what year is the xterra?

Great…thanks for all the tips.  After reading on some how-tos, it's clear that I have a lot of work to do.  Do you guys know any good 4x4 body shops in the chicago area?  Where did you get your rigs modified?  What kind of cb radio do you recommend?

jeep03girl said:

Welcome! I wasn't at the Meet and Greet because of work but it is nice to see another girl on here :).

Great!…hopefully I will meet you on the next meet & greet.

Post edited 4:15 am – August 26, 2010 by Hawk

Hey Joan!  Being a fellow Xterra owner, I can tell you a few things that should stay / go…..

In all honesty, the mud flaps do need to go, like previously suggested by many people.  That's the first thing to get damaged/ripped off.  They are pretty useless.  

You're going to need tires!!  Stock Xterra tires pretty much suck.  A stock X can handle up to 31x10.5x15 tires.  I'm running a set of 31" BFG Mud Terrains currently, and have had them since August of 2004 (90000 +/- miles on them…..they're due for a replacement by the end of the summer).  Some people don't like the noise, but in all honesty, you get used to it.  If you don't like the noise, but like the aggressive look and functionality of a good all around tire, go with the BFG All Terrain tires.  Tires are probably the single most important thing you can do to your X to make it 'off-road ready'.

The step rails really need to go.  They could affect some clearance issues off-road.  Not to mention they'd get destroyed off-road pretty easily because they're hollow aluminum.  I HIGHLY recommend getting yourself a set of Shrockworks Rock Sliders (http://shrockworks.com/).  They are set up to save the rocker panels, but also have a little bit of a step rail build to them.  

As for recovery points, the X is equipped with a fairly stout front tow hook on the passenger side frame rail towards the front of the truck.  I still have mine on there, but use two 10000# d-ring shackles mounted to the stock frame rail in the front.  For the rear recovery point, a trailer hitch is the easiest thing to do to achieve that.  There are TONS of pre-fabbed "hooks" that will fit into the 2" hitch receiver.  I use a hitch attachment with a d-ring shackle.  Harbor Freight has one for $9.99 (http://www.harborfreight.com/d…..66212.html).  That should take care of your front and read recovery points.

Spare tire under the Xterra hasn't been a problem at all.  It 'can' be, but rarely is.  I would just leave it for now.  I've seen them mounted on roof rack baskets, but that just adds more weight to the top of the X which is already a bit top-heavy.  You're better off just leaving it until you get in a jam.

Sway Bars…….These could be an important item….depending on the kind of off roading you plan on doing, these could be taken off.  I've heard of people driving around without their sway bars, which is entirely doable.  I personally wouldn't do it.  But in the future, you may want to invest in sway bar quik-disconnects.  Disconnecting the sway bar will give the X A LOT more articulation.  Again, depending on the kind of off roading you do, this may not even be necessary to address.

Those sum up the beginnings of an offroad worthy Xterra……

Post edited 3:08 pm – September 9, 2010 by xterra_forever

I had my suv checked by a 4x4 shop.   They looked underneath and turns out there are no recovery points at the front and no space to install.  I was told if I need recovery points, the front bumper needs to be changed which will cost alot of $$$.  Bummer.  I still have 2 grad classes left.  Can't afford that now. 

Installing a recovery point at the back would be cheaper and easier, a hitch and a d-ring.  Changing my all-season tires to all terrain would not be practical.  Those were just bought last year.

So I guess I'm going to have to wait until I don't know when to go offroading…

By the way, I heard that doing a newbie run at the Cliffs is a bad idea.  Too narrow and too slippery.  I was advised not to bring my suv there…..ever….