CDN_S4 Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 Has anyone installed a Gobi Xterra ladder or similar ladder on their Pathy? Gobi sells the Xterra ones for $200. Seems steep considering it would be an easy DIY fabrication for someone with decent fab skills. Just haven't seen it done. From what I gather, they bolt straight into the top of the trunk. But how do they attach to the bottom? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xterra Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 I had one of those ladders on my first Xterra, and they're a no-drill installation. The bolts in picture 3 connect the ladder to a plate that slides over the lip of the liftgate. (You can see the edge of the tape holding the plate in place, too.) The bottom of the ladder also has tape to hold it in place, and there's bracket that clamps over the ladder bottom and has bolts on the inside that hold it in place against the door bottom. Here are the installation instructions I found for the left-hand version, but the installation is the same as I remember for the right-hand version I had. http://www.gobiracks.com/pdf/Gobi%20Xterra%2005-07%20Ladder%20installation%20instructions.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDN_S4 Posted July 22, 2015 Author Share Posted July 22, 2015 Nice. Now I just gotta take some trunk measurements of both Pathy and X doors and see if it would work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawairish Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 Any concerns about losing access to your pop-open window, CDN? The X glass is fixed in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDN_S4 Posted July 22, 2015 Author Share Posted July 22, 2015 This is true, definitely could be a drawback if one were to use that feature frequently. I for one hardly ever use it, I find it to be kind of a useless feature. So not a huge deal for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawairish Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 Gotcha. I like the ladder as well...I especially love the Gobi racks. I was planning to get one for the Jeep a few years ago, and it included the ladder. I'd expect the X hatch to be a few inches longer. Though honestly, those tire steps seem far more practical and economical, and most of the ones I've seen collapse flat-ish. I think there's more need to the sides of the roof rack than there is the rear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDN_S4 Posted July 22, 2015 Author Share Posted July 22, 2015 I agree with you. The rear hitch is a good step on and I usually just stand on my tire when accessing the rack. I guess I just liked the idea/look of the ladders. But in the end practicality and location, after taking a closer look at my trunk, it seems it would have to end up quite centered, I'm thinking I'll write this one off as another one for the "good idea fairy" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrariowner123 Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 (edited) I've seen JDM companies making these for our pathy's, I think the companies name was 4X4 Engineering, I posted something about it to confirm my guess of what it was because it didn't look like a traditional ladder. I wonder if it's still for sale. *off to search* EDIT: I forgot to mention that it looked like it was designed to maintain the functionality of the popping window. -Kyle Edited July 29, 2015 by ferrariowner123 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDN_S4 Posted July 29, 2015 Author Share Posted July 29, 2015 ^^^ Oh that would be nice!! I hope you find it in your search of the asian inter webs. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrariowner123 Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 (edited) Haha, well I found the link, but it either sold or he stopped listing it. But all is not lost as I remember seeing one in the many JDM Terrano catalogs I bought from Japan. It was quite clever as it bolted on to the tire swing away as apposed to directly to the car. I looked through some of the catalogs I scanned but I don't see it. I'll check at home and scan it when I find it. So I'll of course bump this thread when I find it. -Kyle Edited July 29, 2015 by ferrariowner123 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nunya Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Tire carrier mount could be pretty ingenious actually... Someone in here should try to rig one from an old conversion van or something... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrariowner123 Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Here they are as promised. I found these as was stated above in my JDM catalogs, which i remembered why i didn't initially scan these, they are HUGE!! and in i cant fit the whole thing on my tiny scanner. Anyway, here is what i got. i found two different styles, weather they clear the glass is anybody's guess, but ill let the pics do the talking. Bottom right-ish, is the other style. Hope this helps! -Kyle 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawairish Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Neat! Having seen those, it doesn't even seem like there's a need to have a step go over the window. I mean, at top rung, your waist should be well above the roof line. That's actually really clever. And the best part is that while closed, the latching brackets and what-not of teh tire carrier are supporting the carrier frame, so you shouldn't need any more reinforcement. Very clever. Thanks for posting that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xterra Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Here's one for sale in Japan. Says it's for an FJ Cruiser, but looks to be pretty universal to me. http://page14.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/s438886779 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrariowner123 Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Looks like they modeled on a snow sled! Lol And I feel like that's one of those Japanese things where they are accommodate a look but didn't pay too much to practicality. That would be almost a foot a way from the rear of the door on any car if it's mounted on a the tire. You might as well hop on the tire if you need something off the roof. Lol -Kyle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrariowner123 Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 (edited) Neat! Having seen those, it doesn't even seem like there's a need to have a step go over the window. I mean, at top rung, your waist should be well above the roof line. That's actually really clever. And the best part is that while closed, the latching brackets and what-not of teh tire carrier are supporting the carrier frame, so you shouldn't need any more reinforcement. Very clever. Thanks for posting that! No worries, happy to help, there's plenty of additional stuff just not scanned due to how gigantic these brochures are. But the swing away can support alot of weight (on a factory delivered swing away cars) I've sat on my tire rack closed and it felt as solid as it could be. All 250lbs of me on top and it was barely breaking a sweat. So I'm guessing they had designed the latches with people climbing on these optional ladders in mind. Plus I've had my friends sit on the swing away fully open and again, it's not an issue, but they were around 160lbs. I'm not sure how my fat self would do in that case. Lol The only thing I see being an issue with this entire thing is potentially blocking the licence plate, but I guess that happens when people put bikes on the back and they don't get pulled or ticketed? Maybe I'm over thinking it. Lol EDIT: Looks like they thought of that upon a reexamination of the pictures, I bet this could be replicated with the correct wall tubing a mandrel bender? Hmmmmmm got my curious now. Lol *goes off in search of a local engineering and fabrication company* -Kyle Edited July 30, 2015 by ferrariowner123 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawairish Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Yeah, that one looks like a death trap to me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawairish Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 No worries, happy to help, there's plenty of additional stuff just not scanned due to how gigantic these brochures are. But the swing away can support alot of weight (on a factory delivered swing away cars) I've sat on my tire rack closed and it felt as solid as it could be. All 250lbs of me on top and it was barely breaking a sweat. So I'm guessing they had designed the latches with people climbing on these optional ladders in mind. Plus I've had my friends sit on the swing away fully open and again, it's not an issue, but they were around 160lbs. I'm not sure how my fat self would do in that case. Lol The only thing I see being an issue with this entire thing is potentially blocking the licence plate, but I guess that happens when people put bikes on the back and they don't get pulled or ticketed? Maybe I'm over thinking it. Lol -Kyle Kyle, speaking of which...I mounted my tire carrier last night. Hung from it while open, no issues! Would you mind popping over to http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/topic/40367-r50-tire-carrier-mod-lets-settle-this/?p=759162 though? For whatever reason, I can't get the damn OE wheel on it! Is there a trick? I can only presume the older wheels (this carrier was from a 98) had a shorter and wider center bore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrariowner123 Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Kyle, speaking of which...I mounted my tire carrier last night. Hung from it while open, no issues! Would you mind popping over to http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/topic/40367-r50-tire-carrier-mod-lets-settle-this/?p=759162 though? For whatever reason, I can't get the damn OE wheel on it! Is there a trick? I can only presume the older wheels (this carrier was from a 98) had a shorter and wider center bore. I'll post my famous long post when I get home from work today. But by the look of it, I'd say that nissan changed bore of the later model wheels, and not by much by the look of it. Later model pathfinders with factory equipped swing aways, we're a different design, guess you found out it was than just looks. I'd just cut off a 1/16 of each side of the lip and spray it black. There isn't a trick, you're doing it right, it's just an interfere fit at this point. I'm guessing nissan put that lip thingy there to act as aid to put our big heavy wheels and tires on, in the event we need our spare. It sucks putting my Steelies and duratracs up there, but this is why i discount tire,free rotations! Lol But looks good. -Kyle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawairish Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 I figured it out. The older wheels have a shorter hub mounting flange and tall center caps. I'll put more details on the other post to not cloud this one up... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDN_S4 Posted July 31, 2015 Author Share Posted July 31, 2015 nice find on those ladders Kyle! That "FJ" one seems pretty useless as it's too far away and kinda looks stupid. The first one seems pretty cool in how it's mounted and still leaves the rear window uncovered, but it does remind me of a fold away boat ladder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrariowner123 Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Haha, kinda, but would be probably be the strongest thing on the back of the car in the event of accident, I really dig the look, maybe not in Chrome but something. I've seen it on a few yota's and it looks really nice, I would probably never use if, but it's something different, I'd love to find a JDM Spec one, can't imagine too many Japanese owners speed this out though, I've only seen ONE autech edition pathfinder on a private blog, that had the crazy camper option, and by the looks of the time line in his blog, he scraped it and bought a Lexus IS. such a sad loss. But I check YAJ every few months and find some cool stuff, but it's just not in demand, kinda of the same gig as over here. Are you gonna look into something made for your rig? Can't be THAT hard, right? -Kyle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDN_S4 Posted August 1, 2015 Author Share Posted August 1, 2015 I think once I get more things scratched off my to do list, I might look into a ladder. Likely one that will mount both on the bumper swing out on the bottom and the tailgate on top, but with a hinge. It would also be made of 2 parts so that it would retain the option to open the rear window. What comes to mind would be a simple Ying Yang type design, not sure how else to describe it. The top end of the lower half would be half round and half flat. The flat part would have a rubber pad to prevent vibration against the flat part of he top half which would mirror the connector the same way and be on a hinge on the top. Not sure if I'm describing it will enough but I think that would work and would be pretty unique too. But maybe a bit too complex lol. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero Posted February 29, 2016 Share Posted February 29, 2016 Hate to revive an old thread like this but I can't help but think that a ladder could be very useful and could be very easily fabbed to be move able and just hang it on the rack or rack channel to use it Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mlacer_da Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 On 7/30/2015 at 12:37 AM, ferrariowner123 said: Hi, I live in Brazil, please, what name and part number of this piece I do not find here in Brazil. Does anyone know a store that manufactures this piece? Protetor Guard Nissan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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