2011 Nissan Frontier Pro 4x Build

bijanjames

Adventurer
Cresent and Mackinaw Lakes - Flat Tops Wilderness, CO

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Incredible 4th of July Trip. Forest service rd 613 is a very rough and long rd leading into the heart of the Flat Top Wilderness. The Frontiers armor took a big test, as the sliders, and skid plates took lots of abuse. Only 3 other vehicles made it to the end of the road, and all were modified trail rigs. On Saturday we climbed Sheep Mt, which was an incredible experience, we were all alone on the second highest peak in the Flat tops.
 

bijanjames

Adventurer
So much good stuff. Hey quick question, how's the ride with the Coopers as compared with the stock tires?

There is a significant difference in the characteristics of the tires. The Coopers are heavy and you can feel it, you get lug slap going around corners because of the large spacing between the outside lugs, there is no question that they are louder than your traditional all-terrain, and because of all this they are one beefy off road tire. Tires are always about some sort of compromise, in this case, you are sacrificing acceleration, ride, and noise, for a much higher level of off road confidence. I just hope they wear well, way too early to tell.
 

bijanjames

Adventurer
In the heart of the Sawatch Range

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This is one of the greatest off road trails in Colorado. FS 277 takes you almost to the top of Mt Antero, which is a 14er in the Sawatch Mt Range. At its highest point the trail hits 13,800ft, and then FS 278 drops you into Browns Lake. The trail into Browns Lake is challenging and on the way up we had a guy in a bone stock Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport tell us that he could not make in down to the lake. I told him he should have got the off road package and not the sport!! All kidding aside he had me worried for hours on the way to FS 278 thinking that the trail might have gotten worse since the last time we came up. The trail turned out not to be too bad, but a stock truck with open diffs would have struggled and suffered some body and undercarriage damage. We tested the sliders and skids more than a few times, and had to use the locker a couple of times on the way out of Browns Lake.
 
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bijanjames

Adventurer
Truck Update: I've had enough wheel time, and off road trips thus far to be able to give a first hand experience on how all the modifications are preforming.
32,500 miles

Suspension: OME HD All Around - The suspension is far superior to the factory set-up. The springs handle weight perfectly and we are usually about 300 or so pounds over GVWR with our current set-up (More when flip-pac installed), the spring rate is ideal. The rear springs are noisy, but that's been my experiences with OME's product. I would have liked about 1 more inch on the front springs, but I see ARB's logic in that it would compromise longevity of front drive-train.

Tires: Cooper ST Maxx - There are much better on road tires, with that said, they give you more confidence off road than most. Sticking with the factory size has proved to be a good decision, I've retained factory gearing which for me is more advantages than going to a 33, and I'm being nicer to the drive train. Its also a sign that I'm getting old....I would have never in my 20's or early 30's retained a factory sized tire! They are wearing evenly at 2,500 miles.

ARB Bumper/Warn m8000 - Bumper will squeak a little and rough roads, other than that i'm pleased. The winch is just enough for my truck, having a snatch block is a must, since deep extraction would be too much for this winch.

Rear Bumper: Awesome! Changes the whole truck, and dramatically improves its capability. Love the swing-outs and the craftsmanship. This modification alone would make a stock frontier much more capable off road. The rear overhang on our trucks is a major limiting factor.

Sliders/Skids: Saving grace. Mandatory mods for my neck of the woods and the kind of exploring we do. every skid underneath has rock rash, along with the sliders. The one time I took this truck out stock, I almost exploded my front diff and smashed my tin can oil pan skid plate.

Pro Comp LED - Still have not used it on the road! Not much of a night owl i guess.

Marathon Seat Covers/Weather Tech Mats: Most important mod and installed when the truck was new. Best seat covers in the country and straight out of Montana!! water proof and tough as hell. Weather Tech speaks for itself.

Truck Issues/Complaints: Sway bar link failed, but no biggie, I don't think i could go back to having one now that it's off. My alignment keeps getting off ever so slightly, need to address this issue. The brake feel in the Frontier is terrible, and has been since day one.
 

justbecause

perpetually lost
expo has a featured article about keeping stock tire size. I think the author was in a tacoma? I wish I had bookmarked it, because I cant find it and have wanted to read it again for a while now.
 

bijanjames

Adventurer
Truck Shot.jpg
Very happy with the setup thus far.Talked to Chris at Heftyfabworks today, he's shipping out my new fuel/Hi-lift carrier. Going to be able to hold 10 gallons, as opposed to 5, and have a vertical Hi-lift mount. I am impressed with how quite and solid the rear bumper setup is.
 

wreckdiver1321

Overlander
Truck is looking great man!

Glad to hear it's all working the way you like it. Really glad to see you using it the way it should be used. I'll let you know when I head to Colorado, we can wheel together.
 

bijanjames

Adventurer
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Another Pro4x in the neighborhood. This is the first time I've had a side by side comparison. The rear bumper clearance is a dramatic improvement.
 

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