trooper and the Daihatsu. I hope to have them both mainly done this summer (by the end of March, for those of you in the Northern Hemisphere).
 

Patrollife

Explorer
Picked up a hi-lift jack today from a store that I discovered in Guatemala City called UR GEAR (https://www.facebook.com/URGEARGUATE). They are an authorized dealer of Ironman, ARB and Smittybilt products. In the process of purchasing the hi-lift jack, I also asked for a quotation on a snorkel, front bull bar, and 4" inch lift. The picture below is the look and performance I'm going for, including the roof rack, but I am going to see if a local welder in Quetzaltenango can customize one for half the cost. The front bull bar pictured below is an ironman and I'm leaning toward the OME 4" inch lift with snorkel. Thoughts?

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EricMcGrew

Adventurer
It's cool that you got the jack. Along with the front bull bar, don't forget to get you a rear bumper done too, or your hi-lift won't work for the rear. Only other thought that i have is, make sure that the local welder had the ability to bend good quality bends. Not just making sure he has tube bender, but making sure he has a tube bender with good quality dies. Ones that haven't been used so many times they've gotten sloppy. I have yet to find that here in southern Chile. In Santiago they exist, but here in the south, if they do, I haven't found them yet.

I like the stance of that Patrol though. I hope this works out to your liking!
 

UK4X4

Expedition Leader
"I know that the Patrol was sold in England as a Ford Maverick"


this is wrong, Nissan Patrol was sold as patrol

It was the nissan "terrano" that was sold by both ford and nissan

Ref old 4x4's and leaks, first clean the bloody underneath !

It needs thoroughly jet washing and scrapping, get rid of all the old crap and dried on mud and oil

once its clean, you'll soon see the leaks.

rear transfer case oil seal looks to be bad, but all that wet crap could also be grease thrown off from the UJ, if its the rear oil seal on the transfer case the bearing may need replacing as well

Clean it wait a week and check again.

Once your happy with everything being dry, when i wash my truck I usually cover all the undercarriage with diesel from a plant sprayer, keeps things from sticking and not rusty
 

EricMcGrew

Adventurer
"I know that the Patrol was sold in England as a Ford Maverick"


this is wrong, Nissan Patrol was sold as patrol

It was the nissan "terrano" that was sold by both ford and nissan

Ref old 4x4's and leaks, first clean the bloody underneath !

Hmm... That's interesting UK 4x4... I'm not from the Uk, and I don't have a Patrol or a Maverick, but all the shops that I deal with tell me that the Mavericks are re-badged Patrols. So, when a guy here in Chile wants parts for his patrol, they look under maverck when patrol dosen't pull up anything. So, while I'm definately no expert in all this Patrol/Maverick stuff. What you say definately confuses me.

While I know Wikipedia is the "Truth factory" it's made out to be, It does reference a re-badge of the patrol to maverick from 93-98, and a number of patrol forums with senior members say the same thing. So, that's what confuses me.

Thanks for the info though.
 

Patrollife

Explorer
@ Eric - after posting last night I double checked the facts and the OME lift is a 2" suspension/lift kit, not 4". And good points on the custom roof rack. One thing I am interested to find out, too, is the weight difference between the company manufactured vs. local welder. I also need to remember that time is on my side with this build, so I should be mindful of that when I get overly excited. I literally walked into the UR GEAR store and turned into a snobby, spoiled 13 year old child, saying, okay, i want that, that, that, and oh, maybe that, too.

Re: the rear bumpers. What are your thoughts on swing outs? I've downloaded a few ideas to consider (range of designs) and would be interested to get your feedback.

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And if I had more choices in Guatemala, this would be my first choice for the front bumper.
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EricMcGrew

Adventurer
Ok. So, here's the deal. I'm not into the super heavy duty bumpers like ARB. I'm not saying they are bad. They are REALLY GOOD Quality. Thing is, for most peoples uses, you can use a medium weight bumper. Like 5mm thick plate, instead of 3/8" plate, make sure you tie your winch plate into the chassis rails good (which is typically the standard), and tie your tow/pull hooks into the bumper/frame mounts, and you will probably have a bumper that is strong enough for your uses. Now if you plan on seriuosly bashing into rocks and large trees, you may want the HD Bumper. Remember though, with an HD bumper you're adding a couple hundred pounds, plus the winch (another 100 lbs), so you've just added a lot of stess to your suspension. So, while I don't want to discourage, I do encourage thoughtful planning. Is theJust, "In Case Of..." scenerio more important that the "Probably never use it" scenario. People forget just how strong steel is.

Also, don't forget that you can get a lighter, and still very strong bumper from a pre-runner style, or tube style bumper that will reduce the weight a good bit and be very useful. That's just more of an, is it available, or do I like that style call, though.

As far as rear swing out tire carriers go, I'm all for them, but I also understand the cons. Pros are that they don't kill the door, hinges, tear holes in the lata (sheet metal), and can actually add protection from rear impacts. Cons are that, no matter how well you design them, on rough roads, and with constant wear, they will rattle, bang, and generally drive you crazy. If not designed well, they will also make you want to set it on fire when trying to get things in and out of the back. They also add quite a bit of weight to the back of the vehicle, and the can have a anchoring dragging effect on steep approach angles. They too, also add quite a bit of weight, and have to be designed well. I don't trust Any tire carrier that is only mounted to a plate/tube bumper. My Swing out carrier designs always incorporate a tie in too the chassis rail either thru a welded or bolt on plate. Personally, I think that the idea of using a trailer spindle is a bit overkill. I understand lateral fatigue, down force, fulcrum, and all the other jabber. However, I have seen guys here in Chile build swing out carries with a grade 8 bolt past thru a set of 3/8's tabs, with a piece of tube welde to the arm of the carrier using a technyl (Hi density Nylon) bushing, carring a 33" tire and Hi-lift, and Jerry cans jumping dunes for a couple of years before they have to change the bushing. So, I don't know what you want out of the stuff you buy really. If you want to have that, it's so overkill that it will NEVER EVER Die, then get the name brand stuff and replace suspension parts. If you want the it's good and more practical, but it will need some less expensive components replaced, then get the locally built stuff. It's really just how much you want to put into it. How you want it to look, and if name brand is important.

I'm building a set of swing out carriers for both of my rigs, and yes... I'm willing to use a nylon bushing know that I will have to do maintenance on them. I also know it will be cheaper for me, and I wont have to import another piece if something happens to my trailer spindle, bearings, or so on... For me, here in Chile, it's more important for me to use what's easily accessible. Also, understand that I have nothing against the brands. They are well known for a reason, and it's more than good promotion. I just don't personally need all of what they are offering for my off-roading experience. As far as racks and bumpers go that is... I am willing to buy brand name stuff for certain components though. So, please don't missunderstand me to be a hater.

Sorry this turned out so long, but I hope that helps you think about few things and make a decision thats good for you.
 

Patrollife

Explorer
@ Eric. Let me preface this by saying I ask because I appreciate your honest feedback. So whether I agree or disagree, there's no hater in me. It's important for me to hear all sides, because as I've said in the past, I'm not a technical or mechanical guy. I do what I can and stick to what I know with an eye and ear open to learning! So keep the comments coming. From my end, they are certainly welcome.

And as a disclaimer, I can be brand name loyal to a fault sometimes. So perhaps that is where I would ask for patience on my end :) .... In fact, most of my FJ and Dirt Road Trip buddies (http://dirtroadtrip.com/) ridicule me for being an ARB slut. But it's all good. Once I find a brand name I like I tend to stick to it. If you look in my wardrobe you'll find the same repeat brands. Again, that's just the way I operate. I certainly envy the guys who can work on their truck top to bottom without sending it to the garage.

Re: the swing out bumpers. Your cons are factors to consider. I don't want to overdo/kill the front or rear. I try not to put anything on my rig that I don't use. For my FJ, the HD ARB front and rear bumpers have certainly come in handy, not only on the trails, but when I'm camping even. They are useful for work/food/beverage stations and have protected against trees, rocks, and steep inclines/declines. For the FJ, the airbag compatibility was also a factor for me. With the Patrol, although I really like the front bumper pictured in my last post, I'm starting to think a lighter weight tube-style bumper is more appropriate. But my options are limited here in Guatemala. I emailed UR GEAR today and the only two bumpers they have for the Patrol GQ are the Ironman ARB mock-up or the ARB bumper.

In other news, I stopped by the garage today and it's looking like I might have the Patrol back early next week. It's been in the shop for exactly 12 days now and I can't wait to have it back - I haven't even driven it that long! But I'm trying to have patience and remind myself that she'll drive like new when she's back in my hands. Additionally, the garage agreed to install the PIAAs for free since it's been in the shop for so long. They are supposed to go on tomorrow. It also looks like they cleared most of the dirt, rocks and debris from the under carriage. Pics of its current status included.

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