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WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY WES WHITWORTH

D40 NAVARAHow to build a HiLux-beating D40 Navara, direct from the blokes who own ‘em!

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•OneofthemostcapableIFStrucks

•Comfortableandcapablefullsizeute

•Cost-effectivefortheweekendwarrior

•Knownclutchissues

•Softrearsuspension

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Ifyou’relookingforauteyoucanuseforwork,butstilldragthroughthemudontheweekend,there’snotalotthat

stacksupnexttothebigD40Navara.

WiththeirsolidpetrolanddieselV6’sandin-line4cylinderdieseldonks,theNav’shaveafairamountofgrunttothrowaround.Couplethatupwiththe

7speedautointheST-X550andyou’vegotasolidplatformforanall-rounder.

But,likeall4WDs,they’vegottheirweaknessestoo.Whatgoeswrongwiththem,andwhatarethetrickstogettingthemostoutof‘em?Tofindout,wecaughtupwithafewblokeswho’vebuiltupsometoughasnailsNavarasandBenLavisfromDrivetech4×4.

BeinganIFSfronttruck,theD40handlesexceptionallywellontheblacktop,andevenbetterinthescrub.Itjustneedstobedrivenalittlemorecarefullyandthedriveralittlemorepickyofthelinestheytake.Easyandcheapsuspensionupgradesandenginecomponentsmakeitasolidbasetostartfrom,andacomfortableandcapableall-roundtourer.

IS THIS 4WD FOR YOU?

HOW TO HAGGLE AND BUY A BARGAINWHat to Look for WHeN sHoppiNg for a D40 Nav

NissanrecalledtheD40Navaraforanissuewiththebonnetlatch.ArunoftheNavarashadanissuewiththelatchpoppingoverhardcorrugations.Nissanhasresolvedthisissuewithalatchstrap,whichyouattachtothefrontapronwhilstputtingthebonnetdown.GetintouchwithNissanandseeifyoursisintherunthathasthisissueandisunderthecurrentrecall.SomeoftheR51Pathfinderswerealsorecalledforthesameissue.

WHAT TO LOOK FORGetintouchwithyourlocalNissanDealershipandhavethemruntheVINnumbertoseeifyourNaviseffectedundertherecall.

COST TO GET IT FIXEDBeingarecall,whetheryou’veboughtthisneworused,Nissanwillcoverthecostsofthestrapandlabourundertherecallscheme.

BONNET LOCK RECALL

TheYD254-cylinderhasbeenknowntobealittleslowonpickupwiththedrive-by-wirethrottlesetup.InstallingaWindboosterthrottlecontrollerwillhelpstopanylag.Thesystemispluggedintothedrive-by-wireplugatthetopofthethrottlepedal,withacontrolmoduleyoucanmountonthedashfordifferentthrottlemodes.

WHAT TO LOOK FORIfyoufindtheD40tobealittleslowonpickupandamomentshesitationbetweenthrottleinputandengineresponse,itmightbeworthlookingintooneofthesesolutions.

COST TO GET IT FIXEDYoucanpickuptheWindboosterthrottlecontrollerforaroundthe$200-$250mark,andinstallationissimpleplugandplay.

THROTTLE LAG

MakingtheD40alittleeasiertodrive,NissanhasequippedtheD40withadual-massflywheelandsofterclutchpressureplate.WithsomeclutchesintheD40havingwornoutwithin15,000kmduetothesofterpressureplateandflywheelwarping.Ensurethattheclutchbiteswell,andthepedalissmooththewholewaytothefloor.ItappearsthatNissanhavefixedthisissueastherehasn’tbeenasmanyissueswiththelatermodelD40s.

WHAT CAUSES THE ISSUEThedual-massflywheelisessentiallytwothinnerflywheelsjoinedwitharubbermattbetweenthem,whichtakesupsomeoftheshockwhenoperatingtheclutch.Therubbermatthasbeenknowntosplit,andalsoasthetwoflywheelsarethinnerthanasingleflywheel,theyaresusceptibletowarpduetotheheat.

COST TO GET IT FIXEDTypicalcostsforanewdual-massflywheelandaheavierdutyclutchkitisnorthofthe$3000markincludinglabour.HoweverthereisastandardsinglemassflywheelconversionavailablefromDrivetech4X4,whichshouldsetyoubackabout$2000withaheavy-dutyclutchkit.

CLUTCH FAILURE12

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ESSENTIAL MODS AND UPGRADES

2inliftandasetofdecent33inrubberwillgetyouupintheairrunningtrackswiththebestof‘em,butstillkeepgoodon-roadcharacteristicsanduseasaworkhorse.

SUSPENSION LIFT

It’sworththinkingaboutfittinganaftermarkethot-sideintercoolerpipeasthefactorypipeshaveahabitofperishing,andbeingsomewhatrestrictive.ItwillmaketheNavboostsmootherandthepipewillneverblowout.

HOTSIDE TURBO PIPING

Forunderbodyprotectionit’sworthfittingupanaftermarketbashplateunderthefrontdiff,sumpandgearbox.Thisisinvaluableforwhenoutrockcrawling,tosaveyoudintingorpuncturinganythingunderthefrontofyourtruck.Drivetech4x4havejustreleasedarangeofunderbodyarmourinpartnershipwithRivalthatismorethantoughenoughforthejob.

UNDERBODY ARMOUR

AnaftermarketexhaustsystemisamustfortheD40sasthefactorysystemsarerestrictive.Afullthree-inchsystemonthe2.5Lfour-bangerfromturbobackistheorderoftheday.Makingsurethesystemstartsattheturboinsteadofthebottomofthedumppipeensureshegetsmaximumexhaustflow,assomeofthefactorydumppipesareveryrestrictive.

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Mostpeoplethinkifyouhaveafactoryfittedsnorkeltheairintakesystemiswatertight,whichisrarelythecase.Ontheoutsidethesesnorkelslookthepart,butitonlytakesathimbleofwatertokilladieselengine,andyou’llfindwherethefactorysnorkelpassesthroughtheinnerguardthereisonlyfoamtheretosealit.Thebestthingtodohere,istoremovethefoam,andgetitsealedupniceandtightwithsomesilicone,orreplaceitfromtheairboxwithanaftermarketsnorkel.Drivetech4x4haveanewrangeofSafariSnorkelsthataredefinitelyworthcheckingout.

WHAT MOD CAN’T THE TRUCK LIVE WITHOUT?

WespokewithTimMundt,ScottMcGeachieandChrisHole,allownersofbuiltD40sforsometips,tricksandideasonhowtomodifyyourD40tooutwheelaHiLux.

1Getathrottlecontroller.Thefactoryfly-by-wirethrottleisslowerthanawetweek!

2 Getahotpipeontheintercoolerassoonasyoucan.Ithelpswithboostandwontperish.

3 Useagoodqualityfuelfilter–cheapknockoffswon’tholdfuelpressureandyou’llneedtoprimethefuelsystemevery

morning!

4 Makesureyougetthebonnetlatchcheckedfortherecall.Canbedeadlyifitpopsupatthewrongmoment.

5 TheSpanishandThaibuiltmodelsdohavedifferencesandwillaffectwhichboltonpartsyouuse.Specificallythe

bullbarmountsaredifferentbetweenthemodels,soyou’llneedtoknowwhichoneyou’vegot,beforeorderingabar.

6 Whenyouboltupanexhaustsystemandinstallachip,makesureyoucleantheMassAirFlowsensor.They’vebeenknown

torunveryrichifthisisnotdone.

7 Ifliftingbiggerthan4ininthesuspension,getasetofwedgestorealligntherearpinion.Otherwiseyou’llget

massivevibrationswhendriving.

8 Thefrontdiffshaveweakstargears.Bestwaytofixthemisgetalockerinthefrontwhetherairactivatedorelectricas

soonasyoucan.

9 TherearLSDintheD40areasolidunit,howeverafterabitofabusetheclutchpackshavebeenknowntowear.Aquality

diffworkshopwillbeabletobuilditupniceandtightforyou.

10 TherearetworeardiffcentresusedbetweenthemodelsoftheD40–keepthisinmindwhenorderinggearsets

orlockers.

ADVICE FROM THE OWNERS

Afteryou’vecompletedthemandatorysuspensionlift,oneofthebestmodsyoucandoisareplacementhotsidehosefromyourturbotoyourintercooler.Thefactorypipesaresomewhatrestrictiveandhaveahabitofblowingout.Notsomethingyouwanttohappenwhenoutonthetracks.Thismodwillgetyourtruckbreathingjustthatmuchbetter,andmorereliableforthoselongtripsawayfromhomeandcivilisation.

NEXT LEVEL MOD

2007 NISSAN NAvARA D40 DUAL CAb RX 2.5L turBo DieseL:$16,000–$18,600

2009 NISSAN NAvARA D40 DUAL CAb ST-X2.5L turBo DieseL:$19,900-$22,500

2012 NISSAN NAvARA D40 ST-X 5503.0L turBo DieseL:$38,900-$42,600

WHAT YOU SHOULD PAY

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ENGINESpetroL:• 3954ccDOHCV6

198kW@5600rpm/385Nm@4000rpm

DieseL:• 2488ccDOHCcommon-rail

128kW@4000rpm/403Nm@2000rpm106kW@4000rpm/356Nm@2000rpm(Singlecabmodels)140kW@4000rpm/450Nm@2000rpm(2010–on)

• 2991CCDOHCcommon-rail170kW@3750rpm/550Nm@1750rpm

TRANSMISSIONS:MaNuaL –Six-speedautoMatic –Five-speedautoMatic –Seven-speed(ST-X550only)SUSPENSION:

froNt –Doublewishbone–coiloverstruts,anti-rollbarrear –Leafsprings,rigidliveaxlebRAKES:

froNt –Ventilateddiscsrear –LeadingandtrailingshoedrumsTOWING:

3000kgmax(braked)FUEL CAPACITY:

80LDIMENSIONS/CAPACITIES:

HeigHt:1895mmWiDtH:1767mmLeNgtH:5220mmgrouND cLearaNce:190mmkerB WeigHt:1850kggross veHicLe Mass:2805kg(2860kg-ST-X550)

SPECIFICATIONS

InthemarketforaD40Navara?They’retough-as-nailstourers,butthereareacoupleofbitsofgearthey’llneedthatareworthknowingthepriceof,soyoucanhaggletheaskingpricedown.HerearethemostcommonbitsofgearthatBenatDrivetech4×4saysaresoldfortheD40:

Heavy Duty siNgLe Mass fLyWHeeL coNversioN:from$2,060cLutcH kit (DuaL-Mass, 2.5tD):$750.00Water puMp (2.5tD):$155.00viscous faN coupLiNg (2.5tD):$205.00fiLter kit (06-oN, spaNisH-BuiLt):$91.00fiLter kit (06-oN, tHai-BuiLt):$81fueL MaNager kit (aLL MoDeLs):$309.00rear WHeeL BeariNgs (aLL MoDeLs):$180.00easuspeNsioN Lift kit:from$1,345.rivaL uNDerBoDy arMour kit:$889safari sNorkeL:$420suMospriNgs airLess airBags:$795to find your nearest stockist, visit www.drivetech4x4.com.au.

PARTS &SERVICING WITH

DRIvETECH 4X4pH:1800463646www.drivetech4x4.com.au

CONTACT

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