Hey sarek you need any amsoil for your rig lol?

If you want an offroader that performs as well as the X5 on road, get a Cayenne. It has a number of key features that are sorely lacking in the X5:

--Available air suspension can lift the car MUCH more than the system in the X5
--Comes with a low range and lockup feature in the transfer case
--Available with an electric locking rear diff, (quite rare though)
--Double sealed doors make it waterproof up to about the door handles

On road, a V8 "S" model is faster than a 4.6 or 4.8 X5, and considerably better riding. If that's not quick enough, you can get a Turbo. A Range Rover would be another superior option, and if you're looking for a used one, you can get one with many shared components as an E53 X5, including the same engine.

Face it, if you want to go off road, the X5 is the wrong choice. If all you want is to handle a gravel road, a set of all-terrain tires on the X5 should do it. I recommend the BFG Rugged Terrains. Comfortable on pavement, good in gravel and dirt, and decent in snow.

I have just realized all the mistakes I have been making! I should have started with a good off road platform like a "porsche". I will go buy a porsche for 3k and start over.........

Sarek,
Wow, thx for sharing the fun here. That pict of the empty carpet might even help some of us "normal" guys with fixing our stock wiring. Keep us posted on your progress!
J

does it have the stock differentials in the front and rear? what are those anyways on an X5 haha

how will you lock the diffs so that you get traction with wheels in the air?

Well in that price range, a Jeep Grand Cherokee would be a better starting point.

sick. how are you doing this. pics pleassseeee

Still stock diffs. 4.10 ratios front and rear. The x5 has what they call differential braking (like the range rover L322) where the the brake is applied to the wheel that lifts or slips off the ground to transfer power to the opposite wheel. This system works pretty well. You can have one front and one rear wheel off the ground and still move forward.

I guess u didn't pick up on my sarcasm

interesting...this would give you a nice bonus of open diffs on slush and ice but locked behavior for the one wheelin...this should be pretty bad ass..is that you in your avatar pic in the X5? so is this already a done deal or whats going on?

whats your plans for the suspension?