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

[skibum315]

Good call on adding some cooling back into the trans fluid loop, now that you've bypassed ...

 

[Co-opski]

Holy crap! You're still alive!

I had never heard of them, and just looked them up. Holy hell. $200 for a set of mud flaps? They're cool, but that's a bit much I think. Besides, I may have found a better alternative to the bright red. RallyArmor sells a black mud flap with their logo in red. If I wanted to try out a red mud flap for cheap, Sparco sells them for like $20/pair. So I might do that to try them out. I'm not sure yet. As for driving over them, I'll be trying to keep the flaps short enough that it shouldn't be much of a problem. I think. I hope.

Thanks Co-opski! I'm loving where it's at right now. I've just recently realized how close I am to actually being done. Makes me happy.

Go for it! Prices are getting more reasonable all the time. They are an unbelievable improvement over the first gens. I just rode in a first gen Xterra a few days ago, and it was a bit of a shock realizing they shared the same badge as the new ones.

Ha that $200 gets you an expo approved kangaroo logo. :smiley_drive: I know the Nismo/pro4x is what I would be looking at and they are a value now for what you get.

 

[wreckdiver1321]

Good call on adding some cooling back into the trans fluid loop, now that you've bypassed ...

I've been feeling for a while like it's a good idea. I figured that I'd cover all the bases with both the extra cooler and the fan. I did a lot of reading at thenewx.org and the guys running both seem to have the best results. Now I don't really do any towing, so it might be overkill, but this whole deal is costing me less than $120, so I figure I might as well go all the way.

Ha that $200 gets you an expo approved kangaroo logo. :smiley_drive: I know the Nismo/pro4x is what I would be looking at and they are a value now for what you get.

Haha I saw that. And you get the metal bits on the bottom. It's pretty damn cool, but I don't think it's $200 worth of cool for a mud flap!

Yep, if you're looking for a 2nd gen, you can get into the Nismo/Pro-4X/Off Road editions for pretty cheap nowadays. The cheapest way to do it is get an Xterra. Prices on those are ridiculously cheap right now. But the Frontiers are coming down as well.

 

[wreckdiver1321]

Oh!!!

I finally fixed my "suspension" chatter/rattle/thingy! For good!

I was driving along the highway the other day when I looked down at my hood. It was moving all over the place. I thought that was odd, so when I got home I put my hands on the front of my hood and started shaking up and down. Lo and behold, the hood started rattling and making the exact noise I have been chasing down for ages. I loosened the latch assembly, adjusted it down, and wrapped the catch on the hood in electrical tape. No more hood dancing, no more rattle!

 

[Camelfilter]

Oh!!!

I finally fixed my "suspension" chatter/rattle/thingy! For good!

I was driving along the highway the other day when I looked down at my hood. It was moving all over the place. I thought that was odd, so when I got home I put my hands on the front of my hood and started shaking up and down. Lo and behold, the hood started rattling and making the exact noise I have been chasing down for ages. I loosened the latch assembly, adjusted it down, and wrapped the catch on the hood in electrical tape. No more hood dancing, no more rattle!

Nice! My pathfinder had a squeek from the hood & I did the same. On my Titan I can adjust the hoods rubber bumpers a touch & it gets rid of it.

 

[Dmski]

Firm believer in the cooler and fan here! Did it on my rig but with a manual control and anytime I'm in traffic I'll just kick the fan on for city driving. Towing on steep grades is the same thing, just hit the button. Heck i was even thinking about two fans for both coolers, but hindsight. I have yet to add fluid back into the loop but I've been watching the level and it seems to be ok, if not on the low side. Next time I do the oil change I'll be sure to add a little back in.

 

[wreckdiver1321]

Firm believer in the cooler and fan here! Did it on my rig but with a manual control and anytime I'm in traffic I'll just kick the fan on for city driving. Towing on steep grades is the same thing, just hit the button. Heck i was even thinking about two fans for both coolers, but hindsight. I have yet to add fluid back into the loop but I've been watching the level and it seems to be ok, if not on the low side. Next time I do the oil change I'll be sure to add a little back in.

Good to know it's working out for you! I've got the fan at the ready. Haven't gotten the thermo switch yet and still need to pick up the cooler.

 

[wreckdiver1321]

Got out for the first camping trip of the year yesterday, up near East Rosebud Lake. As a camping trip, it was a total failure haha. We encountered really cold and miserable weather and were a little unprepared, as the weather recently has been quite warm. We figured we wouldn't be getting weather so cold at that altitude. Ended up packing up at 11:30 PM and heading home. But as a shakedown run for all the new gear, it was brilliant.

First, there was the truck. Everything got loaded up nicely and efficiently, and everything had a nice place to be packed. The cab was completely devoid of any gear, save for one backpack with clothes and my camera. That was really nice. Then I stopped at the gas station and got my first lesson of the trip: I need to upgrade the rear springs. When I was all loaded up, I was probably sagged over an inch in the back.

We got out on the highway and drove for a little while when I learned the second and third lessons: I get no wind noise from the Oztent, which I am really happy about. I was a bit worried about that, but there is none whatsoever. And I get no appreciable drop in MPG with the tent strapped up top, and that is awesome.

When we got to the campsite, setup was really fast and straightforward. And it was nice and functional.



Plenty of covered space. My next lesson from looking at that was about selecting campsites. I will now try to make sure that I pick a place I can set the tent up near the truck. That will allow me to but the Oztent awning up to the awning on the truck, which would give me a huge amount of covered space. That would be seriously nice. Anyway, once we got set up and made lunch, we headed off for a bit of a hike.



Unfortunately, we didn't get too far. About a mile in, we rounded a corner and were less than 100 yards from a massive cow moose. Such a sight was very cool to see up close. She was so unconcerned with us. We decided to turn back, since the trail passed quite close to her and we had dogs with us that get excited at anything that breathes. The moose was so large the dogs that she was part of the landscape. So we turned back and went back to camp. But I was so happy we were out there while the weather was so poor. Watching the clouds pour between the peaks and valleys of the mountains was absolutely breathtaking.







When you got up close, you could see something amazing. Above the cloud line, the trees were completely covered in frost. They looked exactly like those white Christmas trees you see in the stores during the holidays. It was incredible.







Anyway, we managed to make a fire and have dinner. We crawled into bed and lay there awhile, getting colder by the minute. At 11:00, it was about 25*. That was when we got worried, because the coldest part of the night comes at about 3:30 AM. We had a chat and decided we were a little underprepared and should pack up and head home. We were less than two hours from home, so it wasn't too big a deal. This is where I learned another lesson: In pitch dark and cold weather, we can go from wrapped in sleeping bags and in PJs to completely packed up and on the road in about 20 minutes. This includes packing the tent, all the bedding, the cot, our chairs, and the awning on the truck. That is a pretty good result for a first time out if you ask me. I imagine in warm daylight it would take less than 15 minutes, which is only slightly more time than it would take for me to get my RTT campsite tore down. I am more than happy with that.

Then we drove home and I learned just how awesome my Hella lights really are. I flicked them on and we headed back. We had to slow down for deer five times, and each time I was able to spot them soon enough that it didn't even feel like I was slowing down in a hurry. I could see everything. The extra distance I get is great, and at the speeds I travel (even exceeding them by a good amount) I cannot seem to outdrive my lights. Super happy with my decision there.

It was a pretty good equipment test, if not a successful camping trip.

 

[wreckdiver1321]

Also, I have pulled the trigger on new rear springs. I ordered a set of Old Man Emu MD Dakar leafs with bushings and u-bolts. I chose these instead of the HDs because I use the truck as a DD, and I know the HD ride is pretty bouncy without much load on them. This should fix my saggy butt problem and give me a better ride. My goal for the back is 2-2.5" of lift overall, which will help with clearance and load bearing since my factory leafs have sagged about an inch. I've had great luck with OME in the past, so I'm expecting good things with this setup as well. Since I have a canopy and will be adding a heavier rear bumper, I will combine the lift I get from the springs with a little extra from my adjustable shackles. Should make for a nice ride that flexes well and can handle a load nicely.

I've also ordered a set of 1/2" lift (1/4" thickness) spacers for the front. I did some measuring and I think these spacers won't be causing much coil bucket contact, if any at all. The idea here is to get me 2.25" of lift by setting the coilovers at 1.75" and having a 1/2" spacer. This should give a good ride and give me added clearance (the front end likes to sag, and I'm currently at 1.5"), and from what my alignment guy told me, the truck should align just fine.

Combine the two and I'd be at 2.25"/2.5". That would be excellent.

 

[skibum315]

For some reason I thought you already had the Dakar packs ... that should be a great addition; and since you got the MDs, if you decide they're not enough, you can always add the HD leaf later ... what they don't make plain is that the only difference between the two is that extra leaf. So conceivably, even if you found the HDs lacking, you could add a second ... I think there's one guy on NewX who has done just that, for a bunch of extra load/lift.

Feeling unprepared sucks, I hate that ... but it does sound like you guys made the right call; and got a decent equipment test out of the deal. Always better to find a graceful solution, even if it's not exactly what was planned, than to try and force it and have a bad time ... or worse (though it doesn't sound like the "or worse" was a real risk on this trip ... just the cold & un-fun night).

 

[Blackdawg]

Nice photos!

 

[jbumx2]

I have the MD Dakar leafs. I think you'll like them a lot. When you install them, you will notice the center pin/bolt holding the leaf springs together is a bit longer compared to OEM. This prevents the bump stops from seating properly. Simple enough to fix, I used a dremel to cut them down a bit. In hindsight I should have drilled out the bump stops instead, just in case I ever needed to upgrade to HD. If I need to add an extra leaf, I would need to get longer bolts.

Also, I have pulled the trigger on new rear springs. I ordered a set of Old Man Emu MD Dakar leafs with bushings and u-bolts. I chose these instead of the HDs because I use the truck as a DD, and I know the HD ride is pretty bouncy without much load on them. This should fix my saggy butt problem and give me a better ride. My goal for the back is 2-2.5" of lift overall, which will help with clearance and load bearing since my factory leafs have sagged about an inch. I've had great luck with OME in the past, so I'm expecting good things with this setup as well. Since I have a canopy and will be adding a heavier rear bumper, I will combine the lift I get from the springs with a little extra from my adjustable shackles. Should make for a nice ride that flexes well and can handle a load nicely.

I've also ordered a set of 1/2" lift (1/4" thickness) spacers for the front. I did some measuring and I think these spacers won't be causing much coil bucket contact, if any at all. The idea here is to get me 2.25" of lift by setting the coilovers at 1.75" and having a 1/2" spacer. This should give a good ride and give me added clearance (the front end likes to sag, and I'm currently at 1.5"), and from what my alignment guy told me, the truck should align just fine.

Combine the two and I'd be at 2.25"/2.5". That would be excellent.

 

[glamisdude72000]

You'll like the OME packs, they are nice.

Well if either of you guys feel like the MD isn't enough, I'll make you a good deal on the extra leaf you need to make your pack HD. I pulled it out of my pack a while ago and I don't think it will be going back in.

 

[wreckdiver1321]

For some reason I thought you already had the Dakar packs ... that should be a great addition; and since you got the MDs, if you decide they're not enough, you can always add the HD leaf later ... what they don't make plain is that the only difference between the two is that extra leaf. So conceivably, even if you found the HDs lacking, you could add a second ... I think there's one guy on NewX who has done just that, for a bunch of extra load/lift.

Feeling unprepared sucks, I hate that ... but it does sound like you guys made the right call; and got a decent equipment test out of the deal. Always better to find a graceful solution, even if it's not exactly what was planned, than to try and force it and have a bad time ... or worse (though it doesn't sound like the "or worse" was a real risk on this trip ... just the cold & un-fun night).

I think the MD springs will be just perfect for me. The MDs I had on my old truck were perfect. Lola is a bit heavier but they should be just right. And as you said, if I need more I can always get the extra leaf.

Yeah it was too bad we had to make that call, but I'm glad we did. That night was only getting colder, and the next morning would have sucked. Better to tap out while things were fine instead of letting them get worse.

Nice photos!

Thanks man! The weather was terrible for camping, but awesome for photos.

I have the MD Dakar leafs. I think you'll like them a lot. When you install them, you will notice the center pin/bolt holding the leaf springs together is a bit longer compared to OEM. This prevents the bump stops from seating properly. Simple enough to fix, I used a dremel to cut them down a bit. In hindsight I should have drilled out the bump stops instead, just in case I ever needed to upgrade to HD. If I need to add an extra leaf, I would need to get longer bolts.

Hey thanks for the info! I'll remember to do that.

You'll like the OME packs, they are nice.

Well if either of you guys feel like the MD isn't enough, I'll make you a good deal on the extra leaf you need to make your pack HD. I pulled it out of my pack a while ago and I don't think it will be going back in.

Yeah OME makes some really great stuff. What rear shocks are you running? I was planning on going with Bilstein 5100s from PRG.

Hey thanks for the offer! I might take you up on it. We'll see how the MDs do though. A lot of my decision to go to MDs was based on your experiences over on CF. And I'll be running less of a load than you were, so I'd imagine the HDs would give me a TON of lift.

 

[glamisdude72000]

^ I have Bilstein 5125's from Greg, when new they were great. Sadly now with about 60k on them the ride is pretty bouncy They will hopefully be replaced by Bilstein 5165's assuming things work out with Bilstein. MDs will suite about 95% of people, the HDs are for the other 5% that really need the extra weight carrying ability or just like a really stiff ride.