hawairish

Time to hit the junkyard and clip one off! Or I guess you could write on the switch cover, but what fun is that?

Yeah, it can definitely be tricky at times reading the wiring guides. You have to start from the back of the EL section to identify the harness, then check out the component section's wiring diagram, then compare all the pins and wiring colors. I always forget that color code "L" is blue! I do have auto up/down. On mine, your two harnesses are combined into my one harness.

Funny, I was getting close to cracking that from the FSM, but it took me a while to find that brown wire. You da man, Kyle.

After a quick image check via eBay, it looks like there were two different passenger door switches for an 01, perhaps from the pre- and post-facelift models. I have an 04, and seeing as I lack a brown wire, I'm guess you have the other style...

I'll see if I can get a pic for you, stay tuned...

Well...to be frank, the job sucks. Nothing makes it easy. The diff does have to be removed. Although you can reach the lower mount nuts with a ratchet over the diff and axle tube, the mounts need to be removed from the bottom of the vehicle and space is tight. Removing the diff isn't terrible, though...probably the easy thing about this job, if there is one. The real problem is that you need to separate the engine from the subframe enough so that the mount's upper and lower studs clear their mounting surfaces. This requires either lifting the engine off the subframe, or keeping the engine stationary and lowering the subframe. I had the "luxury" of dropping the subframe to change my buddy's mount, since we were installing his SFD (that's actually how we discovered it was busted). Dropping the subframe is complex. The best way to change the mounts is by lifting the engine up a little, maybe 1" or so, being mindful of everything that has to move with the engine (hoses, wires, exhaust, transmission, etc.). An engine hoist accomplishes this best, but a transmission jack could work if placed far enough forward. I've lifted and supported the engine with a floor jack...it's not fun, but doable. You'll need access from the engine bay to loosen the upper nut on the mounts. Driver's side isn't terrible after removing the intake stuff. The passenger side is tougher...there's not much that can be removed, it's a tight fit, and the exhaust manifold is right on top. If you don't plan to change the passenger mount, then you could just loosen it's lower nuts for lifting and leave the top secured...but if you've come this far, may as well change it out. That all said, you may want to crawl around under the mounts and inspect things as best you can before diving into this. I've seen others also make videos of their engine during start up and revs to see if how much it lifts to confirm if the mount my be bad.

Yes, likely. My buddy's truck was doing that...right around 2nd gear, it'd give a little pulse as if something was settling down. His driver's side motor mount had split in half.

No sweat man! To answer your question: the axle tube is only spot welded in a couple thru-holes on the diff casing. Beyond that, it's just pressed in as far as I can tell. This seems pretty typical for axles with non-removable 3rd members. But obviously, this approach requires a shop with the right tools to do this work. I came up with yet another approach the other night...one that could potentially make this entirely bolt on. The idea is to just have a one-piece extension that bolts where the CV bearing flange is, and replicates the R50's flange and mount. That way, you just swap over the R50's long shaft and bearing. To keep costs down, you could even re-use the non-R50 flange and weld on an extension directly to it (obviously, this would make it a little less bolt-on, but the weld would be a simple perimeter weld). I have to think about the stresses involved where the piece would be bolted to, though. On the drivers side, a very custom bracket would mount to the snout bolt holes and some of the diff cover's bolt holes. But at that point, you'd basically just swap over all the R50's internals and shafts to avoid having to mix and match pieces. The only things that wouldn't carry over are the R&P. This all probably doesn't make sense in words, but when I get home from this week's biz travels, I'll take things apart and get some pics. I'd definitely like to get some feedback on this and build some interest. Just imagine being able to run those 5.13's!

No problem. And for those wanting a 2.5" SFD, I used a shaft with a 4.5" finished length. However, I should note that the amount of lift is not linear with the increase in shaft length (because of the angle of the link at different SFD heights), but it's pretty close. Again, rotating the steering rack makes up for it a little.

Welcome! It's been done, at least twice that I'm aware of (by theexbrit and CDN_S4), and a 3rd install is in the works (cntryboy_88). CDN_S4 will likely chime in with more details soon. Post up in the Wanted section, or check eBay or your local JYs for the cargo cover. To post pics, you need to use a 3rd-party image host then link to the pic. I use postimage.org; tinypic.com and imgur.com are other sites...there are plenty out there. Then just use the Polaroid-looking icon to put the image URL in.

A few people have asked me about this recently. As you probably read from this thread, KrF is getting out of it and plans to produce only a few more SFDs. I don't know how they'll share that info if you don't buy their kit, but I'll tell you what I know so we're all on the same page. BTW, I obtained this info by pulling my own steering apart and doing my own research, so hopefully no one thinks I'm providing anything proprietary here. The company that manufactures the link is Woodward Steering in Wyoming, US. These guys aren't no-names in the industry. You'll need to call them to order the link. Don't be surprised if you talk to a nice lady and she just writes down your order and payment info. Their online catalog and pricing is outdated, but still is worth reading for some technical info, like how to clock the u-joints, and the proper operating angles. The assembled steering link is two u-joints and a short length of splined shaft. You order it in three separate parts: 1x UA201113 (upper u-joint, ~$70 USD) 1x UA201108 (lower u-joint, ~$70 USD) 1x "Custom UADS" (splined shaft, ~$12 USD) Shipping has been about $15-$20 for me. Since I don't run a 4" SFD, I need someone with the KrF SFD to confirm the shaft length. I estimate it at being 5.875" (5-7/8", or about 150mm). To confirm the length, measure the distance between the set screws on the joints halves that hold the splined shaft, then add 1" (this represents the additional .5" on each end of the shaft beyond the set-screw groove). Don't measure the total finished length. When you order the "Custom UADS", provide them the shaft length (not the assembled link length) and specify that they put set screw grooves on both ends 1/2" in (by default, it's only on one and you machine it to your liking). For a 3" SFD, I'm using a link with a finished length of 5". One thing to keep in mind is that, because the steering rack gets rotated, it affects the installed length of the link by upwards of 1/4" or more. You'll need to be mindful of the operating angles mentioned in the PDF I linked earlier so that it doesn't bind. As you can also correlate in the PDF, the upper splined shaft coming off our steering pivot box is 28-spline x .570". The lower spline on the steering rack is 36-spline x .688". I found that the u-joint ends for these splines needed a very light sanding with high grit emory paper to fit, because the machining on the u-joints is very clean. A 1/8" hex bit is used for set screws. I also used medium Loctite on the screws after confirming that the steering wheel is centered up (hint: take it for a test drive first). If you find that your steering wheel is off center, you need to re-index the link at top, bottom, or both u-joints. Indexing at the top joint will move it ~13° in either direction per spline, and 10° at the bottom. You may need to compound those to get the correct angle; i.e., if you're off 3°, you need to rotate the bottom joint by one spline in one direction, and the top joint by one spline in the opposite direction (13° - 10° = 3°). The direction of rotation depends which way your steering wheel is off center.

No worries, I'm not offended. I didn't take your comment as saying the Pathfinder is crap. I just don't think it's fair to judge its capabilities just because something isn't available off the shelf. I wouldn't be any more apprehensive welding to a unibody. It's still steel. It needs to be prepped, and it needs to be properly reinforced, just like any other frame. It's a different beast, no doubt, but not taboo. Bottom line is that it's what you make of it. Many guys wheel these hard without these "typical" parts. Some guys live and die by Hi-Lifts...the same guys will probably tell you they've never had to use it, or it's the last thing they'd use. Some guys do it with parts not meant for it! Recovery points are just one thing of many that any wheeler should think about it. Just because they're not on a shelf, doesn't mean we should feel SOL about it.

So let's state the obvious: every recovery situation presents its own challenges, and all parties need to be fully aware of the situation and their vehicles in order to proceed in the absolute safest manner possible. I'm not dismissing any of the aforementioned scenarios, but I think they complicate the question. Even the safest recovery effort still poses a safety risk. As for recovery points, a stock Pathfinder has none. Zero. Simple as that. But by the same token, neither does a stock Xterra, Hardbody, or probably even a Patrol. The loops at the front are solely for anchoring points. Should they be used for recovery? Probably not. Can they? Possibly, if conditions permit. Is a hitch (again, the receiver, not the ball) a recovery point? Again, no. It's ratings are based solely on towing rolling loads. Can it be used for recovery? Possibly, if conditions permit. Short of an ARB or TJM front bumper, no professionally-made item for an R50 is suitable for recovery. There is no such support. Improvisation and discretion are the best recovery tools at our disposal, but this is not uncommon for any other 4x4. Despite the unibody and strut-based IFS, I don't think this vehicle is any softer than any other Nissan in terms of off-roading. It has the same drivetrain, plus the most-powerful engine option of anything before 2004 (except maybe the VG33ER in few vehicles). It lacks a frame...so what? Call it what you will, but the unibody is the frame. Mine's rated to tow as much as any other Nissan truck/SUV, and way more than any Jeep. And it rides a helluva lot better, too (former Jeep and Frontier owner, btw).

Slight misunderstanding there. Definitely don't use the tow ball as a recovery point, but using the trailer hitch receiver as a recovery point is better than nothing (and there's nothing there without it). The OP's reason for removing it is a valid one. But I'm with NovaPath about having it vs. not having it.

Personally, I've been content with the Bose system, too. If you think it's worth keeping, definitely check out some of the used units online. May even be able to find some other units from the JY...I think units from some non-Pathfinders may be the same.

Best bet then is to find a local shop and ask around for prices. Of course, if there's no rush, you could wait for warmer weather and make some local acquaintances who might be able to help out for some pizza and beer. Fleurys (Steve), who replied to your post earlier, is having a sale on aluminum skid plates. He also sells lift spacers. I have an older set of his skid plates and they've held up well. Rocky-road.com sells sliders and the OME parts. I have their Super Sliders...they're ok; only thing I don't like is how they mount to the chassis, but otherwise they're solid.

The OMEs and Bilsteins are both good options, more so on the premium end. The OMEs struts and springs will come separate, and you'll either need to reuse parts from your current strut setup, or buy new (reuse is dependent on vehicle conditions). I'm not sure if anyone offers a "quick strut" that's install ready. But having done the procedure myself several times, rental doing compressors work just fine if you're the DIYer. As for gear, a recovery strap is a good start, at least for someone to tug you out. Sliders and skids offer that extra piece of mind. A lot of other things you might carry just really depends on your terrain.

You got me thinking, man... http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/topic/40656-r200a-vs-r200awhats-the-diff/?p=771771

I did more thinking about this tonight than I would have liked to...the project that prompted this thread in the first place: what it would take to swap an X/Fr diff into an R50. My original plan was to use a C200 diff cover from any other Nissan truck/SUV. The existing X/Fr cover just won't work. Don't know why it took so long, but tonight I finally compared the bolt pattern of a C200 gasket I bought months ago to the pattern on the X/Fr diff and it appears to be a 99% match (1% because I didn't remove the cover, just overlaid the gasket on the bolt heads). However...one thing I hadn't considered until tonight was if the bolt patterns between the R50 and X/Fr were remotely similar. I had previously dismissed it simply because it's 9-bolts vs 8-bolts. Well, comes to find out, looks like 7 of the 9 bolts appear to match (again using the gasket as an overlay, but without removing the cover), with the 8th and 9th bolts being the mismatches. This could be really good news...if that's the case, a simple bracket that connects the 1st and 7th bolts and provides a new 8th bolt hole would make the R50 cover re-usable (with a minor notching for the 8th bolt), like so: The huge width gap on the passenger side is a problem. I think the best solution is to just pull the passenger tube completely from the R50 housing and swap it onto the X/Fr housing. Any custom drivetrain shop could probably do it (or knows a guy who knows a guy). But this way, I'd have the passenger mounting points and be able to just re-use the passenger side shaft. As is, the X/Fr axle would already need work grinding the mount off, plus a weld-on brackets to mimic the mount points, plus a spacer about 3" long for the CV (this piece alone probably isn't cheap, since aluminum would likely be the best choice). I think pulling two axle tubes and re-installing one is the simplest approach here. The driver's side is more complicated, though. I'd like to think a custom bracket could be bolted on using three existing long bolt holes in the snout of the case. I have some other ideas, but this seems the simplest...though welding it on may be recommended. I'll have to double-check, but maybe I am wrong about being able to use the R50 driver's side shaft in the X/Fr diff...for sure it'll physically fit, but I'll have to confirm that it doesn't interfere with the oil seal or the retaining nut in the carrier. If that does work, then the minor width gap (.75") on the driver's side is easily solved.

Probably best to just pull and toss them, then just replace the speakers. Otherwise, no shortage of used units on eBay.

Not that easy, unfortunately. It's a completely different axle. This exact swap is something I hope to do before year's end. The short story to making this work is: You need different diff cover. Need to widen the axle with CV spacers. X/FR CVs should also work (they're longer than R50) but will still need a CV spacer on the passenger side. Need weld-on mounting points on both ends of the axle...to make things difficult, the driver's side has little room (the R50 mounting points are in the diff housing cast), and the passenger side tube is a couple inches from where it needs to be. If you have a "missing link", you'll need to lose it or come up with a different design. There are other considerations, but those are the key ones.

Your hunch is a good one.

It'd be the old one I'd want then. It won't get installed on a truck, though. I'll shoot you a PM with some details.

Odd request, but can I have this when you're done with it??

Not sure about the mounting points, but doesn't look right to me. The face of the WD21 is flat, square-ish. That guard looks rounded from the side profile. I'd think it'd fit a 96-04 before an 87-95, if a Nissan at all.