In this pic, about 2 X's back you see the Silver X with the offroad lights mounted on the grill (look like Hella maybe). Has anyone here done that with their 00 or 01 X? Seems like a pretty easy and inexpensive way to mount the lights, I'm just not sure how stable they would be. Most lights I see mounted are on a Westin bar, or some other form of bumper or grill guard. Anyway, if it works, I may be willing to give it a shot. Have a look and tell me what you think. Worth trying?

http://www.xterraownersclub.com/pp/showphoto.php?photo=91&papass=&sort=1&thecat=501

Sure, just drill a couple of holes in the metal part of the bumper and you're good to go.

Brent

Guess It'll have to be a pretty strong drill bit to get through that bumber. Has anyone here tried it, or do most stick with the Safari bar (or similiar) to keep from drilling into the bumper? It just seems so easy, I don't know why I haven't seen more installed that way. Guess people don't like the idea of drilling into the bumper when they could buy something instead to mount the lights up front.

Well its drilling , first of all 8)
Secondly it kind of obstructs air flow to radiator.
And thirdly - most of people who likes to get offroad lights there - got themselves aftermarket bumper.Or so it seem 8)

Drilling a bumper isn't harder to do than anything else, having a high speed metal drill bit helps though. Just centre punch so the drill doesn't wander, use a small bit first, (maybe 1/4") then the right sized bit for the hole needed... use full speed once the hole is started.

If you really don't want to drill, just pick up some mounting pads. (they look somewhat like an "J" the back part slips behind the top of the bumper, clamps on with locking bolts, and then you have a tongue sticking out to mount the lights.

The steel in the bumper is hardly a threat to a half-decent drill bit. I've drilled in my TJM bumper and my chassis crossmembers and it's not nearly as tough as you'd think. I'll bet it will take you 30 seconds or less to get through it with just one bit, no "starting small" needed if it's under 1/2" and you have a nice broad-point bit.

Brent

Mounting pads? So I don't have to drill into the bumper? That sounds right up my alley. And you think that will work on my X? I'm gonna do some research on that...
Thanks guys!
If nothing else, I think I'll just drill into my bumper.

Yeah that's my X in the picture those lights are still going strong after almost 4 years.

Hella 500's, low profile and I mounted them far enough back so that the bumper was the first point of contact off-road, the covers have also help protect them from thrown up rocks and whatnot.

Good advice on the center punch, smaller bits first, followed by the finish size. I also used a small bit of paint around the holes after I drilled for rust prevention, pretty thin metal overall I recall.

Wow, that's your X? Yea, I've been admiring those lights for a while now. Just seems so easy to do. About how close do you have those to the grill? They look awfully close from that one pic. You got any other (and maybe closer) pics you can send me? I'd really like to go that route (can't afford a Westin bar right now on top of everything else I want to buy). Especially if they're stable.
If you have any more advice for that set up, I'd love to hear it.
Thanks a million.
Chato

I tried the aux brackets from Pep Boys and they didn't extend far enough to mount my lights. I positioned them at the top inner lip of the bumper and I would've had to notch the metal lip and cut the plastic to make them fit. Even then with the addition of the clamp fasteners the issue was compounded so in the end I just drilled. Since they are cheap and I have an '02 you might want to do further research. Good luck man!!