dkpath96

My mass airflow sensor was wigging out on me last week, causing my pathy to jerk violently and randomly at any speed. I wasn't sure what the issue was - no warning lights came on - so I went to the nearest garage (big mistake) and they ran a diagnostic ($78???). They replaced the MAF sensor (put in a remanufactured one and charged me $300 - later I found it for $180 reman... :furious: . Anyhow, I am now getting crappy gas mileage (about 4 mpg less). Does the pathy need some time to "adjust" to the new MAF, or did the mechanic :X something else up?

Speaking of strut bearings... is it recommended to get these replaced while I'm getting new coils installed? Mine have never been replaced, and I'm over 125K miles... And as for mechanics - all the ones I've gone to around here are after one thing - $$$$! My MAF sensor was going bad, but I didn't know this was the problem, and it cost me $78 for them to run a diagnostic. I can buy a friggin handheld diagnostic for that price! Then they charged me $300 for the MAF, which I think I could have cleaned (let alone the fact that I found one online for $189) and DIY. Then they changed my oil... WHY?? I just had that done not 2 weeks ago. I am never going there again. Idiots.

Some day I want to upgrade to 31x10.5x15 on my '96. What I am after is a wider tire and wider stance for the pathy. However, I don't have flares so I don't want the tires to extend more than flush with the outer wheel wells. A few questions I have are: 1) Does the stock '96 pathy have 6.5" or 7" rims? (I don't know whether I have the LE or SE, and I think this makes a difference...) And do the stock wheels have a 5.5" backspacing? 2) What backspacing, if any, should I get with an 8" wheel? My guess is that the larger 10.5 tire would be 1/2" further out (I have 9.5's now), and 8" rims would add another 1/2"; I'm considering a 5.0" backspacing just so the tires don't stick out too far, but don't want them to rub on the strut thingy either... Any suggestions?

I see that OME makes heavy duty front coils. I'm assuming this will help level out the vehicle and thus eliminate the need for strut spacers? And for you OME guys, did you order the "medium-duty" springs, or are there heavy duty ones for the rear, too?

Hmmm... sounds like I won't be able to do this repair myself anyways, not being an owner of any kind of press... I found the bushings online for around $38, but was not able to find the trailing arm itself - anyone out there ever find one, bushings and all? If so, then I might be in business as for a DIY job. Thanks again!

vengeful, The garage told me it would be better to replace the whole trailing arm and not just the bushing, but at $125 for the part, I was curious whether this was true or just a money-making ploy... any thoughts? thanks!

Ok, the local shop identified the culprit. They said it is a bad bushing on the rear driver's side "trailing arm"... is this a control arm bushing??

Correct me if I am wrong, but going from a 30x9.5 (metric) to a 31x10.5 only adds 1/2" of clearance depending on tire pressure... right? Nonetheless, I am also looking at 31s for my next set of tires, and can't wait to see what they look like with the OME springs! :cool2:

Great thread, guys, lots of good info. So how much lift are all you OME's getting?I've heard anywhere from 1/2" to 2", but would like to hear more numbers. And if I go with OMEs, must I replace my stock rear shocks?

herm, the sound is definitely under the drivers seat or left front side somewhere... It almost sounds like the noise metal makes when you are popping a dent out of it. And sometimes it's a series of these popping noises. I've always just ignored it - my cousin said it right when he told me that if you worry about every little noise, you'd never drive the darn thing... I'll be taking a mechanic out for a drive to listen for it again today, so I will let you all know if I learn anything more. Thaks for the info though, folks! ** Drove it this afternoon - on the way to the shop. It made the noise for roughly 20 miles or so then the noise went away and I could no longer duplicate it, of course!! Seems now to go away after the vehicle warms up... :confused: ***

So the mechanic took my Pathy for a spin a few months back and noticed it sounded like a bucket of loose bolts when going over RR tracks. We decided to replace all four swaybar linkages and bushings. It helped a bit. However, now the inconsistent "rubber mallet hitting the floor" clunk when accelerating or braking has returned and has become consistent. It sounds to me like something is banging against the frame or underside of the vehicle, on the drivers side, and it either occurs up front (under my feet, almost) or sometimes from behind me, when I accelerate or brake moderately. I know it is nothing loose within the vehicle. Could it be a frame mount or transmission mount? Or could it be another bushing or something related to suspension? I still rattle quite a bit over bumps. No mechanic has been successful so far in finding anything loose, even after rear suspension work (new shocks) and exhaust line replacement... HELP!

OK, I know I saw this on NPORA before, but am too impatient to look for it again: What is the difference between the Old Man Emu coil spring upgrade versus the AC 2" lift coils? How do they compare/which is better? Thanks!

And installed...

Here are some pics of a custom skid plate I made for my R50. I used 14 gauge steel and some 1/2" angle iron to protect the bottom bolts from shearing. It still needs a couple more mounting bolts to make me feel better about its durability, but I'm gonna test it some this weekend. I decided to keep the original bracket for added durability, but it could easily be eliminated. Did all the work at my uncle's metal shop in about 2 hours. It'll make oil filter changes more interesting, but the added protection is worth it.

OK, just got a roof rack off of an '03 pathy (the kind with the air dam that says NISSAN). Problem is, I need the long mounting rails that allow the rack to be attached to the roof. Does anyone know where I can find these?? Can they be removed from the pathy the rack came from, and re-installed on my '96?

The original black bumper and end caps on my '96 are faded and rusty in some spots. I am actually considering buying new ones off of e-bay or rock auto. They are both relatively inexpensive, it's just a matter of installation headaches. Anyone ever replace their bumper and end caps, and how hard can it be??

Anyone know the brand that is on sale at 4x4parts.com for the 1996-1999 pathy? or better yet, has anyone bought one from them? 4x4parts.com 1996 brush guard

Somewhere in this forum there was a discussion on replacing stock coils with Jeep Grand Cherokee coils, and that these would give the Pathfinder a 1.5" - 2" lift. If this is true, would this be the cheaper alternative to the AC 2" lift, and would it compare in terms of ride quality and durability? And when installing a 2" suspension lift kit, bigger shocks (and struts?) than the stock ones are required, right? What sizes/brands are most recommended?

New sway bar links and bushings are dirt cheap ($20 range each) on autopartswarehouse.com or rockauto.com. I replaced mine a couple weeks ago in an attempt to silence noisy suspension. The rattling over speed bumps, RR tracks, etc. got better but over big bumps it still rattles, so I'm gonna just turn up the stereo and ignore it.

Hey MrGame, you'll have a blast off-roading, even in your stock Pathy. Mine is also a stock, with BFG AT tires, that's about it! One word of advice - not only should you check the depth of unknown puddles, look for stumps, logs, stones and other such hidden jems in these puddles. And if you decide to cross an old strip mine field, go slow and walk across it first, otherwise you'll end up like me... see the pic below! Cool thing is, I got pulled out of this particular ditch without even a scratch, in my plain old "stock" pathy. So don't worry, have fun!

Will a factory roof rack that's on an '03 pathy fit on my '96, which appears to have the same roof design (all R50's)?

Speaking of roof racks, I saw a '97 pathy that had a nice factory rack that sat in the grooves in the roof. My '96 has those same grooves, but no rack, so I am curious - would the '97 factory fit the '96 grooves? I had called the local Nissan dealer when I first got my '96, and they claim that the '96's did not have factory roof racks, hence my el-cheapo rack that barely holds my canoe...

Just posted about this topic earlier - speed sensor was about $230 for the local garage to order and install, and I never did find the part online. It is a Do It Yourself job, one bolt and wire plug to remove and bingo, swap the new one in, but a garage will only be $30 labor or so to get it done if you're lazy like me. As for brush guards, I also researched them, found a few in the low $300's, but also remember reading where they were not a good thing to hit a deer with, for they would be destroyed along with both headlights, turning lamps, grille, etc... but that could just be rumor.

I had my speed sensor replaced for $230, the sensor and pinion cost $181.50 from the Nissan dealership, I couldn't find that part online anywhere. I think it could easily be done at home, just unbolt it, unplug it, pull it out of the tranny, plug and bolt the new one in and you are good to go... It did splash a little gear oil out but nothing major, I hope :X Anywho, mine was a standard transmission, R50 model '96 pathy. Dunno if it's different for the '95.

Guess what? My clunking issue has been narrowed down to the sway bar links, which are pretty beat up and loose, just like you said, 98silverpathy! If I only had found the time to keep up with all my posts...