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Before you begin, be sure to lock your steering wheel so that it can't turn, or else you'll risk breaking your clock spring. Removing the rack should be relatively straightforward. You'll need to remove the splashguard, "H"-shaped brace, the swaybar and the swaybar mounting brackets first. Count and write down the number of exposed threads on the inner tie rod ends so that when you reassemble the new tie rods, your alignment won't be totally messed up. (You'll probably still need an alignment afterwards). Remove the inner tie rods from the tie rod ends. Remove the P/S lines attached to the rack, being sure to catch any fluid that begins to drain from the lines. Remove the bracket holding the P/S line to the subframe. Disconnect the steering linkage from the rack. Remove the 4 bolts holding the rack brackets to the subframe. At this point the rack should be able to pull straight forward out of the subframe. Reinstallation is reverse of removal. You may want to install new steering rack bushings as part of this procedure.

If you have Warn hubs, you only need to remove the outer cap so you can access the snap ring. Dealing with Warn hubs is actually easier than trying to pry the stock hub cap off.

Here's a quick how-to for replacing the CV axle: TOOLS NEEDED: 1. Jack 2. Jack stand(s) 3. Lug wrench 4. Snap-ring pliers (about $10) 5. 3/8" ratchet/driver 6. 12mm socket or ratcheting box wrench 7. 17mm deep socket 8. Screwdriver or putty knife 9. Vise-grips or large pliers 10. Hammer REMOVAL 1. Jack up truck and place on jackstands under the chassis (not the A-arms). 2. Remove tire 3. Remove hub cap on drive flange. Use a flat screwdriver or putty knife to pry it off as you rotate the hub cap with vise-grips. 4. Using snap-ring pliers, remove the snap ring on the CV axle splines (behind the hub cap you just removed). 5. Using a 12mm ratcheting wrench or socket/driver, remove all 6 bolts holding the inner CV axle to the differential flange. To access each pair of bolts, rotate the brake rotor and then to keep it from rotating while loosening the bolts, stick a screwdriver through the brake caliper and the brake rotor vents. 6. Remove 3 17mm nuts from the ball joint and pry/wiggle the ball joint studs out of the A-arm, then swing the A-arm downward 7. Tap the outer end of the CV axle with a hammer to dislodge it from the drive flange and slide it towards the center of the vehicle through the opening created by swinging the A-arm downwards. 8. If the thrust washer is still attached to the outer shaft of the original CV axle, remove it and install it in the same orientation on the new CV axle. INSTALLATION 1. Slide the CV axle back into the hub through the opening created by the swung-down lower A-arm. 2. Hand-thread the 6 12mm bolts holding the inner CV axle flange to the differential flange. 3. Reinstall ball joint and tighten the 3 17mm nuts 4. Tighten 6 12mm bolts holding CV axle to differential flange, first, one per each pair of three, then tighten the second one of each pair. Don't forget to insert that screwdriver through the rotor vents to keep it from spinning. 5. Reinstall snap ring. You may need to pull axle fully through the hub to fully access to the snap ring channel. 6. Reinstall hub cap. 7. Reinstall tire 8. Remove vehicle from jackstands DONE! NOTE: Alternatively, in lieu of removing the ball joint to provide clearance to pull out the CV axle, you may opt to remove the large bolts holding the A-arm to the subframe. There's one long bolt and nut at the front and two bolts at the rear of the A-arm. I think they're 7/8 or 21mm. I forget. This can be more inconvenient because you'll need to remove the splash guard to do this, and those bigger fasteners might need a 1/2" drive or air wrench to remove. The benefit is that that you don't have to fight the torsional resistance of the A-arm bushings or wrangle the ball joint studs through the A-arm, which can be challenging due to the weight/angle of the strut/knuckle assembly.

R50's and WD22's (Gen 1 Xterras) have 33-spline H233B rear differentials. 31-spline H233B rears were used in WD21's.

By the way, replacing the CV axle on the R50 doesn't require actually removing any parts except the tire and a hub cap. You don't need to remove the knuckle or brakes or any of that. The last time I replaced my CV axle due to a small 3/4" tear in the boot, I kept the old one, used some Shoe Goo on it, and boxed it back up as a spare.

A new CV axle will cost you about $75 at your local auto parts store, and you can do the swap in about an hour if you've got the right tools, and your hands will stay nearly completely grease-free. Replacing the CV boots will cost you about $15-$20, and you'll need an additional special CV boot strap tightening tool, which will cost you an extra $20 or more. You still have to do the exact same labor as replacing the CV axle, but you have the added effort of disassembling the CV joints, removing the old boots, cleaning the old grease (and dirt) out, installing new boots and grease, and reassembling the CV. How much is your time worth? If you replace the boots, figure on an extra hour for teardown of the CV axle, plus extra time for cleanup. If it were me, I would just swap the axle with a new one (not a remanufactured one). The price difference is inconsequential, and the effort saved by not doing the boot swap is totally worth it. Here's a previous thread on this issue: click me

If you're driving only 20 miles in that hour, that's bad. But if you're averaging 60 miles in that hour, that's pretty good.

Enjoi- if your Pathy has the "all-mode" 4WD selection on the dial, it's not a good idea to use manual hubs. I remember reading that the transfer case is lubricated by a pump attached to the front driveshaft, and if it doesn't spin, the transfer case won't get lubricated properly. Your MPG is down from the lift and the rolling resistance/weight of your tires. Your speedometer/odometer are probably off by a pretty big amount, too, so your MPG calculations will be lower than actual. If you measure your speed using a GPS, calculate the % error and multiply that by your trip odometer reading at fill-up time to get a closer # to the actual miles you've driven.

Before I got my AC 2" lift, I installed a pair of AirLift bags, which replaced the factory bump stops. The inflation valve is mounted on the panhard rod brace in the left rear wheel well. http://shop.airliftcompany.com/product/0/60742/_/Air_Lift_1000%3B_Coil_Spring_Leveling_Kit They worked very well to help level the rear, especially while loaded and/or towing. After I installed the 2" lift, they are no longer needed, but I still have the bags installed as bump stops. They've been installed for over 120,000 miles and they're not worn out at all. The only thing you need to be sure to do is to drill out the lower spring perch with the correctly sized drill bit to prevent the air line from getting pinched when the spring compresses.

What model (part number) did you get? When I ran RS9000XL shocks, which cannot be run upside-down, the right rear shock body got dented by the panhard rod bracket when the rear left wheel stuffed and the rear right dropped. When the R50 shock mounts were changed in model year 99.5, that's no longer an issue, but it might be for your 98.

Here's a great tip for repacking the inner wheel bearing without completely destroying the grease seal, if you did not acquire a new one. (They're about 12 bucks). After removing the hub/rotor assembly, place it face-up on two pieces of wood (or other supportive material) so that the center of the hub and the grease seal are suspended a couple of inches above a clean surface that is prepared to catch the bearing and grease seal. Insert the handle of a hammer, a 1"-diameter hardwood dowel or other non-metallic object about 10" long through the center of the hub. Using a hammer, tap around the circumference of the inner bearing, which will eventually pop out the inner bearing and the grease seal without damaging it.

Repacking the front wheel bearings is an uncomplicated, but somewhat time-consuming and messy affair that is probably not necessary, unless you have a known problem with the bearings. A bearing repack is usually done as part of replacing the front brake rotors, since you've got to remove the hub/rotor assembly from the spindle to replace the rotor. Here's a useful link: http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/topic/26842-front-wheel-bearings-on-a-97/ If you definitely are going to repack your bearings, here's a how-to: http://www.nissan4wheelers.com/topic/repack-your-front-wheel-bearings---4x4-ifs This video is for a Nissan Navara (Frontier) but except for the outer hub/drive flange, the process is exactly the same for the R50:

The photo above shows something that can be a common safety oversight when using the hi-lift jack. When operated properly, the hi-lift can still be dangerous, and its use should be treated with much respect. Whenever the jack is not being manipulated, the handle should ALWAYS be in the vertical (stowed) position, unlike the horizontal position you see. The reason is that there are two pawls on the hi-lift, and the handle will violently move upwards into the vertical position if one of the pawls fails. If someone's body parts are in the travel path of the handle, they could be seriously injured or killed.

Actually, looking into this a little more, the bumper-lift will absolutely not work with the front tow loops. The shape of the hook won't work on the tow loop. Question: why do you want to get the bumper-lift (about $26) which isn't designed for plastic bumper covers anyway, when the lift-mate is not that much more (about $34) and will work much better?

The bumper lift attachment may not attach to the tow loop properly because of the smallish diameter of the loop. Even if the hook fits in the tow loop, the length of the bumper lift attachment will probably not be long enough for the hi-lift tongue to brace against the metal part of the bumper, and you'll put a hole in your lower bumper cover. Plus, you could probably get a short length of chain for cheaper than the bumper lift.

That's pretty impressive. Too bad it costs more than the hi-lift jack. On the other hand, you could probably build something similar yourself for under $20

The tow loop can be used to attach a hi-lift jack, although I don't think any of the hi-lift accessories are long enough to reach the tow loop if the jack tongue is properly positioned. If you do use the tow loop, place a rag or other soft protective material between the hi-lift tongue and the strongest part of the stock bumper (on your Pathy, it's the metal part closest to the rivets) and use chain whose load limit is at least 1000 lbs. and a similarly-sized chain screw link (example pic) between the tow loop and the opening under the hi-lift tongue. Don't tighten the screw link all the way so it's still able to be loosened by hand. To determine how much chain you'll need, set the hi-lift tongue against the bumper and measure the distance to the tow loop. Multiply that length by 2.5 and go visit your local home improvement store and buy the chain and the screw link. I have used the tow loop/hi-lift in this manner before, but always keeping in mind the risks of the vehicle shifting sideways if both front tires leave the ground. For this reason, it's probably a better idea to use the Lift-Mate then place something under the chassis to keep the tire off the ground once you remove the Lift-Mate.

No, I don't think Nissan added VDC (vehicle dynamic control) in the Pathy until later model years.

Yeah, black smoke = running too rich. Blue smoke = burning oil Worn rings or a bad valve would have been diagnosed by poor compression on one or more cylinders. If all cylinders are testing with good compression, and the problem is most noticeable at startup, but not as noticeable while driving, the valve stem seals could be worn. Read more here

I searched google for "brake slip vdc off" and got a ton of hits that seemed to indicate that low brake fluid will cause these lights to glow. Low brake fluid, if the system is operating properly, usually indicates that your front brake pads are nearing end of life and should be inspected to determine replacement soon.

First, check your brake fluid level. May not be related at all, but it never hurts to check anyway. You may have a loose or damaged cable to one of the ABS sensors, or one of the sensors is bad.

When I had my custom bumper made, I had them add reinforcing braces between the wings on either side and the parts of the bumper that mount to the frame. I'll see if I can get some of those photos online and post them later this week.

If you have a trailer hitch, the best place to attach a custom bumper is where the hitch bolts to the "frame rails" on either side of the spare tire. Don't use the factory bumper mounts; they're too weak and won't be strong enough to mount a bumper/tire-carrier combo. Here's a good example of effective rear bumper mounts: More photos here.

Why are you interested in buying a spare tire? What happened to yours? I believe my original spare tire (1997 LE 4WD) was a 235/70R15 Bridgestone Dueler HT. It doesn't really matter that your spare tire exactly matches what was provided by Nissan at the factory. The most important thing is that the tire is the same size as the others that are installed, and the second matter of importance is the tread type, especially for off-road applications. Case in point: when I was running 31x10.50R15 tires (first Yokohama Geolandar AT, then BFG AT's and later Goodyear MTR's), I carried the same spare tire: a 31x10.50R15 Goodyear Wrangler AT. I only used it 3 times, so it has almost all of its tread left. Since I'm now running 265/75R16 BFG KM2's, I decided to get a matching spare.

Nice way to think out of the box on the cheap. It's hard to tell from the photo above, but it looks like there's exposed threaded stud (bolt?) sticking out below those nuts, making them very vulnerable to damage/shearing/bending if they hit a rock. Were you unable to use existing welded nuts in the subframe?