finally made it.....
well my family and I and my 04 SE Off-Road made the trip from Alaska to Michigan to North D. to Wyoming and all went well (besides one of my tires) here is some of my points from the trip also there is just a few pics below since I didn't want to take up storage space for the website....
Pros:
1. The power did great especially with all the weight I had in the truck
2. Strong windshield (with stood some big hits from stones)
3. great 4x4 and tc in the snow and on the ice
4. The strong alloy 17" rims (see below in Cons)
5. down shifting on mountain declines (some 6,7,and 8% grades), the trans did great to slow down the truck when the brakes were hot and the road conditions weren't ideal.
6. Interior space
7. Gas usage, I thought this was going to be on the cons but I was surprised
Cons:
1. My BFGoodriches did great traction wise but one didn't last in the -40 degree (w/out wind-chill) weather in TOK, Alaska so I had to drive 5 miles with my truck loaded with weight to a service station since my roadside assistance couldn't get a tow truck to my location until 8 hrs. The rim held up, the tire shredded to millions of pieces and left a trail. At the service station I used the full size spare (sidebar..way to go Nissan with the same rim not a steel one like most trucks do on their full size spare tires.) Of course because of the weird size of my off road bfgoodriches I had to settle for a used 245/75/17 to stick on my old rim and use it as an emergency spare and that by the way wrecked havoc with the tire sensor.
2. in a couple of mountain passes in Idaho and Wy where there was some strong crosswinds my door sounded like it was jarring open. I figure this a weather stripping issue but not sure if anyone else has had this problem.
3. Brakes but that is with any heavy truck towing in mountains in Montana.
SOME THINGS I FOUND OUT......
-The spare tire has the same factory rim as my other tires unlike many old steel rim spares of other trucks.
-when I first bought the truck I figured the location of the 4 gear was bad but it turned out to be helpful and easy on mountain passes.
-I hope Nissan gives 05 and on two adjustable roof rack bars on the back instead of one, no car top carriers could fit it.
-come on BFGoodrich I lost one tire and the others were low on air in -40 weather get with the program -
-Nissan who did the weather stripping on your 04 armada's KIA....
-is it me or does my electronic seat have a mind of its own many times I return to the truck and the seats back has moved up....
-Oh yeah one more thing Nissan have you shipped any armadas to the northwest 'cause not only did I see very few I got
a lot of rubbernecking on the highway when I passed people.....
