D40
NAVARA
WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY WES WHITWORTH
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A D40
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• Known suspension
• Soft rear
How to build a HiLux-beating
D40 Navara, direct from the
blokes who own ‘em!
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Brought to you by:
ESSENTIAL OWNER’S GUIDE
U LTI MATE BUYING
NISSAN NAVARA D40
BUI LD THE
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I
f you’re looking for a ute
you can use for work, but
still drag through the
mud on the weekend,
there’s not a lot that
stacks up next to the big D40
Navara.
With their solid petrol and
diesel V6’s and in-line 4 cylinder
diesel donks, the Nav’s have a
fair amount of grunt to throw
around. Couple that up with the
7 speed auto in the ST-X 550 and
you’ve got a solid platform for an
all-rounder.
But, like all 4WDs, they’ve got
their weaknesses too. What
goes wrong with them, and what
are the tricks to getting the
most out of ‘em? To find out, we
caught up with a few blokes
who’ve built up some tough as
nails Navaras and Ben Lavis
from Drivetech 4×4. IS THIS 4WD FOR YOU?
Being an IFS front truck, the D40 handles exceptionally well on
the black top, and even better in the scrub. It just needs to be
driven a little more carefully and the driver a little more picky of
the lines they take. Easy and cheap suspension upgrades and
engine components make it a solid base to start from, and a
comfortable and capable all-round tourer.
CLUTCH FAILURE
Making the D40 a little easier to drive, Nissan has equipped the
D40 with a dual-mass flywheel and softer clutch pressure plate.
With some clutches in the D40 having worn out within 15,000km
due to the softer pressure plate and flywheel warping. Ensure
that the clutch bites well, and the pedal is smooth the whole way
to the floor. It appears that Nissan have fixed this issue as there
hasn’t been as many issues with the later model D40s.
WHAT CAUSES THE ISSUE
The dual-mass flywheel is essentially two thinner flywheels
joined with a rubber matt between them, which takes up some of
the shock when operating the clutch. The rubber matt has been
known to split, and also as the two flywheels are thinner than a
single flywheel, they are susceptible to warp due to the heat.
COST TO GET IT FIXED
Typical costs for a new dual-mass flywheel and a heavier duty
clutch kit is north of the $3000 mark including labour. However
there is a standard single mass flywheel conversion available
from Drivetech 4X4, which should set you back about $2000 with
a heavy-duty clutch kit.
HOW TO HAGGLE
AND BUY A BARGAIN
What to look for when
shopping for a d40 nav
BONNET LOCK RECALL
Nissan recalled the D40 Navara for an issue with the bonnet
latch. A run of the Navaras had an issue with the latch popping
over hard corrugations. Nissan has resolved this issue with a
latch strap, which you attach to the front apron whilst putting the
bonnet down. Get in touch with Nissan and see if yours is in the
run that has this issue and is under the current recall. Some of
the R51 Pathfinders were also recalled for the same issue.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Get in touch with your local Nissan Dealership and have them run
the VIN number to see if your Nav is effected under the recall.
COST TO GET IT FIXED
Being a recall, whether you’ve bought this new or used, Nissan will
cover the costs of the strap and labour under the recall scheme.
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THROTTLE LAG
The YD25 4-cylinder has been known to be a little slow on pick up
with the drive-by-wire throttle setup. Installing a Windbooster
throttle controller will help stop any lag. The system is plugged into
the drive-by-wire plug at the top of the throttle pedal, with a control
module you can mount on the dash for different throttle modes.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
If you find the D40 to be a little slow on pickup and a moments
hesitation between throttle input and engine response, it might
be worth looking into one of these solutions.
COST TO GET IT FIXED
You can pick up the Windbooster throttle controller for around the
$200-$250 mark, and installation is simple plug and play.
ESSENTIAL OWNER’S GUIDE
NISSAN NAVARA D40
ESSENTIAL MODS
AND UPGRADES
SUSPENSION LIFT
2in lift and a set of decent 33in rubber will get you up in the air
running tracks with the best of ‘em, but still keep good on-road
characteristics and use as a work horse.
HOTSIDE TURBO PIPING
It’s worth thinking about fitting an aftermarket hot-side
intercooler pipe as the factory pipes have a habit of perishing,
and being somewhat restrictive. It will make the Nav boost
smoother and the pipe will never blow out.
EXHAUST SYSTEM
An aftermarket exhaust system is a must for the D40s as the
factory systems are restrictive. A full three-inch system on the
2.5L four-banger from turbo back is the order of the day. Making
sure the system starts at the turbo instead of the bottom of the
dump pipe ensures he gets maximum exhaust flow, as some of
the factory dump pipes are very restrictive.
UNDERBODY ARMOUR
For underbody protection it’s worth fitting up an aftermarket
bash plate under the front diff, sump and gearbox. This is
invaluable for when out rock crawling, to save you dinting or
puncturing anything under the front of your truck. Drivetech 4x4 have just released a range of underbody armour in partnership
with Rival that is more than tough enough for the job.
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NISSAN NAVARA D40
ESSENTIAL OWNER’S GUIDE
WHAT MOD CAN’T THE
TRUCK LIVE WITHOUT?
Most people think if you have a factory fitted snorkel the air intake
system is water tight, which is rarely the case. On the outside
these snorkels look the part, but it only takes a thimble of water
to kill a diesel engine, and you’ll find where the factory snorkel
passes through the inner guard there is only foam there to seal it.
The best thing to do here, is to remove the foam, and get it sealed
up nice and tight with some silicone, or replace it from the airbox
with an aftermarket snorkel. Drivetech 4x4 have a new range of
Safari Snorkels that are definitely worth checking out.
ADVICE FROM THE OWNERS
NEXT LEVEL MOD
After you’ve completed the mandatory suspension lift, one of the
best mods you can do is a replacement hot side hose from your
turbo to your intercooler. The factory pipes are somewhat
restrictive and have a habit of blowing out. Not something you
want to happen when out on the tracks. This mod will get your
truck breathing just that much better, and more reliable for those
long trips away from home and civilisation.
We spoke with Tim Mundt, Scott McGeachie and Chris Hole, all
owners of built D40s for some tips, tricks and ideas on how to
modify your D40 to outwheel a HiLux.
1
2
3
Get a throttle controller. The factory fly-by-wire throttle is
slower than a wet week!
Get a hot pipe on the intercooler as soon as you can. It helps
with boost and wont perish.
Use a good quality fuel filter – cheap knock offs won’t hold
fuel pressure and you’ll need to prime the fuel system every
morning!
4
5
Make sure you get the bonnet latch checked for the recall.
Can be deadly if it pops up at the wrong moment.
The Spanish and Thai built models do have differences and
will affect which bolt on parts you use. Specifically the
bullbar mounts are different between the models, so you’ll need
to know which one you’ve got, before ordering a bar.
6
When you bolt up an exhaust system and install a chip, make
sure you clean the Mass Air Flow sensor. They’ve been known
to run very rich if this is not done.
7
If lifting bigger than 4in in the suspension, get a set of
wedges to reallign the rear pinion. Otherwise you’ll get
massive vibrations when driving.
8
The front diffs have weak star gears. Best way to fix them is
get a locker in the front whether air activated or electric as
soon as you can.
9
The rear LSD in the D40 are a solid unit, however after a bit
of abuse the clutch packs have been known to wear. A quality
diff workshop will be able to build it up nice and tight for you.
10
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There are two rear diff centres used between the models
of the D40 – keep this in mind when ordering gear sets
or lockers.
WHAT YOU SHOU LD PAY
2007 Nissan Navara D40 Dual Cab RX
2.5L Turbo diesel: $16,000 – $18,600
2009 Nissan Navara D40 Dual Cab ST-X
2.5L Turbo diesel: $19,900 - $22,500
2012 Nissan Navara D40 ST-X 550
3.0L Turbo diesel: $38,900 - $42,600
SPECIFICATIONS
ENGINES
PETROL:
• 3954cc DOHC V6
198kW @ 5600rpm/385Nm @ 4000rpm
DIESEL:
• 2488cc DOHC common-rail 128kW @ 4000rpm/403Nm @ 2000rpm 106kW @ 4000rpm/356Nm @ 2000rpm (Single cab models)
140kW @ 4000rpm/450Nm @ 2000rpm (2010 – on)
• 2991CC DOHC common-rail
170kW @ 3750rpm/ 550Nm @ 1750rpm
TRANSMISSIONS:
Manual – Six-speed
Automatic – Five-speed
Automatic – Seven-speed (ST-X 550 only)
SUSPENSION:
Front – Double wishbone – coil over struts, anti-roll bar
Rear – Leaf springs, rigid live axle
BRAKES:
Front – Ventilated discs
Rear – Leading and trailing shoe drums
TOWING:
3000kg max (braked)
FUEL CAPACITY:
80L
DIMENSIONS/CAPACITIES:
HEIGHT: 1895mm
WIDTH: 1767mm
LENGTH: 5220mm
GROUND CLEARANCE: 190mm
KERB WEIGHT: 1850kg
GROSS VEHICLE MASS: 2805kg (2860kg - ST-X 550)
PARTS &
SERVICING WITH
In the market for a D40 Navara? They’re tough-as-nails tourers,
but there are a couple of bits of gear they’ll need that are worth
knowing the price of, so you can haggle the asking price down.
Here are the most common bits of gear that Ben at Drivetech 4×4
says are sold for the D40:
Heavy Duty Single Mass flywheel conversion: from $2,060
CLUTCH KIT (DUAL-MASS, 2.5TD): $750.00
WATER PUMP (2.5TD): $155.00
VISCOUS FAN COUPLING (2.5TD): $205.00
FILTER KIT (06-ON, SPANISH-BUILT): $91.00
FILTER KIT (06-ON, THAI-BUILT): $81
FUEL MANAGER KIT (ALL MODELS): $309.00
REAR WHEEL BEARINGS (ALL MODELS): $180.00ea
Suspension Lift Kit: from $1,345.
Rival Underbody Armour Kit: $889
Safari Snorkel: $420
SumoSprings airless airbags: $795
To find your nearest stockist,
visit www.drivetech4x4.com.au.
CON TAC T
DRIVETECH 4X4
PH: 1800 463 646
www.drivetech4x4.com.au
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