- Location
- Travel too much
If you feel comfortable taking a challenge here is a little something. Those of us who don't want to buy another xterra to have the luxury of a 4wd, here is a way to convert the Gen 1 X from 2WD to 4WD. Now, this conversion was done on my Gen 1 2001 Nissan Frontier 3.3L Desert Runner Auto transmission but the same principle and parts apply to the Gen 1 Xterra 3.3L from 99-04 including the manual transmission. The great thing about it is that almost all the parts are direct bolt on. You can find most of these parts in the salvage yard but make sure you know what you are buying depending on the condition of the parts, especially the transmission. If the parts are rusted or look like they are in rough shape, I would recommend refurbishing (optional).Air tools are recommended to make the job easier. I apologize for not having very detailed pictures for some of the instructions, this was done in 2011.
Installation time: 2-3 days
Estimated cost: $1800-2500 (depending where you get the parts )
List of Parts :
- Nissan 99-04 4WD transmission with torque converter
- Nissan 99-04 Transfer Case
- 4WD Transmission mount
- Transmission crossmember
- Front Differential with Diff supports ( front diff crossmembers)
- Passenger & Driver side CV axle
- Driver & Passenger Hub assembly
- Front drive shaft
- Rear 4wd drive shaft (shorter than the 2wd drive shaft)
- Transfer case shifter
- 4wd Center console with dust boot
- 4wd heat shield with dust boot (goes under center console)
- 24" of Green 14 guage wire (for speed sensor extension)
- Red crimp barrels and heat shrink (optional for adapting 2wd transmission harness to 4wd transmission)
- Transmission cooler (optional)
- ACE hardware bolts ( depending if you didn't receive them with your 4WD components)
I refurbished my parts because the parts had a lot of rust on them and it wasn't too appealing either.
Before refurbishing:
Front Diff:
Front Hub Assembly (Driver and Passenger)
Front Diff Crossmember supports:
Transmission with Transfer case and 4wd shifter:
Wire brush or sand blast the outside of the parts if you want to repaint them and remove the rust
After refurbishing:
Here you can see all of the parts you will need for the job. I recommend spreading them out like this before you start so it can be more organized and easier to install
INSTALLING THE COMPONENTS:
This is what the 2wd system looks like installed in its place:
Here is where the front differential will be placed and the mounting tabs:
1) Remove the rear drive shaft ( this is the old drive shaft removed and compared to the 4wd drive shaft):
2) Remove the starter
3) Carefully loosen up both torsion bars and remove them along with the rear Torsion bar Crossmember. Be sure to completely loosen them up before removing!
4) Place a regular jack with a block of wood/ Transmission jack (recommended) under the 2wd transmission to support it
5) Disconnect Transmission hiring harness located in the passenger side of the engine compartment, in front of the windshield wiper motor, next to the cruise control module. There should be 3 grey plugs and 1 Brown plug stacked.
6) Disconnect the transmission shifter located on the passenger side of the transmission.
7) Drain the Transmission fluid.
8) Disconnect the transmission fluid line located on both sides of the 2wd transmission.
9) Loosen up 4 bolts that hold the torque converter to the flywheel. It can be easily accessed through where the starter was at. Use a 14mm socket for this.
10) Remove the the bolts that hold the transmission to the engine (there should be 6)
11) Carefully Remove the 2wd transmission
12)Attach the transfer case to the 4wd transmission (if separated)
13) This is step only applies to those who get a 4wd transmission with the wiring harness cut. Cut the 2wd harness close to the transmission side as seen in the pic above. Strip all wires from both the 4wd transmission and the 2wd wiring harness. I recommend either soldering it then heat shrink or use crimp barrels and then using heat shrink for water protection. The difference between the 4wd harness and my 2wd harness was a orange wire that is used for the transmission temperature sensor which I didn't have in the original system. All other wires should match color to color. Here is a picture of how I did it:
14) Once wiring harness is completed, The speed sensor wiring must be cut and extended 14-16"
15) The gear shifter bracket didn't come with my 4wd transmission so I used the original 2wd bracket, flipped it and cut off the bent tab with two screw thread holes. Bracket (black Bracket) is seen flipped in the picture of step #13
16) Begin to install the 4wd transmission and transfer case. Ensure that the torque converter is set all the way in its place before attaching the transmission to the engine or it will not settle in properly. You can do this by spinning the torque converter around while pushing inward untill you feel it slip in its place three time. You should feel and hear three clicks. Make sure you have all the bolts and tools in hand as you are installing transmission to make the task faster.
17) Once the 4wd transmission is attached to the engine, connect the torque converter to the flywheel.
18) Attach the transmission mount to the transmission. Then attach the Transmission crossmember to the original crossmember bolt holes. Be sure to add a second bolt since the 4wd crossmember has two bolt holes
19) Connect the Wiring harness back to the 4 plugs in the engine compartment as well as connect the transmission fluid lines
20) re-Install the torsion bars and torsion bar crossmember and be sure to tighten the torsion bars once again and to make sure the ride height is correct after the conversion is complete.
21) Install rear drive shaft
22) Remove the most forward crossmember held by 4 bolts horizantally
23) With the Front Diff Crossmembers attached to the Front Diff, Raise into place using a jack and connect all 6 bolts that hold the front Diff. Make sure to run breather hose to the top of engine compartment.
24) Attach front Drive shaft from the transfer case to the Front Diff
25) Remove old 2wd hub assembly be removing the following:
- Upper and lower Ball Joint
- Brake Caliper and bracket
- Shocks ( to make it easier to install CV axle)
- Outer Tie Rod end
- ABS sensor/or disconnect complete cable from system
26) Install the 4wd hubs and attach CV axles to front diff by re-installing the following:
- Upper and lower Ball Joint
- Brake Caliper and bracket
- Shocks
- Outer Tie Rod end
- ABS sensor/or disconnect complete cable from system
- Attaching CV axles to front Diff
27) Remove both passenger and driver seats and remove center console, Gear shifter, and heat shield under Shifter
28) Install the transfer case shifter and 4wd heat shield with boot.
29) Re-Install interior
This is what it should look like under when complete:
Optional:
You can install a transmission cooler but its optional. Here is where I placed mine:
Take it for a test drive and ensure that everything is functioning properly. You should get the car re-aligned since you removed and re-torqued the torsion bars. I didn't put the 4x4 light on the dash to work because you need an extra cable to connect to the dash. It doesn't bother me not having the engagement light on. But its an option you can install
Installation time: 2-3 days
Estimated cost: $1800-2500 (depending where you get the parts )
List of Parts :
- Nissan 99-04 4WD transmission with torque converter
- Nissan 99-04 Transfer Case
- 4WD Transmission mount
- Transmission crossmember
- Front Differential with Diff supports ( front diff crossmembers)
- Passenger & Driver side CV axle
- Driver & Passenger Hub assembly
- Front drive shaft
- Rear 4wd drive shaft (shorter than the 2wd drive shaft)
- Transfer case shifter
- 4wd Center console with dust boot
- 4wd heat shield with dust boot (goes under center console)
- 24" of Green 14 guage wire (for speed sensor extension)
- Red crimp barrels and heat shrink (optional for adapting 2wd transmission harness to 4wd transmission)
- Transmission cooler (optional)
- ACE hardware bolts ( depending if you didn't receive them with your 4WD components)
I refurbished my parts because the parts had a lot of rust on them and it wasn't too appealing either.
Before refurbishing:
Front Diff:
Front Hub Assembly (Driver and Passenger)
Front Diff Crossmember supports:
Transmission with Transfer case and 4wd shifter:
Wire brush or sand blast the outside of the parts if you want to repaint them and remove the rust
After refurbishing:
Here you can see all of the parts you will need for the job. I recommend spreading them out like this before you start so it can be more organized and easier to install
INSTALLING THE COMPONENTS:
This is what the 2wd system looks like installed in its place:
Here is where the front differential will be placed and the mounting tabs:
1) Remove the rear drive shaft ( this is the old drive shaft removed and compared to the 4wd drive shaft):
2) Remove the starter
3) Carefully loosen up both torsion bars and remove them along with the rear Torsion bar Crossmember. Be sure to completely loosen them up before removing!
4) Place a regular jack with a block of wood/ Transmission jack (recommended) under the 2wd transmission to support it
5) Disconnect Transmission hiring harness located in the passenger side of the engine compartment, in front of the windshield wiper motor, next to the cruise control module. There should be 3 grey plugs and 1 Brown plug stacked.
6) Disconnect the transmission shifter located on the passenger side of the transmission.
7) Drain the Transmission fluid.
8) Disconnect the transmission fluid line located on both sides of the 2wd transmission.
9) Loosen up 4 bolts that hold the torque converter to the flywheel. It can be easily accessed through where the starter was at. Use a 14mm socket for this.
10) Remove the the bolts that hold the transmission to the engine (there should be 6)
11) Carefully Remove the 2wd transmission
12)Attach the transfer case to the 4wd transmission (if separated)
13) This is step only applies to those who get a 4wd transmission with the wiring harness cut. Cut the 2wd harness close to the transmission side as seen in the pic above. Strip all wires from both the 4wd transmission and the 2wd wiring harness. I recommend either soldering it then heat shrink or use crimp barrels and then using heat shrink for water protection. The difference between the 4wd harness and my 2wd harness was a orange wire that is used for the transmission temperature sensor which I didn't have in the original system. All other wires should match color to color. Here is a picture of how I did it:
14) Once wiring harness is completed, The speed sensor wiring must be cut and extended 14-16"
15) The gear shifter bracket didn't come with my 4wd transmission so I used the original 2wd bracket, flipped it and cut off the bent tab with two screw thread holes. Bracket (black Bracket) is seen flipped in the picture of step #13
16) Begin to install the 4wd transmission and transfer case. Ensure that the torque converter is set all the way in its place before attaching the transmission to the engine or it will not settle in properly. You can do this by spinning the torque converter around while pushing inward untill you feel it slip in its place three time. You should feel and hear three clicks. Make sure you have all the bolts and tools in hand as you are installing transmission to make the task faster.
17) Once the 4wd transmission is attached to the engine, connect the torque converter to the flywheel.
18) Attach the transmission mount to the transmission. Then attach the Transmission crossmember to the original crossmember bolt holes. Be sure to add a second bolt since the 4wd crossmember has two bolt holes
19) Connect the Wiring harness back to the 4 plugs in the engine compartment as well as connect the transmission fluid lines
20) re-Install the torsion bars and torsion bar crossmember and be sure to tighten the torsion bars once again and to make sure the ride height is correct after the conversion is complete.
21) Install rear drive shaft
22) Remove the most forward crossmember held by 4 bolts horizantally
23) With the Front Diff Crossmembers attached to the Front Diff, Raise into place using a jack and connect all 6 bolts that hold the front Diff. Make sure to run breather hose to the top of engine compartment.
24) Attach front Drive shaft from the transfer case to the Front Diff
25) Remove old 2wd hub assembly be removing the following:
- Upper and lower Ball Joint
- Brake Caliper and bracket
- Shocks ( to make it easier to install CV axle)
- Outer Tie Rod end
- ABS sensor/or disconnect complete cable from system
26) Install the 4wd hubs and attach CV axles to front diff by re-installing the following:
- Upper and lower Ball Joint
- Brake Caliper and bracket
- Shocks
- Outer Tie Rod end
- ABS sensor/or disconnect complete cable from system
- Attaching CV axles to front Diff
27) Remove both passenger and driver seats and remove center console, Gear shifter, and heat shield under Shifter
28) Install the transfer case shifter and 4wd heat shield with boot.
29) Re-Install interior
This is what it should look like under when complete:
Optional:
You can install a transmission cooler but its optional. Here is where I placed mine:
Take it for a test drive and ensure that everything is functioning properly. You should get the car re-aligned since you removed and re-torqued the torsion bars. I didn't put the 4x4 light on the dash to work because you need an extra cable to connect to the dash. It doesn't bother me not having the engagement light on. But its an option you can install
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