Guest matt_king95 Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 hey guys, thanks for all the support in my previous post about the stereo problem and i glad to say i finally have it fixed. thankfully, the guys at chiltons label their wiring diagrams so i could succesfully bypass the amp. anyways i have a potentially bigger problem now. At around 45 to 75 whenever you hit a bump or something in the road, it throws my Pathfinder into a wobble at the rear that gradually gets worse. it also depends on how much gas i have in it (More gas = less wobble, less gas = more wobble). its a 1996 SE 4x4 with around 125,000 miles on the clock. so far ive been to 5 different repair places and have had no luck. one said that i had a separated tire (i have firestone firehawks), another said i needed to replace the shocks. i did the shocks since that was pretty easy and cheap and was something that needed to be done anyways. no luck with this. if anything i think it made it worse. one said that i need to take it to a frame place to see if it is a bent frame. the other to cant find anything wrong with it. it has gradually gotten worse since i bought it so that would usually suggest tires. i really dont want to spend 800 bucks on new tires just to see if that was the remedy. ive had a 4 wheel alignment done on it also. all suggestions are welcome. if youve had this problem or know of a fix, it would be greatly aprecitiated. thanks Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 replace the bushings in the control arms at the back. this has come up a few times now. and its been a sure fix each time someone whos had the fix might pipe up soon...... best thing to do is a visual inspection of all the rubber bushings before jumping in to expensive repairs, but im sure thats it steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denisb Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 I agree with stevew1, when your driving on the highway and you acccelerate and then let go the accelerator and your rig feels like it wiggles, this is a sign of bad control arm bushings. At least with the rigs up to 95. In 96 they went to unibody design which might be different. Someone might be able to answer on that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest matt_king95 Posted January 11, 2004 Share Posted January 11, 2004 thanks guys. well i think ive found the culprit. in front of the rear axle you have the 4 link suspension thing. well the upper suspension link bushing next to the muffler has a pretty big gash in it about 2/3 of the way around. it makes since why its getting worse now. everytime my rig wobbles it tears a little more. its looks like a do-it-yourselfer except the chiltons says we need a bushing press to press the bushing into the hole. any ideas about this one? is there a ghetto way of doing this or is it best left up to the pros? if this is the fix, ill put it in the garage section so everybody who develops this problem can see what to do about it. Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw Posted January 11, 2004 Share Posted January 11, 2004 better to do it your self i think. i read one guy that did it used a bottle jack and a vice (or something to this effect) or if you think otherwise certainly do the manual work yourself, getting the links out and putting them back in, just get a pro to do the pressing. havent got any 'fitters and turners' as friends??? they really come in handy some times.... hehehe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest joe Posted January 31, 2004 Share Posted January 31, 2004 I have this problem too. It seems the bushings are worn on the front and rear supsension control arms and links. It look like its going to be a pricey fix Automotive Customizers site has the part,... But I need to find a shop to install them. http://www.4x4parts.com/public_html/shop/i...0a091ee0d3b5767 It's going to put me in the poor house for sure... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrJim Posted February 2, 2004 Share Posted February 2, 2004 The control arm bushings are pretty important items on the Pathfinder. This is a pretty common failure on the 96 and newer Pathfinders. It has been mentioned in our old forums numerous times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmgar99 Posted February 19, 2004 Share Posted February 19, 2004 Does the wobble feel as if the truck is going side to side (Almost teetering) without actually sliding in the lane? If so my 97 just started doing the same thing a few weeks ago.....I will check all the bushings.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big_johnson Posted February 19, 2004 Share Posted February 19, 2004 Mine used to sway like that, but new shocks and struts fixed it for me. It was like a wobble, kind of like it was bouncing from side to side. I don't think I need any bushings yet, fortunately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JohnHirschi Posted February 21, 2004 Share Posted February 21, 2004 I am having the same problem with my '98 SE Pathfinder. I took it to the dealer and got the 4 rear suspension "dogbones" replaced, at about $800. It still has the same problem where it wobbles when I go over a bump at 65 mph. Last night I drove it home down a canyon and went into a curve at about 30 mph. It felt like it was going to roll. It really felt like I had no sway bars at all. I took it to the dealer and they can't find anything wrong, again. My wife refused to drive it; it really feels unsafe... It has new shocks and struts and all four rear "trailing arms" (?). I don't know what to do... Any suggestions??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big_johnson Posted February 21, 2004 Share Posted February 21, 2004 This is kind of a shot in the dark here, but you might want to try some aftermarket springs that are stiffer. Since you already got most of the other suspension components replaced, I'm stumped. Springs are the only things I can think of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmgar99 Posted February 22, 2004 Share Posted February 22, 2004 You did make sure the dealer didn't reuse your old bushings?....Another shot in the dark! Maybe try an alignment shop...Not the dealer...Tires Good? I am a DIY, so I don't trust any dealership or most mechanics.....I'm a mechanics worst nightmare, I know enough to question what their doing, but not always enough to do it myself...I never leave the garage door area..... My wife is also refusing to even drive in mine anymore...too wobbly! It scares her! After all the talk about AC being jerks I'm not sure who else sells suspension parts for a 97? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmgar99 Posted February 22, 2004 Share Posted February 22, 2004 Another thought!......Try finding someone who can drive the truck as you ride behind it....Maybe this will help you see exactly where the wobble starts or what is moving around? I am still grasping at straws here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big_johnson Posted February 22, 2004 Share Posted February 22, 2004 I'm not sure who sells bushings other than AC, but there are other vendors for springs and struts and shocks. Many people have gotten Old Man Emu springs, just contact them. Nopi and truckaddons.com are other good places to get things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JohnHirschi Posted February 26, 2004 Share Posted February 26, 2004 Latest update - I took the Pathfinder into the local dealer to have them take a look. They put it on a rack and couldn't find anything glaring. So they took it for a test drive. He said that he drove it for a while, but couldn't feel what I was feeling. Near the dealership it happened for him. I don't know how long he was out driving it, but it took him a while to even feel what we are feeling. It happens whenever we go over a bump or brake hard into a turn. Even if you are just jerking the steering wheel back and forth you can't really feel it. The dealer still doesn't know what the problem is. This is what they've tried so far: - replaced all the tires (with another Pathfinder they had in their stock) - replaced the rear shocks - They've inspected it top to bottom: steering, trailing arms, shocks, struts, springs, etc. There is nothing obvious to them. They've assured me that they are only going to charge me $85 to find out what the problem is, but I think that it is soon going to turn into, "well, lets try this", and I will be paying for $200 guesses. About 18 months ago, I went through the thing and put on new shocks and struts. My sister-in-law works for a chevy parts dealer here in town and can get me parts from the Nissan dealer for the same price as the shopts. I called her to get parts to put on the Pathfinder. When I asked about shocks, she said, "there are two kinds, $30 a piece, or $15 a piece. Which one do you want?" I chose the $15 pair (didn't think it mattered). I put them and the struts on, I got it aligned, and everything was fine for about a year or so. Then I went in to get my annual inspection and they told me that my shocks were leaking. I figured, "oh well, I'll just put another pair on." Except this time I bought the $30 pair. I didn't notice a difference, but my old gal insists that this is when the wobble problem started. Does that sound logical? The dealer still has it, but if he comes back and says, "sorry, we're stumped. Lets try (something expensive)", do you think its worth trying out the cheapo shocks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88pathoffroad Posted February 26, 2004 Share Posted February 26, 2004 Try some Bilsteins or Ranchos instead? Stiffer shocks seem to me to be a good way to control wobbly suspension feel. Cheap shocks are soft and will allow more movement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JohnHirschi Posted March 2, 2004 Share Posted March 2, 2004 Latest news - While the dealer was looking at my problem, another Pathfinder with a similar problem showed up. They changed his four dogbones and it fixed his problem. The dealer wondered if I had bad parts, so he replaced them with some new ones. The new ones did the trick. He wrote up the old parts as defective and didn't charge me a cent. To anyone in the Salt Lake area, thats Tim Dahle Nissan in Sandy. Thanks for all of the suggestions and help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Todd S Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 I think my '97 may have (or be developing) this same problem. Almost feels like it skips around in the lane over bumps, sometimes. So tell me, please -- are the "4 rear suspension dogbones" the same thing as the "control arm bushings" (aka rear trailing arm bushings, per the 4x4parts.com site)? Thanks in advance, -T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JohnHirschi Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 Yeah, thats what I'm talking about. Mine were ripped up pretty good on the long ones that run underneath the rocker panels. My wife still has a problem with the ride. I think I have tire problems because it really wanders at highway speed. This has become a nightmare... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Todd S Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 I feel a bit of play in the wheel on the fwy. I didn't think much of that, though. It was the skipping around in the lane over bumps that more caught my attention. My problem is I'm coming to the Pathy from a Porsche 928 -- VERY stiff, German, tight GT suspension. So I just couldn't tell if I'm experiencing a normal reaction to switching from a sports car to a truck, or if there's actually a problem, here. Friends think the ride seems pretty normal and truck-like. But this posting has inspired me to believe there could be a problem. So I'll have to crawl under there this Saturday with a flashlight, and have a look-see for any torn rubber. Anybody know non-dealer estimates for getting this job done? -T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest joe Posted March 15, 2004 Share Posted March 15, 2004 OK, I just had my rear control link bushings replaced with AC polyuerethane bushings. The wobble was DEFINITLEY due to worn bushings. Not including the parts from AC, labor came to a whopping $470 (after $20 discount) The mechanic had to saw off the bolts that held the control arms on because they had fused to the frame. He had the old bushings popped off for $15 and pushed the new ones in for $15.. to have all the rear bushings replaced by a machine shop it was $250. Anyhow,... the wobbling stopped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reidc Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 Yikes!!! Thats a lot of coin. I don't have anything to compare it to- as I've never had em done yet- I have 73K on mine in Mass. Based on what I've been reading here and on 4x4parts- I will definitely pay to have this done. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kkanaskie Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 I have a similar problem with my 98 SE, 120K miles. The wobble is most noticable at 50-75 MPH when loaded, even on smooth highway. It feels like it could wobble out of control. I can induce the wobble by slight steering back and forth. I'll inspect the bushings but this leads to my questions. After searching AC 4x4 Parts I found quite a few bushings: - Lower Control Arm Rear Bushings (1 kit) - Lower Control Arm Front Bushings (1 kit) - Pan Hard Rod Bushings (1 kit) - Trailing Arm Bushings (4 kits) What and where is the Pan Hard Rod Bushing? The Trailing Arm Bushings need 1 kit per control arm which would mean only 2 kits. What is the trailing arm and how many per side? I've read the posts but the terminology is confusing. Any help would be appreciated. I'm very greatful to find out the problem. Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big_johnson Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 The panhard rod connects the axle right side to the frame left side. It is located behind the rear axle, and the bushings fit into the ends of the rod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest joe Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 the part names are confusing,... The one you need (4) kits of, is the one you need. The rear Trailing arm bushings... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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