Xtreme2Pathfinder

I don't know if this topic has been discussed or not. but with the first snow fall here in Illinois and the temp in the 30's, I'm having problems defrosting the side windows. Does anyone else have this problem or is this just something normal with SUV? I first noticed it this February when the temp dropped into the low teens and I actually had to scrap the frost off the INSIDE of the Window! lm

I have the same problem... SALT!! :o :furious: poor pathy got cancer this year bothsides and I found a spot just behind the front wheel on the passenger side... looks like I have some major work on my hands here and no welder. I might have to do some mending and steal 88 idea on the rockers if he doesn't mind.. lm

Well I found the problem with the noises in the front end... It wasn't the ball joints but went ahead and greased the front end... It was the brake pads on the driver's side, the inside pads was shot but the outer one still looked brand new. I did a brake job on it this spring but didn't turn the rotors because the rotor didn't look that bad or didn't feel like they were warped. After inspecting the rotor on the driver's side this thing looked nasty, on the rotor's inner brake pad contact surface you could see that half of the rotor looked pitted (not grooved like the rest of the rotor) and very rusty and the outside surface had one single line going across the surface that was pitted and rusty.. I know that this rotor wasn't this bad when I did the brake job back in the spring but its now shot. I don't think that I can get this thing turned. That's okay, I have a brand new set sitting on the shelve just waiting to go on(got them this spring just in case and never got around to returning them to NAPA). I have pictures of the rotors and pads.. I will post them tomorrow sometime for you all to look at. I think that I can sucker my night foreman into replacing the rotors for me. I tried the get the allen bolts loose on the outer cover and bend the allen wrench end. even after letting the WD40 soak in (probably should have used ROST OFF (by Wurth) or break away).. Plus I think that he has the right socket for the job or knows someone that does. After this is done I will tackle the rear brakes. Didn't get a chance to look at them tonight but they probably need to be replaced too. I need to grab a 45 or 90 degree grease zerk from work to grease the center link on the driver's side that is near the frame. Why didn't they put this Zerk on the bottom of the joint? Sorry for my terrible writing, I don't know what is going on with me... I think that I have sniffed too much diesel fumes at work and it has killed too many of my brain cells. but thanks for dealing with me. lm

mzxtreme, Thanks for the insight on the ball joints. it just dawn on me that the last time I had the oil changed (1000 miles ago)on the pathy they didn't grease the front end and I didn't get around to it but was planning on greasing the front end before leaving on my trip. Well the squealing was more a grinding noise and I tracked down to the front brake pads so I'll look at the pads to see what wrong with the new pads. As for the comment: Okay that didn't make sense to me either. I guess that I should have looked over my post a little better. it should have read: could be the shocks going bad too because it squeaks when I brake or hit a bump, sounds like my pathy just needs a WD40 bath I figure that some of the squeaking noise that I get when hitting bumps was coming from worn out shocks.. You should see these things, they look pretty shot but don't look like they are leaking and seem to be pretty stiff. I think they are the original shocks. Thanks again for the heads up on the tow straps.. Just in time for winter and it looks like 2" of snow for Thanksgiving. but we'll probably only get a dusting, if that. lm

Okay Guys & Gals, This is the first time for me, I need to repack the front wheel bearing and have never done it on a 4 wheel drive front end! Service manual -study- was no big help on tools needed beside a screw driver and lug wrench. I have heard that there is a special socket that is need to remove the nut that hold the hub on. If so what size is it.. Tool man is coming tomorrow to work, I want to make sure that I can get it if needed. Also is there anything that I should be concerned with other than looking for worn bearing\races and seals? I have done plenty of front brake job just not on a 4x4.. One reason that Im doing this is because it probably needs it, 85,000 plus miles and I'm not sure when the last time it was repacked (I got it with 76,000 miles). I'm also going up to Chicago in three weeks (150 miles one way) to pick up my brother and his family and back down to the farm to hunt (110 miles one way) so I don't need the front end failing on me. Plus I have been hearing a couple of weird noises from around that area. One sounds like the pads Squealling while going forward but very faint then tonight while I was backing out of the driveway with the wheel turned, I heard it a little louder grinding noise. Its wasn't the normal noise that you get when hitting the stops. So I figure that I would start there and go inward? any insight, could be the shocks going back too the squeaks when I brake or hit a bump sounds like my pathy just needs a WD40 bath :allclean: to quite the squeaks and squeals! or I could just turn up the stereo to drown out all of the bad noises! Thanks for the help, lm

got mine this Friday. Thought that I might get to use it this weekend down at deer camp but we didn't have any time to go muddin.. Too busy looking for bambi. lm

Today here in Champaign its $1.859 for 87 and 1.959 for 89. I think the highest that I have seen it was $2.109 for 87. I think that the highest diesel prices was $2.439. Thanks god for the two vehicles and the motorcycle to get me thru until the priced under 1.909. I hate using anything under 91 or 92 oct in my Xtreme and 89 oct in the pathy. the last three tank of 87 oct the milage suck... lm

Thanks Mzxtreme, Just purchased one, it will go great with my cheapy from wally world. Got a great deal on some cheap strap for the roof rack.. Are those ES1000 shocks any good? I thought someone said that they were junk and I should get the other (ES3000) for $125.99?? Your thoughts? lm

Thanks for the tech & common sense information... I'll shoot the info over to my sheep buddy before he brings them over. lm

Guys, I know that we are to look for a 93-97 JGC with a V-8 in it. But a Friend is going to give me a free set of front springs that comes from a 95 JGC but it only has a 4.0L engine in it. Will this give me enough lift like the one front JGC that had V-8 in them? Here the kicker these stock spring have an extra 1.5" lift (according to my Sheep friend). I also going to have him straighten the last coil back to 4" from the 3.5" just in case. I guess there is only one way to find out... Try it and if it works great if not, I'm not out any money... lm

True I pull the cover off and all there was buttons in the cover and the contact pin in the wheel; just like the bus that I buy parts for. I just need to get a puller and pull the wheel off and see whats behind there and track down the broken wire. I hoping it could be a bad contact plate behind the wheel if there is one back there.. The repair manual is useless it doesn't show anything.. oh well, gives me something to do beside building a new sub box and amp rack. oh well Thanks lm

Thanks 88, Looks like I will shorten that line a little more since I will be modifying the cat a little since it rusted out.. sssh... As for the Horn.. I figure that, looks like a trip to work to get the wheel puller. lm

Hey guys, I got to looking under the pathy today while adjusting the parking brake cable and saw a tube near the cat and d/s t-bar it was zip-tie to the t-bar adjustment bolt and has been there ever since I own the vehicle. I know where it begins (at the AIV box in the engine compartment on the d/s) but have go clue where it suppose to end at? The end that is zip tie to the bolt is smashed closed. Does anyone know what this does? Where does the other end is it something that I can get rid of? Haynes repair manual doesn't talk about it to much. Just to remind everyone, my pathy is an 87 3.0l w\ manual transmission. Second problem. its probably has been address but has anyone had problems with horn intermitting not working... It act like a short in the column. It work with the wheel in one spot but not another. Well back out in the cold to check the brakes the front p/s is still acting like it hanging up. Guess I'll have to rebuild the caliper. Plus I need to recheck the rear, its been a while... lm

John, That looks sweet man... I can't wait to get my Suspension parts and tires so I can get my lil pathy raised.. Great job... lm

I was wondering the same thing, will this work? It would be nice to have the spare step to get to the roof rack! Speaking of roof rack and rails, who has the best complete system rail, cross rails, and racks? I have a nake roof and would like to add a rack to the roof. Its seen that the two company that everybody is talking about don't sell the rails(tracks) or I just missed it! lm

Hey Diesel and Mr Pickle, Thanks guys, That why we "newbie" ask these dumb questions after doing some research that some old the vet already know. I would have missed 1.5 lift springs. I saw it and thought it was a little weird but didn't think anything about it. You are right, what the point of lifting a truck if you are only going to lift it 1.5? I want to go with a total of 6" when I finished with the truck but I think that I will go with only a 3" body lift up until I see that I'm having a ground clearance problem. Here is a link to the page that I got the info from! http://www.4x4parts.com/public_html/shop/i...a70cbb3b31a20b4 Thanks for pointing out the fault in this kit! LM

Thanks Guys for the info. looks like I going to have to start other to do list.. At least this to do list isn't going to cost me as much as the one for my xtreme.. :eek: lm

Okay guys another question from a newbie! What do you really need to lift the front end of a pathy? I know that you need the Upper Control Arms but do you need to replace the torsions or add ball joint spacers? (I know in sport truck world you can just change spring or control arm or spindles or chance all three depending on how low and what type of ride you want.) Do you have to do anything to the front axle or drive shaft? I figure that the rear end is pretty much easy just going with JGC Coils. (that took me a little to figure out what JGC was then afterwards it was like ) Kind of like finding the arrow in the fedEX logo. All I want right now is a 3" lift suspension lift. I have found some parts on 4x4parts.com and was wondering also if anyone has gotten any from there and if these are good prices for what you are getting. upper control arms for 199.95 and torsion bars for $189.95 but also have kits ranging from 694.95 for Complete suspension package includes 3" custom suspension lift with 1.5" lift coils, 4 Rancho RS5000 shocks, after-market torsion bars with 30% higher spring rate and idler arm brace. to $824.95 I know that I'll probably be back with some questions about lifting the pathy with a body lift and what problem everybody ran into lift their pathy!! ??? Thanks for the help lm

I had the same problem with my 87 and I went thru two HU thinking that I had a bad HU. so I wired it around the harness including the speaker lead. Right or wrong mine works just fine. Something that should have taken me about 15 minutes turned out to be an all day job. including two trips to circuit city. The best thing is to grab a test light and start testing to make sure that all the wire match up..