CustomBikeMike Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 Greetings to the group. I recently purchased a 1990 Pathfinder. I noticed that the thing wallows and wobbles kinda like a ship in a storm. Not being a real experienced 4WD guy I thought I might ask y'all where I might look to find what is causing all this commotion. Thanks in advance!! CBM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jj big shoe Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 Could you describe the "wobble"? Try jumping on the bumper to get it hopping then jump off. If it still bounces up and down, could just be bad shocks. If its wallowing and wandering on the road, could be rear bushings. Take a look at this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 I second JJ, it could be shot shocks, tired torsion bars, blasted bushings, etc, but without a better discription... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CustomBikeMike Posted August 14, 2008 Author Share Posted August 14, 2008 (edited) I second JJ, it could be shot shocks, tired torsion bars, blasted bushings, etc, but without a better discription... B Sorry about that guys, I'm a bike guy and not so much a car guy. Sometimes the thing kinda feels like you are setting on top of a slinky. Not bad shock feel, a lot of body roll/lean and then when recovering from that it is kinda marshmallowy. I rebuilt the front brakes today and when I took off the passeger side front rotor/hub assembly I noted this bar/rod that extends from a bracket on the frame to the front, I believe it is called, A arm. The bushing at the point where it is attached to the frame seems so worn there is a good 20mm gap between the front of the bushing and the mount. I'm sure this isn't good. I started inspecting the rest of the bushings and a lot of them are hard and/or worn. Sounds like the culprit? I did a standard bounce test for the shocks and they seem to be working. I want to lift the truck, some by suspension and some by body lift. Will this in any way influence what bushings I buy? ie is there a "lifted" bushing kit and a "stock height" bushing set? Sorry to be so ignorant. Thanks for the replies! CBM Edited August 14, 2008 by CustomBikeMike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 The bushing your referring to is the tension rod or strut rod. Mine are shot too. I have the exact same symptoms you do. Like when you hit a dip the shocks recover the bounce but it kinda wiggles side to side? You can order the bushings from www.rockauto.com if you do get the polyurethane ones because I hear they're stronger and last way longer. Rock auto has them listed as strut rod bushings. There is a thread around here about this part, and how if it is left like that for a while it can wallow out the mount in the frame. Turn the wheel all the way and have someone bounce the truck to see if there is lots of movement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coucoui6 Posted September 14, 2008 Share Posted September 14, 2008 over the past year, i 've replaced front sway bar bushings, end link bushings, strut rod bushings, rear upper and lower trail arm bushings and shocks. all helped me out alot. i used only urethane bushings from 4x4parts.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chriskaw440 Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 I recently changed all my shocks on my 1990, and while it was sitting there with no shocks at all ... I just gave it a shove on the bumper up and down and it was hysterical to see how much the whole vehicle bounced up and down like crazy. I thought it would be lots of fun just to drive it around the neighborhood like that but then common sense hit me and I just went ahead and installed all the new shocks, turned out the garage lights and went to watch some TV before calling it a night. still, would have been fun though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edicer2 Posted October 15, 2008 Share Posted October 15, 2008 (edited) i had a very similar problem on my pathfinder when i go it because the "radius arm" that's what they called it at nissan. it basically looked like a flat bar with 2 hole in it and a short rod came off of it and had a bushing on the end with a nut that went from the tire to the frame. the whole tire would move from the front of the wheel well to the back of the wheel well when it was broke. I couldn't drive over 20 before it felt like the whole wheel was going to fly off! Obviously this isnt it but it looked similar to this one http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt...ficial%26sa%3DG Edited October 15, 2008 by edicer2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now