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Really stiff ride


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I've got a 95 and 94 pathfinder. The 95 I rescued before the cretan who owned it before me ruined or destroyed it. Anyway, I've got 31 x 10.5's on lego wheels. As far as I know, the suspension is stock or oem. The front wheels have a lot of camber I need to try and adjust. But, compared to my 94, it rides like the axles are bolted to the frame. I feel every bump in the road. Is there something he could've done to screw up the ride that isn't readily noticeable or what should I look for?

 

Thanks

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Tire pressure and if the strut rod and UCA bushings are toast, it will make the ride harsh as well.

 

Snap a picture and tell us what the tire size is and we'll be able to tell you where the ride height is at.

 

B

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Could have totally blown shocks too. My pathy rode like it had no suspension when I first got it. The shocks were so toast they wouldnt let the suspension cycle I couldn't even move them in or out by hand. Just felt like they were full of sand. Might be worth checking out.

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MY tire size is 31 x 10.5 I adjusted the torsion rods to reduce the camber but I can't go any further or the tires rub the wheel wells.

 

This first picture is the front trying to show the camber but the sun was in the wrong spot.

Pathfinder001_zps06f459a4.jpg

 

This is the front supension driver's side.

Pathfinder004_zpsf21d9969.jpg

 

Rear suspension driver's side.

Pathfinder002_zps909e456e.jpg

 

I do not believe I have adjustable shocks.

Edited by vf24renegade
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It looks you are riding on bump stops. Hard to tell with the sway bar in the way but I'm guessing that's your problem.

 

X2. I thought the same things looking at the rear axle photo. There's no way the rear suspension can travel. Mine never had rubber bump stops so I wonder if those are something someone has added. The truck looks like it's close to ride height judging from the top photo, so there should be a gap there.

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It looks you are riding on bump stops. Hard to tell with the sway bar in the way but I'm guessing that's your problem.

X2. I thought the same things looking at the rear axle photo. There's no way the rear suspension can travel. Mine never had rubber bump stops so I wonder if those are something someone has added. The truck looks like it's close to ride height judging from the top photo, so there should be a gap there.

I was talking about the front but the back looks pretty low as well. FYI, those are stock bump stops.

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Pathfinder004_zps2df3d3e8.jpg

 

 

 

I see four things here:

 

1) torn boots on endlinks.

2) riding on front bump stops/torn bump stop from compression from low ride height

3) worn out bushings

4) torn CV axle boot

 

 

Pathfinder002_zps26443dfc.jpg

5) riding on bump stop on rear

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As a followup, since you stated you recently aquired this vehicle I would look at:

1 rear springs+seats

2 front/rear shocks

3 reindexing the front torson bars.

 

I would recommend sway bar bushings and endlink bushings, as well as control rod bushings. At this age every Pathfinder can use them being replaced if it hasnt been done before.

None of this is overly difficult if you have some repair knowledge and can be done in steps even if you want.

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Riding on bump stops would explain the issue but I'm not entirely sure that's what's happening here. I'd expect to see it in a lifted or lowered truck. Yours (judging by the wheel well gaps) is at the same height as mine, and mine doesn't ride that bad. Maybe your shocks are so blasted out that the suspension is traveling farther and hitting the stops? Those don't look like OEM shocks, but depending on how hard the PO beat them they could be wiped out.

 

If you can't tell if the stops are hitting, grease one side, take it for a drive, see if the other side gets grease on it. (I hear toothpaste works well too.)

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If you can't tell if the stops are hitting, grease one side, take it for a drive, see if the other side gets grease on it. (I hear toothpaste works well too.)

 

OOOOH

I like that! nice idea!!!! I will have to keep that one in mind!

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I was talking about the front but the back looks pretty low as well. FYI, those are stock bump stops.

 

Jeez, No wonder mine feels so harsh when it bottoms out, not to mention the plates that I suppose the factory bump stop mounts to look a little beat. Pretty good flex without them mind you. Looks like something I'll have to look into a little more. Thanks,

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Despite the other areas, the springs make the most sense to me. Unless I miss my guess, replacing the springs would give me more lift thereby allowing me to adjust my torsion bars further to help correct the front camber. Lots of good advice here as always. thanks guys.

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Unless I miss my guess, replacing the springs would give me more lift thereby allowing me to adjust my torsion bars further to help correct the front camber.

 

You don't have any front springs....your springs are essentially your torsion bars.

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You don't have any front springs....your springs are essentially your torsion bars.

Torsion bars are a type of torsion spring, defined by axial torque or load.

Is too a spring...

 

May seem like a silly question then......how do I get it up off the stops?

The opposite of how you put it on them. See below...

 

MY tire size is 31 x 10.5 I adjusted the torsion rods to reduce the camber but I can't go any further or the tires rub the wheel wells.

Do you have a copy of the Factory Service Manual yet?

 

B

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is your camber positive or negative?? negative camber is when the wheels lean in at the tops like this /------\. positive camber is when the tops lean out like this \------/.

 

cranking the torsion bars to lift the suspension up higher will increase NEGATIVE camber, de-cranking the torsion bars to lower the truck will increase POSITIVE camber. just so you know which way does what.

 

you shouldnt be setting the bulk of the camber adjustment with the torsion bars anyways, to adjust camber properly, shims are placed behind both upper control arms bolts.

to increase positive caster, shims are placed behind just the front upper control arm bolts. you will probably see shims sandwiched between the frame and UCA if you look at the frame where your upper control arms bolt to the frame. They are inserted there.

 

Add shims behind both UCA bolts to increase positive camber, remove shims from both UCA bolts to increase negative camber.

Add shims behind just the front UCA bolt to increase positive caster, remove shims from behind only front UCA bolt to increase negative caster.

 

Fine adjustment can then be done with the torsion bar adjustments (raise suspension to increase negative camber, lower suspension to increase positive camber)

it says all this in the factory service manual, u can download it on this site (thank you NPORA).

 

I personally haven't needed to adjust the t-bars for camber after i set my ride height so my truck is perfectly even height side to side.. i just adjusted with shims to get the camber and caster in spec...and im lifted about 3.5 inches in the front suspension and the truck rides great.

Edited by Nefarious
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