Is your Frontier easily prone to damage?

[PoolRunner]

I had my Frontier almost a month now and have damaged the fabric on my back seat, no problem got a replacement cover. I've gone out four wheelin twice, very, very light wheelin armature stuff......no mud or big rocks just fire roads and dried river beds and something bent the stupid metal bracket the 7-pin harness is attached to all the way back and I don't remember hearing or getting hung up on anything. The smallest rock I drove over about 6-8" tore my driver side front splash guard. I've got a few rock cips under the rocker panel from rocks stuck in the tires after wheelin, and a few chips already on the bed sides near the wheel arch from rocks thrown, none on the hood or glass yet knoks on wood. Overall this truck is 10X more stout than my '07 Tacoma was, I just wish it had the same ground clearance, it's really easy to get my long bed crew high centered on the frame or rip the mud guards off or scrape the trailer hitch.

-Ryan

[EB_05_NISMO]

Pleny of people have bent the hitch plug plate. Many (including me) have moved the plug to the bumper so it doesn't happen. Here's my thread Hitch Plug Relocated to Bumper
The mud flaps are stiff plastic, so If they get caught the will get ripped off. They do get caught pretty easy since they hang so low. Remove them when you go off road so it doesn't happen.

As for the clearance issues, first off you have a long bed so the break over angle of that model will be the worst. The frame clearance is probably not as much as the Tacoma, but the overall lowest point of the truck (rear diif) has close to the same if not better clearance than the Tacoma. If I recall, Tacoma's overall have a slightly better approach, departure, and break over angles than frontiers.

[kris]

Originally Posted by EB_05_NISMO

Pleny of people have bent the hitch plug plate. Many (including me) have moved the plug to the bumper so it doesn't happen. Here's my thread Hitch Plug Relocated to Bumper
The mud flaps are stiff plastic, so If they get caught the will get ripped off. They do get caught pretty easy since they hang so low. Remove them when you go off road so it doesn't happen.

As for the clearance issues, first off you have a long bed so the break over angle of that model will be the worst. The frame clearance is probably not as much as the Tacoma, but the overall lowest point of the truck (rear diif) has close to the same if not better clearance than the Tacoma. If I recall, Tacoma's overall have a slightly better approach, departure, and break over angles than frontiers.

After comparing side by side to my buddies stock 07 Tacoma, we have both decided they have parts hanging lower. Their Y pipe loops below the transfer case, being the lowest part next to the rear diff. Another bonus on Nissan, is everything is pretty much situated within the frame rails. Nothing hangs below. Not the case with the Tacoma. Sure they look higher, but the obvious low points can be seen on a side by side comparison.

After a weekend in Moab, my only trail damage was my trailer plug bracket.










I feel more comfortable wheeling my stock Frontier, over a stock four door, short bed Tacoma.

The mud guards are a given. Take the 10 minutes to pull them off if doing any wheeling. As for the paint chips, get used to it.

[PoolRunner]

/\ Nice pics by the way. I was really impressed with the way my Frontier handled off road, I guess it's time to start looking into a lift.

-Ryan

Originally Posted by EB_05_NISMO

Pleny of people have bent the hitch plug plate. Many (including me) have moved the plug to the bumper so it doesn't happen. Here's my thread Hitch Plug Relocated to Bumper
The mud flaps are stiff plastic, so If they get caught the will get ripped off. They do get caught pretty easy since they hang so low. Remove them when you go off road so it doesn't happen.

As for the clearance issues, first off you have a long bed so the break over angle of that model will be the worst. The frame clearance is probably not as much as the Tacoma, but the overall lowest point of the truck (rear diif) has close to the same if not better clearance than the Tacoma. If I recall, Tacoma's overall have a slightly better approach, departure, and break over angles than frontiers.

Hey I just read your write up, Good work, looks like I have a project this weekend. What type of blade to you rec for the sawzall?

-Ryan

[jaf06se]

Ryan, go to Greg's site, prgproducts.com, and look into his 2 or 3" mini lifts. They are fairly cheap for a smaller lift, many guys on here are running one of them or more of his parts. I personally have a 2" on my 06.

[Devius1]

+1 Up to 1000mi. Now
Hurt my truck on berms and ruts on fire trial.

Damage= ripped out front spoiler screws, scuffed up mud guards, bent front skid into swaybar, bent upper radiator bracket, And bent 7pin... I wasn't even up to speed... just bouncin' around the same access roads my LEO ex-brother in-law patrols. All easy repairs though, stomped and hammered plate/brackets back into shape, washers on plastics, Paint was fine. Shrock plates on order & waitin' to do skids. (reason I was takin' it slow).

No huge issues so far though.
WTH? "NISMO off-road" sticker means?

[BlackTigerSE]

I have also fked up my hitch plate and i have torn off my rear splash guards, but i dont really care.

[the007forum]

ive got a little damage....but last night i was reallllllly angry. punched the front fender and left a huge dent. a little bigger than a cd but it goes deep.reversed the fender. so im not so sure about our body panel strength anymore.

[jers]

Originally Posted by the007forum

ive got a little damage....but last night i was reallllllly angry. punched the front fender and left a huge dent. a little bigger than a cd but it goes deep.reversed the fender. so im not so sure about our body panel strength anymore.

We'll ask the engineers to make the panels thicker to take angry punches then.

[EB_05_NISMO]

Originally Posted by PoolRunner

Hey I just read your write up, Good work, looks like I have a project this weekend. What type of blade to you rec for the sawzall?

-Ryan

A standard metal cutting blade.