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Well dangit, you're gonna make me go and buy another R50! This is really cool, can't wait to see your guys' products.

After years of chatting about our own Pathfinder projects—and often, grumblings about having to make our own parts or hack together something—it’s become clear that Jacob (@TowndawgR50) and I (Patrick) have a common passion for our trucks. We’re always bouncing ideas around and sanity-checking each other’s work, ultimately realizing we have highly complementary skill sets that extend beyond working on trucks. We’ve also grown tired of a serious lack of aftermarket support for our trucks, especially when there’s an obvious demand to keep them on the road and make them more capable than they already are. To counter that, we’re teaming up to fill that void. That’s right: it’s time to turn a hobby into a business! In the weeks to come, we will be making more announcements regarding the status of the company (still working on the name!) and our product offerings. We’re still in the early stages of the company formation, and have some challenges ahead of us (most notably the 1,400 miles that separate us!), but we’re ready and stoked to get the word out there. If any of our individual projects have piqued your interest, then our collaborative efforts won’t disappoint. Our initial focus will be on subframe drop (SFD) kits, as this is the most important component required to move beyond 2” of front suspension lift. Unlike prior versions of kits that have existed, we intend to offer complete kits and à la carte components in multiple heights—including strut spacers—to support various lift configurations. Our particular focus is to provide high-quality finished products that simplify installation for the average DIYer (hint: strut disassembly not required), and without having to replace aftermarket components you’ve already purchased. While we won’t go into detail about all the products (and services) we’ve been discussing, we will tease that trailing arms and panhard bars (both in static lengths with poly bushings, and adjustable lengths with rebuildable joints), skid plates, missing link, and bumper brackets are on the product roadmap. That said, we’re looking forward to a productive 2019, so stay tuned!

Thanks for the input Citron. I’ve experienced the end result but never really knew the why. I have not really done the WABDR (bits & pieces only) though I have the Butler map. I would highly recommend checking out the You Tube videos. Josh Duncan has a pretty good one.

Turned out to be low gas. Yet another brilliant move in my automotive foray.

I'm definitely scoutin' for you all out here. I've spent quite a bit of time out in the Cushman area, and so far that's my favorite as far as somewhat more rugged forest roads (therefore no people). I've been using GaiaGPS lately, but I also have a lot of loops/trips planned out in Google Maps from before. I'll definitely check out your notes above and when I get a chance I'll compile some to share as well. That's a bummer, it'd be nice if they allowed volunteers to help clean up the road if the obstruction/damage is smaller. I'm sure some of the old loops could be broken up. @RainGoat, I'm prepping to do the WABDR sometime this spring/summer, have you done it?

I spent most of my time in the area around Wynoochee lake. During the winter, most of the fs roads that get close to the national park are closed to create a de facto wilderness buffer around the park so no evil people disturb the poor little elk. The current, and previous, rangers for that district have pursued a plan to make the nf roadless. They only maintain the three main roads and will close the other roads at the drop of a hat. One neat trip that made a loop around three peaks close to the border of the np was closed permanently due to a small slide. When people volunteered to remove it, the answer was no. So unfortunately most roads that are still open are in and out, not many loops left.

Ya ain't from 'round here, LOL! Cornbread is a staple south of the mason Dixon line so the way to Louisiana and through Texas! Rednecks gotta have our beans and cornbread. Sent from my LG-H700 using Tapatalk

Maybe it’s a calling that you should Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So awesome you guys. One bolt on supercharger kit with a side of solid front axle plz

Thanks everybody.@Astrorami just did all of this & lives near DDM Tuning to boot. He graciously called me & we chatted for over an hour with several interesting pearls of wisdom, including some product specific info. Once I get around to installing everything I’ll try to get back & post a summary of our experience.

They are on the corners kind of below the radiator-the tie downs. Someone will crosscheck me but I believe it was technically only the driver’s side that’s rated though people have used both. As you will note, these are a somewhat low & unusual location for them-all part of the reason a bumper that is securely fastened to the unibody would be beneficial. (As an FYI, don’t bridle between them straight under the radiator, at least one person has seen the support crush a little from doing that.)

I had that guage on my 89, haven't thought of that in years. I pulled a lot of parts off that truck, wish I saved the sending unit. I'm going to get the new one and find out. Could benefit someone down the line.....

It's probably fine. I'm actually running 0w40 in my wd21 right now. Great cold start flow, and runs like a 40W at temp.

I can’t wait to see what you guys do. I would love to do a SFD. [emoji1303] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Welcome! Nice looking truck & it looks like you’ve already made quite a bit of progress. We’ve got a nice little hub of NPORA here in the PNW. We’ll try to tag you on future regional events. I’m sure I can speak for all of us in saying we look forward to meeting you. What part of the Kitsap are you at, Oak Harbor?

An excellent pairing! I personally know of each of your commitment to quality & dependability. I think everyone will benefit from what is essentially a scaling up of your own individual, well thought out, projects. I look forward to seeing what this partnership will produce.

So much yes!

This sounds great. Those SFD strut spacers have been the major deterrent for me.

There are a few locker types out there: Mechanical lockers aka lunchbox lockers aka unlockers: these have spring-loaded side gears that keep the diff locked most of the time, but will disengage (unlock) when making turns to allow one tire to rotate faster than the other. They'll make a click-click-click or tap-tap-tap noise during the turn. This allows them to be streetable to some degree, but loose terrain (including wet road) may prevent them from disengaging, which could prove hazardous; simple solution: slow down, brake earlier. Because they are already locked, there's nothing extra the driver needs to do to engage them. Most lockers of this type fit inside the OE differential carrier; some (like a Detroit Locker) replace the carrier. If you have rear LSD, you'll need an open carrier to put non-Detroit mechanical lockers in. These are rather economical options, running around $200-$300 for most brands, and can be installed with basic tools. Air lockers (ARB) or Pro Locker (TJM): these require an air compressor and some electrical wiring to engage. The air pressure is what locks the locker, and the locker unit replaces the entire OEM differential carrier. The wiring portion puts electric solenoid on the air line, which opens to fill the air hose between it and the locker. This is engaged by a switch that the user toggles. One air compressor can power both front and rear locker, so it usually makes sense to run dual air lockers, budget permitting. When not engaged, the locker acts like an open diff. These lockers run around $1K and require more advance mechanical skills for installation, as gear setup is required. Factor in another $200-$400 for the air compressor and fittings. E-lockers: while not readily available in the US, an Australian brand, Harrop, makes the Eaton equivalent of their E-lockers for Nissans. Like the air lockers, these replace the entire carrier and are open diffs when off. They don't require air, of course, but do require some light electrical wiring. A 12V source and a driver-operated switch engages the locker. Harrop and other importers sell them for around $1200-$1300 USD depending on the exchange rate. Although they are more expensive, they also don't need an air compressor. Cable lockers: Although I don't think there's a Nissan option, cable-actuated lockers (like OX) do exist. Same concept as the air and e-lockers, except they are engaged by lever and cable. However, there are kits that can convert them to air-driven. Spools: these replace the carrier internals, or the entire carrier. Not sure if aftermarket options exists for Nissan, but these "lock" the diff 100% because they completely eliminate the "differential" function of the diff. The idea is that all the moving pieces are held stationary to each other, which means that you can weld all the internals together to turn the diff into a spool. Cost in that scenario is just labor and welding wire. Since you will be installing manual hubs, these tend to pair well with mechanical lockers as a budget-friendly option. Since you have a WD21, you also have rear mechanical diff options if budget is an issue. Either route, lockers are worth every penny.