westracing01's Build Thread

[westracing01]

Finally feel like I've done enough work to the truck to warrant a build thread.

There are links to some of the threads I started that contain good info on the exhaust build, UpRev tuning, front bumper/OBA/Aux Electrical setup and the installation of the oil pressure gauge. Pictures are sporadic because I didn't take a picture each and every time I built/changed something but it's a pretty good overview of what I've done so far.

Thank you to:
Vicki - My Girlfriend of many years who lets me do all this crap
Drew and Cassie - Drew for helping build it and Cassie for keeping Vicki entertained while we built it
Gutter Greg - For going wheeling, helping build it and reminding me of the virtues of slowing down
Mustang Bill - For helping build it when I really needed someone else
Toyota John - For showing up with the sawzall at the precise moment it was needed


TRUCK - 2009 Nissan Frontier King Cab PRO-4X 4x4 6spd. Bought it brand new April 25, 2009. Rolled it off the lot with 21 miles on it. As of the writing of this build thread I have 103,650 miles on it (give or take.)

LINKS
Another Exhaust Thread... Need Advice. - Headers/Dual Exhaust Install and Build
UpRev Standard not available? - Slog through it to the payoff with the dyno sheet
Mike/westracings new bumper - Front Bumper, Tire carrier, Diff Temp gauge and OBA/Electrical system are all in this thread with pics
How To (Sort of): Install Aftermarket Oil Pressure Gauge - Self explanatory

ARMOR
* Shrockworks Front Winch Bumper with Prerunner Hoop
* Shrockworks Rear Bumper
* Shrockworks Sliders
* Shrockworks Radiator, Engine, Transmission, Transfer Case and Fuel Tank Skid Plates

EXTERIOR
* CBI Offroad Fab Swing Away Spare Tire Carrier with Jerry Can Mount (the Shrock rear was modified to fit the carrier)
* WARN XD9000i Winch with Synthetic line and wireless remote
* OBA Quick Connect on front bumper
* Firestik 4' CB Antenna mounted to utili-trak behind the cab
* Rigid Industries 20" LED bar on front bumper
* Rigid Industries Dually's mounted to top of bedrails
* 85HP worth of decals in the back window
* UWS Aluminum Black Diamond Plate Tool Box

INTERIOR
* Brutal Gauge Pod
* Autometer Ultra Lite II Oil Pressure and Engine Oil Temp gauges in A-Pillar
* Autometer Ultra Lite II Oil Temp Gauges for Front and Rear Diff in custom Gauge Console in front of shifter
* Custom Shift Knob
* OTRATTW switches mounted next to shifter and on custom console in aluminum bezels
* Cobra 29 50th Anniversary Edition CB mounted to top of dash above stock radio
* Autovation Pedal set and heel plate
* Scangauge II on Blendmount
* Gentex Auto Dimming Mirror with Compass and Temp
* Tigger Koosh

PERFORMANCE
* INJEN Cold Air Intake modded with a separate tube to draw air from the fender
* NISMO Shorty Headers
* WRP Intake Manifold Spacer
* True Dual Exhaust with twin Borla Turbo Mufflers (pipes cut by passenger rear shackle)
* UpRev Tuned by Performance Motorsports East (266 HP/275 FTLBS backed up by dyno sheet however the truck actually pulled 270 HP/280 FTLBS on last run)
* PRG Short Throw Shifter modified to accept any Hurst 2 bolt shift lever (now has custom lever)

SUSPENSION
FRONT
* PRG Titan Heim UCA
* OEM Titan LCA
* Sway-A-Way 2.5 Remote Reservoir Coilovers with 650lbs springs
* PRG Heim Steering
* PRG Extended Brake Lines
REAR
* Deaver 10 Pack Race Leafs
* Bilstein 5125 Shocks
* PRG Adjustable Shackles
* U-bolt Flip with Ruff Stuff parts
* 2" Wheel Spacers from Fred Goeske at wheeladapter.com

DRIVETRAIN
* Titan M205 Front Diff re-geared to 4.10
* OEM M226 Rear Diff with E-locker re-geared to 4.10 (Going to an ARB Locker in Spring)
* Mag-Hytec Diff cover

WHEELS/TIRES
* 5 OEM 6-spoke PRO-4X rims
* 5 255/85R16 BFGoodrich Mud Terrain KM2's (Pizza Cutters)

MICELLANEOUS
* ARB CKMA12 Air Compressor mounted in engine bay
* Odyssey AGM Battery
* Custom designed and built Auxilliary Electrical System (100A breaker, 2 Blue Sea fuse boxes, one constant hot and one ignition hot)
* 60" Hi-Lift Extreme
* Allstar Performance Vented Breather Tanks for Front and Rear Diffs

The day I brought it home...



First came the sliders, skids, rear bumper, new tires... Then I went wheeling (see attached)... Got some sweet trail damage when I nailed a rather large rock...

[westracing01]

After that, the decision was made to go for broke... Out came the plastic and on went the steel as I ordered up my front bumper, rear tire carrier and built the OBA/Electrical system and installed the CB.









Way more detail of all of this is in the link in Post #1 for the front bumper.

[westracing01]

Now, after that, things got interesting. In August of 2011 I got rearended by some lady in a Lexus. My truck got a broken tail light and some more bed side damage, to the same side I all ready hit, her Lexus got an entire passenger side peeled off by my rear bumper. Score one for my rig. So, off to the body shop goes my truck with her insurance money and behold, my off road body damage was replaced due to another drivers incompetence!

2 weeks after I got it back from the body shop, I got hit again on I-84. **** **** Mother ****** God*****. No matter, just scratched the paint on the back bumper and blew a light bulb. That check bought the M205 gears.

In the meantime, before and during all this happening, I had been planning my Titan Swap. I wanted to get it done in one shot and not get a few parts here and there. I bought a used M205 around February of 2011 and then I called Greg at PRG. We talked for 6 months, changed the shock package 3 times, then I finally bought it. 8 months after that, I had all the parts and 2 weeks after that (just this past weekend), all the people thanked in Post #1 stopped by at various times to get it on the truck.

Overall it went fairly smoothly actually. The biggest hangups were the LCA ball joints that wouldn't budge for anything, the drivers side brake line since the flared fittings were pipe doped from the factory (needless) and the front leaf spring hanger bolt on the driver side. But, regardless, after working for two straight days, 9AM-11PM Saturday and 8AM-7PM Sunday, the rig was back on all four wheels, lined up, brakes bled and ready for her initial Titan Swap test drive...

It drove like a Cadillac. Tracks dead straight down the road, no noise, shimmy, shudder no nothing. Perfect.

[westracing01]

And that's how it sits right at this moment.

I should be getting the 4.10's for the rear in a couple of weeks, so of prime importance is getting those installed shortly after I get them. Between now and then, since I have the front driveshaft out, it's time to change the U-joints. Ordered up some nice new spicer parts from Northern Drivetrain so I'll do that while I have the time.

After the rears are in and all is well, it's bolt in the front driveshaft, test it a little, then head to PA to wheel it.

Longer term plans:
#1 I have a design for a 2 piece removable chase rack that would bolt into the utili-trak. That's next to get built on the list but that's probably a ways off (either this or I'm getting a roof rack and cutting it down.)

#2 Add an air tank hung under the bed in the spare tire spot. ARB says the CKMA12 compressor can handle a 2.5 gallon tank so we're going to test that out with a tank from VIAIR. I'll add an OBA quick connect to the back bumper to match the one on the front and run the air lines for both from the tank.

#3 I would eventually like to get ARB Air Lockers for both the M205 and the M226 rear.

#4 Atlas II, 3.8:1 Transfer Case and go to 35" tires

EDIT: I thought about it and I've decided to keep basically what I have instead of ripping out the rear axle, etc. I think it's cost prohibitve when that money could be spent on other mods to. This is why this post has been edited. This now reflects the direction the truck will be heading in at this time.

[sexy6chick]

The titan swap looks great on the truck, really transforms the look of it. Liking the long-term plans!

[jamyers77]

I've got a few questions
1-Are you getting a Shrock Diff cover for over the Mag? I've hit my diff several times at RC (granted you're a little taller)
2-Did you tie the Duallys into the reverse, stand alone, three way?
3-Did you add spacers to the rear wheels? Can you take a pic from either front/back? I've never seen a TS w/ 255s.
Truck looks great Mike. When are you planning on coming down to RC?

[Mandangalo]

I'm curious, why does your TS look pretty flush with the fenders? Is it tire related? Most swaps I see the tires stick way outside the fenders, only thing preventing me from doing it

[westracing01]

Originally Posted by jamyers77

I've got a few questions
1-Are you getting a Shrock Diff cover for over the Mag? I've hit my diff several times at RC (granted you're a little taller)
2-Did you tie the Duallys into the reverse, stand alone, three way?
3-Did you add spacers to the rear wheels? Can you take a pic from either front/back? I've never seen a TS w/ 255s.
Truck looks great Mike. When are you planning on coming down to RC?

1) Hadn't planned on it. I wheeled it stock at RC and didn't hit it, or atleast didn't hit too hard. I do plan to eventually get rid of the Mag-Hytec cover when I ditch the diff temp gauge. I was hoping ARB was going to come through and make the cover for the M226 but the email I got said they weren't doing it anytime soon. Going to have to look into a different, more robust cover.

2) The Dually's are not tied into the reverse. The aux lights in the back bumper that came from Shrock are tied into the reverse. The Dually's are on a separate switch so I can use them for extra light behind me, extra backup lights (needed with the spare tire and Jerry can back there) or showing that clown with the high beams on behind me at night who's the boss.

3) I do. 2" wheel spacers I bought used from Nizmo McLovin (former member here) over on thenewX.


Thank you!

When I get home I will take some pics of the front and rear... Actually, I might be able to do the front while at work here, but I can definately do it later tonight. Will post the pics probably tomorrow.

At least a month before I wheel it in PA, probably more. Rear gears have to come first, get those installed, break those in, hook the driveshaft back up (20 mins) and then I want to take it for a test run over by my buddies house in NY. There's a very short, fairly steep and pretty rutted powerline trail right by his house. It'll be a good place to test it out to make sure it's all working right before I haul 3.5 hours to PA.

Originally Posted by Mandangalo

I'm curious, why does your TS look pretty flush with the fenders? Is it tire related? Most swaps I see the tires stick way outside the fenders, only thing preventing me from doing it

That would be because I'm the only one I know of running the pizza cutter 255/85R16 tires. You are correct, it's a combination of the narrower tire along with stock wheels.

[westracing01]

Originally Posted by jamyers77

Can you take a pic from either front/back? I've never seen a TS w/ 255s.

See attached. Picture of the front and the rear. Ignore the stain in the driveway. That would be from the fluid pump coming undone from the gear oil bottle. Harbor Frieght at it's finiest. Put a hose clamp on the end and it does work well.

Have to make some slight changes to the reservoir mount. The hose rubs a little on the spring. I'm not that concerned about it since the hose is way tougher than credit is given to it and even if you mount the resi to the coilbucket, I can't see anyway of preventing the rubbing unless you stick the resi pretty much in the engine bay. However, with that said, if I can get the hose off the spring, then so much the better.

[sexy6chick]

Originally Posted by Mandangalo

I'm curious, why does your TS look pretty flush with the fenders? Is it tire related? Most swaps I see the tires stick way outside the fenders, only thing preventing me from doing it

Check out bwarren's build as well. He did the titan swap and his didn't stick out very far either.