RainGoat

Tyler knows what he’s talking about & I agree completely. You might find that you don’t mind a little bit of lift. I have a 2002 Pathfinder that I bought new & have now notably modified. On the other hand, I also recently bought a 2002 QX4 which I want to keep OEM+. It has new KYB Excel G struts & new ARB OME HD springs in the front & used ARB OME MD springs with used Bilstein 5100s in the rear. It’s near level. I feel the front might be a tiny bit higher - if so, it could be due to the HD springs up front or that the MD springs in the rear are a little tired from hauling[mention=37543]TowndawgR50[/mention] trailer around for a couple years. (To be fair, everywhere I say “I “, it probably should be “we”, as he has helped me on virtually everything.) I’ll note I did need to use camber bolts on the Q with KYB-G struts. My Pathy with the same ARB OME HD springs but ARB struts instead did not require camber bolts; however, the Pathy has a 100# bumper on front. I think[mention=41900]Pathydude17[/mention] suggestion of a MD front spring would be a good choice for your goals. You should not need spacers on the suspension & you won’t need them on the wheel if you stay less than 31” tire diameter. I also replaced all my rear bushings with SuperPro poly from AC/4x4 parts. I drove my Pathy new & I have around 140K in the seat of an R50. The Q really drives wonderfully-definitely better than stock but in a refined, comfortable way. The Q’s lift is really minimal & suits it well. I’ll put on new Toyo AT3s this year but I intend to do “skinnies” to keep them within the fenders & a diameter no greater than about 30.5” so that the spare will fit underneath with my OEM hitch. Finally, I would encourage you to be open to some light offroading. These trucks are amazingly capable. I drove my Pathy stock over most of the CO passes as well as around the White Rim Trail & all over the SW. I traveled carefully as I was often remote & solo. My goal was to explore but I avoided body damage at all cost as I simply couldn’t afford it & I wanted my truck to look nice. You can treat your truck gently & still have some inspiring outdoor adventures. OME Springs Heavy Duty 2928 110-220# Spring Rate Medium Duty 2923 50-110# Spring Rate Light Duty 2921 Rear Medium Duty (2922) ARB

100% I test drove 2002 Pathfinders & 4Runners back to back in 2002 when I bought mine. The 4Runner was a disappointment in every way to me at the time. On the other hand, I thought the Pathfinder looked blasé but it’s engine, handling, AWD system & MUCH nicer interior & creature comforts sold it to me. As a consequence, I’ve never thought much of 3rd Gen 4Runners & have never regretted it. Had the 4th Gen 4Runner been out yet, I probably would have bought it. And I’m definitely not anti-Toyota, I have a 5th Gen 4Runner & LOVE the GXs.

What is BAT? Autotrader? I’ve used cars.com, autotrader, Craigslist & recently FaceBook Marketplace & OfferUp.

I may be working in Southern OR some & was considering something reliable that I was familiar with for a local car instead of a rental. [mention=37543]TowndawgR50[/mention] has been looking N Cal to PNW for a friend recently & is attuned to the market. The PNW is traditionally one of the most expensive new & used markets in the nation. This was backed up when I ran a nationwide spread sheet on 2012 & 2013 Infiniti G37xS back in 2015. I also bought a new 2018 4Runner & negotiated in Toyota’s PNW, Intermountain & Upper Midwest markets, ultimately ordering out of KCMO. I literally saved several thousand dollars on each vehicle. We bet we could resell that beige 2001 for $6,000-6,500 in the Seattle area with no problem. My cut point was about $5,400 because, if I changed my mind, I felt I could still recoup sales tax, auction fee, gas & insurance at that level without any concern. I was hoping it would go for $6,500-8,000 so I wouldn’t feel bad. I wouldn’t buy one from a dealer but there are ones with twice the miles being sold as high as $8,000 here.

Looking at the website, it’s also of note that you have to pay them a couple hundred as a fee on top of the price. It’s probably my least favorite color & a shame it has the ‘01 16” wheels instead of the ‘02 17” wheels. Plus, it’ll need a couple hundred for the power valve fix. Overall, the condition looks pretty good though those hood paint defects really demonstrate how well the hood deflector has preserved my own truck. The leather seats are surprisingly worn for 70K. Also interesting to me to see all the little tweaks they made for ‘02, like the steering wheel, grill, seat buckle retainers, & hatch wind deflector. The hood insulation is far more complicated & extensive than mine. Did ‘01 LE’s not come with a matching alloy spare?

Another great area is West of Boulder, UT & the Burr trail - particularly the Wolverine Cyn areas. I also really enjoyed “Behind the Swell”, NW of Hanksville as well as the area E of there from the Horshoe Cyn unit down through the Maze & further South. Finally, lots off of Hole in the Rock Rd S of Escalante. Summer is probably going to be too hot, even for an Arizonan. September & October are better though you occasionally have to watch for rain. Don’t be anywhere in Cyn Country with rain upwatershed from you. Several years ago we were deep in the Wolverine area, noted clouds higher in the watershed & retreated. That afternoon/evening two separate groups drowned in flash floods.

http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/topic/17104-threadlocker-on-power-valve-screws-pics/page-1

Definitely hit Wire Pass if you’re in that area of S UT/N AZ. It’s a great little Cyn hike that intersects with Buckskin Gulch. Very high bang for your buck. (I have some pics near the start of my IG feed - pretty easy to identify)

The primary purpose of that wind deflector is to blow air over your rear hatch glass to help keep it clear of dust. When I only ran load bars it was really quite effective. Not so much now. Admittedly, mine was mistakenly installed upside down in this pic. That’s what I get for doing a late night reinstall.

infamous double post

Yeah, the rear wind deflector is probably more trouble than it’s worth but I too like the aesthetics & have kept mine. It’s functionality, however, is greatly diminished with a low mounted ROLA rack. It looks like that’s the older separate pylon version instead of the one integrated into the glass hatch.

Common problem starting after 75K. Ultimately, you’ll probably need to do all 4 but I’d do it piecemeal. The post Cat ones are a cake walk, the pre Cat ones are not fun at all. Usual failure code is “Heated O2 Sensor” O2 Sensors Bank 1 = 1 Passenger Bank 2 = 2 Driver Sensor 1 = 1 Before Catalytic Sensor 2 = 2 After Catatlytic

Interesting battery box. Was that off the shelf or a DIY?

Actually, this is a significant issue in 4Runners. Their stick alternator definitely doesn’t fully charge an AGM. Consequently, there are all kinds of gimmicky things you can buy to increase the voltage. I have an Optima 150-40000 Digital 400 12V Performance Maintainer and Battery Charger that I’ve been using on my 3 vehicles& an extra deep cycle house battery I have. My experience is that all the batteries are at ~75% when I plug them in to maintain & condition them about every 1-2mo. Here’s one if those AGM voltage boosters - though there are many more. Somewhere else on NPORA is a thread I started on the topic. IIRC the consensus opinion was that the Pathfinder OEM alternator charges to a higher voltage that the T4R & there was alot of speculation that these were either unnecessary, snake oil, or even damaging. AGM Voltage Booster https://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/216665-voltage-booster-31m-agm-battery.html ArcLight Voltage Booster $55 OEM/+0.5v/+1v https://www.arclightleds.com/collection/dual-state-voltage-booster-5th-gen-4runner-fj-cruiser-pg2tb-brs6a

Ha ha, I’m not going even going to pretend otherwise- fantastic!

Yeah, it’s the integration of the mattress as a whole single unit which sets it apart from anything over here.

For all us non-Australians “ANZAC is an acronym for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, a grouping of several divisions created early in the Great War of 1914–18”

I like it alot! With a family of 4 & a dog, alot of my gear ends up on the roof these days - a world different from when it was just my wife & me. It’s alot of weight that gets thrown around & after 2 decades of running light, I can certainly feel it. One advantage of the longitudinal aluminum roof rails is that they distribute the roof weight over their entire bottom surface (408 square inches 2x 3”x68”- not counting the 4 plastic end pieces which slot in. And yes, I’m in the sciences & realize just how stupid it is that the US doesn’t use metric, even England largely abandoned the Imperial measurement system). It’s alot of area - though it has the same 12 bolts. One problem you help alleviate though is concern about roof flex. I limited my rack to 8 connections to the rails - though that’s arguably too many. Four is probably ideal to five 2 axis flex rotation but I’d use all six, as you did, for strength. It’s a great look. We salivate here when we see the ads from Australia & NZ for such great gear at reasonable prices. BTW, swags are essentially unknown here in the States. I only know the term from some Aussie friends & YT overlanders.

So I’ve spent alot of times with the rails as I bolt into them for my rack & I want to elevate and level it. Not only do the aluminum gutter rails have rocker (or curvature), it’s asymmetric along its length. I do not think you will find a matching curvature on another vehicle. The SE style long elevated rails with only feet in the front & back might work but it would be tough matching up the mounting points.@Fr8Train in Australia has made an alternative. I like the concept but think I would want some sort of wider base to distribute the weight to the roof in a more distributed and laterally broader fashion. That said, his might work fine - it certainly looks good. As an FYI, you will probably end up having to pull your headliner to secure it.

In general, love the out of the box innovation. A couple questions meant in the spirit of perfecting this approach. Don’t you worry the supporting piece resting against the rain gutter will eventually wear through the paint & maybe even metal. I expect you’ll see vibration for sure & maybe even flex. Also, what about lateral support? It seems like you’ll only have 1cm wide bases in six places to counteract any tendency to crumple sideways, it seems like it could be alot of pressure/weight per unit area with very little lateral resistance. Love the clean look & more expeditionary styling. Keep us posted over the months & years. This is the kind of conversion I would consider.

Ha ha, those cases. I hate that they are black plastic instead of something light colored for contrast - because otherwise, they are irresistible for the price & functionality. I have several filled with Pathy parts in my garage.

I feel like I’m auditing a Master’s course!

Sounds like a great answer. Even new they’d probably be reasonable. Really wish we had the Patrols here. The current Pathfinder Armada is supposed to be close to the same but it’s just not like those older Patrols.

Always fun to have some Aussies on here. You’ll find you have much better aftermarket support domestically than we do in the States. We also only have the petrol engines 3.3VG & 3.5VQ. There are a few other Australians & some Kiwis on here but you should also look at the PCoA forum which is Australian. I find it interesting & you’ll probably find some of your more regional questions answered there. Welcome!

Look at you, plugging away!