rgallant Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 New to the pathfinder world, ended up with a 97. As I wanted a manual choices were limited. My question is for the lift are shocks and struts a requirement, or can you get away with just the springs ? I am in the Pacfic Northwest, so dodging through logging road cross ditches and wierd washouts are my main issues, along with the odd creek / river crossing. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skulptr Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 there's alot of lift information in the upper most link in the r50 section. in the faq's and pinned topics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgallant Posted September 8, 2010 Author Share Posted September 8, 2010 Actually I read that, but it did not answer my one question. Everyone is doing some combination of springs and shock/strut replacement. I want to know if I can get away with just springs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shift220 Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 Yes you can do just springs. Most people replace the struts at the same time because it's the same amount of work either way (not because it's required). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawzzy Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 Yes you can do just springs. Most people replace the struts at the same time because it's the same amount of work either way (not because it's required). tru dat and if the struts/shocks are that old...and your replacing the springs...you might as well do it all and enjoy the wonderful new ride. Unless everything is OkieDokie... Tye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgallant Posted September 8, 2010 Author Share Posted September 8, 2010 Thanks, that is what I thought. The struts are newish, but I think the previous owner put softer units in. Just need to get in there and get some part numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
180sx Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 I'd say if you're doing that kind of driving, then you should replace at least your struts with KYB GR-2's. You'll blow the old ones in a few moths if you do alot of irregular driving. Jose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgallant Posted September 9, 2010 Author Share Posted September 9, 2010 Yup I knew someone was gonna point that out, kinda of why I need to get under there and find out what is installed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmons Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 I agree with 180X, go with the KYB-GR'2s, they are the best fit for the R50 and will handle great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinnwn Posted September 12, 2010 Share Posted September 12, 2010 (edited) go with the KYB-GR'2s, they are the best fit for the R50 Except they aren't an exact fit. They are missing the bracket to hold the ABS sensor wire out of the way. But they do have a captive nut on an ear in the same area. I had to cut the sensor wire holder off my original struts and drill a hole to mount it on the GR2's. See last pic http://colinnwn.blogspot.com/2007/12/installing-suspension-lift-on-my-2001.html Edited September 12, 2010 by colinnwn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawzzy Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 Except they aren't an exact fit. They are missing the bracket to hold the ABS sensor wire out of the way. But they do have a captive nut on an ear in the same area. I had to cut the sensor wire holder off my original struts and drill a hole to mount it on the GR2's. See last pic http://colinnwn.blogspot.com/2007/12/installing-suspension-lift-on-my-2001.html actually...i just replaced mine last month...they were the EXACT same...every bracket, hole, notch IDENTICAL. I would swear they were the originals from factory. Tye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpathy Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 (edited) actually...i just replaced mine last month...they were the EXACT same...every bracket, hole, notch IDENTICAL. I would swear they were the originals from factory. Tye Same here. I did mine a couple months ago and they were exactly the same. No difference at all for brackets/fittings. Edit: Here are some pics. Don't have a close up one of the new one on the truck, but as you can see, they are the same. Old strut: New strut: Edited September 14, 2010 by Northernpathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piste Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 As stated they are indeed exact fit....for the simple reason as the OEMs were GR-2s themselves....if they weren't exact fit...someone got the wrong application.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawzzy Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 Of course, mine arent "exactly" the same...I sprayed em yellow to match the OME Nitrocharger shocks. HEHEHE But exact, minus the paint job, yepr!! Tye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinnwn Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 Same here. I did mine a couple months ago and they were exactly the same. No difference at all for brackets/fittings. If you look at yours and mine again, you'll notice your old strut is exactly like my new GR2 (have a captive nut on the bracket), which are not like my old strut that has a bent ear and fork to hold the ABS sensor wire. Your captive nut bracket looks like it is holding another brake line instead of ABS wiring. Do you have ABS? Is that your power steering line, or is it a visual trick and it really is the ABS sensor wires? I got my 2 inch lift springs, GR2s, and RS5000's all at the same time from Automotive Customizers. And I told them I have a 2001.5 Pathfinder SE. I checked my invoice and the part numbers looked right. I didn't try to check part numbers on the part. I don't think they asked if I had ABS or not, so if they gave me the wrong struts for the application, it was their fault. Though they also advertised the RS5000's as fitting this application, and that is very incorrect information. So it wouldn't surprise me if they sent me the wrong part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piste Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 If you look at yours and mine again, you'll notice your old strut is exactly like my new GR2 (have a captive nut on the bracket), which are not like my old strut that has a bent ear and fork to hold the ABS sensor wire. Your captive nut bracket looks like it is holding another brake line instead of ABS wiring. Do you have ABS? Is that your power steering line, or is it a visual trick and it really is the ABS sensor wires? I got my 2 inch lift springs, GR2s, and RS5000's all at the same time from Automotive Customizers. And I told them I have a 2001.5 Pathfinder SE. I checked my invoice and the part numbers looked right. I didn't try to check part numbers on the part. I don't think they asked if I had ABS or not, so if they gave me the wrong struts for the application, it was their fault. Though they also advertised the RS5000's as fitting this application, and that is very incorrect information. So it wouldn't surprise me if they sent me the wrong part. That explains it all. AC is known in some cases..of providing incorrect application information...including the Rs5000 issue. They post RS5000s as appropriate for the R50 and despite Rancho themselves confirming they ar not...AC insists on misrepresenting that. Highly likely AC screwed you up. Beyond that...their prices for KYBs are much higher than many other places including tirerack.com. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpathy Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 One thing to note is is that I did not order the struts from 4x4parts. Was cheaper in price and shipping to order them locally (since I would have had to pay brokerage/customs fees coming over the border). I only ordered the coils and the bilstein shocks (since I didn't know the part number of the shocks to be able to order them locally). But many people have ordered the struts from them without problems. So yeah, they might have sent you the wrong ones. Either that, or the ones on your truck were replaced at one point with the wrong struts and someone made them work. And the new KYB's that 4x4parts sent you are the correct ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgallant Posted September 16, 2010 Author Share Posted September 16, 2010 Has anyone used this product ? 4 Inch 96-04 Pathfinder / QX4 Lift Kit by Krypton Or is it very new, had my nice new rims and tires put on the other day and have one dead bump stop in the rear. So I will need to deal with the rear springs sooner rather than later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinnwn Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 or the ones on your truck were replaced at one point with the wrong struts and someone made them work. And the new KYB's that 4x4parts sent you are the correct ones. The struts on my truck were OEM, and the little rubber boot around the ABS sensor wire was very clearly designed to fit into the strut fork bracket that I cut off and used on the GR2s. As far as piste saying GR2s are much higher at AC than other places, when I bought them about 3 years ago, as I recall they weren't more than $20 for the pair over tirerack or any other place I found online through google product search. I didn't bother trying to source them locally to compare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piste Posted September 17, 2010 Share Posted September 17, 2010 The struts on my truck were OEM, and the little rubber boot around the ABS sensor wire was very clearly designed to fit into the strut fork bracket that I cut off and used on the GR2s. As far as piste saying GR2s are much higher at AC than other places, when I bought them about 3 years ago, as I recall they weren't more than $20 for the pair over tirerack or any other place I found online through google product search. I didn't bother trying to source them locally to compare. GR2s for my 97 SE are ....$61 per strut on tirerack.com...$79 per strut from 4x4parts....that's 30% higher...or $36 less for the pair on tirerack.com. To me that puts 4x4parts.com "much higher".... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
01silvapathy Posted September 17, 2010 Share Posted September 17, 2010 Old strut: You had trouble with your bolts too I see Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02silverpathy Posted September 17, 2010 Share Posted September 17, 2010 (edited) Add Strut Insulator & Strut Bearing, as well as camber bolts to your list! If you put anti-sieze on those strut bolts you will love yourself a few years from now! Same goes for end links...anti-sieze is your friend on a Nissan! Edited September 17, 2010 by 02silverpathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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