The Little X That Could

[ScottyB]

he's 5...we all have those "first time i drove" stories usually around that same age.  mine was a big john deere when i was about 7.  fingers crossed that it's started the same lifelong obsession with cars that i've had.

Yesterday, my kid said "I ride back race car," which roughly translates to "I want to ride in the back of a race car." Since then, I've been asking myself how old should he be before riding in the 911 (in which a car seat will NOT fit). At least now I know age 5 will be the latest.

first of all, that's awesome.

i'd totally let him ride, just make it a side street or back road where its nice and relaxed.  i wouldn't run errands or be in traffic with him back there.

[ScottyB]

just crossed 142,000 miles as we came home from Christmas in VA loaded to the gunwales.  we're getting some creaks and groans now that i should probably address.

first order of business is over this past winter, and more so this winter, i'm hearing a lot of cracking/popping out of the front end when the steering is loaded up in turns, but ONLY when the outside temps are cold, like under 45.  i've been over the tie rods and upper ball joints (still original) about a half dozen times and they've all got degraded boots but no discernible slop.  i'm pretty certain its the idler arm, which connects the passenger side tie rod to the center drag link, which then leads over to the actual steering gear on the driver's side.  the idler's located at the front and sees a lot of exposure to the elements, and the arm rides on a single-shear metallic-bushed stud.  i think the cold temps open up the tolerances enough that during turns its starting to see enough movement that its becoming loud.

new one on the way compliments of Moog, and because i can't leave well enough alone and we plan to do more adventuring, i'm upgrading the mount with a Calmini Idler Brace.  it'll reinforce the arm on the bottom as well as provide a higher level of rudimentary protection in the event we nose into a rock or log jam.


if that doesn't do the trick, i'll move on to new tie rod ends and drag link.  there's enough slop in the steering that frankly, its time anyway.

second item is giving me a harder time tracking down.  when its been driven for 20-30 mins there's a prominent pulsing to the braking and on/off groaning in the brakes that's timed with the wheel rotation.  its not warped rotors, there's no sensation in the steering like that.  but a definite on/off grinding feeling in the brake pedal that points to a rotating part of the assembly.  i greased the caliper pins with no difference and the rotors/pads look great.  i think the (original) rear drums and shoes are either shot, or we collected some mud/grit in them during the last river crossing and its created some deposits that maybe i can sand down.  i really hope its not a rear axle wheel bearing, but i don't think that's the case since the noise only happens under braking and there's none of the typical droning/humming aside from tire noise.  i'll have to get it up on jacks and try wiggling the rear wheels around to confirm.

yay 2019 old car problems!

[ScottyB]

whoops.  forgot the drive belts were original.  they were a little worse for wear.  i'm dumb.



replaced with Continentals that have a weird belt pattern but seem to run nice and quiet.


unfortunately there's 3 separate belts and you've gotta lift them over the viscous fan to fully pull them off.  gotta yank the radiator shroud which means pull the top rad hose and make a mess.


good old Lisle funnel to top the coolant back off with Peak Global Lifetime.  such a great little tool.


realized after the fact that both idler pulleys are sounding pretty tired.  i've got 2 replacements coming in and then that should wrap up the last of any nagging maintenance for the immediate future.  my Moog drag link and pitman arm are sitting on my toolbox along with the remaining lower balljoint for the driver's side.  2 big projects i'm going to have to face sooner than later.

[ScottyB]

EPILOGUE

as most of you know, stumbled onto a new car deal and frankly it was time to move on.  we were planning to do so in the next year anyway.  posted the X for sale on Facespace/Craigslist and had 3 buyers trying to schedule a test drive within the first hour it was posted.  alot of "whats your best price" and "can we see it right now i just need a car"....nobody really asked about the condition of it though.  nobody cared what it really was.  didn't feel right.

waited an extra day.  got a call from a guy that saw it on craigslist.  the only guy who took the time to call.  wanted to know all about it, was a car guy (had 12(!)) including owning a few Nissans.  found out he was a VT alum, which my wife immediately approved of, and intended to gift it to his niece who was smart, capable country girl who got herself into college but came from a family of limited means and couldn't find a decent set of wheels.  the Xterra was going to be given to her and greatly appreciated as it carried her through her next stage in life.  i found my guy.

and so its in her hands now, hopefully with at least another 150k left in it.  i've been told she's quite the tomboy and will probably off road it more than we ever did.  my boy cried on the porch and my wife hid in the kitchen and wept when the X drove away.  i stood in the driveway though, the sun felt good and i listened to it go around the intersection and then disappear.  

i was texted this pic when they surprised her with it the next day.  what a day it must have been for her.


it wasn't a great truck, but it never, EVER let us down in 12 years aside from a single no-start due to a drained battery (wife's fault). can't say i'll miss it, but i'll have good memories of it from that era of my life.

/end thread

[Sijray21]

That's awesome. I hope she lifts it and takes it rock crawling or something.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[Jake]

Love the epilogue, I'm sure she'll appreciate it and hopefully continue to use it as intended. On to making memories with the new one!

[ScottyB]

so, final epilogue to the epilogue. new owner apparently ends up parked a block over across from my wife's work everyday in the late afternoon, so she gets to drive by it on the way home most days. saw it again driving by us during a festival downtown. still has a few of our stickers on it so we can pick it out. small town life for you. just cool to still get a chance to see it.