"Lola" - WreckDiver1321's 2005 Frontier CC/SB Nismo Build and Adventure Thread

[wreckdiver1321]

Nope, didn't fix my rattle. Oh well.

A couple thoughts on some things...

After some thinking and watching many 4x4 shows from OZ, I have decided I want to stick with 265/75s. I'll probably jump to the ST Maxx whenever I switch, which is about an inch taller than my current tires. I have also decided that the truck needs about 1/2" more lift, so UCAs and some 1" spacers are in my future I think. That should make the stance exactly how I want it, and it would put my lowest point at precisely 12 inches above the ground, which I think is pretty good. Most of that work is a little ways off though.

I had originally planned on a custom flat roof rack with an LED light bar. I have now decided against this. The added cost and complexity is enough, but Then I'd have to figure out wiring, and I'd have to work out how to make a canoe clear a light bar. So instead I'm keeping the factory rack, which I have discovered is quite strong. This decision should save me a good bit of cash, be a bit more aerodynamic, and save me the trouble of wiring. It should also be quieter going down the road. Once I made that decision, I had to think up a way to use up the switch blank I was going to use for the roof lights, and I've decided to use it for the fogs in the ARB instead of using the factory wiring.

So this other thought will probably be a bit more controversial, but I am giving serious consideration the the ARB rear bumper. I know, I know, a lot of people aren't fans of it, but I'm starting to rethink it. I actually think it looks kind of cool when installed on a kitted out Aussie tourer. The major thing I think helps the looks, for some reason, is a topper, the right amount of lift, and rock sliders. I think it looks pretty good on this particular truck:



And here it is on a black truck, which I think looks even better.



The other thing to consider is the added protection it offers. It covers the fenders as well as being a bumper. It's also very light, would require zero custom work, and would bolt right on. It sticks out less than the factory bumper, and tucks up higher than the factory bumper/hitch combo. Plus it's one of the cheaper options at around $800. Definitely not set on it, but definitely giving it consideration. Granted this would make me lose somewhere to store a jerry can, but I was planning on buying an original military version that totally seals (pre-CARB), which I assume would be safe enough to carry under the topper so long as it was tied down properly.

 

[Camelfilter]

Thanks for bringing that to my attention!

I called up a couple of paint shops this morning and got a quote for painting the topper. $450 has been the best one so far, which made getting the cap from CL feasible. So I called up the guy and negotiated the price down to $800. It's an ARE cap with a ladder rack already installed...

Nice!

 

[E.J.]

I like the looks of the ARB rear bumper, I wonder how it would look with a tiregate?

 

[wreckdiver1321]

Hey, look what I got...



Definitely need to color match it, but otherwise it's in good shape and the roof rack is super robust. It's a VanTech M1000, which is a commercial strength ladder rack. The rack is flaking badly and starting to rust. It just needs to be sanded and repainted, which would be easy and cheap enough for me to do myself. I can save some money on getting it painted by taking the windows and door off at home and doing the reassembly as well. I'm still getting quotes from paint shops, but overall I'm confident I'll be saving money over buying new.

Oh, and my sliders are supposed to be here on Thursday! Not too bad, right around three weeks turnaround.

 

[wreckdiver1321]

I like the looks of the ARB rear bumper, I wonder how it would look with a tiregate?

I'm glad there's someone else that does!

I don't think it would look very good with a swing out. I prefer it without to be honest. I'm leaning more and more towards the ARB.

 

[Jack Stilts]

Nice score on the topper!

If the ARB is practical for your needs, go for it The fender protection is an added bonus for that vulnerable corner, too.

 

[richard310]

Being in this hobby and hating rattling items... First world problems.

Frontier looks great with the topper, although I've always like the way pickups look with the bed racks and RTT mounted on them. I know storage and efficiency go down the toilet but they do look pretty spiffy.

I'm with Brian on the ARB rear bumper. If it fits your needs and budget, go for it. Or you can go custom and have it not only for your needs, but make it aesthetically pleasing as well.

 

[Dmski]

Cool! Great find there on the topper. The ARB is certainly nice, but couldn't you do the same thing by hiring a local fab guy, and likely doing it cheaper? In general bumpers for our Nissans are a little spendy no matter who you go with which is unfortunate...

 

[Allof75]

Gotta love Craigslist! Really really nice stuff you picked up there. In terms of the rear bumper, if you like it, just go for it! It seems to add some function, plus it's ARB, so you can't go too wrong.

 

[wreckdiver1321]

Nice score on the topper!

If the ARB is practical for your needs, go for it The fender protection is an added bonus for that vulnerable corner, too.

I think it would be a good match to what I have on the truck already. I really do like it, and I think it's the way I'll go.

Being in this hobby and hating rattling items... First world problems.

Frontier looks great with the topper, although I've always like the way pickups look with the bed racks and RTT mounted on them. I know storage and efficiency go down the toilet but they do look pretty spiffy.

I'm with Brian on the ARB rear bumper. If it fits your needs and budget, go for it. Or you can go custom and have it not only for your needs, but make it aesthetically pleasing as well.

Haha first world problems indeed. I've also got an exhaust shield rattle that is driving me nuts.

I was apprehensive at first, but I'm starting to imagine it with the cap being black. Should look pretty darn good.

Haha funny thing about the aesthetics. The more I look at the bumper, the more I like it. It's got a very rugged, no frills, and utilitarian look which I'm liking more and more. Like I said, I'm in love with the whole Aussie touring truck look, and I think it really goes with that. Plus it's an ARB, so you know it's going to be a very high quality and durable product.

I spent some time watching this show and this episode in particular. I fell in love with the style of mods on the red HiLux. It looks very professional, very understated, but extremely capable.


And I just love the way this Navara is set up. Everything just goes together so well. Nothing seems out of place.

Cool! Great find there on the topper. The ARB is certainly nice, but couldn't you do the same thing by hiring a local fab guy, and likely doing it cheaper? In general bumpers for our Nissans are a little spendy no matter who you go with which is unfortunate...

Funny you mention... I called a couple fab shops around town and sent them pics of the bumper, and after fabrication and coating, the price comes out about the same. Plus then there's fab time, the time they'd need my truck to make the mounts, etc. In the end it's easier for me to buy the ARB at around the same price.

Gotta love Craigslist! Really really nice stuff you picked up there. In terms of the rear bumper, if you like it, just go for it! It seems to add some function, plus it's ARB, so you can't go too wrong.

Yup, just had to keep my eyes on there for long enough and I lucked out.

That's kind of my thinking. It sure will add protection, and it's an ARB product. No matter what it looks like, it'll be a quality product.

 

[Allof75]

Good lord the truck in the second video is perfect. I'd take the exact same thing in silver or white in a heartbeat. Now all is needed is an endless wallet to allow that. :sombrero:

 

[wreckdiver1321]

Craigslist ARE Fiberglass Cap

So, here's the canopy/cap/topper/whatever you want to call it. It's an ARE CX series, pretty much bare bones. It was made for a 2006 Frontier, has two sliding windows, the single latch rear door, and a VanTech roof rack. I'm pretty impressed with the build quality, and it goes right along with the lines of the truck. I paid much less than a new topper, so to me it was worth the 7 hours worth of driving to bring it home.

It definitely needs to be painted, but otherwise I'm pretty pleased.







I just love the amount of space this thing gains me. Plenty of dry, covered storage. Really nice.



The cap is held on by regular clamps, which is great for me because I occasionally need to use the truck to haul stuff, so being able to remove it quickly and easily it a plus.



Here's some shots of the roof rack, which as you can see really needs to be sanded and painted. It's very stout and very well assembled, but the coating was a bit lacking. Just need to fix that and I'll be all set!





You can really see the corrosion on these plates inside the cap. I'm fairly sure these were never coated at all.



Anyway, I do have a couple of plans to customize the canopy.

- Primarily, it needs to be black. I've got a shop that is going to be doing it in about a week or so.
- I'd like to cover the inside somehow. Either with a carpet headliner from ARE, or maybe a roll-on bedliner. I feel the bedliner would be a really good choice for durability and it would probably add a bit of strength to the fiberglass. What do you guys think?
- I'll be installing a stretchy cargo net on the ceiling to keep softer, lighter items. I figure most of my sleeping gear can stay up there.
- I'll be adding an LED light strip or two to give me some illumination.
- Eventually, I'd like to replace the windows with windoors that have a built-in sliding window:

I want these because it would make accessing the cargo area much nicer, but I also have dogs who I might need to keep in the back, so they need ventilation too.

I'm pretty excited about it!

 

[wreckdiver1321]

Good lord the truck in the second video is perfect. I'd take the exact same thing in silver or white in a heartbeat. Now all is needed is an endless wallet to allow that. :sombrero:

Right?!?!?! It's awesome. Only thing I would change is tires and a bit more lift. That being said, I'm using that truck as my inspiration.

 

[wreckdiver1321]

White Knuckle rock sliders

Look what the FedEx guy delivered to my house at 8:30 this morning!



These babies came in a 135lb box. The box survived the trip fairly well, only taking a slight beating in a few spots. There were a few small scuffs in the coating, but nothing major really. I've just gotta say, these are ridiculously well made. The bends are prefect and the welding is beautiful. The coating is strong and even. I'm very happy with them all told. They look fantastic, and are tougher than hell.

I immediately went to installing them. They use many factory holes, but you have to drill 12 holes and use thread cutting bolts for the full install. I got mine mostly mounted up, then tightened a bunch of the hardware down. I had to mark a bunch of holes and then remove the slider again so I could drill them properly. It takes time but is a fairly simple process. It's pretty straightforward, and I only ran into a couple little problems, which were more my fault than theirs.



Anyway, once they were on, they looked amazing!



I cannot stress enough how well made these things are.











And I have to say, opening the door and looking down to see this is a very comforting feeling



Super impressed with these things and super excited about them. I cannot recommend them highly enough. If you're looking for sliders, go with White Knuckle.

I can't believe this is my truck.

 

[Allof75]

Good ideas on the topper, and I would leave that ARB truck exactly how it is haha, tires, suspension, and everything are exactly what I'd use.

Great looking sliders, glad to hear their workmanship is up to par. If I had a longer wheel-based vehicle, those would be the second thing I'd put on after skidplates haha.