John's Xterra - "Tatanka"

[johngraves2]

Named her Tatanka, which is the Lakota Indian's word for Buffalo. It has many meanings. The most obvious is it is all black and gold, just like a buffalo. Also, I went to the University of Colorado, where our mascot is the Buffalo. I took care of our mascot Ralphie, and ran with her at all the football games for three years. I also find this as a good name because a buffalo was more than just meat to the Native Americans; it was their whole life, where they got everything from. Just like them, I get everything out of my Xterra. It is comfortable, does great on road trips, gets above average MPG when I am driving it around town and on highways, does a great job of towing what I need it to pull, and does great off road as well. Everything I need it to do!

Here is the most current pictures:
http://i310.photobucket.com/albums/kk402/johngraves2/Snowstorm2010.jpg
http://i310.photobucket.com/albums/kk402/johngraves2/Snowstorm20101.jpg


Lift/ Suspension:
3" Suspension Lift
-Calmini Upper Control Arms (Painted Black with Zerks Installed)
-Calmini Rear Shackles (Painted Black)
-Calmini Torsion Bars (Painted Black)
-Calmini Add-a-leaf (Painted Black)
-Rancho RS5000 Shocks for a 3” Lift
-Rear Sway Bar Removed

Steering:
-Calmini Idler Arm Brace (Painted Black)
-AC - Rancho - Steering Stabilizer
-AC - Heavy Duty Tie Rod Adjusters
-Rock Humper - Centerlink
-New Tie Rod Ends
-New Ball Joints
-Warn Premium Manual Locking Hubs

Exterior:
-Nissan Grille Guard
-Wagg Tail Light Guards
-Nissan Trailer Hitch
-Bumpers Painted Black
-Roof Rack Painted Black
-Mud Flaps Removed

Interior:
-Xterra Seat Covers Front and Rea
-Xterra Rubber Mats
-Husky Liner Cargo Mat
-Nissan Cargo Cover
-Nissan Temperature and Compass Rear View Mirror
-ScanGauge 2
-Garmin GPSMAP 60CSX
-Cobra CXR900 Two-Way Radios

Performance:
-Custom 2” Cats
-Custom NISMO Exhaust
-Stock Cold Air Intake Mod with K&N
-Transmission Cooler
-All Fluids Switched to Mobile 1 Synthetic

Armor:
-Stock Skid Plates
-Removed Side Step Rails

Tires:
-Stock: 255/65R16 =29.05 in.
-Upgraded to: 265/75R16 = 31.7 in.
-Goodyear Wranger Silent Armor.

Miscellaneous:
-Cargo Box Full of all the Necessary Trail and Road Gear, Plus Much More
-Buffalo, Cowboy Hat, Horse, CU, and Club Stickers

Coming Soon:
-Quest Alternator
-Sliders
-Skid Plates
-CB Radio and Antenna

Wish List:
-ShrockWorks Front Bumper
-ShrockWorks Tire Carrier
-Gears



She is still my daily driver, but one day I hope to have her all built up. I have tried to do as much of the work myself, and have tried to learn as much as I can when I am watching someone else do it or helping them do the work. It has been a blast learning how to work on an Xterra, and knowing that it is “mine” because I worked on it and no one else has one like it, and it is built the exact way that I want it.

See you guys on the trails!

[slicky72]

Nice and clean still , good looking truck! It's hard to use them offroad and keep them that nice.

[johngraves2]

Yeah, cause we just finished with the lift and i just finished painting it and everything i want to freshen it up. So I spend the day detailing it. It woont be that clean this weekend I think we are taking it to some trails near Craig.

[johngraves2]

I am really bored, so here are a few pictures of what I have installed.

Garmin GPSMAP 60CSX:
http://i310.photobucket.com/albums/kk402/johngraves2/CIMG0085.jpg

Transmission Cooler:
http://i310.photobucket.com/albums/kk402/johngraves2/CIMG0087.jpg

ScanGauge2:
http://i310.photobucket.com/albums/kk402/johngraves2/CIMG0029-1.jpg

Painted Bumpers and Grille Guard:
http://i310.photobucket.com/albums/kk402/johngraves2/CIMG0835.jpg

Painted Bumpers and Tail Light Guards:
http://i310.photobucket.com/albums/kk402/johngraves2/CIMG0838.jpg

Cargo Area:
http://i310.photobucket.com/albums/kk402/johngraves2/CIMG0082.jpg

HD Tie Rod Adjusters:
http://i310.photobucket.com/albums/kk402/johngraves2/CIMG0877.jpg

Calmini Upper Control Arms:
http://i310.photobucket.com/albums/kk402/johngraves2/CIMG0873.jpg

New Roof Rack Paint and cool sticker look:
http://i310.photobucket.com/albums/kk402/johngraves2/CIMG0887.jpg

[johngraves2]

Well thanks to Les and Katie, I finally got my AC - Rancho steering stabilizer put on and all tightened down. will test it out tomorrow when i go driving around town. seems to be instaled perfect though.

[steeze]

Sweet...

[johngraves2]

yeah man it is. but what sucks is i have no time to get on the trail. jen will tell you how pissed i have been that i can't get out. i might just skip school on friday and head out somewhere

[steeze]

Ya dude what also sucks is the whole time I lived in Boulder you only ran LH canyon once with me... I ran that shit once a week.

I'd say go to LH for a quick trip, I'd go but Im short on time and no longer living in Boulder. Bummer....

[OdiN]

Let's get some mud on this thing.

[JBDevega]

nice rig, hope to see on a trail in the future.

[johngraves2]

on the 27th i WILL be out on the tail!!

[MisterTinkle]

on the 27th i WILL be out on the tail!!

Them's strong words, pardner!

[johngraves2]

A little update

Got some Goodyear Wrangler Silent Armor tires. 265/75R16 just about 32 inches. Biggest you can go without a body lift, which I don't really plan on doing.

Put on some Warn Premium Manual Hubs.

Put a Rock Humper Centerlink on.

Bought a new locking Plano "sportsman's tub" to hold tools, emergency stuff, and parts, and finally got a fire extinguisher in the truck.

Little things here and there.

I will be doin a full tune up with some fluids the end of the year. And I plan on doin my TREs and upper and lower ball joints in the near future when I get the calmini AAL and the Calmini T-bars.

So stay tuned!!

[tbecktold]

:worthless:

[johngraves2]

New Tires:
http://i310.photobucket.com/albums/kk402/johngraves2/CIMG1394.jpg

New tires with new hub:
http://i310.photobucket.com/albums/kk402/johngraves2/CIMG1436.jpg
http://i310.photobucket.com/albums/kk402/johngraves2/CIMG1437.jpg

[johngraves2]

So i finally got some pictures and finishing up the suspension lift, nothing good and it was after all the snowbashing this past week, juts a cell phone picture when i was in a parking lot...

I had done the PML with upper control arms before, but a few weeks ago andrew helped me install the t-bars and add-a-leaf. also instaled new upper ball joints and tie rod ends.

drives amazing and handles like a dream!

http://i310.photobucket.com/albums/kk402/johngraves2/Snowstorm2010.jpg
http://i310.photobucket.com/albums/kk402/johngraves2/Snowstorm20101.jpg

I have a few good build pictures, but you all know what those look like. it is always scary to see your axel only connected to the car by brake lines and only supported by jacks. it was a fun time installing everything and i thank andrew a lot of his help!

and once again we confirmed that with stock leaf packs the 2000-2001 comes with 3 leafs and an overload and the 2002-2004 come with 2 leafs and an overload.

[AirborneNurse]

Looks good man, it is always a work in progress.

[S/Cfrontier204]

Ya dude looking good, keep the mods coming. The Scangague is the best invention ever.

[johngraves2]

Looks good man, it is always a work in progress.

Ya, i had decided a while ago i didn't want to do a body lift, but now I am thinking i might. but i need to make a decision soon cause i wanna get the sliders and front bumper.

and yes that scangauge is sweet. i really only use the mpg and then the mph on it since i got the bigger tires my speedo is off by about 10%. i have been looking at the horsepower too since i got my exhaust system on there and there was a differance, but only minor.

[johngraves2]

update:

finally fixed the steering, added a new HooHaa CL, SOOOOOO good and strong, had to put on a new pitman arm as well cause the old CL messed it all up.

I have new t-bar adjuster bolts that i will put in on saturday and lift the front some mroe, it had droped since i put the new bars in. then it is off to the new firestone shop for an alignment

Got some shrock sliders mounted today (thanks jeff c.)

decided today that i will infact add the 2in BL (those of you that know me know that i always disliked them), so i have started to save for that and for a shrock front bumper. hopefully that will be ordered in the next few months but probably wont be on for this wheeling season.

plan on doing some major detailing this weekend with an engine degreaser and brush, i got some leaks and squeaks i want to track down and fix before i get to carried away with more mods. and i figured good time for some wax as well never hurts even though it is alwasy dirty!

so it is getting there, can;t wait to get out on the trails, hope to see some of you guys in a few weeks down in the springs!!