rocky2

Ya Ya Ya Gonna due the tires soon, you didn't think papa was gonna go wheelin without them now did you?

Hey theexbrit Try elongating the upper bolt hole on your strut body where the knuckle bolts. I did mine and it worked perfect for adjusting the the positive camber that the AC coils gave me. You have to have the stut out of the vehicle, use a drill bit of just slightly smaller diameter of the origianl bolt hole and rock it back and forth. It kinda gets oval but a rat tail file for finish up makes the hole pretty even. The area you want to take most of the material from is inward towards the body of the strut so no chance of weakening the attachment area.

When I did my oldest boys Jeep, I put poly everywhere and love it. Definetly makes a difference. The poly motor mounts where the most noticeable. So I say go for it, you won't be disappointed.

Atta Boy I dig that bumper Now straighten up that garage!!!

Looks good dude Put some drawings and measurements up so I can copy it.

Good work Dude Keep going your almost there!!! Use a little anti-seize on the stock hardware when going back in, I even wire wheeled a few of the really rusty ones. It helps trust me! Make sure to loosen the rack-n-pinion attachment bolts, so you can move it around when the steering link goes back in helps with aligning the splined couplers. Keep taking pics

Thanx to you ramdala, couldn't have done it without your write-up. Mi espousa es Chileana. Originally from Vina but grew up in Santiago. I went to Chile last year and skiied La Parva and El Colorado, went to Vina del Mar and Valparisio. LOVED IT. I want to go to Patagonia someday soon. My dream trip would be to drive all the way down there from el norte in the Pathfinder. La bruja calls me "viejo culiao" but mi Chileano buddies call me "Mojon"

Thanx devonainwalk

The blurry pic is my heavy duty in-line relay headlight wire harness attached to the fender well. It definetly improves the headlights with silverstar bulbs. The powersteering hose bracket came off pretty sweet, just copied the shape of the original, used some sheet matal and lengthen it, drilled the 4 holes and bolted it up. The panhard drop down bracket pushed the rear axle a little too much to passenger side but haven't got an alignment yet to be sure just eye balling it. Go figure, I put a 2" SFD with 2" AC coils and the rear is still raked.

Thanx "projekz" not too many issues but a few of the common ones like fasteners, (size and length) had to fab the steering extension from a photo "shift220" posted, not really difficult but just had to go for it and trust my instincts. Decided to due an oval cut out in the center of the extension block to sexy it up. Had to be pretty flexible to reach the motor mounts especially the drivers side. It snowed on me the second day of the project but i got most of it done the first day just had to finish the details laying in the snow and freezing. Gotta give a big shout out to "ramdala", gracias huevon. His post and drawings were awesome. Gotta thank "01silvapathy" for his write up. That dude gave me the motivation to just get after it!! I love the pic of him sleeping on his wheel in the shop, been there and done that. Used "DCgabel"s write up as well and did a few of my own tricks and it went off pretty easy I must say. Yea the tires look pretty small I ran 31x10.5x15 BFG's last year but hated the drag on the performance due to gear ratio being affected. Probably gonna go with 30x9.5x15's this time, looking at the Dunlop Mud Rover. The intake has a TBS from Summit and a generic $20 O'Reilly's 3" "Spectrum"cone filter. The K&N was $40 so went cheap, used to run a Weapons R something or another. Any 3" will work for you, just gotta make a bracket to secure it and you're good to go. I gotta brag about my Koni strut inserts. Those were my best project. There're rebound adjustable and have a spacer at the bottom of the stock strut housing, therefore correcting the top out issue the AC coils create with KYB's or any stock strut. The collar I machined made it a perfect fit and it rides awesome.

Some more mods I've done to the pathy

Lifted with stock tires

Hey 96pathfinder4X4 I just did a 2" SFD with AC coils this weekend. It snowed on me and I laid in it and suffered a little but it's done. Special thanks to Ramdala "gracias huevon" for the write-up and drawings. Everyone here at NPORA had great info and pics. It was pretty straight forward and I did it alone. Buying the KRfabs kit is probably the easiest way because all the thinking has been done for you. You just have to get busy with it and follow everyones advice here on the forums. I purchased the panhard drop backet from Andrew and was definetly impressed with his work and service. Thanks Andy. I machined a steering extension bracket similar to "shift220" and that worked perfect, so special thanx to that guy!! I posted a write up about using Koni strut inserts for the front end and now after install I have to say I'm pretty impressed. I should have went 4" SFD because with the AC coils in the rear I'm still racked but the CV angles are perfect, no more binding. But anyway good luck Dude.

Hey Been on this sight for a couple of years now and Love it. I read write-ups and then go down to the garage and and start tearing into the pathy. Did the MAF sensor clean w/Qtip and the #6 spark plug info was great. Found the spark plug tool under the seat and was saved. Did a 2" AC lift last year, gonna do a 2" SFD this weekend and finish my Koni strut insert project, pics of course are coming. Gonna get after the timing belt soon. Done a bunch of things over the years to the pathy and will be giving it to my son when he turns 16 in April. We've been doing things to it together as a father son sorta thing so it has been very cool and I want to thank all of you here at NPORA

You're right XPLORx4, I just wanted to get rid of the top out issue with stock length struts. And the Koni's are rebound adjustable and better all the way around as dampeners. I'm going to do a 2" SFD to get everything back to normal using the AC coils. Hopefully I get 4" total and level out the truck. I used Ac coils front and rear and now I'm raked. I like the pre-runner look so I might cut the rear coils if the SFD dosen't work out.

Got mine 4x4parts.com for $97, I was wrong about the $90 https://www.4x4parts.com/nissan/extended-brake-lines-p-5323.html Is yours an automatic or stick? Mines a stick and the 31's really killed the power up hill on the highway, but in 4 low it was fine, so I'm figuring it;s gear ratio. It looks goofy with the 235x75x15's on it but it sure goes better. I did the MAF clean with the Q-tip and alcohol (found a write-up here on NPORA) and that really made a big difference, check engine light went off and perked her up. Really easy to do and you should do it, I felt like an idiot for not doing it sooner. My OBD was reading fuel vapor cannister error and I was just neglecting tearing that thing out and replacing.You can make a bracket that lowers the brake line attachment point in the fender well, might work, but the rear will need to be longer. Get the drawings for SFD blocks here and have someone cut and drill for you or just do it yourself Get strut spacers at http://www.nx4industries.com/r50susp.html with AC coils or get the guy who cuts and drills your blocks to make the 4" strut spacers, which any decent fab shop should be able to do for you, given the drawings and some pics Steering linkage can be blocked or purchased at Kfabs for $165 or salvaged from 1991 honda accord Pahhard drop $75 Brake lines $97 Rear just needs some spacers or perch, some drilling and attaching WJ springs (again salvaged) and shocks Or forget everything I said and get the whole kit from Kfabs but piecing it together would probably be cheaper IMO Wow, after doing the math https://www.4x4parts.com/nissan/pathfinder-deluxe-suspension-package-p-1960.html $775 The Krfabs package deal $495 + $210 $1480 install yourself minimum. F%#@ it keep it the way it is and run it like you rented it !!!

Cleaned my MAF after reading this thread and WOW!!! The check engine light went off and the power was increased. The alcohol and Q-tip method worked perfectly and I couldn't believe the dirt and gunk that came off the wires. Thanx for the info

Your Pathfinder looks great and is in great shape for a 96. I want a spare tire hanger. Just think how cool it would look with a 4" lift. The 31's are killing your gas mileage. Our 3.3L engines have 165hp and are geared for the tires stock. Raising the height of the vehicle could only create more air drag co-efficient but would marginally affect pushing the vehicle down the road thus minimally decreasing mileage. The only way to get your axles off the ground is tire size, once that is done it's fender clearance that comes into play ie.wheel articulation and rubbing, thus lifting the vehicle must be done. Your right though, it's expensive but anything worth doing is costly. I have 31's on mine but the gear ratio was affected and caused power and gas mileage decreases for me, thinking of going back to 30's and/or gearing it. Larger tires make you tall geared and make the engine work harder in order to get up to torque curve, like starting out in 2nd and never being able to get to 5th unless on a downhill with the wind at your back sort of feeling. I put steel braided brake lines on all my vehicles and love them for their performance attributes lifting any vehicle just requires longer lines and my brake lines were $90 for front and rear. Well worth the cost IMO Lifting your vehicle and running 30's gives you more articulation clearance in your fender well and dosen't affect your mileage and power very much, but sure dosen't look as cool as big tires. Let's say you were to run 37's on your Pathfinder without gearing properly, you probably couldn't get the thing rolling and would have no power and terrible gas mileage. Gear ratio and tire size 30's= 3.73 and stock 31's=4.10-4.11 33's= 4.56 35/37's=4.88 You get the picture now, if you get huge tires you need to gear accordingly or the motor can't push the tire circumference and negatively affects gas mileage and power band. Lifting the vehicle dosen't affect the mileage very much. It's all cool just keep improving on it is my game.

Hey ferrariowner123 Go with the Kfabs SFD kit first unless your confident enough to make your own and get it over with, you will kick youself for not just doing it and then think about shock modifications. If you need to do the struts, the Koni insert deal is high quality and easily done and the spacer thing is not necessary unless you do the AC coils. Just follow the directions on the Koni website and drill the bottom and cut the top of the tube and your done. Looking back on it I would go the SFD route first and then maybe OME springs to stiffen up the ride but not alter the CV and camber angles. I got most of my ideas and mods from NPORA and I am very thankful for all the info. Back to the garage !!!

Spring preload should be attained by loading and /or compressing the coil or getting stiffer springs not by getting longer ones. Hence the threaded and adjustable spring perch on performance struts. Lift on an IFS should be by means of blocking and/or body lift ie. SFD. The idea of the AC springs as a lift mechanism is not really kosher in my opinion. Changes to the spring height causes severe CV angles and positive camber issues. For good handling on or offroad, negative camber is optimal. Just look at Trophy Trucks and sports cars. That being said, I slotted the top knuckle bolt hole like my Skunk2 set-up for camber adj. and will be doing a 2" SFD drop to counter the sprung front end. The Koni's are really cool and quality stuff. If you want to go down this road let me know and I will help you out.

Thanx for the interest Let me try to explain the method of my madness. I was concerned about the top out of the strut rod in the strut assembly, the postive wheel camber and the cv angles. I am now convinced that in order to remedy the cv angle and the camber issue I will have to do a SFD. But the top out issue is due to the spring length. Don't get me wrong, I like the ride of a stiff vehicle. Once I put the KYB's and the AC coils together I knew something was up when I had to use extreme pressure to get the top strut bearing assembly on and the whole unit in the truck. My first attempt of lengthening the strut rod itself was a failure. That was my machined strut rod extension that basically screws on the end of the rod with threads above to attach the top bearing assembly. So I decided to space the strut itself at the bottom by doing a modified strut insert. I have Skunk2 pro S coilovers on another car and love them. They are idepenently spring preload adjustable as well as ride height, rebound and compression. Nobody makes that kind of system for our Pathfinders and all though possible, it would involve too much fab. So, I went hunting for a high performance fix to the stock strut length on a Pathfinder. As you all know, not alot options out there. So, I noticed that alot of guys, in the street scene, were modifying their struts with Koni inserts, checked Koni's web site and there they were for our Pathfinders. Koni Heavy Track part # 86 2582 . So, I bought some and decided to space the insert at the bottom of the stock housing and leave the rod alone. The interference fit of the inserts was not exactly what I liked due to the spacer putting the Koni 2" higher. The Koni's have little dimples on the upper portion of the insert shaft that should go down into the housing. Most guys cut the stock housing down further in order to lower the vehicle and not bottom out the shock. Now do you get where I'm going? So I machined what is basically a collar that goes over the stock strut housing and secures the Koni insert. If I did not space the insert, I would not have to make or use the collar but would be back to the top out issue. Got to work now and will be back in a few minutes Rocky

Wow, no comments. I really thought I was on to something here. Increasing the stroke, ie. no top out issues and a for superior adjustable strut cartridge. Cool machining of the collar and skinning the cat in a totally innovative way and no atta boys? Well, I'll post more when it all goes together and is installed.

Strut insert in the housing with the collar installed. The other insert by the side for reference.Close up of the strut The bottom spacer and the collar again