Jump to content

Coil-Spring Mod Warning


Guest ewolf
 Share

Recommended Posts

My man, no Pathfinder EVER came with rear leaf springs from the factory. That is the most moronic thing I've heard recently. They have always been coil-spring equipped and it is NOT an aftermarket upgrade. The guys at Firestone are dumber than a bag of hammers.

 

Frame rust is a very common problem in areas that get a lot of snow and road salt. Caveat Emptor...you bought it.

 

Just because the guy had on a uniform and a wrench in his hand doesn't mean he's automatically right.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That booger-welded thin plate is going to re-rust and start falling apart just as badly as the frame was before you touched it. Welding that on like that is just inviting trouble. It's not even fully welded around all the edges...look at how many places there are right there for salt and water to get back into the old rusty area. I seriously hope you're going to do something else to cover that up, cause it's not fixed by any stretch of the imagination as it sits.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest ewolf

Hmmm... OK. So maybe they are full of spit... Seemed like a reasonable explanation, though.

 

But riddle me this, Batman: why is the frame ONLY rusted there and so thoroughly rusted at that? (powdery, crumbly, etc). There is some rust on the spare tire-carrier, hitch bar, etc. I thought at first that the prior owner used it to put his boat into the ocean and regularly backed the truck into the water and never washed it off.

 

I guess my dilemma is that the frame is so incredibly rusted there and the body looks perfect as well as most of the rest of the car...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest ewolf

Any thoughts on how to better fix this, then? I really need to get a few more years' use out of this truck. It won't be spending any significant time in high-rust areas though. It'll be in Tennessee for the next two years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

the only real way to cure it is to cut it all out, and rebuild the frame with tubing of roughly ... the other option is to cut out a good portion of frame from another Pathfinder and patch it to yours, but you would have to cut it back to about halfway down the middle of your rig ...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest meuon

I'm the welder.. (and an admitted amateur) - I would think we would have noiticed cut off leaf spring mounts, glad to find out we didn't miss things that were not there. Coil springs are a common "upgrade" on Jeeps, so I can ALMOST forgive the Firestone guys.. but just almost. Jeep != Pathfinder even to the blind. Laughing.

 

As for 'seamless weldiing'.. It's a thick plate of high grade steel (not mild steel) and I think it'll hold well, but as many holes as were in that frame from the factory, sealing up everything like a true 'box frame' is laughable. It would be a good idea to wire brush it all clean again and spray some 'undercoat in a can' or POR-15 or phosphoric acid (makes iron phosphide out of iron oxide) on everything exposed. As for removing the body and fixing the frame correctly... a poor return on investment unless you can afford to not drive the truck daily and can do it all yourself, with shop space, etc.. I'd have to say it was a good very cheap pseudo-temporary fix.

 

And I had to go look.. my abused 84/86 full size Bronco, left many summers without it's top on it, and fully immersed in water often) has no appreciable rust. Hmm.. :crazy:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

you know whats odd chiltons repair manual says that some pathfinders came stock with spring and leaf systems there was a whole how to repair page on them? :huh:

Um, is your Chilton's a combined manual for both Hardbody pickups and Pathfinders? To my knowledge, Hardbody's had the leaf spring set-up but Pathy's used only coil spring suspension, as 88Path and others have said.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

the chilton's i have stated Pathfinder im pretty shure i know and belive you that pathfinders never came with spring leaf and i know about hardbodys having spring leaf i just thought it was odd i might be reading it wrong but it looked like a Pathfinder in the diagram and showed a spring leaf

Link to comment
Share on other sites

you know whats odd chiltons repair manual says that some pathfinders came stock with spring and leaf systems there was a whole how to repair page on them? :huh:

yet another reason to turn your chilton's manual into ash.

I have always had bad results with those frellin' aftermarket repair manuals. 'Tis now why I insist on a full set of factory service manuals with any vehicle I buy new or try to get my hands on a set if I buy used.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

those are pretty red "X"s

Weird, I'll try again...

(Deleted previous post)

 

The rust on the frame is very common in these Pathfinders. Here's mine.

 

Before:

405441_29.jpg

 

After:

405441_31.jpg

 

There are more pictures of my repair HERE

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:o

 

I'm gonna take a look at mine ASAP!

 

My insurance policy was cancelled 'cause they found rust using a microscope to exam the photos from the VIN at the frame...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest WhiteNismoPathfinder95

All Hardbodies had leaf springs, all Pathfinders had a multilink w/ coil setup.....this is because a person can load down a truck bed with quite a bit (cant exactly put a 4-wheeler in a Pathfinder, and still tow a trailer) and the coils cant handle the stress that the leaf-springs can handle. after looking at all wd20/21 factory service & parts manuals, and speaking with a certified Nissan tech (my family owns the local Nissan dealer) this can be verified.....er go, your chilton manual is either trash, or you have the pickup/Pathfinder manual...which is also trash

 

what is the fire-tire man smokin, anyway?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But riddle me this, Batman: why is the frame ONLY rusted there and so thoroughly rusted at that? (powdery, crumbly, etc). There is some rust on the spare tire-carrier, hitch bar, etc. I thought at first that the prior owner used it to put his boat into the ocean and regularly backed the truck into the water and never washed it off.

 

I guess my dilemma is that the frame is so incredibly rusted there and the body looks perfect as well as most of the rest of the car...

Look where it is at, right where the rear wheels would be throwing up salt and road grime. My guess is the p.o. never bothered to clean the frame out and so that is where it rusted. Makes me sad that people will care enough about their car to wash and wax the exterior but have no idea what the underside looks like, where as I'm the exact opposite :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks to all for posting this rusting issue. I hadn't paid too much attention but, sure enough, there is just a tad of rust starting there. Nothing bad, just surface flaking and stuff, but better to tackle it now. :aok:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...
Any thoughts on how to better fix this, then? I really need to get a few more years' use out of this truck. It won't be spending any significant time in high-rust areas though. It'll be in Tennessee for the next two years.

 

Just take the body off and find another frame thats good cut it down reweld... Or rework new tubes but you will have to pull up the body in the butt end!

 

Wow thats some rust!!!! :o

 

Prevention paint your frame/ and clean it // pressure wash in the salty seasons! :blink:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...