bijanjames
Adventurer
Sweet trucks.
2002 Pathfinder (R50) Overland Build
- Thread starter duke90
- Start date
stioc
Expedition Leader
wow that's quite a transformation! I really like that someone was able to figure out how to attach the OEM carriers to the newer trucks. I'd always suspected it'd be possible but never pursued it. Much cheaper and lighter alternative to a custom bumper. How exactly is it attached, do all R50s have the gussets and nuts pre-installed behind the fenders?
I'd be interested in hearing how the lokka works for you.
I'd be interested in hearing how the lokka works for you.
The complete journey: http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/topic/40367-r50-tire-carrier-mod-lets-settle-this/
I used blind nuts (aka rivet nuts), and that's it. I chose not to reinforce the area after weighing some options and thinking about the curvature of the brackets in conjunction with the blind nuts. R50's that came with a carrier did have reinforcement metal with integrated nuts; the reinforcement metal was slightly thicker than body metal and welded in place. Non-carrier R50's had nothing.
With carrier full open and tire installed, I've been able to hang from the very end of it...that's about 350 lbs. The carrier is actually still pretty heavy, I'd guess somewhere in the 60-lb area, but I didn't weigh it.
I've yet to give the Lokka a good test, but he and I crawled around briefly through some dirt and a decently steep dirt incline, and he went up it like it was flat. I may eventually rebuild his LSD for more break-away, since I just picked up another LSD locally and will probably also increase mine. Goal is GoneMOAB 2016.
If you're on the bubble about the Lokka...for the next few days (maybe 9 more?), "Path15" at Lokka.com is good for a $250 Lokka, courtesy of an R51 guy who arranged a group buy for the R180 folks (yes, we have the R200...he convinced Lokka to allow older Pathfinders). We paid closer to $400, so get on it.
Duke and I have been talking about a SoCal run in the next month or so. We should see about getting some others out.
I used blind nuts (aka rivet nuts), and that's it. I chose not to reinforce the area after weighing some options and thinking about the curvature of the brackets in conjunction with the blind nuts. R50's that came with a carrier did have reinforcement metal with integrated nuts; the reinforcement metal was slightly thicker than body metal and welded in place. Non-carrier R50's had nothing.
With carrier full open and tire installed, I've been able to hang from the very end of it...that's about 350 lbs. The carrier is actually still pretty heavy, I'd guess somewhere in the 60-lb area, but I didn't weigh it.
I've yet to give the Lokka a good test, but he and I crawled around briefly through some dirt and a decently steep dirt incline, and he went up it like it was flat. I may eventually rebuild his LSD for more break-away, since I just picked up another LSD locally and will probably also increase mine. Goal is GoneMOAB 2016.
If you're on the bubble about the Lokka...for the next few days (maybe 9 more?), "Path15" at Lokka.com is good for a $250 Lokka, courtesy of an R51 guy who arranged a group buy for the R180 folks (yes, we have the R200...he convinced Lokka to allow older Pathfinders). We paid closer to $400, so get on it.
Duke and I have been talking about a SoCal run in the next month or so. We should see about getting some others out.
stioc
Expedition Leader
I didn't realize the factory swing-out gate was 60lbs. I also wouldn't have thought at first guess that rivnuts in the sheet metal would be enough to support that much weight but if you can test it with 350lbs of static weight that's good enough in my book and he sheet metal in those spot seems to be double or tripple thickness anyway. Good discovery!
I don't have a need for a front locker but that's a really good price on the lokka, when I contacted them a couple of years ago the best they could offer me was $425 shipped.
A SoCal Pathy run would be great, you can call it Gone DeathValley as it's fairly central for both SoCal and NorCal
I don't have a need for a front locker but that's a really good price on the lokka, when I contacted them a couple of years ago the best they could offer me was $425 shipped.
A SoCal Pathy run would be great, you can call it Gone DeathValley as it's fairly central for both SoCal and NorCal
It is good to see that folks are still doing the SFD on these trucks, I always loved that lift. The lift blocks you built are like my first design but your steel looks thicker and your in the anti-rust area of the country so you shouldn't have problems, but I had some cracking between the block and flat plate with that design.
Speaking for duke90...
I pulled his and mine from some 96-00 Pathfinders, then added in a bunch of new and thicker discs from Nissan. The disc/plate arrangement doesn't match anything that came stock on any Nissan, but it proved to be a bit tough dialing in the numbers and staying cost-effective...a .1mm in thickness was making a 200-ft-lb difference at one point. It was kinda crazy, but I must've assembled both rears over a dozen times to get them to even out. I have another LSD from a WD21 should I plan on rebuilding mine.
Thanks for the heads-up, system-f. I like the SFD approach as well. I thought I was actually somewhat unique with this design when I had these made (it really does work out great for installation), but I just saw the other week that you had the same design when you resurrected one of your other threads. Also saw the failure video, not fun. Pretty cool work you've done there, though.
I did go with .250" steel for both the flat stock and square tube for these spacers, and had them welded by a local steel and machine shop. I'm looking into having some other components made locally from laser-cut components, and the subframe spacers may see some improvements if it's cost effective. The idea in mind would be the same design, but keyed components for interlocking welds.
I pulled his and mine from some 96-00 Pathfinders, then added in a bunch of new and thicker discs from Nissan. The disc/plate arrangement doesn't match anything that came stock on any Nissan, but it proved to be a bit tough dialing in the numbers and staying cost-effective...a .1mm in thickness was making a 200-ft-lb difference at one point. It was kinda crazy, but I must've assembled both rears over a dozen times to get them to even out. I have another LSD from a WD21 should I plan on rebuilding mine.
It is good to see that folks are still doing the SFD on these trucks, I always loved that lift. The lift blocks you built are like my first design but your steel looks thicker and your in the anti-rust area of the country so you shouldn't have problems, but I had some cracking between the block and flat plate with that design.
Thanks for the heads-up, system-f. I like the SFD approach as well. I thought I was actually somewhat unique with this design when I had these made (it really does work out great for installation), but I just saw the other week that you had the same design when you resurrected one of your other threads. Also saw the failure video, not fun. Pretty cool work you've done there, though.
I did go with .250" steel for both the flat stock and square tube for these spacers, and had them welded by a local steel and machine shop. I'm looking into having some other components made locally from laser-cut components, and the subframe spacers may see some improvements if it's cost effective. The idea in mind would be the same design, but keyed components for interlocking welds.
Which failure video, when the front fell off? That was not a failure of the SFD but instead a failure of the operator (me) and a cut I made years before in the unibody. Had the unibody not been compromised I would have never SASed the truck and would still have the SFD...it always did everything I wanted. Regardless, we were able to weld up the truck and drive it 1100 miles home...through some pretty spectacular Arizona weather (snowstorm in Payson)
I'm not sure if it is worth the effort to have a shop make up your lift blocks unless you plan on selling them. The blocks you have look plenty good to the eye plus functional and are easy to inspect. Also, I welded mine back in 2005 before I had taken welding classes.
Since your in AZ you should look at the Arizona run this year which has been moved to August. I think we are doing the North Rim/Utah. Check out Nissan4wheelers.com
I'm not sure if it is worth the effort to have a shop make up your lift blocks unless you plan on selling them. The blocks you have look plenty good to the eye plus functional and are easy to inspect. Also, I welded mine back in 2005 before I had taken welding classes.
Since your in AZ you should look at the Arizona run this year which has been moved to August. I think we are doing the North Rim/Utah. Check out Nissan4wheelers.com
Ah, missed that. I thought it was an issue with the strut spacer, but I knew it wasn't pretty.
I plan to sell them. I don't have the means or time currently to do them myself, but I've been meaning to move this forward for others looking for 2-4" SFDs that work with other lift types (smaller spacers, lift springs, etc.), similar to how I did ours. But, I also have a few other projects in mind that would benefit from laser cutting and other welding tasks (ask duke90...he knows all about them!).
I've been thinking about the AZ run; I've read up on them over the years, but didn't get back into the Nissan scene until the other year. I used to follow those guys on some forums long ago, and even met some at some point (if Desert Rat still has the H233B on his Frontier, it's likely the one I sold him). But for now, duke90 and I are trying to prep for GONEMoab in May. I was glad to see he got the truck out and tested it finally; we still need to fix his winch. We were supposed to run Crown King when we installed everything, but time ran short.
I plan to sell them. I don't have the means or time currently to do them myself, but I've been meaning to move this forward for others looking for 2-4" SFDs that work with other lift types (smaller spacers, lift springs, etc.), similar to how I did ours. But, I also have a few other projects in mind that would benefit from laser cutting and other welding tasks (ask duke90...he knows all about them!).
I've been thinking about the AZ run; I've read up on them over the years, but didn't get back into the Nissan scene until the other year. I used to follow those guys on some forums long ago, and even met some at some point (if Desert Rat still has the H233B on his Frontier, it's likely the one I sold him). But for now, duke90 and I are trying to prep for GONEMoab in May. I was glad to see he got the truck out and tested it finally; we still need to fix his winch. We were supposed to run Crown King when we installed everything, but time ran short.
I love Crown King, haven't been up there in years.
I made two kits without the steering extension and sold them years ago. When I built the lift blocks I used the same design you have except I added supports on the outside. The bolts were easy to access compared with a piece of 2" by 4" but they were strong...very skookum. Getting the angle right on the strut lift was a pain with the simple tools I had. Laser cutting the strut spacer end pieces will make the setup very easy. I think I still have a 1/4" strut spacer that came from 4x4 parts that would make the perfect template.
I think I still have a 1/4" strut spacer that came from 4x4 parts that would make the perfect template, but the pic below shows how I originally did it.
After 2011 the Arizona runs turned into overland trips far more focused on scenery than knarly trails (which I am done with). Desert Rat does still have his h233b, but the pinion bearing just died and he had it rebuilt. He has really beaten on that axle.
If you want any more pictures of my lift just look in the root for the pics above. Take what you need, I never patented the idea because the Japanese came up with it first.
I made two kits without the steering extension and sold them years ago. When I built the lift blocks I used the same design you have except I added supports on the outside. The bolts were easy to access compared with a piece of 2" by 4" but they were strong...very skookum. Getting the angle right on the strut lift was a pain with the simple tools I had. Laser cutting the strut spacer end pieces will make the setup very easy. I think I still have a 1/4" strut spacer that came from 4x4 parts that would make the perfect template.
I think I still have a 1/4" strut spacer that came from 4x4 parts that would make the perfect template, but the pic below shows how I originally did it.
After 2011 the Arizona runs turned into overland trips far more focused on scenery than knarly trails (which I am done with). Desert Rat does still have his h233b, but the pinion bearing just died and he had it rebuilt. He has really beaten on that axle.
If you want any more pictures of my lift just look in the root for the pics above. Take what you need, I never patented the idea because the Japanese came up with it first.
East Coast Overland
Adventurer
Pathy looks good! Wish I lived that close to Hawairish to give me a hand sometimes lol
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