Greetings all just purchased my Xterra, wanted some input.

how limited am I for off roading???

there really is no way someone can "tell" you. every situation is different, depending on angles, terrain, weather, etc, etc.
the only way you'll know for sure is if you take your xterra out and test it.
carefully of course. go to an xterra meet and learn with people who have experience. there're plenty of 2wd's that go.

I got my start with SCCX out there in the hills east of San Diego. I recommend getting a good tow strap and going out with a few 4WDs until you learn your limitations. You can only do so much with 2WD, but you can definetly have FUN in your Xterra!
http://home.bellsouth.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=330&groupID=137550&folderview=list&ck=

My first Xterra was a 4x2, and I've taken it to terrain that was 4x2 friendly and also some 4x4 trails...I did learn the hard way though and went to trails that I knew I shouldn't have gone in the first place and gotten stuck...like Deep Sandy Beaches and deep loose rock trails...from experience, you'll learn what your 4x2 Xterra can do and can't do and go from there...words of wisdom : NEVER, I repeat NEVER go offroading alone...if possible, if you know some buddies with a 4x4, tell them to go with you.... and put some Tow Hooks on your X, take along a Tow Strap, and a Shovel...I know it sounds like I am scaring you away from off-roading, but I am speaking to you from experience.... I got stuck one time at a rock trail, without any attached tow hooks, tow strap or shovel, a 4x4 came by to help me but none of us had a tow strap or anything...ended up calling a tow truck and $100 less in my pocket...Just know your terrain and like I said go with friends...Good Luck...

Thanks for all the great input...will definitely look into a tow hook and straps..I don't know if it's just me, but for some reason after buying my X I've been having this urge to drive offroad, go over a curb, sidewalk...

don't follow those urges to run over sidewalks and curbs. makes suv's look bad and we don't need another reason for those fucking ELF assholes to get their panties in a bunch.
i only hop curbs if it's necesary. like when i'm turning into a parking lot and the entrance is taken up by some riced civic taking the driveway at an angle to avoid scratching his bodykit.

Thanks Xorand for the info. and the recommendations. checked out the pics looks like some good fun off roading...so there is still hope for us 4x2...

If one 2x4 hooks up to another 2x4 facing away from each other, do they become a 4x4?

I agree that one of the best things a 2wd can do to improve capability is tires. I had the stock grabbers for about 2&1/2 years, then I got a great deal on some 31" BFG All-Terrains. For a while I wasn't sure how much better they were, I knew they felt more stable onroad and offroad, but wasn't sure if they were worth it... But this past weekend I finally got a great chance to test them. I just installed some new aux. backup lights and wanted to go out and test them when it got dark, so I found a trail that I play on sometimes. It had already rained pretty hard, but my girlfriend and I went driving around and all of the sudden it just starts pouring bad and I get a little nervous because I know momentum is good... but I also know that at some point I'm going to have to stop and turn around. So I get to that point and they do just fine! We're talking messy mud. I turn the X around, slipping just a little, to be expected, but I get it turned around and get out without a single problem. So anyways, long story, but just saying that tires make a HUGE difference in my experience. I would have been slipping around everywhere with the grabbers.

i believe that would make a 8x4 .

haha :p

Yeah, I did it the opposite way have how you should do it... I trimmed my fenders and stuff... then resorted to raising the torsion bars. Should have gone ahead and raised them then cut from there, oh well, live and learn. Can't remember how far I lifted it, but I think it was about an inch or so. My Xterra seems to have about the least amount of stock lift. Every X I pull up next to seems higher than mine . Oh well. Hope to do more to it suspension wise soon.

Just for clarification: Don't buy TOW straps to get out of stucks. You need a RECOVERY strap.

Tow straps have a colored thread running through the middle that will show when the strap is overloaded. They are not for pulling trucks out of stucks.

Xorand,
I like your pics.