hawairish

My MPG was pretty shoddy before the bumpers, and I don't think they've worsened the numbers much. I think the gearing change lowered the numbers some, but part of me thinks it's really boiled down to a clogged PCV valve and O2 sensors, which I've been dragging my feet on the repairs. One got replaced a few months ago, and I've had another O2 code that I've just kept clearing because I swear the code has programmatic instructions to just dump fuel in the cylinders. On the highway stretches to and from the trails last weekend, I ran some fuel system treatment through two tanks and haven't seen the code since. Funny you mention the split fuel/water tank(s) where the undermount spare was. I was just telling TownDawg that's the real direction I'd want to go the other day. I don't need or want that much reserve fuel, just enough (5-10gal) to get out of a pinch. I do want water storage, too. I also want some other storage there (I'd love to make a larger storage tub where the existing one is, if I could reasonably replace the crossmember there). The problem with using that location for fuel, though, is provisions for filling...transferring is probably less of a problem, but a problem nonetheless. The thought of just having an undermount tray/rack for carrying two jerry/Scepter cans on their side has also crossed my mind. In the end, I may just modify my tire carrier a little to hold a can and be done with it.

Ha! His old front ARB locker, which is now in my truck. I bought it off a different guy years ago who hadn’t installed it in his truck.

An aftermarket or custom bumper can distribute load across both recovery point areas somewhat. To be more effective, though, they also need to increase the number of attachment points and the overall contact area. I don't recall if I had a good picture of the nut-strip I'm using for my bumper brackets, but it slips into the chassis tube and sandwiches the tube wall using 1/2" bolts. The problem with putting a bolt all the way through the tube, even with a sleeve, is that it greatly increases pressure at the attachment point and under-utilizes part of your bracket; it's not distributing pressure enough. Your pipe sleeve would have to be a fat round spacer to the exact width of the tube to be the most effective (but a difficult task since the tube opening is smaller and not uniform). Two analogies to hammer the point: Imagine two magnets on a piece of steel. One is 1" diameter, and the other 3" diameter. Which is easier to slide around? The 3" magnet has about 9x more surface area, and consequently harder to move. This scenario represents area distribution. Imagine holding a piece of paper flat between your palms and someone trying to pull the paper out. You can hold it pretty tight. Instead of palms, try just between all 5 fingertips fanned out (er, 4-6 fingers for some folks out there); still a decent grip, but you've eliminated contact area from the palms. Now do a palm and just one finger. The paper flops over and can be pulled from your grip very easily. Your palm adds very little to clamping strength, literally reduced to the contact area of your fingertip, and basically the equivalent of holding it with just two finger tips. This scenario represents a bolt-through scenario. Notably, many of the surfaces on the truck are irregular as you expand across multiple attachment points, so you can only gain so much actual contact area. I'd guesstimate my brackets have added about 1/2 sq ft in contact area, and are currently using 9 attachment points per bracket (I can increase these further if I were to weld my brackets to the OE recovery hooks).

Just curious, but what do the rear hook points look like? I don’t think I’ve seen them before. Are they removed when a hitch is installed?

You can pull the codes yourself pretty easily. You just ground a pin on the OBD port and the ABS light will flash the code. See BR-41 here: http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Pathfinder/2003_Pathfinder/br.pdf. The code chart is on BR-54. Just be mindful of where pin #9 is. I can't remember if it's my Pathfinder or Frontier, but the OBD port is oriented upside down relative to the diagram in the FSM. The other other "pin 9" will pop a fuse somewhere. Generally speaking, it might help to pull the ABS sensors and clean off any metal shavings or grease that has accumulated on them. While I've never had problems pulling mine (knock on wood), I've heard of some horror stories. Proceed with caution as to not damage them. Others have noted that rust on the sensor mounting face can alter the air gap between sensor and tone ring. Lastly, confirm that all your tires are of the same size and are wearing evenly; variations between tires may be sensed as a slip condition.

Man @RainGoat, I wish I was getting 15 mpg. I took my lawnmower can with me over the weekend (it's such a POS, too) and got somewhat close to needing it. But then again, I was pushing my tank to the distance, noting that my idiot light comes on with about 5 gallons left (but presumably less). Aussies have had two extended fuel tank options that I'm aware of. One is the Long Ranger, which was a 95L (25gal) that installed where the undermount spare tire is. Not sure if ARB partnered with or acquired LR, but that's what ARB sells. The other was from Brown Davis, which was a 125L (33gal) tank replacement. My buddy was looking to import some years ago, and they were not cheap ($1K sounds about right), all things considered. After thinking about my own refueling in needs, I really like the idea of a small aux cell where the spare tire was. I might mock up some dimensions and request a quote from Boyd Welding (http://www.boydwelding.com/) who seem to have the process down, though I'd expect a custom job to be around $500-$600. Some time ago, I saw a rather clever roof-rack setup that was comprised of a marine-grade under-seat fuel tank and an external fuel pump; I'll have to find my bookmark for it. After spending maybe 10 minutes trying to refill my tank with the unused fuel, and a sore thumb holding some stupid EPA-compliant spout open, a gravity- or pump-assisted system seems like the way to go.

While I share Inyourface1650's enthusiasm to some degree, mjotrainbrain is correct. Per the Owner's Manual, only the RH/pass side is "rated" for towing, while the LH is for tie-down use only. Now, at least on my truck, both left and right tow points are almost identical in shape and mounting (same number of bolts per side), so I don't know why one side would be inherently weaker than the other, though I think I've seen some older models have 4 bolts on the RH side and only 3 on the LH (mine is 3 per side). I think both points would be fine for static pulls (winch, tow strap), but I'd be cautious about using dynamic pulls (kinetic, snatch, recovery straps, etc.) on them. The hooks themselves are fine. The radiator crossmember is boxed in to resist pushing/impact (though, I'll disagree on the part about the area taking the bumper load...the bumper brackets are flimsy and designed to collapse, and are mounted to a flimsy area well above the tow points), but it's the nuts welded to thin sheet metal that are weakest links. Ask @TowndawgR50; they can shift on a recovery pull. "Recovery" can refer to static and dynamic pulls. There's obviously some situational awareness for recovery efforts, but personally I'd limit their usage to only slow static pulls.

Hey Nik, Welcome to the forums. I have a few outlier presumptions: ATF fluid filled to the fill hole level All the tires are matching in brand, size, and similar tread life No other dash lights, such as ABS It doesn't have manual wheel hubs (it's a pretty common upgrade, though not normally done on the all-mode trucks) 2wd hasn't worked since you've gotten it (did it come with this issue?) It does seem more mechanical than electrical if the indicators show it as being in 2wd and no other faults. Like onespiritbrain, I'd think the turning and driving would force it loose. You could try to eliminate a mechanical issue from an electrical one by putting the truck in 2wd for a little bit, do some circles, then park and shut the truck off. Then, lift a tire off the ground and give it a spin—if the driveshaft spins freely, then at least you'd know if the transfer motor and clutches were capable of releasing to be in 2wd. If it remains engaged, would seem mechanical to me.

Nice! Your old front locker is alive and well, btw.

I’m in between the Harbor Freight bediner and Monstaliner. I don’t think they’re in the same class, but it’s come down to budget (HF) vs. wanting to get something not in black (ML). If I can find Herculiner in gray for a reasonable price, I might go that route. Regardless of the flavor, I’m planning to use a schutz/undercoating spray gun to apply it, since rolling it on won’t be an option with all the crevices. Not sure what my primer options will be quite yet.

I know! Still have some other metal-work to do on things, then I’ll take everything off and coat it. Though, rust could make for a nice patina...

If you’re replacing OE bushings with OE-style replacements, just buy new links. Only go through the process of cutting them out if you’re replacing them with poly bushings, and go for the 2-piece bushings for a little more simplicity.

My air compressor was installed in the cubby at some point and I had a server fan run when the compressor was on, and a thermal switch to keep it running after the compressor was off. There’s no fan there at the moment, though.

So I bought this fridge on Amazon the other week for $390. It's the same item as the $700 Smittybilt Arctic Fridge, but surprisingly with much better reviews. I put it through some extended runs and a few food trips, and it's been really good so far. Gets down to temps quickly, seems well built, but we'll see how it's maiden real trip goes this weekend. I started making some modifications to the cargo rack to accommodate it... ...but I was sorely disappointed when I discovered that the liftgate won't clear the fridge. Contact point is the lift strut bracket. Sucks because I already had the rack out of the truck and presumed it would clear given that the top of the fridge didn't exceed the top of the rack. Perhaps it would fit if I didn't use the rail I had just made for it and slid it over the inch or so, or maybe if I remove the strut and bracket and just not use the glass, but it's pretty close to the glass and I don't feel like chancing it. Time was really short this weekend and couldn't troubleshoot further, so I abandoned this project and moved on. I'll still be able to take the fridge on my trip, but it'll have to sit on one of the seats folded down. I'm already considering a v2 of this project that would lower that shelf to the same as the lower shelf (might have to raise it a little to clear the passenger wheel well hump), which would allow it to clear. Since I still needed a constant 12V socket, I got this part of the electrical done:

Well, it's as done as it's gonna get before my CANVAZ trip this weekend. I will eventually put some plate up top and some additional brackets under the quarter panel for support. I've been pretty pleased with the cuts. My AZ flag apparently had some hidden lines that got cut, but I went with it. Cheapo MicTuning lights off Amazon are wired to the reverse lights...and make the OE bulbs look like garbage. I also made a new missing link and mid skid... Super pleased with the results. It slides on/off just like the front skid, and now all the hardware is matched for a single socket. ... I know this thread started off for front bumper brackets, but I've come a lot farther than expected. I'm still planning to go through with the front brackets for those interested, but still need another week or so to finalize a few things and put some numbers to things. I'm absolutely exploring options to make skids and missing link available, too. Stay tuned!

Even with a press, it’s a hassle because you need a very specific die size and the tube doesn’t have much meat to it either. Just getting the things in a vise can be a pain. I drill a bunch of holes in the rubber, enough to weaken the connection to the inner sleeve. Then wood dowel or other drift and sledge to pop the inner sleeve out. Then reciprocating saw to surgically cut a slit in outer sleeve. Finally, hammer and punch on the edge of the sleeve to push it through. It’s a crappy job no matter how you dice it, but after you do the first, the rest are cake.

All custom. Pepsi had a lot of things done. For the work required to make a long-travel IFS, it'd probably be more cost effective to just SAS it... But...here's how I'd do it: 1) Use a 1st Gen Frontier/X CV shaft...I think it's the same flange bolt pattern, same spline count, and about 1" longer. 2) Custom LCA. Rear bushing mount would be replaced by one that allows for a bolt-through bushing or other joint (not that pin/tail style ours has). Move the spindle out 1" or more (CV + flange spacer) 3) Custom shock and UCA hanger/bracket that bolts between strut tower and both subframe points. May require cutting into wheel well above unibody primary support tube (no clue what they call it) to recess the UCA mounts. 4) Stock or aftermarket UCAs from a Frontier/X or Tacoma, possibly even W/D21. Former trucks have a lot of options; latter trucks have the UCA crosspin that might simplify mounting UCAs. Otherwise, custom UCA 5) If using Nissan parts, I'd probably just bring the spindle over from the truck. Will still be able to use manual hubs. There are some similarities for steering parts. Otherwise, custom adapter for the strut knuckle to use a uniball or Johnny joint instead of a balljoint. Obviously, lots of variability depending on budget and course of action, though this is more or less converting the strut to double-wishbone suspension. It doesn't afford a whole lot of additional travel, but better than OE. Definitely not for any high-speed action if using many OE parts. Here's where I say something like, "Man, Nissan sure made the Pathfinder a bastard," knowing that all those 2nd Gen Frontier/X guys basically have a kit just by swapping over some parts from a Titan. We share nothing with the other Nissans...hence, all custom.

Appreciated! I think that's the catch about most off-road bumpers...you never really know how it's going to handle unless you accounted for a specific purpose (like big 'ol deer guards on semi trucks...a very singular purpose). Tube, plate, and formed steel construction have very different characteristics, too. Plate is surely the best impact wise because of its hard angles and fully-welded/bent seams, but as such will also weigh more. You can reduce weight with thinner steel, but then other reinforcements are needed. ARB uses 3mm steel (just under 1/8"), but still comes in close to 90-100 lbs for the R50 bumper, and it's still quite big. Dustin's bumper (the other current thread) turned out great; it's a beast of a bumper. I'd estimate the weight of my setup is probably half that, though. I would have liked to have gone plate, but when I started doing the front bumper, it boiled down to what was feasible in the garage; I didn't have a way to cut plate or make long cuts (to be honest, I really didn't even know how plasma cutters worked until this year!), nor a way to bend round tube. I had a chopsaw and protractor (and I hate dealing with angles). I think it's turned out well for what it is, and it's definitely been a learning experience.

Time to replace them. It generally requires getting the chassis and axle on jack stands, removing the shocks, and using a floor jack to lower one side of the axle at a time to let the spring extend. Or, use spring compressors. These are OE replacements at 50% the cost of OE: http://www.amazon.com/Febest-Nissan-Bumper-Spring-55240-0W010/dp/B00C6MTQIW

Thanks. I guess that's a good point as far as a step goes, though I usually find myself standing on the tires instead, since it's a bit of a reach. That's one downfall of using tubes...getting all the angles is a pain. With plate, much easier of a problem to deal with. To be fair (does anybody watch Letterkenny?), these weren't built for impact; they were built for clearance, so concessions regarding coverage and strength are being made deliberately. My wheeling trips were literally ripping my OE bumpers off every time, so you could say these are built for less contact. By contrast, ARBs are designed more for impact and less for clearance. I think mine would sustain direct impact well given their coverage, and they offer significantly more strength and coverage than the OE bumpers, but it's just not what they were designed for. The only regular road hazards we have here are skinny coyotes, fat rabbits, and stupid quails...none of which will ruin my day when struck. Will these hold up to bumping into, or dropping onto, immovable boulders? Yes, I think they'll do fine there. But at least for the front bumper, the shape and angles will be more apt to cut into something instead of distributing impact like a plate bumper can. So no, I don't think it'd fair well against a deer unless it was a dead center where the most steel (tube, winch channel, brackets) is present. The rear bumper...I really don't have much concern about it; it'll be reasonably stout when done.

Still pecking away at it... In hindsight, I wouldn't have made the corners stick so far back, and maybe not so low either. Still to-dos are finishing the other insert panels (waiting on the lights tonight to confirm the mounting pattern), and put some plate on top to get some flat surfaces. Right now it comes in at 62 lbs. It'll probably be able 75-80 when done. On a side note, I started sketching up a plate version of this with some wild dream about producing a DIY kit. Still a lot of clean-up to do on that idea.

Low. Ride. Der. Yeah, that kind of mileage will do that!

Thanks Kent! Yeah, it's ridiculous how catastrophic something like that really is, especially when you've pampered a vehicle. It's more ridiculous that Nissan didn't own up to it. As for the IACV/ECU issue, wish I could say I've seen a good, definitive post anywhere. Most of what I've seen is on the NICO Forums...this is probably one of the better starting points: http://forums.nicoclub.com/advice-please-ecm-repair-warranted-t613891.html. Much of the discussions have been chicken-vs-egg discussion...i.e., did the ECU fry the IACV, or did the IACV fry the ECU? The issue wasn't unique to the VQ35, either (I believe it was common on VG30 in some of the cars, like Maxima and I30), but I think the primary reason we didn't see it in the 03-04 is because of the drive-by-wire system. The issue is still rather foreign to me, but my (general) understanding is that a seal or gasket on the IACV body or housing fails and exposes coolant to the solenoid, which shorts it and also eventually takes out the ECU (perhaps an impedance issue, dunno, but doesn't read like it's an immediate failure). If you fix the IACV problem without fixing the ECU, the ECU can then short out the IACV...not sure how plausible that one is, but it's out there. It reads like some guys have lucked out with only IACV failures, but others replace the IACV without knowing the ECU is bad.

Technically speaking, yes, but are you determining the 2" sag using specs from the FSM? I'd be surprised if you weren't bottoming-out on the strut bumpstops over bumps, assuming they're installed.

OME MD springs yield about 1.5". There used to be light-duty ones, but I don't think they're available any more.