PathyGig12

For the sway brackets I think they came off pretty easy. They are 14mm I believe. But of course it’s always better to spray them down anyway just to be safe. Yours could be significantly more seized up than mine were

The sway bushings don’t require taking off the end link. You just have to undo the brackets that support the middle of the bar and slip on the new bushings. 10 minute job You’re right about the bearings, I think you’re hear them while turning. Maybe the strut mounts are more likely

Do the sway bushings first just because they are so cheap Maybe then go through the other areas recently replaced and retorque then to make sure everything is super tight? Did you check the top center nut on the strut? If it’s not tightened while the vehicle weight is on the wheels it may have some play in it edit to add: could also be a strut bearing going bad

I found it!! I had my girlfriend back the truck up at full lock over a bump and saw that the clunk was noticeable in the strut but was coming from lower down, so I went behind the wheel and watched the control arm. Sure enough, the clunk was coming from the three studs that attach the ball joint to the control arm. You could visibly see it shifting as the clunk was happening. So I went and checked the torque on the nuts and of course they were super loose. Torqued them down properly and the clunk is 100% gone now. I’m just glad nothing failed catastrophically! Yikes The only question now is whether it did any damage to the ball joint itself or the control arm while going over pot holes and rough terrain? I think it’ll be fine but I’ll keep an eye on it. My current theory for how things got so loose is the anti-seize we used on the bolts during assembly. My dad was helping me and insisted it would help make them easier to change the next time. Well maybe it made them just a little too eager to come out lmao I also got excited because I thought maybe it tightening those nuts could have fixed my highway vibration issue as well, but no luck there. I’m still thinking that’s coming from the bad diff bushings. Oh well, I’m just happy that stupid clunk is now gone

Pathy got me into some powder this week trying for a last minute solo elk hunt. Sea of orange meant I had to look for super remote forest roads to get lost and then hike in. No luck this time but had fun anyway. I’m still amazed how these trucks can just fire right up with no complaints after being parked for days at 11,000 feet in 5 degree weather. But she does need a good bath now.

I tried to fit my 235/85/16 and there isn’t nearly enough clearance. My hitch has been replaced with a smittybilt Jeep bumper though so I can’t really say whether it may have worked originally I was bummed because it would have been nice to always have two full size spares. Planning to use that space for a reserve tank in the future though because it’s just too good to waste. Almost found a way to fit traction boards under there but it’s a little too tight

Thanks man, I appreciate you taking the time to toss some possibilities out there. Originally I was going to just drop it off at the shop and see what they thought but I realized I would just end up paying for an hour of diagnosis to hear them suggest something I’ve already tried or shrug and vaguely indicate some mounts that MAY need to be replaced. NPORA saves me a lot of repair money, that’s for sure! But then again it also drains my wallet seeing all of the sweet build ideas lol

The diff bushings are still in play with the hubs disengaged because the front shaft still spins due to drag in the clutch plates, so yeah the bushings can still be responsible for the highway vibration. The control arm bushing that had a bit of play is definitely something I’d like to get sorted but it had a LOT less play than the diff bushings so I’ll start there first. The other thing to mention is that my control arms are new as of about a year ago so I doubt they went bad already I also changed my front wheel bearings several months ago when I was trying to figure out the vibration issue, so I know those are brand new and solid Oh yeah and to answer your other question, no I don’t have any shimmy in the steering wheel while driving, either straight or turning

I could be wrong but doesn’t the rear diff not have any bushings? It’s just attached to the axle

Just checked the front diff mounts and the bushings all have significant play. I’m not sure if this is the cause of my clunk but I’m thinking at the very least it’s the cause of my highway vibration. Just sucks that each mount is 100 bucks I also checked for movement in the strut top nut while bouncing the front end and verified the torque is correct. All good there. The steering rack bushings are solid as far as I can tell. No movement when I crank the wheel back and forth. But I did notice a slight play in one of the control arm bushings nearest to the crossmember that the rack is mounted on. I doubt this is causing the clunk though because I couldn’t get any sound out of it while moving it around My first step will be swapping out the diff mounts and then if that doesn’t work I’ll replace the tie rod that has the busted boot. And then lastly I’ll look into removing the struts to check for correct spring seating and make sure the mounts and bearings are not compromised

Some great ideas guys, thanks a ton The diff bushings are something I’d definitely like to take a look at, never checked those before. And poor axle fitment is actually possible as well. I’m using the original snap rings but I recall there being a bit of in and out wiggle room for the CVs inside the hubs so maybe Ill see what I can find today and report back

Wow awesome info, thanks Ill have my girlfriend rock the wheel tomorrow and I’ll take a peek at the rack. Those mounts have never been done as far as I know. Do you know how hard they are to swap?

Thanks for the response. My passenger side TRE has had a busted boot now for months because the shop that did the alignment twisted the boot as well....idiots... Anyway, I keep thinking that could be the cause because it’s super gritty in the ball joint right now, but the thing I can’t figure out is why it would be such a loud clunk. And you’re right, it should creak whenever I turn , not just during weight shifts. Stationary I can crank the wheels left and right with no sounds at all So yeah I think you’re right to suggest strut components. I’m just really not happy to hear that because I hate removing struts and messing with compressors. I’ve been trying to rule everything else out first The steering rack mounts could be possible, my steering is quite vague in the middle and I’ve noticed a questionable centering sometimes but chalked it up to uneven roads. How would I check the mounts? One more thing, locking the hubs doesn’t seem to make a huge difference but I think there IS a slight one. The problem is I can’t tell for sure because the only time I checked was during a snow storm and the locked hubs meant that I was doing everything a lot more slowly so the change was most likely due to the lack of large weight shifts. If I had the time I would remove the front shaft to rule out the CVs (it would also help me source that weird highway vibration I still haven’t found), but I can’t seem to get the bolts loose and I didn’t feel like working at it for hours

Your rig is still one of the dopest R50s on NPORA

I figure this deserves its own thread to reach the most people. I posted a while back in the build thread that I’ve been getting a front end clunk but it’s gotten worse lately and I’m pulling my hair out trying to locate it. It happens when the wheels are turned (even slightly) and there’s a weight shift at the same time. Originally I would only get it while reversing close to full lock, but now it happens even while cornering at speed if there’s any braking or acceleration, especially on uneven roads. I’ve looked around the front of the truck while someone else backed up and tried to induce the clunk but never found a definitive source. Most of the times it wouldn’t happen or it was too soft to pinpoint. Today I removed the entire sway bar and end links to rule out anything in that area, but nothing changed. Im leaning towards either steering components or strut components but not sure where to start. Is it possible that the spring top hats are not catching the coils like they should be, allowing slippage while turning? Or maybe it’s the strut bearings? I used OEM and I know they were installed properly because they worked for well over a year before this problem came up. The only other thing I changed before the the problem happened was the manual hubs. I was running warns then switched to the mile markers. Seems unlikely to cause clunking though

That’s most likely a stuck solenoid on the starter. For a temporary fix you could try tapping it. I was getting that same click-no start issue intermittently before swapping my starter but now it’s gone

Did it with wheels on the ground, but it probably would have been easier with the truck jacked up For me the bolts were easy to reach, just used a four inch long extension for the one facing the front of the truck, and a deep socket for the one facing the rear. The ratchet I used had a pivoting head though. The nuts on the terminals for the solenoid were a bit trickier but I was able to get a wrench on them by reaching around the front and use tiny turns to get them off. The main trouble was getting the copper terminals around all the brackets and mounts and all that, but it’s doable with enough patience. I hated doing the alternator and PS pump WAY more honestly

As for the oil burning/leaking, my VQ is at 286K and it’s been consistently losing between a 1/2 quart and a quart per month. I drive a LOT though. Not a huge deal in my opinion, it lets me keep a nice continual oil change going haha.

The starter is a bit of a tough swap but not nearly as bad as it looks. I’m very glad I didn’t end up taking it to a shop. No other parts needed removal, just had to work it out with a series of twists and turns then pull it toward the rear of the truck and down through the space next to the control arm. Im tempted to do a quick write up and include some pics in a new thread because this is one repair that very few seem to have attempted and most are confused on what it takes. Then again, it’s pretty hard to explain the motions involved without an actual video of it being done, and I sure as hell am not taking it off again lol

Yeah I’d say the only real downside to the 3.5 is how tight the engine bay is. My dad has a WD with the 3.0 and it’s hilariously spacious in there compared to my 3.5. Even toyota 3.4s from the same generation are far more compact and simplistic, making a 3rd gen runner much easier to wrench on than the VQ. That said, the VQ has gobs of power and I think that makes up for any downsides. I’m easily turning 32” tires with factory gearing and hundreds of pounds of cargo.

Haha fair enough. Most of my driving on snow is done in AUTO but I’ll throw it in 2WD for kicks every now and then

The rear end swing is my favorite feature lmao. Gotta love snow days and empty streets

Yup, recovery straps and shackles are a good start but I’d also look into getting a HiLift jack so that you can recover when solo. Some people say they’re useless for our trucks because we have no frame or sturdy stock bumpers to lift from, but the real reason I got one is for the manual winching capability. I do most of my wheeling solo on the way to campsites or hiking spots so it’s something I know I’ll appreciate having at some point. Between that and a nice set of traction boards, you would have to try REAL hard to get stuck. A little bit of brainpower can usually keep you out of these extra special situations.

“Serious” and “hobby” are somewhat contradictory terms as far as I’m concerned. People take off-roading to be an overly serious endeavor when really we all just do it because of the enjoyment we can get out of it. Some people enjoy more intense technical challenges so they prefer to build something that will climb rock ledges all day, and others just want to be able to go down rough fire roads to get to the nice camp sites they couldn’t reach in their sedans. “Seriousness” has never come into my mind when thinking about adding something to let me have more fun on dirt. The only serious part is making sure things work as planned so you don’t get yourself stuck or hurt needlessly Have you ever been to a theme park and thought “I’m so damn serious about having fun on these roller coasters and games!” ? Kinda defeats the point Consider that there are people who lift their Subaru’s. Do I laugh a little because it looks a tad bit ridiculous? Sure, but honestly I respect them more than the dumbasses with the lifted JKs and no desire to leave the mall parking lot. I have never felt “limited” by the R50, even in its stock form. If you look through this place long enough you’ll find amazing pictures of these trucks doing things you’d never believe. Add on a few upgrades and a modest lift and they can be taken almost anywhere in the right hands. I don’t believe that anyone can call someone “less serious” about a hobby just because their idea of what constitutes fun is less extreme. A rock crawling enthusiast is no more “serious” about off roading than someone who enjoys hill climbs, playing in the mud, or running high mountain passes for the views.

I find the phrase “serious off-roading” to not only be comical, but also nonsensical Think about it for a second. What percent of these “serious” off-roaders are going off road because they have an absolute need to do so? I suppose someone who does not own a home and lives in the wilds of Alaska or the outback might be considered a “serious” off-roader, but beyond that? The off-roading scene is a hobby for 95% of those involved, regardless of how “seriously” they take themselves. Sure, we all build our rigs for the off chance that one day we’re in genuine need and have to keep rolling no matter what. But most of the time what we’re really doing is adding stuff to help us get out of situations we put ourselves in purposefully for the fun of it. As for the Pro4x thing, I think it’s cool and all but I’d rather have my pathy. When I see another lifted 5th gen runner or xterra or wrangler, I never pay more than a seconds worth of attention because guess how many there are that look not just similar, but absolutely identical? Meanwhile I’ve seen MAYBE a couple of well taken care of pathfinders that are built tastefully for off-roading. The people doing stuff like us are having much more fun than the bro with his leased 5th gen who just slapped on a standard 4” lift, rear ladder, roof tent and blacked out the badges so he could feel cool when he takes his girlfriend and medium sized dog to the local trailhead on the weekend. Oh yeah and don’t forget the overlanding hashtags he can then add to his Instagram posts