Just spoke with JW and he's just back from taking....get this: A 1998 4cyl Frontier Ext. Cab with minimal lift, a mexican LSD rear and open front all the way through the Rubicon!!! He was up there with Steve Kramer from Calmini. Kramer took one of the Zuks - no one had the confidence that the Frontier would make it. This one was all driver.

Oh, the truck is running a Calmini Tcase with 3.6:1 gearing. I don't think it'd be wise to attempt this with stock 2.02:1 gears.

I can't wait for his pics and the rest of the story.


1998 Frontier 4x4 seriously built
2002 Xterra 4x4 still stock
"Conjunction Junction, what's your Dysfunction?"

Did Jim drive his own truck? If so, thats awesome.

Thats KILLER though.. to get through the Rubicon is no easy feat for a near stock truck. I wonder if he got much body damage?

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"I'm just a bill... on Capitol Hill.."

Yep, it was Jim's own truck. Body damage is minor (he built a set of sliders before he left). He did bend up his tranny crossmember pretty good though, and his Tcase rattles off his floorboards a bit....

Oh, and his exaust is kinda flat now too.


1998 Frontier 4x4 seriously built
2002 Xterra 4x4 still stock
"Conjunction Junction, what's your Dysfunction?"

Sweet! I heard that was going to be a fun run, have to do some follow up and find out how it went..

MVM



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Under Construction and Over Budget

Hmmm.. if Jim can do it.. Imagine a group of nissans out there. That would definitely warrant magazine coverage!

And to think.. he ran the Rubicon WITHOUT A LOCKER!!!

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"I'm just a bill... on Capitol Hill.."

Gotta have Tcase gears though.


1998 Frontier 4x4 seriously built
2002 Xterra 4x4 still stock
"Conjunction Junction, what's your Dysfunction?"

True... so when are the T-case gears going to be available? I'll definitly go for a set when they are officially for sale.

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"I'm just a bill... on Capitol Hill.."

Release dates on Tcase gears from both AC and Calmini just keep coming and going. Who knows really. Once they do finally hit the market, there will be a frenzy to get them though.

Mark, you've been talking to Steve here of late. Did he mention any release dates on gears?


1998 Frontier 4x4 seriously built
2002 Xterra 4x4 still stock
"Conjunction Junction, what's your Dysfunction?"

Andy,

No he hasn't said anything that could be posted on a public forum. I am aware of a timeline though and know Steve is working hard to get this to market. IMO, Calmini will deliver first and this is pure speculation on my part, because they manufacture what they sell, so if an improvement needs to be made or whatever, the turn around time will be quicker.

As soon as I can share something that can be posted on a board, you can bet I will ASAP.

MVM



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Under Construction and Over Budget

Well I can say that after witnessing the test cases in Jim's truck and in Project X, These things are gonna be awesome, and no Nissan will ever be a true crawler using a Nissan case without some additional gear reduction.

If any new info becomes available, there's lots of ears here waiting to hear it.

Thanks for sharing what you can, Mark.


1998 Frontier 4x4 seriously built
2002 Xterra 4x4 still stock
"Conjunction Junction, what's your Dysfunction?"

Andy will do, after rereading this I CAN tell you that they will be taller than 3.6

Closer to 4 but not quite... I'll try and verify the exact ratio in a day or so.

MVM



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Under Construction and Over Budget

Mannn, I thought my tcase was geared low enough. i go into low and it's slower than my grandpa.

What kinda driving are you guys doing that requires such low gears??? (hehehhe)

And how much are those things gonna cost? I'd probably rather follow Mikey's plan though...

Mr. Will

|1992 SE-V6 4x4, 2001 LE 3.5|
http://www.netsnapshot.com/pcw/pickalbum?W92PathSE

True rock crawling, Will. The slower you go, the better off you are. Drive over a series of boulders the size of your tires with your gearing and I promise you'll wish the truck could go slower....That's especially true for us manual transmission guys.


1998 Frontier 4x4 seriously built
2002 Xterra 4x4 still stock
"Conjunction Junction, what's your Dysfunction?"

that is so cool Jim was successful running the rubicon. I will definitely get those t-case gears myself. But I will not install them until it is time to replace my clutch. I estimate my clutch will last may be another nine month tops (hope the new gears will be out by then).




GOT ANY BALLS??????????

Little birdy says 3.9 which will require some machining of the case itself, but hell it will be off anyway and should not be much of an issue.

An austrailian company is looking into the pathfinder as well, so there maybe up to 3 options by next season. (Arizona is always in season, you don't count)

Who made AZ so special that the don't jump forward and fall back like the rest of the United States, guess their just not United enough.

ALAN