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My Pathy project - Lifting


ramdala
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I'm just brainstorming ideas of how to lift it. For the front I pretty much know the options due to having struts up there, but if I can fab a jeep coil to work for me in the rear, then my options open up immensely. There are a lot more Jeeps in my local 4x4 group than anything else, so maybe theyve got some old lift coils that they dont need, and I can use em for me~ If they dont need their old 4" lift coils, and I cut the tails off it to use in mine, then I essentially might end up with a 2ish inch lift for me. Plus if they're older they wont settle any more than the day I put them in (theoretically). I'm at 15-year-old-saggy-spring-height right now, so anything's better than that.

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So we cut off the top pig tail to make it fit into the upper support, and need the adapter to get the bottom to fit. Would just cutting the bottom pig tail off too work as well then?

 

Hi, The internal diameter between wj coils and pathy coils are really close but not exactly the same... I really dont remember if the difference is a problem on the bottom support (I dont think so).

 

I used the adaptor because that way I add 1.5" from the original support to the lift (see pic) and another 1 or 2" from the pig tail lenght of the spring not cutting the bottom. This way you can do a 4" lift with a 2 or 3" lifting wj spring... the other way you need to found a 4 or 5" wj lifting spring.

 

 

2011_09_10_Levante%252520Path_175.jpg

 

looking at the springs we have and the diameter i cant think of a single reason why cutting the pigtails wouldnt work

 

It should work... just need a longer spring if the diameter is not a problem.

 

What's the advantage of cutting both pigtails off the springs? Doesn't that make them too short?

 

I dont know... maybe for some people add additional harwware to the pathy is an issue

 

I'm just brainstorming ideas of how to lift it. For the front I pretty much know the options due to having struts up there, but if I can fab a jeep coil to work for me in the rear, then my options open up immensely. There are a lot more Jeeps in my local 4x4 group than anything else, so maybe theyve got some old lift coils that they dont need, and I can use em for me~ If they dont need their old 4" lift coils, and I cut the tails off it to use in mine, then I essentially might end up with a 2ish inch lift for me. Plus if they're older they wont settle any more than the day I put them in (theoretically). I'm at 15-year-old-saggy-spring-height right now, so anything's better than that.

 

This should work! Good luck.

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so i went to a local 4x4 store asked them if they had any used zj coils they did so i measured and got a 4.875 inner diameter ish the lift coils they sell are also the same. our r50 inner diameter is like 4.9 so i would think they would work with the pigtails cut off so i would imagine that a zj lift spring would work for us

Edited by shoesandsocks
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Hi, The internal diameter between wj coils and pathy coils are really close but not exactly the same... I really dont remember if the difference is a problem on the bottom support (I dont think so).

 

I used the adaptor because that way I add 1.5" from the original support to the lift (see pic) and another 1 or 2" from the pig tail lenght of the spring not cutting the bottom. This way you can do a 4" lift with a 2 or 3" lifting wj spring... the other way you need to found a 4 or 5" wj lifting spring.

 

 

2011_09_10_Levante%252520Path_175.jpg

 

 

It should work... just need a longer spring if the diameter is not a problem.

 

 

I dont know... maybe for some people add additional harwware to the pathy is an issue

 

 

This should work! Good luck.

 

That picture helps a lot! So for the rear, you went with the SFD, and thats why you wanted the 4" lift from those WJ coils right? So, please correct me if I'm wrong, you went with the 2-3 inch WJ lift coils + the WJ adapter to get your 4" of rear lift. So if I went with those same coils (2-3 inch WJ lift) cut the tails off them and didnt use the adapter, I'd be looking at more of a 1-2" rear lift.... right?

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I think this has been done before.

 

IIRC because ofthe tapered/sloped lower perch on the Pathy and the slightly smaller internal diameter of the WJ coil, the coil will seat when under constant rear weight but will "slip" when flexing/going over bumps. I'm not sure if this is just an annoyance (noise/clunk) or if there is a true possibility of unseating/losing a coil. (My assumption is that longer WJ coils would remain seated since it takes a coil spring compressor to remove...at least in my case)

 

I believe this was the whole reason for KR Fabs coming up with his original lower perch adapter.

 

I originally had thoughts of grinding (delicately) the lower internal portion the WJ spring (so that it would fit the lower perch better and not want to slip upward) but decided that the adapter was pretty cheap/easy at the time.

 

I'm NOT saying don't try this, just thought I'd throw some history out there.

Edited by Rick13
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I was hoping someone would chime in with something like this, thank you! Its always nice to see both sides. I always take forever to decide anything because I weigh them all so much. Even the dollar menu at McDonalds takes a while even though I know I'm always getting 3 McChikens and a med fry.... :rolleyes: haha

If its a matter of slipping, could I rectify that by welding some pipe to the lower perch so that it couldn't slide off? I certainly could buy the adapter, but again, I'd like to go the least expensive route, and some scrap pipe is cheaper than 45 bucks.

 

Sorry Ramdala for :jacked: .... Perhaps I should just start a new topic.

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  • 3 years later...
  • 1 month later...

5.- Unplug the steerig wheel conection to the rack and the pressure senso. This is the joint and the replacement part:

2011_09_10_Levante%252520Path_130.jpg

Where did you get your steering linkage from thats the only thing I need and don't know where I can order one. and is there anyway i can just make one?

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  • 8 months later...

I'm bringing this thread back to life for a bit. Finally, I am in the process of installing the KRFabs SFD kit that I bought last year. As I've been doing this work, there are a few tips worth mentioning.

 

The rear SFD blocks have a mitered end, which faces towards the rear, and is installed against the frame. In the passenger side wheel well, there's a metal cover over the fuel and brake lines. This cover has to be slightly reshaped (dented) to fit the SFD block. I used a hammer to dent it to provide just enough clearance to tighten the SFD block.

 

If your truck has a lot of miles on it, plan to replace the engine mounts while you're installing the SFD. Order them ahead of time so you have the parts on hand. It's a lot easier to access them when the front differential is removed. I discovered that my driver's side motor mount was dead during the installation, so I am waiting for new parts to be shipped before I can reassemble everything.

 

I also found that the bushings on the differential assembly mounts (right: 54730-0w002 and left: 54720-0w002) were torn, so I need to replace those as well.

Edited by XPLORx4
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hawairish:

Yes, I have the missing link. I believe it is critical in order to improve the integrity of the SFD blocks.

 

I actually don't think that the SFD blocks are all that strong, with or without the missing link. There will be a lot of shear forces on the blocks, and the mating surfaces between the SFD blocks and the unibody are smaller than the original subframe-to-unibody. I sorta wish there was a cross-brace connecting the left rear subframe to the right rear unibody mount and the right rear subframe to the left rear unibody. I don't really want to weld the SFD blocks onto the unibody, as that's extra expense and irreversible.

 

As a side-note, it turns out that the bushings in the differential assembly mounts are the same size as the bushings that fit in the front of the lower control arms. Rather than try to press in new rubber bushings or buy new mounts, I opted to purchase a set of polyurethane bushings from 4x4parts.com. Should be easy to replace.

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Good, and yes, it is critical. My buddy's truck, without link, recently failed. It weakened the subframe at the right rear, ripping the mounting pad from the subframe, and the block from the chassis. It's had me thinking about a reinforcement setup as you described.

 

If the blocks you have are the simple tube, I have general concerns about that.

 

For those bushings, you're talking about the hangers/brackets on the axle housing?

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Yes, the blocks are the simple 2x4 tube, drilled on top and bottom. I bought my kit from KRFabs before they stopped making them. Ever since the SFD designs were first introduced, I was always concerned about the strength of its design. There's a tradeoff between safety/reliability and manufacturing cost. Unfortunately, many R50 owners are cheap, so low manufacturing cost trumps strength and reliability.

 

As for the bushings, yes, I'm referring to the brackets that the axle housing bolts to. Those brackets are attached to the subframe with rubber bushings, one of which was completely torn.

BTW, it looks like I'll have to pull the starter in order to access the top 14mm nut to remove the passenger side motor mount (VG33). Nothing about this upgrade seems to be simple!

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  • 2 years later...
On 2/5/2020 at 1:11 AM, Aussiepath said:

Hi anybody knok where I can get the steering adaptor now sf creations have close 

That being said, none of the lifts offered on sfcretions (https://sfcreation.com/t/pathfinder-1996-2004-r50-platform) require modifying the steering link.

 

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