Jmac's 2002 Xterra

Jmac289gt

Sliders
Founding Member
Location
Dickinson, TX
Alright so, Thanks for visiting my build thread. I bought it used in 2009 and it had 68K miles when I got it. Very well maintained but all stock, I don't think the guy who had it used the 4WD much if at all. I started out with just lifting the TB's and adding some 265/75/16 mud tires and wheeled it like that a couple of times and it did pretty good, I then later added the A/C 3" suspension lift, then got a chance to get some 32X11.50 15 BFG mud terrains, so I had no choice but to put the body lift on.

Sorry for the small pictures but I was not that good with pictures when I first started this and still not really.
But they do get bigger the more you go down.

DSC01107A.jpg


DSC01110.jpg


Put a cheap little CB in it...but never get to use it cause no one I wheel with now has one.
DSC01109A.jpg


Gun mounts for a 4 wheeler on my Yakima load warrior now is used for fishing poles.
Copy2ofDSC01108A.jpg


Two is better than one...right?
DSC01120.jpg


Painted my roof rack and grill.
DSC01124.jpg

DSC01123.jpg

DSC01122.jpg

It took a lot of these to get it done though.
DSC01125.jpg

DSC01126.jpg

DSC01128.jpg


Added 4 Hella 500's that hardley get used but are very bright.
DSC00030.jpg

A tech from my job did all the wiring cause I know nothing when it comes to electrical systems, but I did the wire loom
DSC00031.jpg


With suspension lift only.
DSC00276.jpg

DSC00278.jpg

DSC00278.jpg

DSC00280.jpg


Then added the body lift.
DSC00324.jpg

DSC00321.jpg

DSC00322.jpg

DSC00323.jpg


This is how much I had to trim off of the back splash guard.
DSC00782.jpg

DSC00783.jpg

DSC00784.jpg


And again, thank you for checking out my build, it has been nice watching the progress with each modification, and really nice when I get compliments from people while out and about that don't even have 4WD's.
 
Last edited:

NismoFire

Titan Swapped / SAS'd
Founding Member
Location
Smyrna, TN
I wish I had bought a red one sometimes, but I'm really happy with my black.


Definitely liking the stance from the front with the 32x11.5s. That's what I would like to have on mine.




02's FTW!
 

Jmac289gt

Sliders
Founding Member
Location
Dickinson, TX
sorry, thought I replied to this, Im not sure of the backspacing or even what make and model the wheels are but they are a 15" and I think about 9" wide maybe. The guy I got them from did not even know any of this information either. If you look at drbandkgb, he knows what his backspacing is and mine almost stick out as much as his does.

Man I swear I replied to this, I think I posted the reply in the wrong thread cause I remember typing what I just typed above.

My cartoon eddition.
DSC00322-1.jpg
 

Jmac289gt

Sliders
Founding Member
Location
Dickinson, TX
Yes sir Ratt,

Just to give an update that I forgot all about when starting this build thread here for those that don't know this already.

I replaced my center link and tie rods with factory parts a couple of months ago cause the center link was sloppy, I wheeled it one time (I think) and ran up on a stump/dirt pile that was steeper than I thought and hit it a little faster than I should have and it made a loud metal to metal sound, long story short, bent a tie rod adjuster and screwed up my new center link.

I want to SAS this thing but it will be a long time for that sooooo, I just ordered a Calmini HD steering kit that should be here around the 3rd or 4th of this month and also ordered a rear lift shackle from A/C to complete my rear since I went with the AAL when I purchased my lift kit.
 

gorillamel

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
Location
Idaho!
Ditto on the wheels. What is your current rake on the X? How much do you plan to increase the rear lift by with the shackles?
 

Jmac289gt

Sliders
Founding Member
Location
Dickinson, TX
Thanks guys and girls,

I like the wheels too, I just wish I knew what the heck they were called.

Mel, if I may call you Mel that is, It sets very level with just the AAL I have on now, I got 2" of lift when I put those on which was in "the summer of 69", just kidding!! it was in 2010 so I would think it may have settle a bit.
 

gorillamel

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
Location
Idaho!
^Ahhh, gotcha. So how much more do you want to lift it by with the shackles? I did the AAL + shackles in the rear, too. But mine are at the lowest setting...contemplating lifting it an inch or more to avoid wheel well rubbing (grrr). And yes, you can call me MEL (easier to spell and speak b/c I'm lazy). :-D
 

Jmac289gt

Sliders
Founding Member
Location
Dickinson, TX
Well Mel, I went ahead and got the 1.5 (non adjustable) shackle. And because my tires stick out a little I have rubbed a little, plus I also rubb my hitch a lot and hoping I will stop most of all that. Also some of the guys I run with have said that you really want the back end a little higher than the front when doing hill climbs and such, there truggys have winches to pull the front end down when needed.

So my shackles from 4X4 parts that I just ordered like Thursday of last week came in today, the Calmini HD steering kit I tried to order about a month ago finally got in stock and ready for sale on Tuesday of last week, so they called me and ask if I still wanted it and I said yes, So they took my money and said it should go out the next day and I would get it around the 4th or 5th of Jan. So I called today and a guy named Justin said it should be getting shipped out in the next day or two....im a little upset with this and he really didn't seem to care, I sure hope their product is better than their customer service.

And for my pretty shackles...

DSC00803.jpg
 

xearth

Wheeling
Founding Member
Location
Dayton, OH
Gonna look great on the X jmac! And I've had good luck with Calmini so far, just kind of have to egg them on a little bit. At least for my shackles I seemed to wait until I made a call, then all of the sudden they were being shipped that day
 

gorillamel

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
Location
Idaho!
Well, for your sake, I will imagine pooping on Justin to make you feel better and smite him for his indecency.

And yay for shackles! Now you gotta paint them...
 

Jmac289gt

Sliders
Founding Member
Location
Dickinson, TX
I thought about hot pink or a zebra pattern but then I remembered that everything else under there is just black so thank goodness that is the color they came in as. I have no color schemes going, everything is marroon, satin black or fadded black. One day I will probably paint the rest of the plastics to match the satin black.
 
Last edited:

Jmac289gt

Sliders
Founding Member
Location
Dickinson, TX
Well people, just a little update for conversational reasons, After several calls to Calmini and the blame of the holidays for it not being shipped out yet, I asked Justin to let me speak to a manager and a guy named Jake, whom which buy the way is the one that originally called me to let me know they were in stock and ready to go. He says that the reason it has not shipped out is due to the idler arm bushing being manufactured wrong or had some type of quality control issue on them. The good ones should be in on 01/11/2012 and once they get there he would try and get it to me on a 2 day order instead of the normal 3-4 day shipping, or he said (in a kind way ofcourse) that I could just get my money back if I did not want it anymore.
 

Jmac289gt

Sliders
Founding Member
Location
Dickinson, TX
Mel, yes I told him I just want the part not my money back. For some reason I believed his story, just a gut feeling but like I told him, why didn't the other guy just tell me that instead of keep blaming it on the holidays, then I would not have kept calling every other day to see why it still had not shipped out.
 

Jmac289gt

Sliders
Founding Member
Location
Dickinson, TX
Good news, The Calmini steering kit has been given a tracking # for UPS to hopefully have picked it up today and they have put it on an overnight shippment at no extra cost to make up for the extra wait time.
 

Jmac289gt

Sliders
Founding Member
Location
Dickinson, TX
Got the steering kit in around lunch time today...thanks Jake at Calmini ( incase they see these threads) for over nighting this beast of a steering setup after waiting so long for it to get in. Did not get any real good pictures since it was kind of a rush deal to get it installed but I did what I could.

The idler arm, which is the part that was holding up the order I believe.
DSC00809.jpg


You really have to see this stuff in person to appreciate the difference between it and the stock stuff.
DSC00810.jpg


DSC00811.jpg


DSC00812.jpg


Did this shot for no reason other than I could.
DSC00813.jpg


Really bad shot...not a great camera or operator.
DSC00814.jpg


DSC00816.jpg


DSC00818.jpg
 

Jmac289gt

Sliders
Founding Member
Location
Dickinson, TX
I got the Calmini heavy duty steering kit, it runs $599.00 + tax and shipping, that IAB is actually a complete replacement heavy duty Idler arm assembly and it is beefy when you see it in person, the brace is just built into the idler arm.

The only draw back was the wait time as you may have read in my earlier post but now that I have it, it was worth the wait.
 

Jmac289gt

Sliders
Founding Member
Location
Dickinson, TX
DRB, the steering is super tight, almost like a sports car feel now, very very responsive and improved handling, it doesn't feel as swayee either. Im sure that is all in my head but at the least...very tight.
 

Jmac289gt

Sliders
Founding Member
Location
Dickinson, TX
Alright, so I had a tech at work do my timing belt package today and then after work we replaced my inner and outer CV boots, the inners were the only ones torn.

Got the A/C non adjustable lift shackles on to complete my rear lift...already had the AAL. He also replaced my leaking power steering hoses, the ones from the resovoir that always leak.

Just for my records...done at 98,000 miles. It is nice and quite again.
 

Jmac289gt

Sliders
Founding Member
Location
Dickinson, TX
Yes sir it does, Now I don't know what to work on next...lol. I guess it will be bumpers next but I also think I might just leave it like it is. I don't know what my plans are for the X but I have to think long term cause my 15 year old is next in line for my wife and I to help get a vehicle, I have a thought of just keeping this one in good shape and pass it on to him and start on another one for me...but that thought may change in the future too.
 

Jmac289gt

Sliders
Founding Member
Location
Dickinson, TX
Thanks Buff, I wish I could tell you what the wheels are but I can't, if you find some let me know where too.

The steering kit is very well built but something does feel strange...if your not moving and you try to turn your wheel it feels like it is binding up on something, but as soon as you let the vehicle roll a little it turns like normal. I don't know if this is just the character of this kit or if something is not right but I think it might cause an issue in an offroad type situation if I need to cut my wheel one way or the other if im stuck in a rutt.

Anyone else have this kit with this issue too?
 

Jmac289gt

Sliders
Founding Member
Location
Dickinson, TX
Thanks sleeper, I've always said that the right tires and wheels can make a plain vehicle look good. I think im going with 33's the next time I need tires.
 

xearth

Wheeling
Founding Member
Location
Dayton, OH
Thanks Buff, I wish I could tell you what the wheels are but I can't, if you find some let me know where too.

The steering kit is very well built but something does feel strange...if your not moving and you try to turn your wheel it feels like it is binding up on something, but as soon as you let the vehicle roll a little it turns like normal. I don't know if this is just the character of this kit or if something is not right but I think it might cause an issue in an offroad type situation if I need to cut my wheel one way or the other if im stuck in a rutt.

Anyone else have this kit with this issue too?

Are you still having this issue? Just curious if it worked itself out or not
 

Jmac289gt

Sliders
Founding Member
Location
Dickinson, TX
Are you still having this issue? Just curious if it worked itself out or not

Yeah but I have not done anything about it yet, I called Calmini and the guy I talked to said they never had anyone call with this complaint so he advised me to tighten the nut at the idler arm side and then loosen it, then tighten it back up again but I just have not done it yet.

I will try to get to it Saturday cause im supposed to be wheeling Sunday.
 

Jmac289gt

Sliders
Founding Member
Location
Dickinson, TX
Okay so I got a strange noise like metal to metal sound when turning yesterday...it was the idler arm and brass bushings making the noise like it did not have grease, so we tried to put grease in it and it would not take any. My tech took it back off and the sleeve that goes inside of the bushings that should have grease in between them is so tight that it just won't allow grease in it. We coated it with grease and pressed it back in and it has stoppped the noise for now. Im almost positive that it will not last long like this but we will see. Im going to call Calmini back again and ask there opinion and to make sure we are thinking correctly about the way it should be greased and that the sleeve should be stationary and the bushings should rotate on it but don't think there is any other way it could be.
 

SnickerDoodle

Life's Better Seeing Pink
Founding Member
Location
Winlsow Twsp, NJ
DSC00818.jpg
[/QUOTE]

Random question. I just got my kit in. I bought it used. But those little dust cover thingys are pretty shot. Any idea where I can get replacements?
 

ChiXterra

Wheeling
Looks good Jmac! You may want to replace those sway bar bushings on the end; I used a set from energy suspension with longer/different bolts. I noticed a big difference!
 

Jmac289gt

Sliders
Founding Member
Location
Dickinson, TX
Random question. I just got my kit in. I bought it used. But those little dust cover thingys are pretty shot. Any idea where I can get replacements?

I have never tried to buy those before but I don't think you can buy them seperately from the joints.

Looks good Jmac! You may want to replace those sway bar bushings on the end; I used a set from energy suspension with longer/different bolts. I noticed a big difference!

Those bushing are fairly new, that shot is while in the air so they may look worn in that angle.
 
Top