Here’s a new Bklyn.X story for you:

I noticed my d44 front diff was leaking. Most likely a result of continuously smacking it against rocks and boulders while off roading (bad driving ). I’m too embarrassed to post a picture of it so you’re not getin’ one. Instead here’s a pic of the housing after I took the cover off and hid it from site:



I decided to replace the beat-to-shit cover with a new one instead of just taking the beat up one off, cleaning it and putting it back on with fresh RTV. I also decided to try a LubeLocker Gasket instead of my typical incompetent “Jackson Pollock” looking RTV mess.



Not being satisfied doing this simple job in a normally short and uneventful manner I cross-threaded one of the cover bolts during installation. This fucked up one of the receiving holes in the housing. Although I did not put a wrench on the bolt, just hand tightening, it fucked it up enough that I couldn’t get a new bolt to start correctly even after taking the cover off.

I must admit with the vision of replacing my entire d44 with its custom welded perches running through my brain I was near tears.

I used a pick to try to chase the zanged threads with little success.

I measured the bolt, 5/16-18, and headed over to Lowe’s with a prayer and found a proper sized IRWIN Hanson 2-Pack SAE Tap and Drill Set. Even though I didn’t need the drill bit for $8 WTF.

This tap has IRWIN’s “exclusive self-aligning feature, ensures a straight thread every time”. Oh yeah, we’ll see about that.
Not for nothing it worked great! It caught the inside threads and “chased” the whole thing beautifully without cutting anything new/different.





Saved! I highly recommend!

The rest of the job went easily.



No leaks so far. Opps, I just realized my F'd up cover is in the pic ^. How embarrassing.
Thanks for looking.

The new cover looks great!


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Man,that poor old cover...
Nothing ever goes easy does it.

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Quite the story, Tom! GLad it all worked out!

I've got one of those LubeLocker Gaskets on my rear diff. I've had no issues with it since I installed it with John 4(?) years ago.

So if want to waste some time with more of my shameless self promotion you can start by looking back in this thread a few years and you'll find a post about my bent control arms and the fix.
I still have not learned to drive so I'm thinking "more armor" rather education.
I got a pair of Universal Tube Reinforcements from Ruff Stuff Specialties and my friend Dave stitch welded them on for me!








I also added a "Hardhat" from Rock Hard 4X4 to my front diff.


We'll see how they hold up to my abuse.

Looking good, Tom!

Here's a few shots from last week at Rausch Creek in PA.

I can’t believe I rag on you folks to post up build threads and I haven’t been here since last year…shameful.

Anyways, here’s some more of my silliness for you:

I’ve added a Wolfbox G930 4K 10” Rear View Mirror Camera. It cost me $117 on amazon.

I’ve been looking for something like this for years. Ever since I put the spare on the rear and lifted the truck I can’t see shit out of my back window. I can parallel park without a rear view but have backed into trees off roading smacking the rear window out more than a few times. It’s become a joke with the “Safelite” guys; “haven’t I replaced this in the past?”.

I saw one in a Jeep on the trails at Rausch last year and started looking at the brand.
Then a couple of weeks ago while at AOAA with my friend Dennis I noticed he had one in his Tracker. Once he told me he liked it I ordered one and installed it last weekend.


I mounted the camera over the license plate and the side of the plate light by drilling a couple of holes through the plate holder of my Shrockworks rear bumper then attaching with self-tapping screws.


I need to make a few adjustments as far as programing (it took me a while to realize the rear image was reversed ) but that’s all minor crap that can be done easily on the “mirror” without taking it down or attaching it to anything.

I also need to get used to judging the distance (depth of field) but so far, I like it and for a bit over $100 wtf.

There are a bunch video's with how to's and unboxing so I'm not going to try and make another, just google Wolfbox G930

Hopefully I’ll save a rear window or two…

In the meantime, here’s a glamour shot of Bklyn.X at AOAA last month:

Nice new mod, Tom.

1. Did the wire have enough slack to get to the back?
2. Do you have enough slack when swinging open the tire arm?

Looking good, Tom!

BOBBY!

Though I heard
Everyone goes this road
Eventually
I didn’t expect that
I’d be on it yesterday or today

I have always found it annoying when folks just ghosted a place so after years of enduring my BS I figured I owe you guys, at the very least, a story.

Around 0600 on Sunday, September 1st, I was awakened to a neighbor ringing my doorbell and banging on my door. I woke the wife, jumped out of bed and ran to the door.

“Your truck is on fire”

There were flames shooting out from under the hood. Crazy

Luckily the truck was parked close by and I always have a fire extinguisher handy throughout my house (and in the truck) so I grabbed one, popped the hood and was able to put out the flames.
I then ran a hose from my house and watered the engine bay down.

The truck had been parked and not started since the Tuesday before. No type of battery charger was hooked up and the fire seemed to have started on the driver side (opposite the battery) under the Volant air box.

I'm guessing a short in the wiring harness that ran under the air box.

Maybe rot from not being able to dry under the Volant, winter salt thrown at that side of the truck during 23 winters on the street, rats...who knows. I can't really be sure since most of the engine bay was toast and evidence burned.

The truck probably could be fixed but considering the cost/time, the rust and damage the rest of the poor thing has endured it just is not worth doing. Most of the undercarriage is pretty rusted despite my efforts to maintain it. I had already patched the floor under the driver seat with sheet metal and the frame needed to be reinforced when the rear spring perches were "frenched" in. If I did try to fix her it would be for sentimental reasons only. Realistically, I don't have that kind of money, time or space.

I started pulling stuff out of the interior...a lot of memories are making it a tough job.

My friend Dave was able to secure a spot for it on his trailer in NJ to get it off the streets of Brooklyn.

It's sitting there for now until Dave and I can set up a couple of days to work on her.

Gotta pull everything off, clean and assess then figure out a plan

I want to see what is salvageable, then assess my options.

I could get another X and put any of the saved modifications into it but at this point in my life I don't really need the back seats. Everything behind the front seats was a luxury or burden when off-road.

When I bought the Xterra "new" it was to get my family around and occasionally off road. It grew into what it was as my family aged out of it and it became my toy.

At the moment I'm leaning towards a 2000-2004 Frontier that I might be able to throw the low geared tx-10. Cut the IFS out of it and throw my SAS d44 at it.

I'm thinking that with the Chevy rear spring modification, SYE and aftermarket rear driveshaft I could shorten the wheelbase use the reinforced h233b and eliminate the stupid two piece OEM Frontier DS then cut some of that rear overhang of the bed...

Anyways that's what been swirling around in my head lately.

If everything I plan to use comes off the X in decent shape the investment would a truck, rims and rubber then put it on the trail.

I'm not posting any pictures of my burned truck or parting it out so don't ask ya insensitive MFer.

That's my story, thanks for all of your support and good luck!

This sounds like a solid plan. I’m happy to hear that you aren’t just folding your cards and walking away from the table. And I’m looking forward to seeing the outcome.

I completely understand the sentimental value of your rig. I could have saved thousands by buying an older Toyota or jeep. And it would have been far easier to just buy a SAS kit for one of them and just been done. But that’s not why we’re here, is it? It just wouldn’t be the same.

Half the rigs out there are jeeps and a third are Toyotas. People are used to seeing them out in the wild. I enjoy being an outlier. The two most common comments I get at non-club runs are ‘is that an Xterra?’ and ‘you must know Joe.’

This is sad to hear, an iconic truck for sure.
I like the new plan too and keeping it in the nissan family.
Can't wait to see what comes next.

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New project...

2002 Nissan Frontier, 4WD, Auto, V6, 82,228 miles

Jeff B found it for me...in Brooklyn!