New here. Xterra Owner

[LaOutbackTrail]

While there isnt much wheeling to do in Louisiana, I do try to take every backroad imaginable to get somewhere... I usually allow myself 4 hours to get an hour away.

I have a 2001 Xterra 4x4 with 100,000 miles on it. I bought it used after Christmas last year with about 70K on it. I fabricated a nice light bar where I put 4 hella 500 lights. I will never own a vehicle without putting some sort of offroad light on it. I found that the side step bars are mud magnets, and that I would often drag my leg across it and get my pants muddy. I also put a magnaflow exhaust which gave the vehicle a little more pep and a little throat.

I have owned an 85 Toyota 4runner, a Nissan Frontier (2x4), chevy silverado, jeep wrangler, and my favorite yet... a 4x4 Xterra.

My only complaint about the X is its gas mileage. I got 21mpg once... but average 15-17mpg. I guess that is normal.

Here are my pics from Xploring.

Future modifications:
3" suspension lift.
Prerunner style light bar for front bumper +2 hella 500 lights.
31" Yokohama AT tires.
Custom made roof rack basket. (One that fits between the existing roof rack [/INDENT]and is close to the roof level.)
and probably a few other things aswell.

Scott

 

[flywgn]

Welcome to ExPo, Scott.

We, too, have an '01 Xterra. Purchased a couple of years ago in AZ. We use it only for trips up here, i.e. Idaho area, and it serves us well. I plan to make a couple of changes, but not much.

Good to have someone who can tell us about the backroads of your part of the country.

A couple of pix of our X below. First 3 are west of us here in ID over in the Owyhee Uplands and the 4th is in AZ.

Allen R.

 

[LaOutbackTrail]

Welcome to ExPo, Scott.

We, too, have an '01 Xterra. Purchased a couple of years ago in AZ. We use it only for trips up here, i.e. Idaho area, and it serves us well. I plan to make a couple of changes, but not much.

Good to have someone who can tell us about the backroads of your part of the country.

A couple of pix of our X below. First 3 are west of us here in ID over in the Owyhee Uplands and the 4th is in AZ.

Allen R.

I like the trailer. How does the xterra handle it? I have pulled my yard equipment behind mine. 5x10. aluminum truck toolbox with tools, tarps, etc.,
push mower, riding mower, weed eaters, edger, blower, and trailer has lift gate. I notice almost double fuel consumption. So, i get about 7-12 mpg when pulling the trailer under normal conditions.
That said. How does your X handle it? I'm a fan of tent camping on the ground....

My part of the country tends to be rather flat. And boring.... the trails we have around here end up being friggan mud bogs that need a jacked up chevy pick up with 40 inch boggers to pull through them....

I am rather pleased with the stock xterra. The main reason I want the suspension lift is for the looks. I have considered the body lifts... but it seems more labor intensive and no benefits.... for only a third the cost.
I would like to put some 31" tires on within the next 20K miles.
Scott

 

[flyingwil]

Did you drive over this?

 

[Scott Brady]

Scott,

Welcome to the forum! The Xterra is one of the best exploration platforms available today. Functional, reliable and with good performance in the dirt.

It is great to have you on the forum! :victory:

 

[The BN Guy]

Scott, welcome to the forum! Depending on where you are in LA, there's always Barnwell Mountain close to Gilmer in northeast Texas. And General Sam's just outside of Huntsville. I've heard some good things about GS, but Barnwell is truly awesome for wheeling.

 

[jingram]

Scott, that basket you mentioned is already being made by a company called http://northwestparts.com

Here is a picture of the rack:

I am working with them to do a full length one that retains the stock airdam while getting rid of the factory basket for more usability.

Nice X and glad to see another one on the boards!

Jack

 

[The BN Guy]

That is very nice! Clean and looks a lot better than those crossmembers.

 

[flywgn]

Scott,

The XT handles the Horizon (with the Chaser suspension) well. I am careful when loading the cargo and keep the tongue weight to specs. I don't use any stabilizing attachment and find that there is practically no 'wiggle' at speed on the Fwy. (While towing with the XT I try to stay around 60-65 mph, although the GPS on a recent trip indicated that "somewhere between here and there" I pushed the envelope a bit at 81mph.... )

Mileage around the local area seems to stay about 17mpg with stop-and-go, dirt road speed, back road crawl, and normal shifting speeds. One trip (200 miles) delivered 21mpg and that was a pleasant surprise.

We have Cooper Discoverer A/T 265 R15s on it now. I'm considering making some kind of change, though, because the Horizon tires are bigger, so that we must carry two spares (or more??). It would be nice to have the same size tire for both, since we'll probably use the Horizon w/the XT more than with the F250.

Allen R

 

[Willman]

Did you drive over this?

Bump!!!!

 

[Willman]

Great looking rig!!!!

Your lights look good!!

Welcome to the ExPo my friend!!!

:jump:

 

[BajaTaco]

Welcome to ExPo :wavey:

 

[LaOutbackTrail]

Did you drive over this?

This is the same bridge on a dryer day. I wasnt going to risk my rig or my life going over it in those conditions .... Not unless my life depended on it.

Sorry I havent checked back here. I just moved and have had to kind of remodel my new apartment.... per wife's orders.

I did score a MILSPEC jerry can holder... just have to get a jerry can.

Going offroading and camping this weekend. First time in a couple months.

Life is good.:sunny:

 

[The BN Guy]

Stay warm and keep the shiney side up!