Gear swap

[keelhaul]

I thought I had it all figured out that I need to source 4.636 gears with 33 splines from a 2001+ pathfinder. I now realize it is not that easy. It turns out that all pathy's with the vq35 engine are 4.363 gears. Would a rear 3rd member with 4.636 gears from 2001+ Xterra work? Has the front r200a changed throughout the years? Could I use a front r200a with 4.636 gears from a 2000 pathfinder?

 

I plan on putting 32" tires on and would like to get the final drive ratio closer to stock. I upgraded from factory aluminum with 245/70r16(29.5")

to steelies with 245/75r16(30.5") tires and the loss of power was noticeable. I am now planning on mounting 265/75R16(31.6")

 

Thanks

[PDCCD]

I thought I had it all figured out that I need to source 4.636 gears with 33 splines from a 2001+ pathfinder. I now realize it is not that easy. It turns out that all pathy's with the vq35 engine are 4.363 gears. Would a rear 3rd member with 4.636 gears from 2001+ Xterra work? Has the front r200a changed throughout the years? Could I use a front r200a with 4.636 gears from a 2000 pathfinder?

 

I plan on putting 32" tires on and would like to get the final drive ratio closer to stock. I upgraded from factory aluminum with 245/70r16(29.5")

to steelies with 245/75r16(30.5") tires and the loss of power was noticeable. I am now planning on mounting 265/75R16(31.6")

 

Thanks

 

Not to be a dick, but a search on this will pay off for you. A few of us have gone over it alot in the past, and i don't want to give you the wrong info from memory, but yes, finding 4.636's should be no problem for you, the prior r50's will work for you fine. I can't remember the years exactly. good luck and keep us posted.

 

edit.

eh, couldn't leave you hanging. See:

http://npora.ipbhost.com//index.php?showto...92&hl=gears

 

http://npora.ipbhost.com//index.php?showto...73&hl=gears

 

should help you out, or at least get you started...

Edited March 18, 2008 by PDCCD

[keelhaul]

Thanks PDCCD. I have done some searching but apparently not enough. I had thought i found the info herenissan axles but it was wrong on where hg46's can be found. I see now that older r200a from pathfinders can be swapped into my 2002. My only other question(hmmm should I search before I ask, nah I'll search after) is--- What donor vehicle would have a 33 spline 4.636 ratio h233b that would swap into my 2002 r50? My guess would be an 02-04 Xterra. I hate to be a pain but i want some confirmation before i go 3rd member shopping

Thanks again

[tmorgan4]

You can get a 4.6 R200 from a 96-2000 Pathfinder. The 4.6 rear 3rd can be taken from any 00-04 Xterra, same gen Frontier, or 96-2000 Pathfinder.

[PDCCD]

Thanks PDCCD. I have done some searching but apparently not enough. I had thought i found the info herenissan axles but it was wrong on where hg46's can be found. I see now that older r200a from pathfinders can be swapped into my 2002. My only other question(hmmm should I search before I ask, nah I'll search after) is--- What donor vehicle would have a 33 spline 4.636 ratio h233b that would swap into my 2002 r50? My guess would be an 02-04 Xterra. I hate to be a pain but i want some confirmation before i go 3rd member shopping

Thanks again

 

No pain man, none at all. If it weren't for a TON of help from patient people here, i would be SOL for allot of what i've gotten done. I just wanted to point you in the right direction. My memory for numbers (years included) sucks and i couldn't give you the right info (thanks tmorgan) from memory. One tip, take advice i didn't, and don't waste the money on a LSD. Get and open and add a locker if you can. Good luck. Oh, and i don't know about the xterra, i do know you shouldn't have to go there, tons of available pathy bits for what your doing. I did the swap in my driveway by myself, and i'm no genius (obviously lol) But help is advised to save time and energy.

[keelhaul]

You can get a 4.6 R200 from a 96-2000 Pathfinder. The 4.6 rear 3rd can be taken from any 00-04 Xterra, same gen Frontier, or 96-2000 Pathfinder.

 

 

Any idea if the 00-04 Xterra H233B has the 33 spline axle? I am pretty sure the 96-2000 Pathfinder has 31 splines. I would prefer to keep the 33 spline axles (which i think I have) because I am adding an arb locker and I don't want to downgrade the axles. I realize both would be strong enough but I already ordered the 33 spline ARB(rd24).

[tmorgan4]

Yep, the Xterras are 33 spline. All of the "newer" generation Nissan 4x4s use the 33-spline axles. Of course you could convert to 31 spline but it's really a step in the wrong direction. The 4.6 gear ratios are 4.625s, the axles are weaker, the axles are a couple inches narrower (with one minor exception). So it's just easier to stay with the 33 spline setup. Hopefully if you find a Pathfinder with the 4.6 front gears the rear 3rd will still be there. Good to hear you're going with the ARB too.

[XPLORx4]

Any idea if the 00-04 Xterra H233B has the 33 spline axle? I am pretty sure the 96-2000 Pathfinder has 31 splines. I would prefer to keep the 33 spline axles (which i think I have) because I am adding an arb locker and I don't want to downgrade the axles. I realize both would be strong enough but I already ordered the 33 spline ARB(rd24).

 

You ordered the right locker (RD24). Here's proof that 96+ R50 H233B's have 33 splines:

 

 

Installation details here

[keelhaul]

great info! I was under the impression that pre-2000 had 31 spline. I am glad to be wrong. I know where there is a set from a 99 pathy for a good price!

[vengeful]

If that falls apart on you, I've got a rear 4.636 33-spline 3rd from a 2001 Frontier in my basement collecting dust. It's got an LSD in it but the arb replaces the whole carrier so it would still work for you. $95 plus freight.

[csutke]

veng any idea how much freight would be?

[nissandoms47]

A good amount. I wanna see someone try and put 4.90s in an r50.

[csutke]

can that be done? i thought the reason for having to use R50 gears was the front was High Pinion, is this correct? or if you were to switch out for 4.9's would you have to use the whole front assembly?

[02silverpathy]

Well, can someone confirm that a 10% difference in front vs rear gears is allowable? If so, then you can add a 4.636 R200 and still use the 4.9 H233b rear....calling all the experts here!

 

Personally, it seems to me like the 4.9 would be raising the RPM's really high for normal driving. I am sure that the X tucking the VG and 4.9's is fun, but would keep you taching pretty high on those road trips.

[vengeful]

Too much error. You would destroy stuff.

 

What's your Zip?

[nissandoms47]

You could stick an xterra front diff in there you would just have to make custom brackets for the diff.. Not hard really you just need someone whos determined and doesnt mind doing something "new".

[csutke]

80521

[RWC5S2]

I thought I had it all figured out that I need to source 4.636 gears with 33 splines from a 2001+ pathfinder. I now realize it is not that easy. It turns out that all pathy's with the vq35 engine are 4.363 gears. Would a rear 3rd member with 4.636 gears from 2001+ Xterra work? Has the front r200a changed throughout the years? Could I use a front r200a with 4.636 gears from a 2000 pathfinder?

 

I plan on putting 32" tires on and would like to get the final drive ratio closer to stock. I upgraded from factory aluminum with 245/70r16(29.5")

to steelies with 245/75r16(30.5") tires and the loss of power was noticeable. I am now planning on mounting 265/75R16(31.6")

 

Thanks

 

I got my 4:63's out of a 02 Xterra.......both front and rear. Plugged right into my 03 Pathfinder. I also went with the LSD option. It would have cost me too much to go with an open and then add the ARB locker. My LSD has been a fantastic help for me when off-roading and IMHO it is a great ad-on. A locker is obviously better if you are trying to build a "rockcrawler" but that was never my intent. I just wanted better gears and a rear end that would send power to both wheels when going over larger obstacles, sandy conditions, pucker bushes and the normal stuff found in the Calif deserts. I love the LSD. It exceeded my expectations. But, like I said..............it is IMHO only.

 

Oh, I am running 32's with this setup and the gears have greatly improved the performance making the Pathy run much closer to the stock setup where you could creep and crawl in the dirt all day long.

[tmorgan4]

Could you PLEASE get some pictures? I remember you saying your front diff was out of an Xterra and if it did indeed work it would prove a lot of people (myself included) wrong. I really think the yard mixed them up and they came off a Pathfinder, but I'm willing to admit I may be wrong.

[MichiganAve]

How did 4.9 even come up? Is there anything swappable higher than 4.6?

[tmorgan4]

How did 4.9 even come up? Is there anything swappable higher than 4.6?

 

If in fact RWC5S2 managed to fit an Xterra R200 under his Pathfinder then 4.90s would be a direct bolt in. I still have my doubts though since the two are substantially different.

[RWC5S2]

If in fact RWC5S2 managed to fit an Xterra R200 under his Pathfinder then 4.90s would be a direct bolt in. I still have my doubts though since the two are substantially different.

 

I was dealing with an out of state junk yard (can we still call them that) and explained that I wanted to swap out the stock 4:36 to the 4:63 gears with LSD. The info I had was that the Xterra would also fit and that Xterra's made more LSD rears. I was sent a rear pumpkin and front diff, both of which were marked as coming from a 2002 Xterra. I don't know if the guy made this up or not but it all looked exactly like my old units, just bolted right up and I accepted his info as being correct. If you do a search for all the posts made by rwc5s2 you can see the info replies I used to search for my new gears. This forum was my primary source for info on where and what to look for and what would work. I did run across info that 4:90's were made for the Xterra but I never pursued it since the 4:63's had arrived, been installed and I really like what they did for street and off-road performance. I imagine the 4:90's would really make the humble Pathfinder a beast. Oh well, guess I was just too impatient. I will only add that the LSD made it possible (actually pretty easy) for me to get through obstacles that I could never make before. It was also about half the price I had received to install lockers on the rig and I never wanted a rock crawler to begin with.

[tmorgan4]

I was dealing with an out of state junk yard (can we still call them that) and explained that I wanted to swap out the stock 4:36 to the 4:63 gears with LSD. The info I had was that the Xterra would also fit and that Xterra's made more LSD rears. I was sent a rear pumpkin and front diff, both of which were marked as coming from a 2002 Xterra. I don't know if the guy made this up or not but it all looked exactly like my old units, just bolted right up and I accepted his info as being correct. If you do a search for all the posts made by rwc5s2 you can see the info replies I used to search for my new gears. This forum was my primary source for info on where and what to look for and what would work. I did run across info that 4:90's were made for the Xterra but I never pursued it since the 4:63's had arrived, been installed and I really like what they did for street and off-road performance. I imagine the 4:90's would really make the humble Pathfinder a beast. Oh well, guess I was just too impatient. I will only add that the LSD made it possible (actually pretty easy) for me to get through obstacles that I could never make before. It was also about half the price I had received to install lockers on the rig and I never wanted a rock crawler to begin with.

 

Please don't take what I said the wrong way. I wasn't meaning to call you out or say that you're wrong. I really do believe it was a mistake by the junkyard. I'll see if I can find a picture of an Xterra R200 and I know Dean has some pictures of an R50 R200.

[RWC5S2]

Please don't take what I said the wrong way. I wasn't meaning to call you out or say that you're wrong. I really do believe it was a mistake by the junkyard. I'll see if I can find a picture of an Xterra R200 and I know Dean has some pictures of an R50 R200.

 

I never took your statement as anything personal, rather the passing of information as you understand it to be. I hope I am right since that would make life easier for those wanting to upgrade gearing. Hopefully the guy was not blowing smoke my way but that would not surprize me at all. I figure he would call it whatever I wanted as long as I am sending the cash. I do recall that some of the front diffs are not compatible due to a high pinion or the like, I just do not remember which is which. I would love to see a photo of a verified Xterra front diff to see if it looks like mine.

[nissandoms47]

Yeah.. I have both an Xterra and R50 pathfinder and the front diffs are totally different in design.