RainGoat

Since AZ has cacti spines & razor sharp volcanic rock, sidewall thickness will be more important there than anywhere else in the U.S. I’ve never had work done by Desert Rat but they are otherwise pretty reliable place. I still often buy from them despite having left PHX 16 years ago.

DesertRat out of Phoenix, Arizona is another good supply source - definitely better than AC, cheaper than Summit usually & as cheap as 4Wheel Parts. Tax & shipping free in the US (unsure re BC). KYBs are well respected front struts (OME probably better but not cost effective). AC front shocks or OME from just about anywhere (i.e. Desert Rat). Generally full 2” on AC springs, less but variably sol, with OME - might add a small 0.5-1” spacer. AC stiff, OME smoother ride. LR for the rear, hands down. I don’t think anybody is advocating AC for the rear once the LR became a known option. I’m unaware of anyone who doesn’t like them. MileMarkers should be fine but not all hubs fit through all OEM wheels. @hawarish has a great breakdown on hubs - you can rely on anything he puts out.

Welcome! That’s definitely an unusual find.

How funny, I had forgotten that was an ‘02 Q option. I know the ‘01s & ‘02s pretty well since I spent over a year contemplating before my purchase. Must have been considered “luxury”

That turned out nice - looks perfect for your usage

I should have known, you arid climate bastards! Southern CA & AZ - oh, I’m green with envy. Speaking of, I want to see a Sandstone Cyn shot of a Pathy in the next 2 years. Good to know the Rugged Ridge hubs fit the LE too (did it require a spacer?)

Ah, sadly no more

True, however, I’m not sure I even know of an ATX14A with manual hubs. I’m planning on them for convenience of CV replacement on trail as@hawairish kindly gifted me his old Mile Markers.

Stupid TapaTalk posted it 3 times - sorry

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@PathyDude17 I want to see you hit the Magruder Corridor or down by Leslie Gulch & the Owyhee.

I always felt a bit sketchy just putting my HiLift on the load bars (just waiting for the day I popped the cargo glass); so I expect I’d be worried about trying to mount it over the hood without accidentally hitting my hood. That’s just me being a worrier though as it’s done on alot of vehicles. My HiLift is red so that would have been me - I think red would look good. As for the location, as you pointed out, it’s a totally legitimate mounting spot with countless Jeeps & other vehicles doing it. I really do think you should do a mini write-up as I believe you are the first to tackle it and it’s always good to have options. It would be a genuine contribution to the community. Yeah, regionally our roads are wet, slick & even growing the vast majority of the year in the PNW - very different than for you. Also, manual hubs will allow you to do a field CV replacement without removing the wheel - it’s why I’m doing it. You should hit the Alpine Loop area over around Lake City while your doing Yankee Boy. You can do a loop over to Telluride no problem via Imogene & Ophir. I did that whole area as largely stock. I did not do Black Bear as I was always told you needed a short wheelbase and this was the early 2000s where there was no YouTube to show me differently. On your drive go & fro I highly recommend Medano & Stony Pass. If you look towards the beginning of my IG (RainG0at), you’ll see some pics. I was basing out of CO Springs for that trip. Also, as I’ve now said elsewhere more than once, put a winter Big Bend trip on your ToDo. That’s a great trip. I think you’ll be the only other Pathfinder I’ve seen there (actually my first trip was circa ‘92 in a base 2 door Trooper. Oh yeah, O2 sensors are a given. I’ve done at least 4 in 110K. Buy them cheap & they’re easy to switch out.

I think you’d be hard pressed to find many who “like” AC. The relabelling of brands, hiding brand identity & the shipping leave a bad taste. I tried to limit myself to one painful purchase as I couldn’t find some of the poly bushings elsewhere. Their deliveries arrive in a package with the real cost of shipping on the outside - it lets know just how much they overcharged you. Absolutely no reason to buy ARB OME from them at all. Personally, I’d buy from Desert Rat out of AZ (free shipping/no tax/good reputation). My local 4WheelParts manager simply matched them by discounting to essentially a “no tax” purchase (my only 4WP purchase).

Since I’ve got the ATX14A, I’ve been following this topic for years. I would say there’s general consensus on the above. The real question is what happens if you run it in AWD with the front hubs unlocked. Some predict disaster while others think it will only be warning lights. We are still awaiting the day someone makes this mistake & can let us know. I believe one person reported warning lights only but I would want something more solid to know for sure.

Another PNW ‘02 LE. Welcome! Make sure you address the Power Valve issue ASAP. It’s 2-3* work but can cost you an engine so get it done. http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/topic/17104-threadlocker-on-power-valve-screws-pics/page-1

Welcome Sean! Good looking truck. I love those LEGO wheels & I can’t tell if that’s a corporate paint job but it looks good. I don’t think I’ve seen a Scandinavian on here so you’ll be an interesting geographic add to boot. I’m a G37 owner btw.

Well, it’s definitely NOT a good summertime visit. Just put it in your ToDo List. I’ve been a couple times & you can put >100 miles off road under your belt & spend days off pavement & see virtually no one. For summer head over to the Alpine Loop in SW CO. Hit Medano Pass on the way.

Hit Big Bend NP sometime. It makes a great Jan/Dec destination. It’s a bit of a haul South but you’re closer than most.

I don’t think the U.S ones did but there are definitely non-U.S. models that did.

Been there, doing that! Very satisfying!

That area is likely meant to collapse in an accident - it is not a crossframe member like it would be in a body on frame truck. The best indicator of this I can recall is when [mention=40912]KiwiTerrano[/mention] (I think) crushed his just by trying to bridle using his two front recovery points. A real front receiver will require some kind of bumper bracket - I was trying to get@hawairish to incorporate one into his - though I think that project has been set aside.

It looks much nicer with the rear bumper cover on - I really like the metallic charcoal & red recovery hooks. The trim matches up nicely with the fenders & running boards. Personally, I’d leave those low profile running boards on as well - taking them off pushes it back towards that unfinished look. In a lifetime with the truck, mostly at stock height & in CO, AZ & UT, I never found them problematic. Curious why you’d run your ATX14a with the hubs front hubs unlocked except maybe for a long highway trip. I know people quote mileage but the effect is minimal. Being able to run in AWD is one of the distinct advantages of that TF case. If you are unlikely to get stuck, having the open center also eliminates the front end plowing & makes the truck much more sure footed in wet, sand & snow. I’m putting manual hubs on just to make an in field CV change easier but I expect I’ll keep them locked most of the time - admittedly I live where it’s slippery, even on roads, most if the time. BTW, I see you’ve got the CO bumper. I’d recommend drilling 1/4” holes in the front lateral winch mount plate- you can get to it from below. If you don’t, it tends to pool water there all the time. I’ve chatted with Brandon about it & there may be a design change there in future versions. Curious to see how you hood mounted your HiLift. I think you’re the only one to ever do that on a R50.

The ARB OME HD are engineered springs from an excellent offroad manufacturer. I would argue that they are the top of the line spring for the truck. You will definitely have a more palatable ride. I would look at @02_Pathy / theblackpathfinder [iG] prior to his PTSO SFD for an optimal 2” lift build. That truck was just about perfect - his SFD is fun but was not necessary. Personally, I would try it without the spacer first. You might find you like a little rake - especially if it levels out when loaded. [mention=37543]TowndawgR50[/mention] bypassed his OEM cooler but we live in a temperate climate. He notes it can take a but to warm up when it’s cold out.

A good quality 1.5-2” Spring Lift is really all you need. I’ve driven my truck almost 18 years & 100K mikes. I have done most of the CO passes except Black Bear and I’ve been all over UT, AZ & CO. All of that in a largely stock truck. Skilled driving & line selection will get you very far. The last of the trial SFDs from Pines to Spines Offroad is sitting in my garage awaiting install; however, you honestly don’t NEED them, for me it’s an entertaining opportunity. I would look at @02_Pathy / theblackpathfinder [iG] prior to his PTSO SFD for an optimal 2” lift build. I would drive it like that for a year or two & then reassess. If you want it then, I expect it will likely be readily available, though it will probably cost more than the rest of a spring lift combined and is much more work to install. Put a good 2” lift together & hone your driving skills. You’ll have a great time, will be stopped by very little, and can then more adequately evaluate your need or desire for a SFD.

Ditto