hawairish

...but yes, the OMEs are in the middle in terms of lift height and presumably spring rate.

Nope...the ones you linked are the OME ones. The $180 springs are the AC ones.

Stock springs are 120 lbs/in, while the OMEs are 140 lbs/in. Not sure about ACs, but likely higher.

Don't be fooled by the AC listing...those are the OME MD springs (rear HD don't exist). They don't give much lift, but the load handling is good. AirLift bags are also an option to help with load, but they are not for lifting. The only R50-specific option that would be firmer would be the actual AC springs, which have a higher spring rate that provides lift. I'd consider that your HD option. If you're going to explore WJ spring options, get a taller lift spring and ditch the spacers...too many parts to deal with.

They're just a breather ports between the covers, so tapping it out and using aftermarket fittings is likely viable, as long as it can withstand the heat, not fall part under the covers, and resist oil/leaking.

I bought a pleather one off eBay, worked just fine.

Like Slartibartfast hinted at, try checking the brakes or other components in case there are other components needing replacement or giving a false noise...wheel bearings, u-joints, brakes, etc. If you're just wanting to rebuild the LSD, you can find the part numbers in the FSM or pretty much any of the several Nissan parts websites out there (nissanpartsdeal.com has become my new favorite reference, but I still tend to buy from courtesyparts.com...but pretty much the same prices). The FSM also provides all of the setup instructions, many of which you won't have to do if you're just changing carrier internals. However, be sure to check that everything is in-spec before fully disassembling the carrier...that way you have some sort of reference point, or can identify any other parts needing replacement. Specifically for the LSD internals, that catch about rebuilding it is that it helps to know in advance what parts are worn...which basically means having it apart while you wait for parts. New friction plates and discs run about $30-$35 each, and your diff has a lot of them. It's not practical to replace them all, and FSM specs wear and warp limits. If you just want to freshen it up, you can just buy a couple of new discs and plates. If you want to increase the break away torque, you can swap out any thinner discs/plates with thicker ones (nominal size is 1.5mm, but 1.4mm and 1.6mm are available for adjustment pieces). Again, see the FSM for measuring the clutch pack thicknesses. Also consider these parts: carrier bearings inner oil seals (for axle shaft; these install in the axle tube at the ends) LSD-safe gear oil u-joints (since you'll have the driveshaft down) You'll also need to rig up a tool for side-bearing adjustment. Rugged Rocks sells one, but I just made my own. You'll also need a dial indicator and magnetic base to check backlash and run-out...hit up your local Harbor Freight.

The Owner's Manual should have all the instructions and available settings.

Following up... Left to right: 31-spline WD21 w/ discs 31-spline D22 33-spline R50 D22 shaft is the same height and only 1mm less in shaft diameter. Same bearing cages for all three, which means using it on the R50 only requires swapping the brake backing plates due to differences in the parking brakes. Test fit of Spartan locker for Y60/Y61 Patrol in R50 open carrier. Just needs thinner thrust washers. Lokka is on it's way. Stay tuned for the write-up, which will also include details about the WD21 disc brake swap.

Yikes! What was the truck doing when it caught fire? And any oil/grease build-up on the engine, or does it look like it came from the fuel rail? What doesn't work now? At minimum, you'll likely need new coil packs, injectors, hoses, and probably a new engine wiring harness (or at least enough to splice in on that side). That AC line may be compromised, which also means AC work. If it turns over, I imagine it would be salvageable, but probably best to see what the insurance company has to say about it to know the financial burden.

The 50/50 stuff is convenient, but not worth buying unless it's less than half the cost of straight antifreeze (because the rest is just water). The 3.5L takes a little less than 2.5gal of 50/50 mix. When I do it, I buy 1gal of straight stuff, 1gal of distilled water, and 1gal of 50/50. I'll use up the antifreeze and water first, then top off with the 50/50. That way, when done, you've got the remainder in a single container, ready to go (I carry it on road trips, just in case).

Ha! Hope that's it. I was just wondering the same thing when looking at the pics, before reading your comments.

Yeah, if there's some play between CV spline and drive flange, that's probably not good. When you check the wheel bearings, pull them out and clean completely. Races, too (they can stay in the wheel hub). The ungreased bearings should spin freely in the races. You'll notice any binding or hesitation. When putting everything back together, don't forget to torque the ring nut to spec, then back it off a little. About the aftermarket wheels, just be sure the lug nuts aren't topping out, preventing them from being fully seated. I've seen the case where steel wheels, with thinner flanges than aluminum, needed longer or open lug nuts. Also check if the lug nuts are the right type for the wheels. Tires can be noisy at certain speeds. My front left tire on my other SUV does that. Drives me nuts because I've rotated it around and the noise just travels. May want to try swapping sides on things to see what noises carry, including wheel hub.

I see, thanks for the explanation. I wouldn't have expected so much movement considering how the diff is mounted, but with worn bushings I can see that. But really it boils down to a manufacturing defect? I mean, how different is the cross-over point on these pipes vs. stock? Or is it same bends but with larger OD tube? Slight workaround, but could you use spacers and longer bolts on the snout's mounting points to increase the driveline angle enough to clear? Or are there offset bushings for the cross member by chance?

Isn't the diff basically in a fixed position though? Even during flexing, the diff stays relatively stationary to the engine, trans, and t-case, minus small adjustments in mounts and bushings under torque. Both diffs were low-pinion, but if one snout was shorter than the other (a difference between R180 and R200?), the shorter snout would decrease the driveshaft angle and increase the gap, right? Sucks to have come this far, though. Hope you find a solution soon.

I was thinking it'd be unlikely because a damaged flange would be pretty noticeable when removed (damaged splines, metal dust, etc.). But, I also want to be sure we're talking about the same hubs (drive flange vs. wheel hub) and axles (R200A vs. CV axles). Drive flange below. There should be very little tolerance when it slides on the CV shaft. If you slide this on the CV but not bolt it to the wheel hub, is there rotational play?

The OE hub (aka drive flange) is a very simple piece. Not likely the point of failure here, but easy to tell. When you say, "the play is all between the axle itself and the hub, so not coming from the cv", are you talking the axle as in differential? The connection between the CV shaft and the wheel hub, joined by the drive flange should have no play. If it's not that, then it's either a) the outer CV joint, the inner CV joint, or c) the differential (and small play here isn't abnormal to me). Though, I can't see how any of the above rotating parts would only make a noise at low speed, including bad wheel bearings. Do you have OE wheels? Short lug nuts?...anything that might prevent the wheels from coming into full contact with the wheel mounting surface? Any noticeable wear on the wheel studs? Thinking outside the box for a moment.

Do you have OE or manual hubs?

Looking great, man! Really digging those Toy wheels. IIRC, you went with spacers, but what approach did you take to get around the mag-style lug nuts?

Good luck! That manual is the genuine Nissan shop manual, by the way. Here's something I always keep in mind when it comes to P codes...don't assume it's a faulty sensor or switch or something otherwise "obvious" given the code description. Always check the basics (grounds, connections, voltages, resistance) and work up to the most expensive parts (sensors). And try to think of correlations and events. I mean, when it comes to tracing sensors and stuff like this, ask yourself what the odds of parts X, Y, and Z all failing simultaneously. A loose gas cap, for instance causes the stupidest of codes to trigger. I hate dealing with these myself. I usually just reset them initially then wait and see if they'll resurface, but that's just me.

Agreed, sounds like a leaking seal. The seal is serviceable, but not while the rack is on the truck. It's undoubtedly not a fun job, and one of those jobs where you end up rebuilding the entire rack (and still needing to buy other parts, like the boots) vs. buying a reman'd replacement. Although a replacement costs more, it's less work than rebuilding it (and the part has a warranty).

Sorry, I don't have any direct insight to that code, but have you tried the FSM instead of the Haynes manual? There's a bit more specific troubleshooting steps there. See EC-445: http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Pathfinder/2001.5_Pathfinder/ec.pdf

I see 3 different front driveshafts for an 87, apparently to account for configurations between the Z and VG engines, transmissions, and R180/R200 diffs. Perhaps the snout on one diff was longer than the other, effectively moving the driveshaft flange back a little?

Sounds like a motor mount. If it's split, torque will cause the motor to lift, and the thump is probably when it comes back down. Usually it's the driver's side (er...LH/passenger side for you?) that fails because of engine rotation.

Nice rides! Those SSR's look great, perfect stance with the spacers. Welcome to the forum!