My 2001 Pathfinder (R50 ) mild/budget build

[stioc]

^ yep, rack and pinion.

 

[tbscan]

Kind of off topic now, but how much did you pay for your awning? My friend has a westfalia and when we went camping she popped it out and it was great. Figure it would be something cool to add since I plan on doing a lot of camping over the summer.

 

[stioc]

The awning is great for when you're looking for shade and there's none, the rear hatch works too, so do hats but the awning has more room under it I can't remember exactly how much it was but I want to say it was around $250. There're better ones that can be deployed by one person more easily and a better design but they're $700. This one works fine.

 

[tbscan]

I would just be looking for something nicer and more convenient than a tarp for when I set up shop at a campsite. Yours looks like it would be the perfect fit and the price is reasonable. I always like to make a bed in the back (previously had a 94 ford explorer) so it would nice and private if I didn't have to use the hatch as shade. Thanks for the response

 

[stioc]

With the fridge in our camping arsenal now I needed a way to get in and out of it. Unlike a 40lbs fully loaded cooler that you can simply pull out of the truck or even slide out half way you can't really do that with a 75lbs fridge. They sell the slide-outs but I didn't want to spend $300+ for one so I decided to build one myself. It was a pretty quick-n-dirty design (I designed it in my head while walking up and down the hardware isle at Home Depot.

 

[IrishXJ]

After watching this thread, I hate it whenever I see an R50 go by on the road. I want one, too!

 

[stioc]

@IrishXJ, thanks for the compliment! but you know it's not so much about the truck itself (sure to an extent it does matter) as it is about molding one to your needs. When I started with the Pathfinder I didn't find many (any?) documented ExPo R50 builds and they were generally written off by the typical offroading crowds. However, there have been a few people that turned them into capable ExPo trucks. I believe you have a Frontier? which are awesome trucks both on and offroad and if you search here a bit you'll see some very well built and documented build-threads (by articulate, detslider and a few others) for ideas and inspiration. Goodluck

 

[Mo4130]

I have read the whole thread today and I think it's awesome what you did. Threw conventional ideas about what is concidered a good expidition vehicle and just slow put yours together using what you learned and other ideas from other forum mates. I gotta say I have been on multiple automobile forums and this one has by far been the most professional.

Thank you for documenting all of this and sharing it with us!

 

[stioc]

Thanks Mo4130 and welcome.

I have a couple of things that I've been wanting to write about but haven't gotten around to it; they're the less talked about things but not less important when venturing out and away from the civilization.

In the meantime I got the skid plate for the transfer-case, pics and details coming soon.

 

[stioc]

OK so here's a quick update. Remember after my last outing the truck developed a metalic clunk that accompanied when turning the steering wheel left-right and could be felt under my feet in the driver's seat? I finally got a chance to look into it. I removed the center skid-plate, crawled under the truck with an air impact wrench and a 22mm socket and tightened every bolt I saw. The passenger side control arm bolts turned more than a 1/4" compared to the others. No more noises! I haven't put the skid plate back on yet so it could very well be the skid plate itself.

Speaking of which...after I built the center skid I felt that everything critical under the truck is fairly protected now except the drive shaft and the transfer-case. I was thinking about finding and modifying the OEM WD21 transfer-case skidplate. However, I didn't know if it would work or if I might even be able to source one. Fast forward a month or so and I met someone who had one on his wife's R50. I asked where he sourced it and he said he got it from the dealer and it came stock on the Xterras. Intrigued I searched but couldn't find one...but it looked almost identical to the WD21 skid I'd previously looked into. After more research on the part#s it turns out that the WD21 skidplates fit almost all mid-sized transfer-cases from Nissan because they're all essentially the same (?). Feeling lucky I took my chances and ordered one for $25 and sure enough it fit perfectly, well once it finally arrived (3 weeks later) and after I sourced the correct bolts for it.

Here it is installed Nissan Part# 30409-33G00

 

[crismateski]

That skid plate is way to shiny, we need to go fix that

 

[stioc]

I agree Unfortunately Jun is turning out to be hectic both at work and from the personal side of things but hopefully I can get out with you guys in Jul :smiley_drive:

EDIT: BTW, I just realized that you were the 400th post on this thread :Wow1:

 

[stioc]

My truck won the 'May 2013 NPORA Truck of the month' award. I'll tell ya the guys were too generous because there are some nice Pathfinders on that forum- as you'll see for yourself some of the other winners at the link above. But I'm happy to get the bragging rights

It's been a fun journey thanks to everyone that posted here for the encouragement and those that offered suggestions and advice. Of course, I must also thank my two financial sponsors...Checking and Savings :elkgrin:

 

[tbscan]

Congrats stioc! much deserved your truck is a beaut

 

[stioc]

Thanks tbscan, appreciate the kind words!

Got another small project knocked out today. Ran a 19ft 12awg fused cable from the battery to a BlueSea 12v plug mounted in the driver's side trunk area. This constant 15amp connection will power the refrigerator without needing the key in the ignition :ylsmoke:

Wow that side panel looks pretty beat up in the pic, in real life it looks OK...must be the flash that highlights every scuff mark.