My 2001 Pathfinder (R50 ) mild/budget build

[stioc]

Good vehicle to build on, if/when I get a pickup truck it would be to put a FWC camper on it.

 

[stioc]

Finished the CV and axle install on the passenger side this weekend. Have a slight positive camber and the CVs are extending too far, especially the passenger side and will probably bind under full droop. The camber is easily fixable by slotting the strut holes but the CVs I'm thinking of either putting the sway bar back on that may help limit the wheel travel but then I give up the smoother ride over rough terrain and some articulation. Or the other option is to machine down the 1" spacers to .75". Decisions...I wish someone made a 2" SFD kit I'd be all over it.

Here're the pics of the strut mount as promised.

Stock:

Pressing out the studs:

Welding the new hardware:

Finished product:

 

[richard310]

wow that's a thick piece of machined aluminum!

 

[Weekender41]

Looking back on it, If I could have gotten a 3" SFD I would have gone back and do that in a heartbeat. As for the sway bar, I am really glad I put it back on. Sure it is not as smooth as it once was but there is ZERO body sway and I don't have to worry about the CV boots popping out anymore. Both of them have popped out now. The driver side bottom one and the passenger top one. Flings too much grease once they pop. Either way its looking good.

 

[stioc]

Yeah that's exactly what I'm leaning towards as a quick and easy fix for now. Now, if I can remember which side the sway bar goes up lol

I took some fresh measurements last night. I'm at 36.25" and 36.5" front (L and R). In the back I'm at 36.5" both sides.

Remember this from about 2 months ago when I installed the AC springs and I measured the height at 36" in front? Well I'm sad to say that they've sagged down to 35" and that's with the OME spacers The rear is just a hair lower than 35". So far it's still about 1" higher than my OME MD springs but I was REALLY hoping they would stay at 35.5" at least. On the positive side the ride has become a bit better- which is what prompted me to check the ride height again.

Just for comparison looking back on page 38 I posted some measurements soon after I did the AC springs install with 31" tires. So now with the spring spacers and 32" tires I'm only about .25" to .5" or so higher.

 

[Weekender41]

Yeah that's exactly what I'm leaning towards as a quick and easy fix for now. Now, if I can remember which side the sway bar goes up lol

I took some fresh measurements last night. I'm at 36.25" and 36.5" front (L and R). In the back I'm at 36.5" both sides.



Just for comparison looking back on page 38 I posted some measurements soon after I did the AC springs install with 31" tires. So now with the spring spacers and 32" tires I'm only about .25" to .5" or so higher.

Wait.... The side that goes up matters? .... Crap. I placed the numbers etched into it facing so they can be read correctly when looking head on to the vehicle. Page 38? That's way long ago!
Anyways you have probably gotten a lot more opportunities to get those springs tested out than me. With all the snow we have had this winter, I have only taken the new coils off-roading maybe 4 times?

 

[stioc]

I looked at the sway bar last night but didn't see any etching. However, I think I know which side goes up. If your's had etched numbers on it then it sounds like you put it on the correct way.

I put these AC springs on back in March of 2013; one year's worth of fully loaded trail runs. So once again I'll be pulling the struts out this weekend to fix the camber issue. It's not a job I enjoy but I find myself doing it too darn many times lol

 

[Allof75]

I just removed my sway bar this weekend to access the bushings, it pretty much only fits one way, so I wouldn't worry too much.

And just out of curiosity Stioc, when you do remove them, do the struts themselves seem to be in good shape? I ask because I'm trying to eliminate the possibility that the struts on mine are what's causing the crunching sound. I realize I put on quite a few more miles since installation than you, but you typically go over harsher terrain.

Thanks

 

[Weekender41]

I just removed my sway bar this weekend to access the bushings, it pretty much only fits one way, so I wouldn't worry too much.

And just out of curiosity Stioc, when you do remove them, do the struts themselves seem to be in good shape? I ask because I'm trying to eliminate the possibility that the struts on mine are what's causing the crunching sound. I realize I put on quite a few more miles since installation than you, but you typically go over harsher terrain.

Thanks

Only fits one way? If you look how it mounts, Then rotate it 180 degrees perpendicular to that it would look the same but the bottom has become the top and vise versa. Take the small ends and rotate them around and It would be hard to tell the difference. Unless I completely missed what you are saying, and don't put that past me

 

[Allof75]

Only fits one way? If you look how it mounts, Then rotate it 180 degrees perpendicular to that it would look the same but the bottom has become the top and vise versa. Take the small ends and rotate them around and It would be hard to tell the difference. Unless I completely missed what you are saying, and don't put that past me

Not quite, in its shape, in order to mount it, there is only one possible way to put it on, that in my eyes it would fit and wouldn't rub anything. When I tried putting it on the wrong way, not only did the bushings have to be turned around, but it would rub with other components including the axles, steering arms, and others.

 

[Weekender41]

Not quite, in its shape, in order to mount it, there is only one possible way to put it on, that in my eyes it would fit and wouldn't rub anything. When I tried putting it on the wrong way, not only did the bushings have to be turned around, but it would rub with other components including the axles, steering arms, and others.

Ill need to check it out! Good heads up.

 

[stioc]

@Allof75, the struts were in great shape when I removed them, no leaks, scratches etc even though my bumpstop+boot has been all torn up for a while (original).

@weekender41, the sway bar definitely has a top and bottom because of the shape but if you put it on wrong as Allof75 said you'll likely hit something. I just put mine back on last night along with new endlinks I'd bought some time ago.

OK so here're my two issues and I'm a bit frustrated about them. The alignment first, I thought there was enough room to slot the strut holes as others have done but there's not enough clearance on these newer KYB struts. Here's a pic another member posted:



So the knuckle is already touching the strut, slotting the holes won't help. I tinkered with the alignment last night and the closest I was able to get the driver's side (didn't do passenger side) to about +.75deg which is the max spec limit, I have a feeling the passenger side will be more like +1.25deg. Personally I would like it to be 0.

The second issue is the CV axles are binding on turns (while driving) and on full droop. I personally think it's the Oreilly Parts axles and not the cv angles- I measured the angle on full droop and it was 28deg or so. Supposedly the working limit is 30+deg. So I'll have to return them and either rebuild my current ones or try another brand, perhaps NAPA. The ones I got from Oreilly are: "60-6185 MasterPro® CV - CV Axle Shaft"

Gah I hate these annoying little sorting issues I loved how the AC springs made the truck look when I first installed them but now after settling I feel it needs a small lift. The 1" spacers does make it look better (could still use another 1" or so more IMHO) so I'd hate to remove them to correct these problems. I think there's a 2-2.5" SFD somewhere out there calling my name

 

[Rebelord]

I remember quite a few people on NPORA having issues with non OEM cv axles binding.

BTW, read your posts about your height measurements. Decided to measure my truck. I'm on Ironman springs with 1 1/2" strut spacer. Rear loaded with 200 lbs of tools.
34" Front L/R. 34.5" Rear L/R. Then I remembered your tire size. Do your tires measure a full 32" My street tires I am on now. Fronts measure just 28" rears, 28.5". Fronts are worn a lot more than the rears. Which if your tires do measure a true 32" thats the 2" height difference between your AC lift and my Ironman with spacers.
^^^ Just a observation I made. (My springs did settle, but within the first month. Have held up to a lot of abuse since then. Heavy weight in back of truck plus heavy trailering etc.)

 

[stioc]

Sounds like the measurements are pretty close. The measurements I posted are with the 1" NX4 spacers in the front and 1" plastic spacers in the rear. My tires measure 30.5" in real life (installed and on the ground). However, also keep in mind the flares and body style are slightly different between our trucks so not sure if the readings are apples to apples?

Did you ever rebuild your CVs? I may have to go that route.

 

[Allof75]

Measurements between pre and post-facelift models will not quite add up as a point of reference.

As far as axles, have you looked into AutoZone? If I'm not mistaken they offer lifetime warranties on them... What exactly was the issue with the stock axle again?