Wide Body Nissan Frontier D40 Pre Runner Build

Even though not the most popular truck on the road, Nissan Frontiers have always been a go-to platform for off-road enthusiasts, mainly because it offers solid 4×4 capabilities (especially in the Pro4x package) and versatility of a conventional truck at a reasonable cost.

Being good-looking and often a more affordable option than similar mid-size trucks, the Frontier has also gained a pretty good aftermarket support over time. Even though it’s not as widely supported as a Tacoma or Jeep, you can still find plenty of components to fit into your build plan without the need to do R&D and fabricate stuff.

This awesome-looking red Nissan Frontier D40 is owned and built by Andre Knowles. Throughout 2-3 years of ownership, he went a long way in taking this truck from a bone-stock pickup to a solid, functional desert pre-runner.

Pre-runner Off-road Build

As with any pre-runner build, the suspension played a very important role in this project.

To gain additional travel and improve articulation, Andre installed tubular uniball upper control arms, CJD boxed lower control arms, and Radflo coilovers. At this stage, the rear suspension remained relatively stock with only the addition of CJD lift shackles.

To accommodate bigger 33-inch tires and widened long-travel suspension, Andre decided to install a widebody front clip made of fiberglass along with the hood and bedsides. This really drove that aggressive wide-body pre-runner look home.

The low-hanging stock front bumper was replaced by a tubular high-clearance pre-runner style front bumper by DesertRunner. On the bumper and on the sides of the hood, you’ll see Baja Designs amber off-road lights that look just right in combination with blacked-out aftermarket LED custom headlights by Spyder.

List Mods

Suspension

• Titan swap front end
• Tubular uniball UCA
• Cjd boxed LCA
• Radflo coilovers
• Rear CJD lift shackles

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Wheels

• 285/70R17 Tires (33″)
• XD4 Rims

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Exterior

• DesertRunner Deluxe Prerunner Style Front Bumper
• Custom rear tire carrier
• Fiberglass hood, fenders and bedsides
• Spyder Black LED headlights
• Baja Designs Off-road Lights

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Performance

• Intake Throttle body and manifold spacers
• Custom exhaust
• Bully Dog tuner

Conclusion

Even though the D40 model has been replaced by the newer D41, its design continues to age remarkably well, plus the aftermarket support doesn’t seem to fade out.

With careful planning, Andre has successfully built an impressive Nissan Frontier pre-runner that looks stunning in red with all its modifications. Fortunately, most components—from the long-travel suspension parts to the fiberglass and body armor—were readily available from the aftermarket suppliers with only the rear bed-mounted spare tire carrier requiring custom fabrication. So if you’re wondering whether the good old Frontier is still worth it, this build proves that it’s still got plenty of life and potential left in it.