Rory's 2006 Patrol

[rory]

Purchased a new roof top tent for the Patrol 2 weeks ago and put it on the following weekend.
Decided on the Featherlite T-Top due to its light weight and slimness.

Ran some power to the tent for a twin Narva USB charger and lights.

Decided on wiring an LED strip on the centre bar inside and a strip on the overhanging floor to light the ladder. Wired up 2 switches so that either will toggle both lights.

Also went on to rewire a lot of the rear of the Patrol since I was already half way there. Wired up a new fuse block in the draw wing with a new relay and relay block for the backup light. Also chucked some LED strip on my right side barn door in preparation for a rear door table.

Over the weekend just gone I got into building a rear door table.
Started with a sheet of aluminium that has been in the shed for years with dirt and corrosion galore and sanded it back to an acceptable level.

As I don't have a bender or a guillotine and I wanted this to be budget I used 20 x 20 x 1.5 aluminium angle from Bunnings for support around the edges and pop rivets to secure it to the sheet. I used 50mm hinges, 3.2mm stainless wire, and stretch loops from Bunnings as well. I grabbed some cable crimps from Jaycar and used them to hold the stainless wire to the table and the door. I put uncrimped M5 nutserts and washers in the panel holes that hold the trim above the door card to avoid drilling more holes than needed.

I had to trim the sheet down about 85mm width wise and about 45mm length wise so as I don't have the required tools, a star picket was used as a straight edge and a skinny grinder disk cut it to size.

Then It was a matter of drilling cutting and securing the sheet to the door

All said and done, for a shade over $50, I had a rear door table that is sturdy and can hold at least 1 Kelpie.

 

[rory]

Fixed the table because the crimps I had used didn't hold up to a Weber-Q plus me leaning on it to cut up stuff for dinner Luckily we had extra dinner and didn't brake anything.
I'm now using 100lbs nylon coated stainless steel fishing line doubled up for the stays on the table.

I also used the long weekend 2 weeks back to bleed all the brakes and clutch. Clutch slave had some crap in the bleeder but got it sorted in the end. No major improvement but a little better.
I also replaced the spotlight and LED bar switches to uniform the interior and put them in a better location.

I replaced all the earths as the factory one was cut to fit a lock out solenoid. It is now running a 0 gauge battery to body earth, 0 gauge body to engine earth.
The factory body to engine earth strap is now earthing the body to chassis to prevent any chance of the dreaded sub tank light.

After all of this, the poor main battery that came with the car, a Bosch S4 Ca-Ca battery, was still struggling to start the car, so eBay's 15% off deal came at the perfect time to get a pair of Optima D27 YellowTops, to replace the main and 2nd batteries, got them for $270 each delivered so no complaints. Engine winds over so much better now they are installed.

 

[wraith]

Don't know how I missed this thread. Looking good. You should look at upgrading your factory intercooler with this.

Nissan 4WD Intercoolers : GU Patrol 3.0L Intercooler Upgrade

Used to sell them and ran them on the work Patrol with the same motor as yours. Pricey but well worth it.

Super easy install.

 

[rory]

Don't know how I missed this thread. Looking good. You should look at upgrading your factory intercooler with this.

Nissan 4WD Intercoolers : GU Patrol 3.0L Intercooler Upgrade

Used to sell them and ran them on the work Patrol with the same motor as yours. Pricey but well worth it.

Super easy install.

I have been looking into replacing the intercooler, but I was more looking at the cheepies off ebay with welded end tanks, the factory ones are crimped which means they leak.
The Cross Country are an awesome but of kit though and bring down temps, but $1500 is a bit more than I want to pay really. Plus they have a history of telling people 4 weeks and making them wait 4 months.

I might have to keep an eye out for a second handy from Gumtree etc.

 

[wraith]

I wouldn't bother with eBay specials you will probably find them no more reliable then the factory unit. Didn't realise Cross Country were that unreliable. Has been a few years since I dealt with them but yeah.

 

[rory]

I wouldn't bother with eBay specials you will probably find them no more reliable then the factory unit. Didn't realise Cross Country were that unreliable. Has been a few years since I dealt with them but yeah.

Usually I would agree, but Nissan decided that crimping the end tanks was a good idea, think of it like trying to seal the bottom half of a coke can by squashing the middle to flat, not very effective.

The Patrol forum has a long history of people waiting much longer than quoted for big coolers for TD42s.

 

[wraith]

Yeah well aware of the stock coolers limitations. Like crimping plastic end tanks on radiators...

 

[enroh]

dont worry about upgrading the intercooler on the zd. It needs a TD42t or it aint a "real" patrol....

 

[rory]

dont worry about upgrading the intercooler on the zd. It needs a TD42t or it aint a "real" patrol....

True, I really think that in the next 10-20 years, the GU will be THE 4wd to engine swap. A V8 wouldn't be too bad under the hood either, plus it would get it moving.

How are your projects coming along mate? Still got the Patrol?

 

[enroh]

True, I really think that in the next 10-20 years, the GU will be THE 4wd to engine swap. A V8 wouldn't be too bad under the hood either, plus it would get it moving.

How are your projects coming along mate? Still got the Patrol?

Yeah i still have the mighty TD GU. It got reinstated as work ute/daily driver for the last 18mnths so not a huge amount has happened with it. Ive put a H260 diff in the rear and went 4.375:1 diff ratios in both and put it back on stock supension for now. Will be a bit more happening to it soon as Ill be using the missus' old echo as a daily driver for a while. As for the rest of the projects they are in various states of progress...(read nothing done for some time).