vengeful

Even without the obstructed rear view on my Pathy, I find myself using the side mirrors much more than the rear-view.

Personally, I would go with the rear bumper and full size spare. You can also fit a 33 in the rear cargo area pretty easily until you can get the bumper or make the bumper.

I was implying that the same driver will be able to go the same places in a stock R50 or a stock WD. I also stated open diffs, because the older LSDs are much tighter than the new ones, so that gives an inherent advantage. It's very possible that the guy in that R50 didn't know what he was doing. Those of you who have been around the Nissan off-road scene a bit, know of Andy. He goes by Desert Rat on the forums (no connection to the stores). He was one of the early SAS'd Frontiers. You'll recognize his Blue Meany if you see it. Between wheeling with Keith and myself, he, and the rest of the SWANKy crew, have become more and more impressed with the off-road prowess of the R50s. In the Nissan off-road scene, the R50 is really considered to be the red-headed step-child of the family. Nissan did not design it with intent to tackle SEVERE off-road terrain, and the aftermarket picked up on that, and pretty much ignored it. (Think Mitsubishi Montero Sport). The Xterra was the decendent of the WD21 Pathfinders and the aftermarket support that was already in place for the WDs picked right up on the Xterras. Heck, you can even get a kit to convert to a solid axle on the WDs. The R50 aftermarket scene is much, much calmer, so the R50 owners have to be more creative and resourceful, using what we can get to modify our rigs. For the R50, underbody protection is crucial, as the underbody is the structure! Sure, you may not be able to lift it to the sky (yet). But, it is still very capable of tackling 4.0+ rated trails in California, Arizona, Texas and Utah. Dean's R50 on the Rubicon in California: Keith's R50 on Woodpecker Mine Trail near Florence, AZ:

I'd say there is a short in the ignition circuit somewhere. The ignition switch itself may not be the problem, but when you remove the key, you activate the short-circuit. Electricity will travel along the path of least resistance. A short circuit will have higher resistance than the normal circuit in normal circumstances, so that is why with the key in the ignition, the vehicle seems normal, but when you pull the key out, it goes haywire. Tracing electrical problems can be a major pain in the arse, so good luck!

On what grounds?

I have a fan out of a big Volvo Truck.. Y'know, one of these The dimensions of its shroud match my radiator perfectly. The diameter of the fan is 1" larger than my clutch fan. It pulls some 4,500 CFM, and only draws 30A. I haven't installed it yet, because it was a recall unit because the relay box on the unit itself is prone to fire. All I have to do is cut the wires coming out of the relay box, and splice in some nice heavy gauge wire, and then install it. I'll post some pictures when I do it. I got it for free through a contact of mine at Volvo Trucks here at my job. All the rest of the recalled units were destroyed. They retail for close to $1000.

The reason to do an e-fan is not for the HP gain. An e-fan with the same CFM rating as a clutch fan will cool more effectively, because the engine does not have to create energy and thus heat, to drive the fan.

It's very easy. Most of them come with those thru-radiator mounting clips. Attach it using those. Hook up the lines, flush out the air in the system, and bada-bing-bada-boom. Check your fluid level and add as needed.

They're also pretty expensive...

Possible Problem areas to watch out for: All Pathfinders: Timing Belts - If the Timing belt lets go, kiss your motor goodbye. It's an interference engine, so, it will interfere. Automatic transmissions - They like to run warm, and heat kills transmissions. Put a large external transmission cooler and change the fluid frequently to keep yours running forever. Rear Control Arm bushings - they wear out over time and cause a very unstable ride. Bushings are hard to come by. WD21 Specific: Frame Rot - The frames like to rot out and leave big nasty gaping holes and break. Be sure you keep it clean and protected with POR-15 or something similar or you'll be having to replace/repair it. Steering - If you run up-sized tires, be prepared for steering woes. The centerlink is weak, and the idler and pitman arms have no reinforcement. R50 Specific: Strut bearings - The strut bearings wear out over time and create grinding/popping noises while turning. Also makes turning more difficult. EVAP System - The EVAP system is far from foolproof. I've been battling mine for ages. There are others, but these are the main ones.

Hah...try that in July.

Since this is an off-road based forum, I'm going to base much of my criteria on that... They are both excellent platforms for a vehicle. I feel that the R50 is better suited for higher-speed off-roading. The front suspension is more forgiving going over washboarded roads and such. That's not to say you can't to some pretty insane things with them, they will never have the potential of an SUV with a proper frame. In stock form, in terms of off-road capability, assuming the same specs, it's a wash. A stock open-diff'd R50 will go everywhere a stock open-diff'd WD21 will. The R50 makes a much more comfortable on-road vehicle, because of the coil-over-strut front suspension and the plusher interior. The WD21 makes an easier platform to build a hardcore 4wheeler from. They both are great in moderately difficult, overland conditions. Hardcore rock crawling and such will require very extensive modifications to either platform. Hardcore rock crawling pretty much requires either a very, very, very highly modified independent suspension with lenthened control arms, or a solid axle. The front suspension design and the unibody construction of the R50 does not really lend itself well to very extreme suspension modifications. With my AC ~2" suspension lift, I have done 3.5 rated trails in Moab and Arizona with very little assistance required. A 3" lifted WD21 on 32" tires and open diffs would have had to stack rocks where I stacked rocks to get over the obstacles. I'll repeat my previous suggestion. Think hard about what you're primary use for this Pathfinder is going to be, and then make a decision based on that. However, don't let the "unibody" construction of the R50 scare you. It actually has a fully boxed 3/16" steel "frame" integrated into the main portion of the body, and a 3/16" box steel frame extension going forward from the firewall, as well as a pretty serious subframe. It is much more rigid than the Jeep Cherokee. If you're familiar with the XJs, you'll know that if you get the suspension tweaked out, you can't open the doors because the body has flexed so much it's pinching them shut. On my R50, I've tweaked out the suspension as far as it will go, with two tires off the ground, and opened the drivers door and liftgate to grab some stuff, and was able to close them fine with no misalignment. I do have sliders and skidplates, which help tie the body together a little bit and stiffen it up a little, though. Whichever route you take, you can't go wrong.

Fruit sucks. I should have said Beef and Pork. LOL.

No. You'll have to fabricate one.

I like how the R50 owners in this thread have tried to maintain a level of objectivity, but the WD owners are screaming to get a WD. I'm not saying they're biased...but then again, I'm not saying they're not! I'm not going to say one is better than the other, because it's not so. Comparing a WD to an R50 is like comparing apples to oranges. They are very different animals. They both excel in certain areas, and they both falter in certain areas. Define what you are looking for more specificially, and we can provide you with further guidance on which generation of Pathfinder will more aptly suit your needs.

Any wheel with 6x5.5 lug pattern and larger than a 3.6" center bore will clear the hubs. It's just a matter of width, diameter and backspacing at that point.

Did those people have trans coolers?

No. They may mount to the block, but they won't fit in the engine bay, or mate to the catalytic converters.

It's possible that you're simply low on coolant and it's not filling up the heater core enough to generate an ample amount of heat. I'd get the radiator/cooling system flushed. The radiators on the R50s are also very efficient, so it's very possible that it's just cooling the already cool coolant. Say that 5 times fast... You can try to block off a part of the radiator with some cardboard (but be sure not to block off the part with the transmission cooler) to reduce the efficiency of it for the winter months and get better heat and faster warm-up times.

The older Qs can run 15s just fine.

That's the in-dash one, correct?

Let me see what I can find in the 2004 Service manual. Edit: Which stereo do you have, the regular or the Bose Changer?

Sounds electrical to me. Have your alternator tested. Could also be an open brake light circuit that is causing problems...

I dont know, as I don't have an 03. It should be in your Owner's Manual.

The spacers won't effect the travel of the strut at all. They go on top of the mount. They will cause binding in your CVs and create excess stress on them and lead to premature CV failure. Your choice.