The second generation 2005-2015 (N50) Nissan Xterra has very limited space under the hood and once an intake, winch relay control box, etc. are added there is almost no room left for something like the ARB Twin Compressor. Amplifiers and/or subwoofers are often installed under the driver and passenger seats leaving the trunk as the only suitable location often. After looking around and finding no mounting solutions for the trunk side walls, we decided to fabricate our own.
Our ARB Twin Compressor mount for the 2005-2015 (N50) Nissan Xterra was designed using FreeCAD and is machined right here in the USA using a Langmuir MR-1 CNC machine. The mount is extremely solid as it is made from 11-gauge plate steel (1/8” inch thick) and mounts to the driver’s side trunk wall to the metal frame of the body behind the plastic. Unfortunately, there are no existing bolt holes or mounting locations to secure this plate so holes must be made through the plastic of the trunk wall so plus nuts can be installed to the metal behind using a plus nut tool. However, our kit allows you to do this without having to remove any of the factory plastics making the installation process much easier.
Note, this kit requires you to own/purchase a plus nut installation tool for 5/16" 18 TPI plus nuts to complete the installation! Additionally, a drill, 1/8" drill bit, 7/16" drill bit, and 1 1/8" hole saw are required. Please review the manual below for a step by step of the installation and make sure you are comfortable with the installation process and have the tools required.
XCM-1 Xterra Compressor Mount Manual
If you do not have a plus nut installation tool and need to purchase one, this inexpensive tool from Amazon will do the job just fine and as a bonus, includes 16 rivet nuts (which can be used in lieu of plus nuts if desired) and a step bit to drill the holes needed.
Rivet Nut Installation Tool Set for 5/16-18 Rivet NutsEach kit includes:
- 1 - Compressor mounting plate
- 5 - 5/16-18 plus nuts
- 5 - 5/16-18x4-1/2" hex bolts
- 5 - 5/16" flat washers
- 5 - 5/16" lock washers
- 5 - 5/16" internal lock washers
- 15 - 3/4" black nylon spacers
The compressor mount plate is 21.5" wide and 10" tall and has more than enough room to accommodate the ARB twin motor compressor, ARB air manifold, both a front and rear air solenoid with room to spare for other attachments. This is a very solid mount and it's completely quiet. There is zero rattle of the mount during operation of the compressor and while driving around town or bouncing around in the woods. We've been very happy with these mounts, and we think you will be too!