scott3606

I did it about 4 years ago... I got the generic install kit from etrailer.com - it was about $60 all in as I recall, and came with everything you'll need. Everything. It took me about a day to do, but I really took my time to be sure that all my connections were tight and secure and that my wires were nicely loomed, etc.. My '03 already had the 4 pin connector installed, so I didn't need to deal with that. Etrailer.com has all sorts of vid's that you can watch to learn how to do this kind of install, though at the time they did not have a specific vid for the R-50 install - maybe they have one now. Anyway, it doesn't matter... after you watch a couple of the vid's for like vehicles, you'll realize the install is pretty much the same each time. As I recall, the trickiest part was getting the required wiring through the firewall - my Pathy has an automatic, and there's an unused opening for the clutch master cylinder that you have to access to get the required wires to the inside of the truck - it's below the power brake booster on the driver's side. That, and finding the correct brake light wire to splice into were the two most time consuming tasks. The FSM will be your friend there. Can't say enough about the etrailer.com resources... watching their vid's really gave me the confidence to do this. If you're reasonably handy, it's not difficult. Sorry I no longer have pic's of the install...

I tow a tent trailer that weighs about 2700 pounds or so loaded, plus two mtn. bikes on top. I use the AirLift bags in the rear, and have installed a B&M transmission cooler. Tows nicely, and carries the load without too much effort. I've only noticed that the TC will lock and unlock as we go up and down hills... it's when it's unlocked but still in O/D that the tranny temps really start to rise. Then I just turn off the O/D when the going gets really hilly. And I wired the Pathy for a trailer brake - using a Prodigy P2 - love it; just set it, and forget it. -sjm

I've experimented a bit with tire pressure... pretty much settled on 30 psi which gives me the best compromise of ride and mpg's. Tried the chalk marking last summer, but I had a difficult time seeing the difference between tire pressures - probably wasn't experimenting with enough of a pressure difference to tell. For what it's worth, I also to see a slight MPG increase when running premium gas vs mid grade or regular. I usually alternate between premium and mid-grade every other fill-up. This summer we will be towing a tent trailer for the first time with the Pathy... I'm sure that will kill whatever Hwy MPG's I have left. -sjm

I've got an '03 SE - pretty much the same as what you have... I get about 14-16 around town. I noticed a slight loss of MPG's when I switched tire sizes last year - went from the stock 255/65 to the slightly larger (and heavier) 255/70's with a more AT tread pattern. Cost me about 1-2 MPG's, city and hwy. The only consolation is that my hwy MPG's are about 18-19 'empty' or when it's loaded with camping gear - not really a difference between the two. As noted above, I'd check the usual culprits of low MPG's - check the tire pressure, be sure your air filter is clean, etc. Not much to 'tune-up' on a 3.5 VQ, other than to change plugs, and maybe check to be sure the O2 sensors are still within spec. -sjm

I think that's a good point. I'm not a mechanic, so I can't give a definitive answer. Seems to me that the 'right' answer might depend on what you're trying to accomplish with all of this. The directions that came with my Hayden cooler were pretty clear - fluid from the tranny, to the factory radiator cooler, then to the auxiliary cooler, then back to the tranny. I'm guessing this gives the maximum cooling. Routing to the auxiliary cooler first, then to the factory cooler in the radiator may very well still do a good job of keeping the fluid cool, with the benefit of preserving cold weather performance. That might well be the right answer in a climate colder than what I normally experience. sjm

I added an auxiliary transmission cooler to my '03 SE 4WD a couple of years ago. I live in Minneapolis, Minnesota - the only change in cold weather performance that I've noticed is that it takes a while for the torque converter to 'lock up' in temps below 40 degrees. Shift performance is the same, just the delay in TC lockup when in overdrive. My installation routes the fluid first to the built-in cooler that's part of the radiator, then to the auxiliary cooler, and finally back to the transmission. This the recommended install when the existing radiator cooler is still functioning. I've considered installing a thermostatically controlled bypass (Hayden, Derale, etc usually sell those extra) but decided it wasn't worth the time or expense. I think even some B&M coolers have that feature built in. Also, I am running Mobi1 1 Synthetic tranny fluid, which may help a little with the cold weather performance (those who know more about transmission fluid... feel free to jump in here). For a climate where the winter temps get even lower than here, I might re-consider the fluid bypass or a cooler with that feature built in. My guess though is that you'll probably be OK with your set up. -sjm

In case you've not been to this website... http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/cms/ LOTS of oil discussion on synthetic vs. dino, oil change intervals, used oil analysis', filter comparisons, etc... More than you can read in one sitting. Do a search on "Nissan VQ", or similar to see some interesting discussion about what different folks use in their engines. -sjm

What a coincidence... I'm installing a trailer brake control this very weekend, and took a few pic's of how I modified that bracket to accomodate a rubber grommet... Above is a side view... Here, you can see that I drilled the 1/2" off-center, so as not to break the spot-weld... Finally, you can see that i drilled my 1/2" hole in the outer plate, so that it pretty much lined up with the hole I drilled in the bracket... sjm

I just recently had a failure on one of the air lines going into the drivers side bag... the installation requires that a larger hole be drilled in the bottom of the spring peach for the air line to connect to the bag. On mine, the hole I drilled is just ever so slightly off center, causing a hole to eventually wear through the hose right at the barb fitting on the bag - and then finally to leak air. It was easy enough to fix short term, but I'll eventually need to take the coil spring out again so that I can enlarge the hole slightly to eliminate the chaffing on the hose. Sigh. Have to say though that I've been otherwise very happy with the air bag install. Easy to adjust for different loads, and even with just a few pouds of air in the bags the ride seems a bit more compliant. Having said that, I think if I was going to do it again, I would go with OME springs instead to carry the extra loads during our summer camping trips. Not much that can go wrong with a coil spring under normal conditions. -sjm

Factory VQ temp is 180 degrees... http://www.stant.com/common/part_locator/view_diagram.cfm?id=14668 -sjm

I've had good success with installing AirLift1000 airbags in the rear coils. It's DIY friendly, and set me back less than $100. When we go camping and we're loaded down, I just add air and my '03 Pathy levels right back out. Rides very smooth carrying the load... when empty, just deflate them back down and you're back to normal. If you want, you can get fancy and install an on-board air compressor that you can adjust from the drivers seat. I just set mine up with a manual valve in the back... If you're not looking for a lift above stock, you might want to check these out. If you're looking for a lift in addition to load carrying, then what Fleurys is suggesting might be the ticket for you. Lots of good info on this site about lifts and rear coils. Link to AirLift: http://www.airliftcompany.com/index.php Good luck! -sjm

When I was looking, those were the only two companies that I found... and I didn't think Firestone had an application for the R-50, but I could be wrong about that. And I also looked to see if anybody had an overload coilspring/shock absorber combo as an easy bolt on - no luck there.

When I have the bags inflated and I'm carrying a load (lots of camping gear, bikes, etc) the ride is a little firmer overall, but the back of the Pathy is not dragging, and bigger bumps don't cause bottoming like I had before installing the bags. Without a load, I keep them at about 8 psi or so - just enough to keep their shape and to act as a bumpstop, as you have to remove the factory one during the install. Like I said before, it seems like the best of both worlds for me... increased control with heavy loads, without the ride penalty of a stiffer spring setup... although from what I've read in these forums, I don't think that the rear spring options out there for R-50's (mainly AC and Old Man Emu) cause the ride to be come stiff or harsh. I got my AirLift bags from JC Whitney for about $85 U.S. You may find them a little cheaper elsewhere, but at the time they had them in stock.

FWIW... I've got the AirLift 1000's on my '03 Pathy SE... relatively simple install, and they work as advertised. I just have mine set up with the manual air valve. For me it's the best of both worlds... increased load carrying when I need it, and retaining the decent ride when I don't.

I needed 58" bars, because I knew that I needed room for the basket and the two bikes. I think you can use 48" bars if they handle the load you want to carry. If you are carrying sheets of plywood for example, you'd want the longer bars so that you have room to tie the load down, etc. There's nothing fancy about the Yakima load bars other than the plastic coating to prevent rust... and I think they price them the same for both lengths. My advice - FWIW - would be to get the longer bars. You can always cut them down with a hack saw if necessary. Remember, you can always cut some more off, but you can never cut any back on.