Mortonm's 2001 Xterra Build

richard310

pew pew
Get the Meguiar's Heavy Duty Headlight Restoration Kit. Has Two levels of sandpaper, then a polish and a drill polisher attachment that will fix both issues.
I'll use up the rainX kit the next time I redo my lights and try that Meguiars or 3M kit instead.
 

stioc

Expedition Leader
Can't wait to see those lights wired up and to hear your first hand account of how you like them. I witnessed Allof75's D2s in person the other day and man they're bright!

I totally agree on getting those headlights cleaned up as well as painting the dull plastics with the trim paint. Someone at work had her Xterra done at a detail shop and it made a big difference in how the truck used to look and how it looks now.
 

Allof75

Pathfinder
Can't wait to see those lights wired up and to hear your first hand account of how you like them. I witnessed Allof75's D2s in person the other day and man they're bright!

I totally agree on getting those headlights cleaned up as well as painting the dull plastics with the trim paint. Someone at work had her Xterra done at a detail shop and it made a big difference in how the truck used to look and how it looks now.

Agreed, you may want to look into Krylon Fusion paint to restore the plastics. Or plasti-dip, as you know, I'm a fan. Not to dog on you of course my friend :)
 

mortonm

Expedition Leader
Can't wait to see those lights wired up and to hear your first hand account of how you like them. I witnessed Allof75's D2s in person the other day and man they're bright!

I totally agree on getting those headlights cleaned up as well as painting the dull plastics with the trim paint. Someone at work had her Xterra done at a detail shop and it made a big difference in how the truck used to look and how it looks now.

Agreed, you may want to look into Krylon Fusion paint to restore the plastics. Or plasti-dip, as you know, I'm a fan. Not to dog on you of course my friend :)

Thanks guys, the plastics need to be done pretty bad. I had painted the grill insert a couple years ago now just after I first got it. But its starting to fade on me again.

The metal part of the bumper (front and back) will be replaced soon. My father in law works at a body shop that does a lot of work for the local Nissan dealership so parts are relatively easy to come by. I am considering just replacing all the plastics at the same. I could paint them, but I will just run into the same problem in the near future again.

It will probably be a few weeks before I get the lights done up. I want to get the mounts solidified before I move onto the wiring.

Don't forget I have the skid plates to get on too! Busy holiday season coming up.
 

mortonm

Expedition Leader
Parked beside a new Pathfinder this morning, once upon a time our lines shared some DNA, no longer. I realize I have larger tires than the pathfinder, but not by a huge amount (30" vs my 31.7") but the ground clearance on them is absolutely atrocious.

I'm sure a great vehicle for on road and well maintained dirt roads, but no longer the "pathfinder" it once was, sad

 

wreckdiver1321

Overlander
Parked beside a new Pathfinder this morning, once upon a time our lines shared some DNA, no longer. I realize I have larger tires than the pathfinder, but not by a huge amount (30" vs my 31.7") but the ground clearance on them is absolutely atrocious.

I'm sure a great vehicle for on road and well maintained dirt roads, but no longer the "pathfinder" it once was, sad


I feel the same way when I see one of these. Just makes me sad. Have you seen the new Patrol? Awful.
 

Allof75

Pathfinder
It's become a whale. Not that the R51s were light, but they weren't nearly as bloated or useless on anything more than a graded road. Though I'm glad Nissan is chasing marketshare, so long as they keep building an Xterra, I'm happy.
 

mortonm

Expedition Leader
It's become a whale. Not that the R51s were light, but they weren't nearly as bloated or useless on anything more than a graded road. Though I'm glad Nissan is chasing marketshare, so long as they keep building an Xterra, I'm happy.

Can't argue with that
 

mortonm

Expedition Leader
Can anyone give me a quick tutorial on how to remove the auto locking hubs? And what tools I need?

I found a pair at a junk yard for 10$ each, don't know if they work but fo that price its worth a shot.

They also had my exact alloy wheel in good shape, 25$ so I grabbed one. I will now have six.

My plan when I replace my tires is to put in the never used spare with 3 brand new BFGs. Then take the best two left off my truck and put one on the roof for longer travel and the other on this new alloy under the truck. When the tires were new they wouldn't fit underneath so I am hoping that when they are worn down they will squeeze in.

This will give me 6 matching wheels and tires all exactly the same.
 

richard310

pew pew
Can anyone give me a quick tutorial on how to remove the auto locking hubs? And what tools I need?

I found a pair at a junk yard for 10$ each, don't know if they work but fo that price its worth a shot.

They also had my exact alloy wheel in good shape, 25$ so I grabbed one. I will now have six.

My plan when I replace my tires is to put in the never used spare with 3 brand new BFGs. Then take the best two left off my truck and put one on the roof for longer travel and the other on this new alloy under the truck. When the tires were new they wouldn't fit underneath so I am hoping that when they are worn down they will squeeze in.

This will give me 6 matching wheels and tires all exactly the same.



Is this a factory hub? 6mm Allen Wrench, take the 6 allen screws out and slide in new hub. You'll need a breaker bar to get em off. I used a small diameter copper pipe to slide on my allen wrench. Not sure what the factory torque specs are...

So you'll be running 6 wheel/tires on long trips? That's a good amount of weight, but also a good piece of mind if multiple flats occurs. Hope it fits under the truck!
I really want to do that in respect to fuel. On these trips with this kind of mileage, having a few 5gal tanks would be nice and a matching spare too lol. Still got a stock tire under there.
 

stioc

Expedition Leader
There's a youtube video on doing the disc brake change on the Xterra that will show you exactly how you would remove the hubs but pretty easy as long as you watch out for any springs and keep things in the order removed. As Richard said you'll need an allen key and something to turn it with if you don't have a allen/hex socket set.
 

richard310

pew pew
There's a youtube video on doing the disc brake change on the Xterra that will show you exactly how you would remove the hubs but pretty easy as long as you watch out for any springs and keep things in the order removed. As Richard said you'll need an allen key and something to turn it with if you don't have a allen/hex socket set.

I used that video to change my brakes. Pretty simple to follow. All the internals can stay put since you're just swapping the hub itself. The other processes I don't think you'll need to do (ie spring clip, screws, etc) since you're not changing rotors or repacking the wheel bearings. It's an easy take off and put on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UQ7Yi706FU
 

mortonm

Expedition Leader
Is this a factory hub? 6mm Allen Wrench, take the 6 allen screws out and slide in new hub. You'll need a breaker bar to get em off. I used a small diameter copper pipe to slide on my allen wrench. Not sure what the factory torque specs are...

So you'll be running 6 wheel/tires on long trips? That's a good amount of weight, but also a good piece of mind if multiple flats occurs. Hope it fits under the truck!
I really want to do that in respect to fuel. On these trips with this kind of mileage, having a few 5gal tanks would be nice and a matching spare too lol. Still got a stock tire under there.

thank you, doesnt sound too hard as long as it isnt too rusted, but I figure I can give it a shot, if not then I will come back at a later date. This is at a u-pick yard in the country on the way to my work site, so I thought I would stop in. I will be driving back by on Thursday afternoon.

On longer trips I already carry 6, I have a rusted 16" steely with a 245 75R16 Goodyear tire under the truck all the time, and I put a full size 235 85R16 on the roof (on a matching alloy already). The 245 75 is an inch shorter but for around town pavement I can just put it on the front and limp home or to a shop for a new tire.

The problem is the 2000/2001 Xterras came with smaller tires than 2002-2004, and as such it looks like there is less room under there. Im hoping after wearing down the tire it will be less than 31" and fit underneath.

There's a youtube video on doing the disc brake change on the Xterra that will show you exactly how you would remove the hubs but pretty easy as long as you watch out for any springs and keep things in the order removed. As Richard said you'll need an allen key and something to turn it with if you don't have a allen/hex socket set.

thanks, Ill grab a 6mm some pipe and a snap ring tool, hopefully its not seized on there too badly. Nothing like trying to do it first time in the cold and snow, although i guess its good practice if its happens on my truck, and at least if its going bad I can get up and walk away haha
 

mortonm

Expedition Leader
Stopped by the junkyard on the way home today. They didn't have a chance to pull the truck out of the line to take the wheels off. This is a new you pick yard and is setup in an old farmers field, which means mud. Last few days have been unseasonally wamr so when I showed up today I knew it hadn't moved. In fact I nearly got stuck in the parking lot with my work Suburban.

Luckily I have to head back up once before Christmas and its supposed to cool down well below freezing this weekend so I can pick up the alloy next wednesday. I'm just gonna leave the hubs for now, I think I will replace with warn manuals when or if mine go. Thanks for all the help guys.
 

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