Co-opski’s Last Frontier Build

[Co-opski]

Well I’ve been on here long enough that I should get a build going on my truck. Nothing exciting but many of you have been helpful in answering questions I have had along the way. I have been in Alaska for about 7 years and I have been slowly exploring the road system and building the truck as a daily driver and weekend explorer.

About myself; I live with my partner in a small dry A-frame cabin in Girdwood. She is a biologist and artist and snowboard instructor. I’m what they call a specialist and I find myself in and out of the office. I have this thing for collecting old wooden skis and bamboo poles. In the winter I'll be out in the mountains backcountry skiing with the telemark technology while Mrs Co-opski splitboards. I have been volunteering in the winters with Challenge Alaska in the adaptive skiing program at Alyeska. In the spring we will be at all the birding hotspots whether it is high mountain passes counting raptors in their migration or in tidal flats glassing for peeps. Mrs. Co-opski leaves for the summers as she is working in remote locations for her bird work. In the summer I poke around on my ridged single speed MTB or vintage road bike and now and then I take out my cruiser, or I find myself paddling in my cedar strip canoe in the lakes and streams around southcentral. I do have a thing about billy goating up in the alpine with friends and I find myself bagging peaks around the Kenai. In the summer I'm also am out collecting wild foods (berries, nettles, mushrooms and salmon) and growing my own in my garden is the source of my subsistence food that I try to make a big part of my diet. That sums up what this greenneck neo-rustic ski bum does in Alaska. So now I'll start with the truck.

OWNER: Co-opski
LOCATION: Girdwood, AK
PURCHASED: July 2007 with 74,000 miles
YEAR: 2000, October 1999 build date
MAKE: Nissan
MODEL: D22 Frontier SE Crew Cab
PAINT CODE: 999PP-VSCVO
ENGINE: VG33e 3.3L V6 SOHC producing 170hp at 4800rpm with 202 lb-ft at 2800 NGK wires, NGK Laser Iridium plugs, Wix oil and air filters, AEM CAI, Mobil One winter: 0w-30 summer: 10w-30
TRANSMISSION: 4-Speed automatic RE4R01A, 4wd, removed two piece driveshaft and carrier bearing with 2004 Nissan Dana-Spicer one piece drive shaft, new Spicer 1310 U-joints filled with Amsoil Synthetic Polymeric Truck Grease NLGI#2, Amsoil ATF Torque-Drive in the pan
REAR DIFFERENTIAL: HG46 LSD 4.60 Amsoil Severe Gear 75W-90
SUSPENSION:FRONT: Bilstien HD shocks and torsion bars indexed 1” higher
REAR: Rancho RS5000 Shocks and Old Man Emu heavy leaf pack from the D21 Hardbody Part #CS031R and Energy Suspension bushings to make the pack fit.
GVWR: 5200lbs
GVWF: 2850lbs
TIRES: Summer 235/85r16 BFG AT KO load range e (with two spares 6 total). Winter 235/85r16 Nokian Hakkapeliitta LT10 triple carbide studded load range e.
WHEELS: Summer Izusu Trooper 16”x7” alloy wheels with 38mm back spacing and 6 bolt on 5.5 lug pattern. Winter stock Nissan wheels 16”x7” 6 on 5.5.
BRAKES: preventative maintenance Nissan rotors and calipers Napa pads and Amsoil Dot 3 fluid.
STEERING: Amsoil ATF Torque-Drive
Total Chaos Idler Arm Brace. http://www.chaosfab.com/nissanaccess.html
Bandit 4x4 Idler arm bronze bushings http://www.bandit4x4.com/
Grassroots 4x4 aka Hoohaa centerlink http://www.grassroots4x4.com/
Moog TRE ES3660 and ES3661
AC Heavy Duty tie rod adjusters https://www.4x4parts.com/nissan/heav...rs-p-6361.html
AC Bilstein steering dampener stabilizer
https://www.4x4parts.com/nissan/bils...it-p-2240.html
ELECTRICAL:Scan Gauge II http://www.scangauge.com/
Ram Mount Garmin CSx60 hardwired into electrical
Panasonic DMC-TS1 Lumix shock, dust and water proof camera.
Small inverter for charging
Diehard Platinum battery group 34 with milspec terminal clamps.
Susquhanna Motor Sports (SMS) Switched to power headlight wiring harness. HL282S http://www.rallylights.com/detail.aspx?ID=3730
RECOVERY:fire extinguisher
48" Hi-Lift mounted to bed
Black Diamond Tele-bobcat snow scoop.
BFG Firefighting Shovel
GM/Chevy HD 2500 tow hooks mod to front bumper. http://www.nissanoffroad.net/how_to/...k/tow_hook.asp

OTHER:De-flared fenders, removed step rails and wind deflector
Philips Weather vision plus 9004 bulbs with extras in pelican case
Yakima X-towers Rack above cab
ARE MX Canopy with wingdoors http://www.4are.com/product/mx/
Yakima Rack on canopy
4 Yakima 66 inch crossbars
Thule expedition box in Realtree Camo
Husky Liners front and back http://www.huskyliners.com/Custom-Molded-Floor-Liners
Marathon Realtree Duck Blind Camo seat covers http://www.marathonseatcovers.com/ca...eat-covers.php
Small Action Packer with tool kit
Summer: Jerry Mortenson from Osseo, MN cedar strip canoe and Sage fly rods
Winter: Moment Comi skis, 22designs Axls or Moment Bibby Pros, 22designs Axls.
FUTURE MODS:
KMA Multi-Carrier Rear Bumper
Shrockworks Front Bumper
Shrock Skids
Shrock Sliders
Winch
Nismo exhaust
LED interior lights Off road trailer
Vent visors
Viking Offroad recovery kit
Viair on-board air

[Co-opski]

General preventative maintenance includes; full synthetics in engine, ATF, differentials, transfer case, and power steering fluid. Wix filters, NGK wires and iridium plugs, Nissan distributor and rotor, timing belt, water pump, serpentine belts, thermostat, brake rotors, calipers, and pads.


The first thing that I added to the truck was an ARE MX camper shell. I got the sliding front window and two wing doors. I outfitted the topper with a Yakama rack four landing pads in the tracks and 66” bars on top. Thule ski box in factory Mossy Oak camouflage.



Maggie (2005-2010) I sure miss my big baby girl.

[Co-opski]

Then I got the Old Man Emu bug and I added the heavy duty leaf pack to the rear with new OME u-bolts and Energy Suspension poly bushings. OME did not make a spring for the D22 Frontier so I ended up ordering the spring for the D21 Hardbody CS031R and I had to order different bushings from Energy Suspension to make this application fit. Rancho RS5000 shocks on all four corners, and then I went with the BFG AT/KO in the once popular size 235/85r16.

[Co-opski]

I then started to upgrade the electrical system with a Diehard Platinum Group 34 battery with the military specification terminals.




Lastly I have done the air box modification by removing the three silencers freeing up some space under the hood for future projects.

[Co-opski]

I just returned from a trip around the Denali Hwy and the environment helped me de-flare the truck (3 out of 4 are now gone). My question to all of you is if I should replace the flares or fill the holes in the fenders? I’m running 235/85 on a 7 inch rim with 4.5 inch of backspacing, so they do not need the flares. I’ll post up some pictures soon.

[Co-opski]

From the Denali Hwy run. See the TR:http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/44364-Denali-Hwy-solo-5-27-5-31

[BlueBomber]

does your state require the wheels to be inside the body? In some places it illegal to have the tires extend outside of the wheelwells. Also, do you like the way they look? If they dont bother you, Id keep em.

[Frankspinz]

You'll at least want some mud flaps. The gravel roads will sandblast the paint right off your truck !

[Co-opski]

Thanks Frankspinz that is what I have done for now. I have de-flared the truck and put on some mud flaps. I will be looking at getting the holes filled soon in the back and new fenders in the front. I'll keep you posted.

[Co-opski]

I’m taking my truck into have my ARE MX cap looked at for warranty service. I hope that it is not a major pain for either of us. The cap is separating from the passenger side front rails that are clamped down to the bed rails. I noticed that the cap was loose and I went to check the clamps and they were tight. My stomach dropped because I knew this could be a big problem. This cap has been the single most expensive accessory that I have added to the truck and I feel that it is necessary to have a shell for my needs in this climate. Other problems that I will have them check out are the locks that have a 3 year warranty and the rear lock for the tailgate window not work at this moment. I will post up some pictures of the craftmanship that failed soon.