ascdesigns

I did mine about a year and a half ago. It was a bit of a PITA - the switch is self-contained in a big-bolt type housing and is mounted up high on the passenger side (I think). I had to pull the center console and related items to access it with an offset wrench. There may be an easier way but at the time I didn't feel like lowering the trans. You may want to first be sure it's the switch by pulling the plug and shorting the two wires that would normally be closed by the switch. It's easy enough to do. If you don't want to tackle the job of replacing the switch, you could wire a manual toggle switch; just don't forget to turn it off after backing up! (Isn't the reverse light a sign you want to race someone? Good luck!

Thanks everyone! OK, so it's not the motor mounts ...whew. They look like a PITA to change out. The engine stays firm (no knocking, clunking, jumping) when I try Kingman's method. Actually, I modified his method a little since I have a manual tranny. I put it into 1st pulled the e-brake and slipped the clutch just a little to "simulate" what Kingman suggested. I'll re-double check my upper control links. As far as the tranny mount, condition-wise it doesn't look anything like ahardb0dy's. (I think his is from a WD21; I have an R50). I may just need to pull mine and check. Perhaps my Pathy is just a little worn and tired. It does have 185K after all. Again, thanks all y'all for your suggestions!

So I guess I'll need to remove the tranny mount first to see if it's sloppy? Based on the responses, it doesn't seem like a frequent problem...

Thanks MY1PATH. How would you go about checking the d/s motor mount? The engine doesn't rock much when I give it gas. Are there visible signs of a torn bushing? I'm not sure if they're the fluid-filled kind. Also, when you refer to the upper/lower link bushings, do you mean the rear control arms? Those were replaced around 165K and are tight (can barely twist the lower/longer arms a little by hand); no death sway either. Thx again!

Knock on wood, most everything else in my 1997 Pathy with 185K miles is going well. Per the title, how can you test if the tranny mount is going south? The reason I'm asking is I can feel more movement than I think is normal (maybe not?) in my manual tranny shifter along with a slight clunking when I hit larger bumps in the road. The clunk is not loud but it just sounds like the clunk you can make in your drivetrain when you tap the gas while coasting. I checked my driveshafts/ujoints - they're not loose. Yes, I can twist the driveshaft a little bit however I think that's just normal play in the transmission or the differential. One thought was to place the jack under the transmission (buffered with a piece of wood to protect it) and gently apply pressure. Would that show if the tranny mount was separating from the cross-member? Has anyone had issues with their tranny mounts? I can't visually see anything wrong with mine however it is sandwiched in there pretty well. Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Thanks. However, my mounting straps only have one marking on each: an arrow showing which side of the strap should be pointed "up". - Al

Hello all, I just replace my steering rack bushings with some poly units I found on eBay. My driver's side was hanging on by a oil-soaked wisp of rubber, and passenger's side was actually OK. However with no reference to how the rack was mounted when new, I have this question: Is there a specific angle I should have rotated my steering rack to after I installed the two new bushings? For now, I chose a "middle" position, between the max it would rotate upwards and downwards. There's binding with some tubes when maxed upwards, and a casting on the rack that hits the frame when maxed downwards. As I have it right now (middle), there's no binding in the steering input shaft/joints but I thought it would be better to ask anyway. Thoughts? Thanks, Al

@shoesandsocks - just to be clear, I assume you meant "Rocky Road"? If so, Rocky Road does list them correctly as I just received my purchase confirmation email that includes the front and rear spring part numbers. (All Purpose) MD Front (which I specifically ordered) is OME2923, the HD is OME2928 and LD is OME2921. This corresponds correctly with the PDF linked in the above post by erathge. Just an FYI - Al

Hey Drew, Honestly, I never took it much beyond diagnosing something was wrong inside the front diff. There was a domino-effect that impacted (literally) my transfer case as a result of whatever was seizing in the diff to the point I couldn't engage 4hi anymore. Since I had paid <$1600 for the '98 and it had the rusted strut towers along with massive trans shifting flares, I wound up scrapping it. But I liked the Pathy so much I bought a '97 a few months later. Sorry, not much help for ya with the problem. - Al

Possible suggestion to try before entirely swapping the stock units back in: while the front end is on jackstands, disassemble the NAPA units, but rebolt the CV to the diff, leaving the splined end out of the hub - probably 3 bolts is all you need. Rotate the CV by hand to see if the binding still exists. This way, you can manually adjust the CV angle and determine if it's the CV itself at a certain angle. The unhappy possibility: my '98 Pathy had *exactly* the same symptoms your is exhibiting. I did the above test and found zero binding in the CV but when rotating the diff by hand there was a seizure somehere inside the pumpkin. This was causing the "hump" you refer to in a previous post. I *think* it was from one of my Warn hubs accidentally disengaging causing various non-intended gear/bearing rotations inside the diff. I certainly hope this is where your problems differ from mine. Now, on my new (old) '97 Pathy, I'm now paranoid and frequently checking that my hubs are either both locked or unlocked. Best of luck! I look forward to hearing how you resolve this - hopefully it is only a defective CV! - Al

Re: running one hub unlocked: Just a thought on perhaps what killed my front diff on my "98 Pathy a couple years ago. One of my Warn hubs came stuck open while the other was locked. Something siezed in the diff to the point when I was able to lock both sides bad noises and vibrations, and literally elliptical oscillations of my diff happened. I don't know if the bearings inside the front open diff are meant to spin opposite for long periods of time. Again, just a thought to consider. Front diff experts, please check my math on this one - I am speculating a bit. - Al

Thanks all. I kinda want to keep the spring rates "balanced", i.e. not too stiff in the rear compared to a stock front. I decided to get the Moog 81115's for the later R50's. I think they'll do pretty well for now - after I install them in the next couple weeks I'll report back for the benefit of anyone else who may have been considering doing this. - Al

Just for kicks, I'll offer up a "ghetto" way that I made custom all-weather mats - you probably have seen this before. I just purchase a set of "truck-sized" generic all-weather mats from Pep Boys, and laid the OEM carpet mats over them as a template. Trace and cut with a sharp pair of scissors and voila! Yes, I realize that this "ghetto" mat won't necessarily hold 5 cups of water since you may be removing the outside lip of the mats but it's worked really well for me for the past few years. ...and it only cost me $20. I also usually clap my feet together before getting in to my Pathy so there's little snow/ice brought in. Just some food for thought - I'm sure the WeatherTechs and other perfect-fits are much more superior. - Al

Hi, So I've decided not to lift my 1997 Pathy as I use it largely for wintertime daily driving and basic car camping in the summer. However I do want to replace my rear coils as they're sagging a bit especially when loaded with a hitch bike rack. Looking at RockAuto's site, it seems there may be two spring options. I'm assuming the 2000-2004 Pathys are a bit heavier in the rear so their replacement part (according to RockAuto) is Moog #81115. The 1996-1999's use Moog #81113. I'm sure the spring will "fit" since both AC and ARB kits spec their lift springs for all R50 model years. The Moogs are relatively inexpensive (<$55 shipped) but before I invest some money and time I wanted to ask: Has anyone had experience using the (seemingly) heavier-duty #81115 on a 96-99 Pathy? If so, did it raise it significantly/too much? I consistently have a Yakima hitch carrier with a couple bikes on the back (appx 120-130 lbs incl the rack) and bike gear, so if it actually makes my vehicle level I'd be happier. Thanks for any insights you may have! - Al

Not doubting you! Just putting another possibility since my switch was still "working". Bummer that your tranny striker was worn - how many miles on your Pathy?