New D22 Navara owner!

[peterx]

Hey All,

I'm picking up my 2008 D22 Nissan Navara ST-R 2.5L turbo diesel this week.. looking forward to setting it up for touring and camping with plans to do the Gibb River Road in it June next year along with most of Northern Western Australia.

Just wondering what recommendations people would have on suppliers and mechanics in Perth for a few modifications. It currently has already got:

- steel roo bar
- 2 large spotties
- uhf radio
- canopy

My primary concerns are: fuel ecconomy and storeage. I'm thinking of doing the following modifications fairly soon:

- long range tank, at least 145L, would prefer 180L though. Don't mind shifting the spare tyre to a rear mount if I have to. I've been looking at ARB and TJM so far.. any suggestions or thoughts?
- rear drawers in the tray.. I'd prefer full length draws that can be locked with a key.. I'm a photographer and often carry $20-30K of camera equipment.. would be good to lock it. looking for someone who does modifications or maybe even custom work for this..
- snorkel and maybe an intercooler upgrade.. heard that this combination can increase torque as well as fuel efficiency?

Any other recommended mods would be appreciated. I think we're going to go for a roof top tent, so there won't be any towing until we get a camper trailer down the track for any rugrats that might come along..

Thanks guys!

- paul

 

[Old.Tony]

Welcome to the forum, Paul!

A roof-top tent certainly is a viable way to have a decent camping spot when you don't want to tow. Might be worth planning a Tanami & CSR run as well while you don't have to haul anything!

The only thing I'd be concerned about is the camera equipment in the back. Utes are notoriously bumpy in the tail and I'd hate to see the optics misaligned from 1,000km of corrugations. If yours is a dual cab, it might be worth locking that stuff up inside the cabin on the rear seat.

As for the snorkel, it's a definite winner because it draws air from well above the hot and dusty engine bay area - they aren't just for water crossings!

You can buy fuel tanks that take up the spare tyre spot but I don't think they can make them a one-piece unit. I'm not sure I'd want that, because on a steep incline I could have half a tank of fuel and the pickup line could be uncovered starving the engine! We just carry 4 diesel (yellow) jerry cans in the tub and use the stock tank, but we've not yet ventured as far as you intend to. A "Long Ranger" tank might be combined with some jerry cans, perhaps? You should be getting around 10LPHK loaded, more if you're pushing through soft surfaces like sand or mud. It'll be fun, no matter what!

 

[ljacko78]

welcome:

big trip like that and if I had some dosh to play with, I'd go:

- tyres first. Get some really good ATs. BFGs or Mickey T's are 2 possbles. Change the spare as well
- take 2 spare tyres and a plug kit
- bash plates - protect the belly
- snorkle - for this plus intercooler, you'd be luck for 5% better fuel, but IMO you do better torque and no water in engine if installed correctly
- intercooler - nice insurance if your turbo lets go (no little metal bits in engine) plus slightly better fuel economy

Then....
- long range tank (but you can always take extra fuel cans.... - work off 65L fuel tank + plus two * 20L cans, you'll get a conersvative 900km of dirt road travel and could spend the $$ on somethings else you need). Opposite Lock and 4WD Systems seem to have long range tanks. Sizes 125, 137 and 145L. The larger wil hang lower so again, underbody protection. They are a swap, so not dual tanks.

Have fun on the trip!

 

[scottybobcat]

welcome to the forum

 

[peterx]

Thanks guys,

This will be my first "real" 4x4.. we had a turbo Subaru Forester before.. handled sand very well with the right tyres.. but with only 380-450kms to a 75L tank.. we didn't really venture very far in it.. no point when you need a petrol tanker following you. It went on the beach in Geraldton, Ledge Point, Wedge Island (lots of fun there), Esperance and Albany.. few rough tracks around the South West corner of WA.. but nothing overly adventurous.

The tyres on the Nav at the moment are near brand new Dueler ATs, so reasonable tyres I guess. I see Coopers being advertised all the time and "recommended" (paid plug for sure) in the 4x4 magazines.. what are people's thoughts on them?

I just had a look at the Tanami run.. that looks very doable, would love to do that when we go visit my family in Alice Springs

Great thought on the camera gear in the back.. I'm going to have to rethink that maybe.. I was considering putting it in pelican cases that fit in the sliders.. that way it's got the padding and isn't bashing around. My main 2 concerns with camera gear are theft and dust.

- 2 spare tyres.. so would you recommend some sort of rear mount for the spare tyres? like what the put on back of Landcruisers and Patrols?

- It's already got an intercooler, I'm just thinking an upgraded one would be better..

I hadn't really considered a bash-plate.. I had one on my commodore, but the guy who fitted it did it wrong.. and it cracked my sump when I hit a rock.. that wasn't a fun day at all. I'll look into them for sure.

Thanks heaps for all the suggestions.. I've got a fair bit of research to do before I get to June next year, looking forward to doing the trip though

- paul

 

[ljacko78]

reat tyre carrier - depends how much other gear you hve to take with you as to where you store it. You should be able to keep the spare under the tray even with a long range tank. Second spare on roof rack or in tray??? Up to you

Before long trip, do a day trip as a trail or a single over-nighter..... you'll learn heaps (even tho you've said you've travelled before, that would help)

I"d keep cameras in car.

Lj

 

[peterx]

reat tyre carrier - depends how much other gear you hve to take with you as to where you store it. You should be able to keep the spare under the tray even with a long range tank. Second spare on roof rack or in tray??? Up to you

Before long trip, do a day trip as a trail or a single over-nighter..... you'll learn heaps (even tho you've said you've travelled before, that would help)

I"d keep cameras in car.

Lj

Thanks mate,

We're doing a quick trip up to Geraldton this weekend coming and heading inland from there for a few days. I'm looking at doing one of those 2 day all terrain 4x4 training classes for both me and my wife.. if only so she doesn't freak out so much every time we leave a solid surface

I'm fairly experienced in long-distance driving, but most of it has been on sealed or decent dirt roads. I've clocked up about 35-40 day trips on sand and beach in borrowed or hired 4x4s and a couple of muddy trips too..

We're planning to do a few over-nighters in to test out the camping equipment as we buy it too

- paul

 

[Old.Tony]

Here's an addition that every intercooler-owner needs - a catch can. Stops the intercooler filling up with oil that is being condensed from the crankcase ventilation system.

Tyre carriers on the rear - yeah, take two, but try to miss the roadkill. Hollow broken leg bones make mince-meat of your tyres, they can punch a hole straight through. Take a tyre repair kit and have a GOOD (spend $300+ on it) compressor with you.

Nothing you do to the tub - short of buying shares in the Glad Wrap factory - will stop the dust from getting in. If you're putting sensitive equipment in there, wrap the cases up in garbage bags and twist-tie them closed to make sure they're protected, if you can't carry them in the cabin.

 

[peterx]

My wife has just asked me if there are cup holders in the Nav.. and for the life of me I can't remember seeing them.. are there? If not.. what ingenious solution do you guys use?

- paul

 

[Dave]

There's 2 between the front seats.

 

[peterx]

There's 2 between the front seats.

She'll be a happy lady then.. which is always good for me.. lol

- paul

 

[Dave]

Women are only happy at the shopping centre.

The just tolerate everything else.
Haha.

 

[peterx]

Women are only happy at the shopping centre.

The just tolerate everything else.
Haha.

Actually my wife isn't much of a shopper.. and has been to more cricket and footy games than I have.. loves camping and has done nearly as much as I have.

I'm one of the lucky guys who is clearly punching above his weight in the looks department and yet she loves doing all the outdoors type stuff.. probably because she grew up with 2 brothers and 10 male cousins.. We've camped, hiked and climbed most of our way around Australia together.

One of the best trips was climbing Mount Warning in the middle of the night to get up there for dawn.. lots of fun

- paul

 

[Dave]

Sounds like a keeper mate.

Well done you lucky bugger.

 

[FatBoy89]

Sounds exactly like my beautiful girl.
She's saving at the moment to buy herself a patrol. She makes me pretty damn happy

 

[peterx]

Sounds exactly like my beautiful girl.
She's saving at the moment to buy herself a patrol. She makes me pretty damn happy

Awesome! Mine is doing research and finding us the best possible roof top tent at the moment

 

[ljacko78]

or you can buy one that inserts into the single din consol in the middle of the dash above the facotry stereo slot. they're on EBay somewhere

.....and yes I meant a woman that makes you happy!

 

[peterx]

or you can buy one that inserts into the single din consol in the middle of the dash above the facotry stereo slot. they're on EBay somewhere

.....and yes I meant a woman that makes you happy!

yeah, but they are the cheap chinese imports.. not very reliable, it's a bit hit or miss if you get a good one or not.. haha

 

[peterx]

Pick up my Nav tomorrow! Already started pricing some of the mods I want to do..

Are there any suppliers that are highly recommended here in Perth?