What year would be the best year Xterra to buy to build into a build into a duel purpose road/trail vehicle? I always liked the looks of the Xterra. Are there any advantages to the 05 to 08 models. I was told they have a stronger motor and a rear locker option. The 09 & 2010 with the Off Road package look very nice but I am sure they would be on the upper limits of my price range. I noticed more people wheeling and building 04 or older models. I would like to know a bit more about Xterras before I start kicking tires etc. I know very little about Nissans but I have owned (& wheeled) 4X4s for years. What ever I end up buying I plan on taking it off road.

Also are there any members in central Florida that trail ride?

I can only speak for what I own but I love my 04 4x4 5sp XE. I had to order it with a stick as no dealership within 400 miles had anything buto autos? Though, there are some features on the 2nd gens that I wish I had, like all the storage spaces hidden all over the place... little more HP would be nice! But, I have beat the crap outta mine and little more damage than broken (rusted) bolts and a few scratches here and there. You could find an 04 or older for a third of what you'll pay for a newer one. Put the money you saved into a better tires and a locker if you really want to get frisky and still have money for gas!

my $0.02

Are the front suspensions the same on the early models and the 2005s and up? I tnoticed the lift kits for an 04 and 05 are not the same. Also what about the axles? Were there and upgrades as far as one model run being stronger or weaker? I was told a rear locker was an option 05 and up. My thoughts are to find a 05 to 08 with a locker and decent miles.

no
no
2nd gen difs weak
buy 2nd gen get an ext warranty.

Hate to sound stupid but here goes, how many generations are there? And I went out and bought a 2010 off road, is it any weaker than the rest of them, I won't be off roading it that much except for hunting and fishind and of course the winter times snow and ice. Ann information would be appreciated. It is so nice I feel like a soccer mom and I'm not, I'm a dude, but the stereo and the GPS are way cool too, nicest vehicle that I'll ever own.
Thanks, Tom, alias BINGO

There are two Generations: 2000-2004 and 2005-to current. With only minor differences within the years. IE: After 2001 the first gens had round headlights. Same frame/motors though (except for supercharged ones).

Some 2nd Gen Xterra's have been known to have weaker front and rear differentials. Added HP + weaker diffs = kaboom!

This is an interesting concept. More HP and weaker axles. One would think with more HP and a rear locker option Nissan would add stronger axles or at the least keep things the same. What is weaker on the Gen-2 axles? Is it shaft size/spline count?

I just looked up Nissan lockers up on the ARB web site.

Per ARB The 02-05 model had 1.26" rear shafts with 31 splines. The 05-and up should have 1.31" shafts with 33 splines.
It looks like the front axles are all 1.20" with 29 splines.

Based on what ARB has listed (unless there is a gear,or bearing weakness etc) the Gen-2 models should have stronger rear axles and the fronts should be the same.

You may be 100% correct, but you have to remember that they upgraded the motor quite a bit! I have been in the XterraRacer and the front end has only made it 3 miles... then rear wheel drive! The spiders (in 2 and 4 versions) have both failed after some decent race miles. The splines / diff have only failed once. We have also seen some failure in ring / pinion but that one right now is inconclusive (probable install error.)

Bottom line... yes, too much power and not a strong enough drive line. I used to have an 05 but traded back down to my original 01. I love the 05 power but would rather have the weaker motor for reliability in the extreme back country.

That said... if you are going to do light to medium wheelin, meaning that you will rarely get on 3 wheels on a 30 degree slope, then you are fine with any of the 4 spider rear ends. Probably stay away from the 05 as that is when the 2 spider axles were common place.

Aftermarket for all this stuff... pretty slow. IF you guys want to make a difference, and have the cash to back up an order... call in to Superior Axle and Gear and ask for product. They sponsor us and make a great product! Tell them that the XterraRacer guys sent you.

Good luck on your decision... have fun, be safe and NEVER wheel alone.

Robert
www.teamxterraracing.com

I still stand by a 1st gen. Sure, you could get a spankin new 2010 off road for $30k+ with extended bumper to bumper feel good and be mad when you get your floor mats muddy... God forbid a branch scratch on the clearcoat.

Or (and I get this info from about 7 mins of internet searching on my cell phone with poor reception in the mojave desert) buy a used 1st gen for less than $5k on ebay, $40 oil change just because, and wheel that biotch until you check xoc 11 times a day hoping something new pops up because you are just looking for an excuse to post pics of yourself getting stuck in the driveway after a monster rain. Maybe that's just me?

But seriously, I just trolled over to ebay motors and found MANY really nice used X's for less than $10k, plus $1500 lift, $1500 ARB rear locker and compressor, $1000 soft 8's and BFG MT's, and let's say another $1000 for shipping of said X coast to coast to your house from Washington state to Florida (worst case) That's half the cost and damn near unstoppable under some rrreally $HITTY conditions. And, it's already scratched so wheel for real not OH MY GOD IT'S A HILL!!! There are even a few already lifted and one SAS'd and just plain mean for cheap!

On that note: How many of us actually have a locker? Ok I do and I freakin LOVE it but my X didn't come from the stealership with one and even if it was an option I don't think I would spring for it because aftermarket is just plain better no matter how you look at it (especially ARB from freakinaustrailia where they actually need off road products). ANyway, point is what you are actually going to use it for? My X had a rough start as a DD that almost floated off into the ocean with the paper temp tags still on but like I said, I have beat the crap outta her and she still makes that damn ticking noise when I start it so it's just like new

Save the cash and heartache and buy used if for no other reason than the resale value! Hell, for the right price I got a "like new" one in the driveway!

The Gen-2 vehicles are still more appealing to me, but the potential drive train issues have to be taken into consideration.

I found a 01 with 53-k with an asking price of $7,900.00 near me. I also found a 05 Off Road with 52-k for about $15,000.00. The 05 does not have the rear locker option. I see myself holding out for a vehicle with the rear locker if I go with the gen-2 model, unless it is a screaming good deal.

Tomorrow I will try to test drive both and see if a Gen-2 is worth that much more $$. The cash saved buying the 01 would easily pay for it's build up.

You definately want to stay away from the 05. They upgraded the spider gears in 06 and have had a lot less failures. That being said my 06 off road had rear diferential failure at 11,000 miles. It appears that if you don't get the rear locker your chance of failure goes way down. I really like the additional power. I am able to tow a 21' travel trailer quite easily. The other thing to consider is that the 2nd generation Xterra gets better fuel economy the the first. I get around 17 in town and as high as 21 on the highway. You are getting as much as 100 more HP in the 2nd generation X as you would on most 1st gens.

I did not have a chance to do any test drives today.

The factory rear locker option is one of the reasons I am looking in to buying a Xterra. There is no way I would touch a H-3 after the sale to a Chinese company and I do not like the limited visibility and the 1/2 rear doors on the FJs. The only other options for me are the Jeep Rubicons. I just sold a very nice Jeep this past July. I wanted to distance myself from the bigger is better/race to out spend each other mind set of the Jeeping community. Also my family has grown from 4 to 5 so a Jeep does not carry all of us now.

Do you think upgrading a stock open rear diff to a ARB locker would solve the spider gear problem? My thoughts are the rear axles would hold up with a 265/75 or 285/75 tire and a reasonable driver. I would think a ARB in the front axle would be an expensive wallet draining mistake.

I believe I read that Xterra racer had worked with a company to create a piece that would take care of this issue. I never followed up on it to see how much it would cost or where to get it from. Perhaqs someone else can contribute this information.