RaccoonFace Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Ok, post up the beating a dead horse smilie if you want, but I searched, then I searched again, and I found some stuff. BUT, it wasn't what I wanted. Preface: I have a '95 Pathy that I got for free. Runs at I'd say 90+% of original after 13 years, never abused and well maintained. LUCKY ME! I'm the original owner, sold it, then got it back. The Mission: I have a truck. I don't really need another, so I figure a bit of abuse is in order. I have an addiction to racing desert, and now it is about to expand from motorcycles to trucks... I hope. The Road Block?: I need to lift it (sort of), but lifting it with springs and keeping the weenie crap it has now won't cut it unless I want to finish a race with my Nikes. I am looking for a kit (hopefully) that will give me 12-15 inches of travel and isn't made of the powder coated sheet metal the stock stuff is made from. Not bagging on the Nissan stuff really, just super hyped at the prospect of getting some real work done. It doesn't even need to be a "lift" kit. I just need longer arms for the front suspension, I expect to use fiberglass fenders on all corners to swing 32s. If that doesn't work, I've got a sawsall and who needs fenders? Body lift is not an option. Goal: I'm hoping that the ever vigilant and knowledgeable collective will have some links or contacts to at least to some long travel peeps like Camburg, or Total Chaos who can set me up with some parts (arms, UCAs, et al) for coilovers. Best case I could keep 4wd, worst case I'll have to get something like the Total Chaos hardbody 2wd kit. Anyone know of such a kit, or collection of parts that would work for this application? I could, but I am not interested in, building the parts. If this has been covered before, sorry to bother you again. I searched a bunch of times hoping I wouldn't have to post a ghey question that has been covered hundreds of times before. Thanks All! If this won't work, anyone want a well maintained low milage pathy? I need money to build a Taco... okbye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unccpathfinder Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Well if your doing desert I'd think you'd want to make it 2wd and go with as much fiberglass as possible (fenders and hood) Once you go to 2wd you should be able to get as much lift/travel out of the front as you want...Jim Conner did some Baja lifts for our pathys (hardbody) I've actually got one on my 87...But I honestly think you would be better off with something like an HB where you could go fiberglass all the way around except for the cab (which that might be available) I just dont see the pathfinder being a "baja" style vehicle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaccoonFace Posted January 26, 2008 Author Share Posted January 26, 2008 I just dont see the pathfinder being a "baja" style vehicle Sure it can be! Just look at Jeep Speed! Those are nearly stock. Just lifted, stripped and frame supports added. Sure they're caged and have fuel cells etc. but that is neither here nor there. Most of them have SkyJacker lifts, and 33s. I think I'd be in the running if I could shoehorn some 32" Bajas. I know 2wd is an acceptable platform, but for instance, the Vegas to Reno course is getting hammered. 2wds get through it all the time, but I've seen parts of that course that would be challenging to say the least for a 2wd near stock vehicle. 4wd was just a precaution. Also, I wanted to pick up a kit because it is so much easier to get parts repaired. If I make my own A arms, then I would need 3-4 more sets to be made (one set in the truck, one set at home just in case, and 1-2 sets for chase vehicles). Also if it is a kit, I don't have to research or test, someone else has more probably than not, done it already. No likey. I am now considering an OME lift... Anyone driven one of these fast? okbye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jitterymonkey Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 (edited) They're running new FJ Cruisers in the Taupo 1000 and Baja 1000 Both shows are on today by the way http://www.speedtv.com/taupo1000/ How about a solid axle swap? Edited January 26, 2008 by jitterymonkey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaccoonFace Posted January 26, 2008 Author Share Posted January 26, 2008 They're running new FJ Cruisers in the Taupo 1000 and Baja 1000Both shows are on today by the way http://www.speedtv.com/taupo1000/ How about a solid axle swap? I was thinking about the SAS, but then I wouldn't be using leaf springs in the front, I'd go with coilovers. With that I'd be back to where I don't want to be: needing custom parts. I was considering measuring out control arms from say a TJ or an old Bronco. Then I could just chop and fab a few mounting points use coils and say a 2wd solid axel from an XJ... but that would bump me out of a stock class. I'd just have to look into the costs, it could be worth it if I could get 15+ inches out of it, but anything less wouldn't be worth the work. I've been searching and reading a bunch, but I can't find any one doing anything like this. RE: Two Roads That looks like so much fun! The just don't tell you how much those trucks cost. They look plain, but they are big $$$! Even though they are very stock. okbye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zonianbrat Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Not that I doubt anybody here could answer all your questions. But just for added intellect on the subject you might try heading over to Roninwheelers.com. The people there are great and very knowledgeable as far as suspensions go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88pathoffroad Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 There is no such kit available from anywhere AFAIK. You'll have to make your own by hand from scratch. Pathfinders are the red-headed stepchildren of the automotive world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jj big shoe Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 If you keep it 4wd and IFS, I think you're going to be pretty much limited to the stock travel. I don't know much about it, but I've heared you might be able to use Frontier axles and A-arms which are a little longer and gain a bit of travel. Plus I don't think you're going to have the desert racing kind of truck you want if you go SAS. Can you transplant engines in the class you want to run in? If so take the $$$ and time you were going to use on the SAS and do the SBC swap, then rip out the R200 and get the Total Chaos kit. Once you have the kit, just reverse-engineer the A-arms and whatever components you think you'll need and fab up 3 or 4 extra sets. Although I like the idea of a desert Pathy, I tend to agree with UNCC. You could sell the Pathy and find a clapped out 2wd HB (you'll be replacing just about everything anyway) for next to nothing and start there. Whichever way you decide to go, good luck. And keep us updated, will ya? Sounds like fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87pathmaker Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 I've always been curious about how the pathy would do as a baja vehicle. If you were to convert to 2wd, do you think it woudl be possible if you removed the front differential, to maybe retro fit a long arm setup from another similar ifs truck? Maybe you could lengthen the upper mounts to be the same width as the lowers, mount them where the lowers exist... mock up a cage frame where the diff was, and mount some long arms.. then you'd just have to fab mounts for the coilovers (which you could do just like with a sas kit), and redo the steering Hoop dreams lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 There was a guy in AZ that made a long travel 2wd prerunner out of his Pathy a while back. All custom though, only way to do it. There is nothing bolt on out there that can help you that is on the market now. Closest things at one point were the Jim Connor kits, but even those weren't much of an upgrade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff B Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 A WD21 Pathfinder was very successful in SCORE class 3 (stock SUV) in the late 1990's through early 2000's, winning class 3 at the Baja 1000 like 5 years in a row. It was run by the Beal Brothers from Midland, Texas, and was painted red, white, and blue. Do a google search and you'll come up with a few pics and brief blurbs here and there. I had a couple pics of it saved on my old computer hard drive. If you have the movie "Dust to Glory", it is very briefly seen flying by in the background of one of the scenes. I just barely caught it, and backed up and paused the DVD to identify it. Class 3 rules would dictate that the suspension was mostly stock. There are no long travel IFS kits available for the 4WD Pathfinders, and I've internet searched it pretty heavily, although anythings possible with enough money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff B Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 Here's a link: class 3 Pathfinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zonianbrat Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 I would imagine you could just SAS it but you'll be peeing blood when the race is over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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