XPLORx4

I use stock NGK plugs in my Pathfinder, and I've had a set of Magnecor KV85 ignition wires installed on my truck since 1999, or about 140,000 miles ago, and they still work great.

This one looks pretty good. You won't lose too much departure angle.

Very cool. Keep it up! I just sold my Rebel T2i and am going to replace it soon with the T4i/18-135STM kit. I've been enjoying the post-processing creativity of modifying RAW files with CS5.

It's all there in the write-up.

Great pics! Love the sunset's reflection on the water. What did you shoot with? Nice composition, but perhaps a little too much HDR, especially on the first shot; the sky is oversaturated. Are you using a calibrated monitor for your post processing?

You really shouldn't use longer shocks with stock suspension, since you may damage the shocks if the suspension fully compresses, so pick up the cheapest pair of stock replacements you can find. My advice would be to purchase only the 2" lift springs from AC, and get the KYB GR2 struts and good Bilstein shocks from other sources that will have better pricing and lower shipping costs.

If you know you'll be installing the AC lift at some point in the near future, but your Pathy just CANNOT wait to get new shocks, just get the cheapest possible stock replacements, and upgrade to Bilstein 5150's (p/n 25-186307) when you put on the lift. The difference between stock and lifted shocks isn't the valving, it's the compressed/extended length. However, the 5150's I mentioned have slightly firmer valving than stock shocks, so your Pathy might have a slightly firmer feel. But in my opinion, that's a good thing.

I'm running dual batteries, using a Hellroaring Battery Isolator. My main battery is a Sears Diehard Platinum Marine Group Size 34M, and my secondary battery is an Odyssey PC680MJ. All accessories (lights, winch, fridge) run off the main battery. The only purpose of the Odyssey is for emergency starting purposes, should the main battery become too drained to start the engine. The Diehard is mounted in normal orientation, but shifted closer to the radiator by the width of the Odyssey battery, which is sandwiched between the fender and the Diehard. When going out on trips where there's more risk of killing the main battery, I also carry a couple of 5000mah 11.1v Lithium-Polymer (LiPo) R/C batteries to serve as a emergency "jump-starter" as shown in this video.

Doesn't sound like a starter problem, if the engine cranks. If the engine cranks but won't fire up, your starter is fine, and the problem is elsewhere: fuel, air, or spark, all of which are managed by the computer to varying degrees.

Are you pushing the lever downwards while shifting? When you shift to 4L, the tranny should be in neutral. Then, in order to shift from 4H to 4L, push the transfer case lever downward (towards the floor), then quickly pull it all the way back (while continuing to push down), then let the lever pop back up slightly (to "lock it in" 4L). Do not pause at all when shifting. Do it in one, swift motion. It should take under 1 second.

http://www.EverythingNissan.com/1998-Nissan-Pathfinder-Rocker-s/35549.htm

That's actually not 100% true. Shocks will help prevent bottoming out if the valving is firm. Shocks control how quickly the suspension responds to bumps in the road. Softly-valved shocks will allow the suspension (springs) to move faster and further, isolating the chassis from the road. Really big bumps with softly-valved shocks may allow bottoming-out. Firmly-valved shocks do not allow the suspension to move as far, nor as quickly, providing a firmer ride that communicates more of the road surface through the chassis to the driver. Sports-tuned suspensions use firmer shocks. Basically, firmer shocks can help with bottoming out, but only if the suspension is not already compressed so far as to be close to the bumpstops. If you're carrying a heavy load or your springs are too weak, even firm shocks won't help with bottoming out.

Struts: Go with KYB GR2. On the Pathfinder, Rancho struts are inferior to the KYB GR2's. RS5000 rear shocks for stock suspension: RS5116. For 2" lift suspension: RS5010

Here's a tip for anyone trying to remove the OEM bushings from trailing arms: Use an air chisel to knock out the collar. Faster than trying to hacksaw or sawzall through it, and cheaper than having a shop press it out.

In my experience, the low fuel warning light glows steadily when there's a little under 3 gallons left. Calculate your distance to empty using your estimated MPG, and that will tell you whether you can make it home or not.

Sorry to confuse folks. I should have clarified that older R50 Pathfinders whose suspension geometry has rear shocks mounted at an angle will have panhard bracket clearance issues. Newer R50's with the revised rear shock placement should be OK. I don't remember when the shock configuration (non-angled) was revised. I think it was introduced starting with the 99.5 model. I should add that 4x4parts sells RS999112 shocks as part of their suspension package, but the valving on that shock is way too soft. IMHO, the firmer valving on the 999010 (same length as the 9112) makes it a better choice for the R50.

You can get new coil springs that provide a variety of lift heights, from 1/2" to 2-1/2". Old Man Emu has mild lift springs, and 4x4parts.com has 2-1/2" lift springs. ARB makes the only selectable locker available for your Pathfinder.

Recommended Rancho shock part numbers for Nissan Pathfinder/QX4 R50: Stock suspension RS-5000 shocks: RS5116 Extended Length (in) 24.000 in. Collapsed Length (in) 14.875 in. Upper Mount Eyelet Lower Mount Eyelet RS-9000XL shocks: RS99916 (not recommended because its diameter is too wide and will interfere with the panhard rod bracket) Extended Length (in) 23.750 in. Collapsed Length (in) 15.000 in. Body Diameter (in) 2.750 in. Upper Mount Eyelet Lower Mount Eyelet 2" lifted suspension RS-5000 shocks: RS5010 Extended Length (in) 26.250 in. Collapsed Length (in) 15.870 in. Upper Mount Eyelet Lower Mount Eyelet RS-9000XL shocks: RS999010 (not recommended because its diameter is too wide and will interfere with the panhard rod bracket) Extended Length (in) 26.000 in. Collapsed Length (in) 16.125 in. Body Diameter (in) 2.750 in. Upper Mount Eyelet Lower Mount Eyelet Better alternatives to the Rancho 9000 shocks are Pro-Comps with similar dimensions or Bilsteins. For 2" lift applications, here are the recommended Bilstein part numbers: 5125: 33-185552 (aka F4-BE5-6248-H5) 5150: 25-186307 5165: 25-187717 For the SFD+2" AC lift (6" total lift), use: Bilstein 5150: 25-101980

The panhard rod locates the axle laterally. That is, it helps ensure the axle stays centered under the chassis. The lower links locate the axle longitudinally. That is, they make sure the axle is square to the chassis. The upper links locate the axle rotationally. That is, they make sure the pinion angle is set correctly. So, if the lower links are the same length, your chassis isn't bent, or the axle brackets aren't bent, then the axle will always be square to the chassis, even if the panhard rod is detached. The amount of lateral shift caused by the AC lift is quite small. I'm not 100% convinced that your pulling problem is due to the panhard rod angle, and I would still encourage you to revisit the alignment. While your alignment may be "in spec", if one side is at the minimum caster and the other is at the maximum caster, that difference could cause pulling in the steering. Take a look.

When was the last time your distributor cap/rotor, plug wires, and plugs were replaced? BTW, check your PM's.

The "pulling to the right" problem isn't caused by the panhard rod angle. There's something amiss with your front alignment. When was the last time you had it aligned, and what were the alignment measurements? If the caster is uneven between left and right, the side with the smaller angle will cause drifting toward that side. Drifting to the right means that the right A-arm is further back than the left A-arm. Technically, caster isn't adjustable, but you can improve the drifting to the right by loosening the subframe bolts and using a ratchet strap or come-along to move the right side of the subframe forward and the left side of the subframe rearward, and then retightening all of the subframe bolts. The subframe will only move about 2 or 3mm on each side, but it should be enough to help improve the alignment, provided that professional alignment measurements show a difference in the right/left caster angles.

"The 5th control arm".... do you mean the Panhard rod on the rear axle? You need a panhard rod drop-bracket. Unfortunately, there isn't one commercially available for the 2" lift. That being said, I've run the AC 2" lift for about 10 years and haven't experienced any real issues with the panhard rod being angled.

I have 2 friends with Xterras, and when we go 'wheeling they always complain that I drive way too fast and they can't keep up. Finally, one of them rode shotgun with me on the bumpy forest road he'd just driven, and he commented that the ride is SO much smoother than his Xterra, no wonder I can drive so much faster! Apparently the coil-sprung suspension provides a remarkably smoother ride than the torsion bar/leaf spring suspension on the X. I still prefer my R50 over the Xterra, and if my Pathy dies, I would probably replace it with another R50 (VQ engine with a part-time T-case) or a late-model 4Runner, not an Xterra. That being said, I have great respect for the Xterra and its aftermarket support. You can do a front solid axle swap much more cheaply than an R50, and it's easier to fit huge tires, too.

When shifting between 4H and 4L, the transfer case lever passes through a neutral position. If the transfer case is in neutral too long, small frictional forces in the transmission cause the t-case input shaft to free-spin, which causes the grinding when you attempt to shift it into 4L. To avoid this, use one smooth, swift motion to shift from 4H to 4L: First, stop the vehicle completely and keep your foot on the brake pedal, then shift the transmission to "N". Next, push downward on the shift lever while pulling it back all the way to 4L. Do not release downward pressure until the lever is all the way back. Accomplish this very quickly (within 1 second) to avoid the grinding sound. When AWD mode is set to "2WD" then no power is transferred to the front wheels. When the AWD mode is in normal configuration ("unlocked"), power transfer is dynamic between front and rear wheels, allowing for smooth and safe AWD operation on pavement. AWD mode set to "Lock" means your front and rear driveshafts become mechanically locked together so that the power transfer to front and rear axles is fixed at 50:50. This allows you to drive on very rough terrain and will maximize traction. In 4H, the transfer case gear ratio is 1:1, which means it doesn't have any effect on your speed. However, 4L changes the gear ratio of the transfer case to about 2:1 for use on steep or very rough terrain. This effectively cuts in half the maximum speed you can reach in any transmission gear. In 4H, if your max speed in 1st gear is 35mph (engine at redline), then in 4L your max speed will be something like 18mph.

If you're just ready for a different, late-model vehicle, then by all means trade it in now before you put more miles on it! You only drove it 4800 miles a year! That's outstanding! I like the new 4Runners, but they are expensive! The JGC looks pretty good, too.