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PathyDude's R50 Projects (03 SE 4x4)


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Hey Tyler, thanks for the response. Yeah I’ve heard that their shipping is very over priced, I was kind of hoping it might be a flat rate and not based on how much is purchased. I was planning on going through to checkout just to see the final cost. 
 

I probably won’t be doing any of the suspension work myself, not really enough time or space! 
 

Yes that is great info on the Bilsteins, thanks a lot. I will probably just go for the 5100’s as they should be enough for now!

 

I will look into the irdirect.com and take a look for the LR springs. Summit racing, is that a better place to look for shocks then 4x4parts? Any other links for these parts would be greatly appreciated as I’m doing a bit of looking around. Some of the old links I was trying to follow are no longer valid. 
 

What do guys run for front struts? Is there any gain from upgrading fronts besides old ones are falling apart. Mine seem like they are in okay shape as my qx4 has been well looked after and only has 165k kms (just over 100k miles) 
 

As for the hubs, thanks for the clarification. Seems like it’s worth it, how much approx would a set of 4 of your mile markers be before shipping? Or maybe a link to a good place to purchase.  I was looking at prices but confused it was for a set or individual. 
 

On a site note, after seeing all your diy ideas using EMT I assume your an electrician down in Idaho? I will have to try the EMT missing link idea, as I’m an electrician up here.  
 

Thanks a lot, covered all of my questions perfectly!  Basically just comes down to where I can find stuff, shipping costs and usd to cad conversions ?

 

cheers, Carson. 

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With shocks, I just price shop. On my 5125’s it was between 4wheelparts and amazon. As long as it’s the right part number you’re good to go. I just search the specific part number and compare prices from there. Summit Racing is a good distributor though.

 

Almost everyone runs OEM spec struts. Old Man Emu does make an “aftermarket” strut that supposedly rides amazing. All in all, KYB seems to be the most popular option, and that’s what I have. They got replaced when I first did my spacer lift.

 

Hubs: you only want two, just for the front pair of wheels (perhaps asking about 4 was a typo?).  Usually the mile markers run ~$100/pair, and and sold in pairs. Mounting hardware included. The part number is 435. I got mine off of advance auto w/ a 25% off code, pretty good deal. Amazon and your typical 4x4 distributors are all good places to buy.

 

Haha, the EMT..... it came on the missing link first, and then saw some roof rack ideas and went for it. There are plenty of stouter options to be had, but I’ve enjoyed the EMT rack. Not an electrician, actually studying to be a Civil Engineer.

 

You bet man! Just spend a little time comparing prices, and I’m sure you’ll sort it out. Googling the part numbers has always served me well. Best of luck!

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DesertRat out of Phoenix, Arizona is another good supply source - definitely better than AC, cheaper than Summit usually & as cheap as 4Wheel Parts. Tax & shipping free in the US (unsure re BC).

KYBs are well respected front struts (OME probably better but not cost effective). AC front shocks or OME from just about anywhere (i.e. Desert Rat).

Generally full 2” on AC springs, less but variably sol, with OME - might add a small 0.5-1” spacer. AC stiff, OME smoother ride.

LR for the rear, hands down. I don’t think anybody is advocating AC for the rear once the LR became a known option. I’m unaware of anyone who doesn’t like them.

MileMarkers should be fine but not all hubs fit through all OEM wheels. @hawarish has a great breakdown on hubs - you can rely on anything he puts out.
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Thanks raingoat, Thanks for the other parts suppliers. It’s hard enough to find the suppliers who will ship out here (Vancouver BC) so I don’t mind spending a little extra to good company who supports our community. I went ahead and ordered the full set up from 4x4 parts. AC 2” front and rear coils, gr2 front struts with new strut mounts and Bilstein 5100 rear shocks. It came to  $987 usd with shipping to Vancouver for the full set up. I will be ordering some locking hubs now so I’ll scope desert rat for a deal on those, thanks! 

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8 minutes ago, R50_QX4 said:

Thanks raingoat, Thanks for the other parts suppliers. It’s hard enough to find the suppliers who will ship out here (Vancouver BC) so I don’t mind spending a little extra to good company who supports our community. I went ahead and ordered the full set up from 4x4 parts. AC 2” front and rear coils, gr2 front struts with new strut mounts and Bilstein 5100 rear shocks. It came to  $987 usd with shipping to Vancouver for the full set up. I will be ordering some locking hubs now so I’ll scope desert rat for a deal on those, thanks! 

Just a heads up in case no one mentioned this to you yet. The new strut mounts and bearings should be Nissan OEM parts, as the kyb versions have been notorious for failing prematurely. The OEM ones are the only safe bet. It sucks that they are so much more expensive though.

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The two most recent KYB failures ( @zakzackzachary and @onespiritbrain ) have both been due to mis-installation. I used to to be of this opinion, but after re-reaserching I found little to no proof that the KYB mounting system (though slightly different than OEM) actually had a pattern of failing. I still

have my OEM mounts fwiw, but I couldn’t find much more than hearsay about the actual failures

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Just a heads up in case no one mentioned this to you yet. The new strut mounts and bearings should be Nissan OEM parts, as the kyb versions have been notorious for failing prematurely. The OEM ones are the only safe bet. It sucks that they are so much more expensive though.

Like PathyDude17 has mentioned, there is little to no proof of failure of kyb parts. I am running kyb and have been for over two years with no problems.


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More talk on the 4.6's...

 

I now have over 400 miles on them, including one full fill up of mixed driving (without going off road). That tank yeilded 14.8 MPG with a mostly moderate or mildly lead-footed driving style. Keep in mind I also have 32x11.5 R15 tires that come in at 56 lbs a piece. 14.8 was a very typical mileage for mixed driving on the 4.3's as well.

 

So, how do the 4.6's drive? 

Honestly, I thought daily driving would be the noticeable downside of this setup, but in most aspects I prefer DD'ing on the 4.6's. It feel's like there's more power behnind the pedal. The vehicle is more responsive to small adjustments in the gas pedal and just seems more eager and willing to pull. On hills or during highway passing manuevers, the vehicle holds top gear/OD much better and doesn't search for gears- Previously, highway passing manuevers would also initiate a downshift, and then the vehicle would only upshift after letting all the way off the throttle. This doesn't happen anymore. 

 

That being said, rev's are definitely up over what they previously were on the 4.3's. 3k RPM will currently get me to about 78-80 MPH, which is up a good 200-300 RPM over what the 4.3's would do @ 80MPH (not accounting for tire size on the 4.3's). A 4.6 gear swap and a 29" to 32" tire swap is almost a perfect match of factory ratio's, so all the rotation based measurements of the vehicle are quite accurate compared to an R50 that hasn't been regeared. 

 

Offroad: I now have two tests under my belt (The lokka is still doing great! Makes quick work on alot of terrain that used to require intentional line picking). The 4.6's...... pull the vehicle forward? I don't know what to say, the vehicle handle's good, and "crawls" about as well as I could expect it too. A few times I found myself hung up and in need of some extra throttle to get over rocks - at least with the 4.6's while in 4LO, I could pretty smoothly push the rev's past 2k and start to inch over the obstacle. The throttle wasn't jerky or anything funny.... seems like everything performs like it should. This is also helped by the presence of the lokka, since I'm not worried about wheel slippage as I apply throttle. Makes for an acceptably smooth approach onto and over obstacles. 

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Oh, quick other little update- I got rid of my 4 front facing lights in the lower bumper. They weren't improving light output, and I wasn't in love with the look. Here's a look at the "updated" front end from a fun little trail run yesterday evening.

 

sfSzvJb.jpg

 

 

1pSq4ie.jpg

 

 

qHwSjEd.jpg

 

And a cool picture of the jeep and the terrain for good measure.

 

Gb8gDMu.jpg

 

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Thanks!


I have a Canon T5, a sweet Craigslist find.

 

I have multiple lenses, but shoot almost exclusively on a 50mm lense, these included.

 

I edit almost all my photos with photoshop express on my phone (free) or some free software on my computer.
 

 

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RCRhxvV.jpg

This is a new one. I assume that sometime last weekend my rear sway bar snapped. It certainly happened sometime after the 4.6 swap.

 

It doesn’t look visibly scratched or damaged, and all the links are attached and in working shape. The axle and shock mounts have some scratches but that’s it.

 

I never noticed a difference highway driving or anything, so I’m not in a huge hurry to replace unless that changes. I’m pretty surprised that the bar snapped before the links, and I can’t say I’ve seen this anywhere on the forum before. I know for almost certain that the sway bar was my travel limiter with the Bilstein 5125’s (29.7” extended length).

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1 hour ago, hawairish said:

Mine snapped back in Feb, just like that, when @TowndawgR50 had the truck.  He can probably attest to the usefulness of it coming down the mountain on the curvy sections of I-17.

He said it snapped in the same spot too, oddly enough. 
 

I think the plan will be to replace it and see if I can’t space the links lower down or get longer links to maybe take some stress off of it. I won’t gain anything useful by taking it off.

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What an epic build!!? Thanks for sharing so much info you've helped clarify heaps around the suspension issues I was facing here in NZ.?‍♂️ Was looking at the spacer line but that's a hassle here with certs. 

Got me seriously thinking about the locker now as well. 

I'll be watching your future upgrades and vids. Cheers ?

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On 6/11/2020 at 2:52 PM, hawairish said:

Mine snapped back in Feb, just like that, when @TowndawgR50 had the truck.  He can probably attest to the usefulness of it coming down the mountain on the curvy sections of I-17.

 

 That was both odd and a huge bummer because we were using @hawairish truck to tour the state parks and ruins. Heard the noise after a relatively flat and smooth FS road around Sedona. Found the swaybar snapped clean and was dangling. 

 

There was a vastly different and unstable feeling at freeway speeds in turns. Upon leaving Sedona we hit 17 which is a couple hours from PHX and mostly downhill if I remember correctly. The initial lean isn't the concerning part, its the opposing "sway" the springs have which causes a back and forth motion compounded by driver input to correct it. Kinda like speed wobbles on a skateboard, except slower. I'm glad you have replaced it. I know a lot of folks like to take the rear sway bar off for supposed increase in rear axle articulation but that just isn't the case with these rigs. I have retained my sway bar as has @hawairish and I can flex as much as folks without it, if not more due to my extended rear trailing arms.   

 

For something that's used strictly on the trails there wouldn't be an issue but for anything that has to drive to the trails, let alone serves as a daily/only vehicle its a huge gamble and could have disastrous results. #GetYourSwayOn 

 

rIRgxOR.jpg

6K5Fpeu.jpg

rMURBLk.jpg

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Wow. Same exact spot indeed.Thanks for the photos + advice.

 

Replacement is sitting in the garage, just gotta

work on some kind of extended link situation (and see if that creates a need for coil retainers) now!


 

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Can’t wait to test out my lokka and lsd set up on some proper trails! Keep those videos coming, man.


Sent from my Pathfinder

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3 hours ago, PathyGig12 said:

Absolute monster with that lokka, love the video!

 

27 minutes ago, R50JR said:

Can’t wait to test out my lokka and lsd set up on some proper trails! Keep those videos coming, man.


Sent from my Pathfinder


thanks! 
 

the lokka has definitely opened up trails and obstacles for me, and made the tough ones simple.

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  • 1 month later...

UraCNEK.jpg

 

Added some retrofit headlights!

 

These are a Toyota DIY H4 kit from bxbuilt.com

 

B3 bi-LED projectors with V2 Flat shrouds.

 

I added halos to the kit, and have them wired for DRL duty, but they’re also switchback compatible, so I have them wired to the turn signals, and they function perfectly as hazards and turn signals.

 

Andrew, the owner of BX Built, was super helpful along the way and answered all my messages about the headlights. He’s very easily reached on his Instagram account @bx_built.

 

If you hit him up about headlights, be sure to tell him Tyler / @thewhitepathfinder sent ya!

 

You’ve probably also recently seen these exact headlights (minus the halos) on @herotrooper ‘s R50. He was the inspiration for this mod!

 

More photos to come, as well as a YouTube video!

Edited by PathyDude17
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Last summer project

 

JEvdkyj.jpg

 

7Gd3JA0.jpg

 

Subwoofer shelf. It keeps my ugly emergency gear out of the way and hidden, and it leaves 2/3 of the trunk to sleep in or maximize space. I didn’t create any more space obviously, but I prefer this layout for the things I usually use my R50 for.

 

Currently, the shelf is screwed into the floor in the two places it rests on sheet metal, and then the subwoofer is supported by 2x4’s on 3 sides, and 2 screws into the shelving in the rear. It needs some straps/ropes from the subwoofer to the floor in order to be complete, in my opinion.

Edited by PathyDude17
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