Death wobble repair

[giddyuppony]

Ok so my pathy is starting to get the death wobble issue. I know how to fix it, by replaceing the bushings in the rear upper and lower trailing arms (or control arms) along with the panhand rod bushings. So my question is what should i replace them with? OEM from nissan or poly bushings? I was thinking poly because of what i have read both on quality and install ease. Also, where should i buy them? I know AC sells them for a grad total of $150 w/o bolts. But I live in canada and getting things over the boarder is a real c*cksucker these days. So i was hoping that someone else has done this and could tell me if there is an alternitive here in canada where i can buy bushing that will fit.

Thanks

[rick88ss]

Ok so my pathy is starting to get the death wobble issue. I know how to fix it, by replaceing the bushings in the rear upper and lower trailing arms (or control arms) along with the panhand rod bushings. So my question is what should i replace them with? OEM from nissan or poly bushings? I was thinking poly because of what i have read both on quality and install ease. Also, where should i buy them? I know AC sells them for a grad total of $150 w/o bolts. But I live in canada and getting things over the boarder is a real c*cksucker these days. So i was hoping that someone else has done this and could tell me if there is an alternitive here in canada where i can buy bushing that will fit.

Thanks

 

 

I just heard about this death wobble the other day. My 96 Pathy has about 102,000 miles and it doesn't do the death wobble yet. What do I need to look for and exactly what needs to be replaced? About how much in parts?

Edited July 8, 2010 by rick88ss

[fleurys]

I wheel my truck in trails regularly and I was at the same point last year. I figured that if the oem bushings lasted all this time, then maybe rubber bushings are not that bad afterall.... I live in Canada too, so bringing stuff from the US was also an issue for me.

 

I went for this : http://www.autopartsway.ca/autoparts2/index.cfm?fetch=part~ID=1998~Nissan~Pathfinder%204WD~241517

 

Have a look. the shipping is free to your door. These are exactly the bushings that I put on my truck and they still hold very well, mind you it's only been a year or so...

 

They do are a b*tch to change... if you do not have a vise and/or torch and/or sawzall , then I recommend you buy whole links with bushings already in.

 

S.

[giddyuppony]

Yah is saw those ones for sale, but they are one piece and as you experienced they are a REAL bitch to get in, something im an hopeing to avoid.

Might just have to break down and get the ones from AC. sigh...stupid boarder fees.

[12161216]

I did the AC split poly bushings and new bolts. They were super simple to install after the old ones were burned out and the sleeves were cut out. The rear end is solid now with only the squeeking found with poly bushings. I PB blasted the bolts for days prior to the job and still had to get a bigger impact gun to break them free.

 

James

[fleurys]

Yah is saw those ones for sale, but they are one piece and as you experienced they are a REAL bitch to get in, something im an hopeing to avoid.

Might just have to break down and get the ones from AC. sigh...stupid boarder fees.

 

no you got it wrong.... they are not a bitch to install. the issue is to remove the old ones... So poly or not, you sill still swear removing the old ones.... putting the one piece rubber ones takes exactly 30 seconds with a vise and wrench sockets...

 

with a few tools, here's the procedure to do it...

 

Here's summary

 

1) do one link at a time

2) torch the rubber bushing

3) use a zip gun to remove the sleeve

4) use a air sander to clean the inside of the link

5) use a peice of tubing, a socket and a press (or a vise) to insert the new bushing

6) re-install the link but do not tight the bolts..let very loose

7) once all bushing replaced, VERY IMPORTANT, drop the truck on ground, then proceed to tight all the links.

 

some video of 1 link being done in 15 minutes.... amazing how a job can look easy when you have the right tools...(and experience)

 

Torch:

http://vid435.photobucket.com/albums/qq71/steve_fleury3/front-locker-bushings-shocks/CIMG0574.mp4

 

zip them:

http://vid435.photobucket.com/albums/qq71/steve_fleury3/front-locker-bushings-shocks/CIMG0579.mp4

 

sandpaper the link:

http://vid435.photobucket.com/albums/qq71/steve_fleury3/front-locker-bushings-shocks/CIMG0581.mp4

 

insert the new bushing:

http://vid435.photobucket.com/albums/qq71/steve_fleury3/front-locker-bushings-shocks/CIMG0583.mp4

Edited June 19, 2015 by fleurys

[piste]

It is NOT a fun job...did mine in 2004 and replaced the whole link...only to have to do it again this month. Went with poly ones from AC...so don't expect to do it again as long as I own my 97. There are lots of threads out there on how to do this job....which BTW...no matter which bushings you get you'll save hundreds of $$$$ over having a dealer do the job for you. Even if you buy full replacement links you still save some good bucks.

[skulptr]

now only if all of us were lucky enough to have all those tools. not sayin i'm not, but i highly doubt everyone else here has a shop readily accessible when ever they want.

[piste]

now only if all of us were lucky enough to have all those tools. not sayin i'm not, but i highly doubt everyone else here has a shop readily accessible when ever they want.

 

You actually don't need all that much. I spent $130 on a 20 ton shop press at Harbor Freight...and $55 on a torque wrench..had one but needed another ...still saved a few hundred even with those costs. Other tools were a vise..hammer...socket set with a nice 30" of pipe for breaker bar....and other than jack and jack stands....can't think of much else ya need. I'm doing more and more of my own work as I'm tired of getting a sore backside from dealers and garages ...many of whome are clueless....but it ain't for everyone....I know I had to give it up for years when the kids were being born and very young.

[jasonb]

+1 for the HF press. i have the little 12ton and it works great although i was denied once on one bushing the last time i dealt with the death sway. (somebody asked above: i got death sway at 110k miles, freeway speed, gentle curve, slightly downhill, constant speed. it would sway back and forth, progressively getting worse until i would lift off the gas and the front shocks would gradually smooth things back out. if i had not of lifted i would definitely have crashed).

 

so its time to deal with the bushings again. i don't mind doing my own work to replace but i was wondeirng what yall thought about these:

 

http://ruggedrocksoffroad.com/rugged-rocks-hd-adjustable-lower-rear-suspension-links-nissan-pathfinder-1996-2004-p-3885.html

 

if you ask me, something like this makes a lot of sense over paying somebody to put polys. same price and easier to maintain.

 

i'm thinking of putting poly in upper arms and teh ruggedrocks on teh bottom.

 

interested in your feedback

[XPLORx4]

Anyone with the space to store tools, a place to work on the truck, and the interest to do it should spend money on the tools to do the job, instead of paying a shop to do the work.

 

I agree that the "zip gun" (aka air chisel) works great to remove the old bushings.

 

I still haven't gotten around to replacing my upper link bushings. It's been over 5 years since I put poly bushings in the lowers.

[piste]

+1 for the HF press. i have the little 12ton and it works great although i was denied once on one bushing the last time i dealt with the death sway. (somebody asked above: i got death sway at 110k miles, freeway speed, gentle curve, slightly downhill, constant speed. it would sway back and forth, progressively getting worse until i would lift off the gas and the front shocks would gradually smooth things back out. if i had not of lifted i would definitely have crashed).

 

so its time to deal with the bushings again. i don't mind doing my own work to replace but i was wondeirng what yall thought about these:

 

http://ruggedrocksoffroad.com/rugged-rocks-hd-adjustable-lower-rear-suspension-links-nissan-pathfinder-1996-2004-p-3885.html

 

if you ask me, something like this makes a lot of sense over paying somebody to put polys. same price and easier to maintain.

 

i'm thinking of putting poly in upper arms and teh ruggedrocks on teh bottom.

 

interested in your feedback

 

Your post is all kind of confusing to me...for your lower links you are considering $350 + labor to put in the rugged rocks links which indicate they are for offroad use only vs. $90 for poly bushings + labor?? Clearly I'm missing something here....

[jasonb]

Your post is all kind of confusing to me...for your lower links you are considering $350 + labor to put in the rugged rocks links which indicate they are for offroad use only vs. $90 for poly bushings + labor?? Clearly I'm missing something here....

 

yeah, your right, i phrased that badly. let me try again

 

i'm thinking of putting the rugged rocks bottom links in because i like them. design looks similar to heim joint but ive been told with better wear. i was thinking of putting poly bushings in the top links. (i plan to do myseld so labor $$ isn't an issue) would appreciate any feedback on this idea. i do a lot of towing with my pathfinder, so having a stable rear suspension is huge.

 

separately, i was making point that if somebody is going to pay a shop to change bushings out of the stock links it would be similar cost to just buying the rugged rocks links because there is very little to no labor cost for the install (its an entire link).

 

your right, the rugged rocks links aren't dot approved. but then again, the 6point harnesses in my track car aren't either

[piste]

Jasonb, That's a bit clearer....I'm not sure what the incremental $260 for the rugged rocks links gets you ...besides you like them...but my guess is they are a lot stronger which is important for the hard core offroaders. I figured you were doing your own labor which I highly recommend. For those considering having a dealer do the work...just be sure to grab your ankles and walk in there backwards...saves some time!! Zoiks!

 

This might not be any help to you but here's my experience...original owner of 97 SE OR. In 2004 did the lower links myself by just swapping replacement OEM links in...at the time the upper links looked a bit complicated....harder to get to... for me so had a dealer do those. Last year I needed upper links again so again had the dealer do them...last time for that!!! Last month I put one piece poly ones in the lower...in a couple years or so plan to replace the uppers with poly ones too. I also put poly one piece ones in the panhard rod but thinking that was a waste as the original 13 year old rubber bushings looked as good as the day they went in. FWIW...also did my rear shocks, front struts and mounts and this weekend front and rear sway bar bushings. I have to say so far I'm happy with the poly bushings. They might ride a bit stiffer but my view is that the R50 is such a squishy ride as it is...it needs all the toughening up it can get. Now just gotta get my new tires and I'll be GTG!!!

[jasonb]

Last year I needed upper links again so again had the dealer do them...last time for that!!! Last month I put one piece poly ones in the lower...in a couple years or so plan to replace the uppers with poly ones too. I also put poly one piece ones in the panhard rod but thinking that was a waste as the original 13 year old rubber bushings looked as good as the day they went in. FWIW...also did my rear shocks, front struts and mounts and this weekend front and rear sway bar bushings. I have to say so far I'm happy with the poly bushings. They might ride a bit stiffer but my view is that the R50 is such a squishy ride as it is...it needs all the toughening up it can get. Now just gotta get my new tires and I'll be GTG!!!

 

appologies for thread jacking, but this is great info. how did you know you needed to replace upper links again? this is something i've been mulling. how important are the upper links to suspension geometry? is most of the work done by the lower links, or both?

 

i think our experiences are quite similar. i did my bushings in spring 2002 after experiencing quite scary death sway during a road trip to navajo reservation. also did front ball joints, axles and put koni shocks in front struts and rancho shocks in rear. i have to say i much prefer the koni shocks to the rancho.

 

this time i want to fix it and have it stay fixed.

[piste]

AFAIK....the lower links are the biggest culprits to death wobble. I believe they take more of the stress and so go sooner or more often than uppers. For one thing I believe the longer length of lower links means the same twist applied to both creates greater torque on the lower links as compared to uppers. How did I know I needed uppers done again last year? Welt....it was at my stealership for state inspection in March and the dealer told me so...I had no ability in my schedule to do em myself and at the time was still new enough to the area that I didn't know a more..... say...customer friendly place to get an inspection sticker from...I do now.

[skulptr]

anybody have this issue. bending the whole bracket the lower arm bolts to?? the bolt seemingly decided it was going to be "one" with the bushing, when i went to hit it out, guess what got all bent up. now what....

 

i also snapped a vice handle in 2 only half way through the 2nd bushing. only 2.5 more bushings to go, now i'm without a vehicle

Edited August 1, 2010 by skulptr

[jasonb]

sorry to hear about that as it sounds hard to fix right. let us know what happens. i'll be sure to take some care when removing the bolt.

 

 

on another topic, i received my lower links. can't wait to get these installed. if i was death wobble i'd start runnin now

 

 

 

i went hunting around and i think i figured out where they came from. military salvage for m1 abrams

[skulptr]

what are the grease nipples for? the adjustable part?

[jasonb]

as i understand it the zerk is to grease the steel ball inside of the housing. i guess the poly bushing material on the outside keeps most of the grease from coming out but not 100%

 

i'm sure there is somebody more knowledgable than myself who can explain...

[180sx]

Update on the links? I want to know how they feel!

 

Also, I've been searching and searching, and I can't find the specs on the control arm bolts! Anyone know what they are? Thanks.

 

Jose

[smoke]

Update on the links? I want to know how they feel!

 

Also, I've been searching and searching, and I can't find the specs on the control arm bolts! Anyone know what they are? Thanks.

 

Jose

 

 

go to a dealership and get them.... i thnk $4.50 per bolt and nut.....i cant remember but its easier and id trust it from them than another place... but still i go at least a grade 8 or better if u dont.

[180sx]

Well, i go to Fastenol for Grade 8 Hardware. A lot cheaper and stonger than the dealership hardware (well, if you can compare grade 8 to grade 8). I just don't know the sizes.

 

Jose

[kmgar99]

On the bolt sizes...i wish i remembered but since i did them back in 04...I used a tap and die set to get the sizes then ordered them through Grainger in Grade 8. You can also go to a hardware store and have them check the size for you....as long as the thickness and length are correct it really doesn't matter what the thread sizes are...i used SAE (non metric) bolts. I had to hack off the old ones so they were useless.

 

Small write up on how i got the old ones out and the new ones in Rear Bushings

[elkootcho]

I realize this is an old thread but I'm getting ready to replace my lower bushings this weekend (2000 Pathfinder LE). I bought poly 2-piece bushings with bolts from 4x4parts.com. Assuming that all goes well, how tight do I need to get the new nuts upon reassembly? I cannot find any torque specs.

 

Thanks