Jump to content

4wd and Lift question


pancake
 Share

Recommended Posts

I never used the 4wd system in my pathfinder and decided to briefly test it yesterday. Just out of curiosity and have some questions.

 

1) I went from 2H down to 4H (everything at a standstill, not moving) and then depressed the lever and went into N. Now, I was trying to come up back up 4H and it would grind. And then I tried going down to 4L and it made a slight grinding noise also. Scared the hell out of me.

 

Read the manual in the parking lot and it mentioned moving it quickly and firmly so I did it quick and fast and it went back to 4H.

 

So my question is, why do you have to do it quickly and with force? I would have never thought to do that without the manual.

 

 

2) When I was in N, I couldn't figure out the grinding so I put the pathfinder to P and it made a slight grinding noise also. Turned off the engine. What caused this? Was this harmful?

 

 

I eventually figured out everything and went back up to 2H and drove home, no issues.

 

 

Lift Question

3) I see a lot of 2" AC lift recommendations, but it seems outdated. Is AC a brand? Would this be the same as a 2" spacer kit that you can buy for like $100 where you put the spacer in the springs and get longer rear struts?

 

I have a wobble so I bought the upper and lower rear trailing arms. I figured if I'm going to replace that and undo the rear suspensions, I might as well slip a spacer in there and upgrade the struts. The fronts might be more of a hassle though.

 

Looking at these https://www.ebay.com/itm/For-Nissan-Pathfinder-Terrano-Infiniti-QX4-2-5-2-Lift-Kit-R50-Platform/292292925320?fits=Year%3A2002%7CModel%3APathfinder&hash=item440e041788:g:REkAAOSwcUBYG5Wb&vxp=mtr

 

Edited by pancake
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1. Yes. Shift quickly and firmly. Have the vehicle in neutral while shifting between 4H and 4L. I'll usually get a little chirp out of the gears while doing that. You are basically forcing the gears to mesh together.

 

 

3. Ac is a brand you can get them at 4x4parts. Other options are ome. And people have recently had success with front Landrover springs in the rear of the r50. Fleurys (forum member) has a website with spacer kits as well.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Welcome to the r50 crew!

 

Yeah you have to have the transmission in neutral when going into 4 low, but switching in between 4 high and 2 high is pretty easy, just pull the level back and push it forward. If you force it downwards (like towards the floor) it'll grind.

 

If you try switching between 4lo and 4hi in any gear besides neutral the transfer case will grind and not want to come in or out because the transmission is still connecting your power to the driveshafts and whatnot. Since 4lo and 4hi have a different gear ratio in the transfer case, if you try to switch between the 2 without disconnecting the trans so to speak (going into neutral) you'll have two parts going different speeds trying to connect or pull apart which obviously won't be good.

 

AC stands for Automotive Consumers and like Remus said, is sold by 4x4parts. This is a coil spring lift that gives you a 2-3" height gain due to a higher spring rate and longer, thicker coil than factory. OME springs (rocky-road.com) are the same concept, just less expensive and a little less height. AC springs will give you a bit more than 2" of lift, and OME will give you right around 2. These are different than spacers because they not only give you added height, but they also give you a better ride and more articulation. Spacers will give you height, but will not help your performance in any way, in fact it will more than likely lower it.

 

Putting a spacer in the rear (given you also add longer shocks) will give you height but you will gain no extra travel out of your suspension. It will flex the same amount, just a few inches lower relative to the "frame." A longer spring, however, will give you both the height you want and allow your axle to flex more, meaning more wheels on the ground at any given moment, meaning more traction, meaning more mad off road skills! Lol

 

For the front, adding a longer coil into your strut will give you height and a better ride, but won't change your articulation because the strut is still the same size. Therefore, at full droop (strut shocks all the way extended) your control arms will not hang any lower than they would at full droop with stock coils. This is good, because your cv axles were not made to function at any angle over full droop with a stock configuration. A spacer serves the same function in the front as in the rear. Placed in between your strut assembly and your strut tower, spacers will give you increased height by pushing the strut down from it's original mounting point. The problem with this, however, is that your suspension now will still droop the same amount as it did before when flexing, only pushed down 2 more inches. Since your cv axles were not designed to handle the added 2 inches at full droop, they will bind up and you'll end up breaking something.

 

Adding a spacer to the front will give you height, but actually hurt your performance. For this reason, if you ever drive off road I wouldn't recommend any sort of spacer over an inch. If you're gonna lift your rig, go with springs. It's far worth the extra money knowing your performance is improving over stock rather than getting worse, and will save you money fixing axles in the long run. If you just use your rig on the street and just want the extra height for the looks, then spacers are a great and cost effective option!

 

Before you put in your new trailing arms, get rid of those rubber bushings and throw some poly ones in there! Down the road the rubber ones are just gonna wear out again and you'll get death wobble and be forced to replace them. Poly bushings will give you a better ride, and you'll never have to worry about replacing them again! This is gonna be my next mod, as my sway is getting reallyyyy bad.

 

Sorry if that was more information than you asked for lol, I just want to make sure you're well informed (:

 

Let me know if you have any questions!! Good luck!

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Welcome to the r50 crew!

 

Yeah you have to have the transmission in neutral when going into 4 low, but switching in between 4 high and 2 high is pretty easy, just pull the level back and push it forward. If you force it downwards (like towards the floor) it'll grind.

 

If you try switching between 4lo and 4hi in any gear besides neutral the transfer case will grind and not want to come in or out because the transmission is still connecting your power to the driveshafts and whatnot. Since 4lo and 4hi have a different gear ratio in the transfer case, if you try to switch between the 2 without disconnecting the trans so to speak (going into neutral) you'll have two parts going different speeds trying to connect or pull apart which obviously won't be good.

 

AC stands for Automotive Consumers and like Remus said, is sold by 4x4parts. This is a coil spring lift that gives you a 2-3" height gain due to a higher spring rate and longer, thicker coil than factory. OME springs (rocky-road.com) are the same concept, just less expensive and a little less height. AC springs will give you a bit more than 2" of lift, and OME will give you right around 2. These are different than spacers because they not only give you added height, but they also give you a better ride and more articulation. Spacers will give you height, but will not help your performance in any way, in fact it will more than likely lower it.

 

Putting a spacer in the rear (given you also add longer shocks) will give you height but you will gain no extra travel out of your suspension. It will flex the same amount, just a few inches lower relative to the "frame." A longer spring, however, will give you both the height you want and allow your axle to flex more, meaning more wheels on the ground at any given moment, meaning more traction, meaning more mad off road skills! Lol

 

For the front, adding a longer coil into your strut will give you height and a better ride, but won't change your articulation because the strut is still the same size. Therefore, at full droop (strut shocks all the way extended) your control arms will not hang any lower than they would at full droop with stock coils. This is good, because your cv axles were not made to function at any angle over full droop with a stock configuration. A spacer serves the same function in the front as in the rear. Placed in between your strut assembly and your strut tower, spacers will give you increased height by pushing the strut down from it's original mounting point. The problem with this, however, is that your suspension now will still droop the same amount as it did before when flexing, only pushed down 2 more inches. Since your cv axles were not designed to handle the added 2 inches at full droop, they will bind up and you'll end up breaking something.

 

Adding a spacer to the front will give you height, but actually hurt your performance. For this reason, if you ever drive off road I wouldn't recommend any sort of spacer over an inch. If you're gonna lift your rig, go with springs. It's far worth the extra money knowing your performance is improving over stock rather than getting worse, and will save you money fixing axles in the long run. If you just use your rig on the street and just want the extra height for the looks, then spacers are a great and cost effective option!

 

Before you put in your new trailing arms, get rid of those rubber bushings and throw some poly ones in there! Down the road the rubber ones are just gonna wear out again and you'll get death wobble and be forced to replace them. Poly bushings will give you a better ride, and you'll never have to worry about replacing them again! This is gonna be my next mod, as my sway is getting reallyyyy bad.

 

Sorry if that was more information than you asked for lol, I just want to make sure you're well informed (:

 

Let me know if you have any questions!! Good luck!

 

Oh man, thanks that helped clarify quite a few things for me! Including where to buy the parts.

 

Thanks god i didnt mess up the transmission or anything else, could've been bad.

 

Thanks for the info, gonna have to keep this in mind and think it over then :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Welcome to the r50 crew!

 

Yeah you have to have the transmission in neutral when going into 4 low, but switching in between 4 high and 2 high is pretty easy, just pull the level back and push it forward. If you force it downwards (like towards the floor) it'll grind.

 

If you try switching between 4lo and 4hi in any gear besides neutral the transfer case will grind and not want to come in or out because the transmission is still connecting your power to the driveshafts and whatnot. Since 4lo and 4hi have a different gear ratio in the transfer case, if you try to switch between the 2 without disconnecting the trans so to speak (going into neutral) you'll have two parts going different speeds trying to connect or pull apart which obviously won't be good.

 

AC stands for Automotive Consumers and like Remus said, is sold by 4x4parts. This is a coil spring lift that gives you a 2-3" height gain due to a higher spring rate and longer, thicker coil than factory. OME springs (rocky-road.com) are the same concept, just less expensive and a little less height. AC springs will give you a bit more than 2" of lift, and OME will give you right around 2. These are different than spacers because they not only give you added height, but they also give you a better ride and more articulation. Spacers will give you height, but will not help your performance in any way, in fact it will more than likely lower it.

 

Putting a spacer in the rear (given you also add longer shocks) will give you height but you will gain no extra travel out of your suspension. It will flex the same amount, just a few inches lower relative to the "frame." A longer spring, however, will give you both the height you want and allow your axle to flex more, meaning more wheels on the ground at any given moment, meaning more traction, meaning more mad off road skills! Lol

 

For the front, adding a longer coil into your strut will give you height and a better ride, but won't change your articulation because the strut is still the same size. Therefore, at full droop (strut shocks all the way extended) your control arms will not hang any lower than they would at full droop with stock coils. This is good, because your cv axles were not made to function at any angle over full droop with a stock configuration. A spacer serves the same function in the front as in the rear. Placed in between your strut assembly and your strut tower, spacers will give you increased height by pushing the strut down from it's original mounting point. The problem with this, however, is that your suspension now will still droop the same amount as it did before when flexing, only pushed down 2 more inches. Since your cv axles were not designed to handle the added 2 inches at full droop, they will bind up and you'll end up breaking something.

 

Adding a spacer to the front will give you height, but actually hurt your performance. For this reason, if you ever drive off road I wouldn't recommend any sort of spacer over an inch. If you're gonna lift your rig, go with springs. It's far worth the extra money knowing your performance is improving over stock rather than getting worse, and will save you money fixing axles in the long run. If you just use your rig on the street and just want the extra height for the looks, then spacers are a great and cost effective option!

 

Before you put in your new trailing arms, get rid of those rubber bushings and throw some poly ones in there! Down the road the rubber ones are just gonna wear out again and you'll get death wobble and be forced to replace them. Poly bushings will give you a better ride, and you'll never have to worry about replacing them again! This is gonna be my next mod, as my sway is getting reallyyyy bad.

 

Sorry if that was more information than you asked for lol, I just want to make sure you're well informed (:

 

Let me know if you have any questions!! Good luck!

 

**I am sorry if I am hijacking this thread, but I think this info could also help OP. **

 

Hello Guys!

 

So:

 

* New springs for the front, but keep the same struts

* Change Springs and Shocks in the rear.

 

Now, my questions is how do you know what coils and shocks to buy. I understand that I would need longer coils with higher spring rate and longer shocks in the back. My question is how do you know what are the right specifications for the coils and shocks. I have looked around for springs and shocks but it is hard to find the a site that actually sells a set or just individual parts for the r50 (96 pathfinder in my case). I have also read a bunch of threads here but every one has a bit of different configuration and really dont go into details of what products they buy, just generic brand names.

 

I am sorry if I am hijacking this thread, but I think this info could also help OP.

 

Bonus Pic of my beat up Pathy

IMG_0139_zpsapukmekm.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Thanks for the info, gonna have to keep this in mind and think it over then :)

 

Yeah man you bet! Keep us posted with progress and pictures!

Edited by micahfelker
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Now, my questions is how do you know what coils and shocks to buy. I understand that I would need longer coils with higher spring rate and longer shocks in the back. My question is how do you know what are the right specifications for the coils and shocks. I have looked around for springs and shocks but it is hard to find the a site that actually sells a set or just individual parts for the r50 (96 pathfinder in my case). I have also read a bunch of threads here but every one has a bit of different configuration and really dont go into details of what products they buy, just generic brand names.

 

I am sorry if I am hijacking this thread, but I think this info could also help OP.

 

 

Depends on what you want man!

 

:jacked: ... briefly

 

If you scroll through the topics for a bit you can also check out the thread on fitting Land Rover springs in the rear.

 

http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/topic/43810-land-rover-rear-lift-spring-install/

 

There's a link to a site in there with a list of part numbers for all the different spring rates and lengths and stuff, and there's a ton of useful information and pictures in the thread that multiple people have contributed regarding which springs give how much lift and how they ride and whatnot.

 

If you don't find what you're looking for there, just post up with what height you want and whatever and I'll try to find either links or part numbers for you!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Depends on what you want man!

 

:jacked: ... briefly

 

If you scroll through the topics for a bit you can also check out the thread on fitting Land Rover springs in the rear.

 

http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/topic/43810-land-rover-rear-lift-spring-install/

 

There's a link to a site in there with a list of part numbers for all the different spring rates and lengths and stuff, and there's a ton of useful information and pictures in the thread that multiple people have contributed regarding which springs give how much lift and how they ride and whatnot.

 

If you don't find what you're looking for there, just post up with what height you want and whatever and I'll try to find either links or part numbers for you!

Thanks micahfelker!

 

I am looking to do a 2in lift so I can eventually fit 31 - 33 in tires. I am thinking of using this pathfinder for camping, so it will hold all our camping stuff for a few days at a time. If you think that 2in lift is not enough for the tires I am very open to any ideas.

 

Thanks again!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am looking to do a 2in lift so I can eventually fit 31 - 33 in tires.

 

If you think that 2in lift is not enough for the tires I am very open to any ideas.

 

 

You can fit 31's with no lift, but 33's will need more than 2" of lift to fit without a ton of rubbing/trimming.

 

Both 31's and 32's are a good size for about 2" of lift, but you pretty much need 16" wheels to fit more than 31's. With 15's the options in the range you listed are 31x10.5, 32x11.5, and 33x12.5. With only 2 inches anything over 10.5 wide is gonna rub like crazy on your fenders when you turn and require some major trimming. With 16's, however, you have 265/70/16 (31x10.5), 265/75/16 (32x10.5), and 285/75/16 (33x11.5) available.

 

To make it easy I'll try to list some easily achievable heights and what size tires you can safely run with minimal trimming. I'll keep it to full inch diameters to make it simple.

sp=spacer LR=Land Rover springs

 

Lift amount (in)..........Max tire size with 15's........... Max tire size with 16's

none..........................31x10.5r15.............................265/70r16 (31x10.5)

1.75-2 (OME).............31x10.5r15.............................265/75r16 (32x10.5)

2-2.5 (AC)..................32x11.5r15.............................285/75r16 (33x11.5)

3 (AC+sp/LR).............33x12.5r15.............................285/75r16 (33x11.5)

 

OME: http://www.rocky-road.com/nissan-pathfinder-lift-kit.html

AC: https://www.4x4parts.com/c-1057013-suspension-suspension-lifts-lift-packages-pathfinder-1996-2004-pathfinder.html

Spacers: https://sfcreation.com/t/pathfinder-1996-2004-r50-platform

 

I'm not linking any Land Rover springs just because there's so many different ones that would take way too long.

 

Also here's a link for those poly bushings while I'm thinking of it.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rear-Upper-and-Lower-Arm-Bushing-Kit-Fits-96-04-QX4-Pathfinder-PSB-594-/221822048153?fits=Model%3APathfinder

 

Just let me know if you need anything else! :aok:

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had the same problem when I was trying to figure out the 4x4 in my '95 for the first time. (Different gen, but the same transfer case.)

 

When the transmission's in neutral, in theory, it's not putting any power to the transfer case. In practice, everything has a little drag, and the trans still outputs a little force even in neutral. It's not enough to move the truck, but it's enough to spin the output if there's nothing holding it. When the transfer is in neutral, there's nothing preventing the trans from spinning. If you spend too long in neutral, the trans will spin up, and then the transfer will grind when you try to engage the spinning input to the stationary output.

(The second grind you got was because the trans was spinning when you put it in park. This brings up an important point. Because the pawl's in the trans, not the transfer, the truck will roll freely in park if the transfer is left in neutral and the parking brake's not set.)

 

Shift quickly between 4HI and 4LO with the trans in neutral and it won't grind. If you stuff the shift and get stuck in between, shut off the engine (so the trans will stop spinning), finish the shift, and then restart.

 

It's actually pretty easy to use once you get the hang of it. :aok:

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

You can fit 31's with no lift, but 33's will need more than 2" of lift to fit without a ton of rubbing/trimming.

 

Both 31's and 32's are a good size for about 2" of lift, but you pretty much need 16" wheels to fit more than 31's. With 15's the options in the range you listed are 31x10.5, 32x11.5, and 33x12.5. With only 2 inches anything over 10.5 wide is gonna rub like crazy on your fenders when you turn and require some major trimming. With 16's, however, you have 265/70/16 (31x10.5), 265/75/16 (32x10.5), and 285/75/16 (33x11.5) available.

 

To make it easy I'll try to list some easily achievable heights and what size tires you can safely run with minimal trimming. I'll keep it to full inch diameters to make it simple.

sp=spacer LR=Land Rover springs

 

Lift amount (in)..........Max tire size with 15's........... Max tire size with 16's

none..........................31x10.5r15.............................265/70r16 (31x10.5)

1.75-2 (OME).............31x10.5r15.............................265/75r16 (32x10.5)

2-2.5 (AC)..................32x11.5r15.............................285/75r16 (33x11.5)

3 (AC+sp/LR).............33x12.5r15.............................285/75r16 (33x11.5)

 

OME: http://www.rocky-road.com/nissan-pathfinder-lift-kit.html

AC: https://www.4x4parts.com/c-1057013-suspension-suspension-lifts-lift-packages-pathfinder-1996-2004-pathfinder.html

Spacers: https://sfcreation.com/t/pathfinder-1996-2004-r50-platform

 

I'm not linking any Land Rover springs just because there's so many different ones that would take way too long.

 

Also here's a link for those poly bushings while I'm thinking of it.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rear-Upper-and-Lower-Arm-Bushing-Kit-Fits-96-04-QX4-Pathfinder-PSB-594-/221822048153?fits=Model%3APathfinder

 

Just let me know if you need anything else! :aok:

Thank you so MUCH!!! this is a lot of help....like a ton!!! just waiting for my tax return now. hehe.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you so MUCH!!! this is a lot of help....like a ton!!! just waiting for my tax return now. hehe.

 

Heck yeah man my pleasure! Again, keep us updated with pictures when you get everything together!

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...