Inyourface1650 Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 Top Rear bushings, Shot Completely - gone gone gone gone. Bottoms are ok, were Junk Yarded by PO...(can still see the paint pen hehe) I'd like to do poly. - but I read around that they would limit flex (makes sense). has anyone done the swap and have a quantifiable answer to how much flex is limited? I can also just junk yard it, but the newest truck on the lot as 174k...so I'm not sure how long those will last. Lotta work to do every 10k miles on JY bushings...Though - $12.99 a link and plenty of pathys to choose from. I'll be driving back to AZ for Christmas, so I can do the swap myself. Otherwise Nissan wants $1300 to replace the whole set. Pepboys wants $158 a link to do bushings, but doesn't say what kind of bushing they put in. ($650 for all four). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 Check out RuggedRocks, he has some custom and adjustable links available that may just be what you need, and will be cheaper than $1300! Otherwise Nissan wants $1300 to replace the whole set. That's insane. No way in hades would I ever agree to that. Yes, poly will probably limit flex some, but realistically, I can't believe it to be significant, and they should last a long time. Sorry I don't have any first hand data... IIRC, some people have burned out the old bushings and pressed in new factory bushings. This would be the way to go if none of the above options are agreeable to you. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inyourface1650 Posted December 15, 2012 Author Share Posted December 15, 2012 Yeah RR has johnny joints, but they are specifically designed for flex. Steve has mentioned body roll is a bit of an issue with them, which makes sense since they are designed to flex. I went to the JY today and brought my 3/4 ratchet set. Best $32 at Harbour Freight ever. 22MM is the bolt head size and I could get the bolts to turn without a breaker bar, so I'm not too worried about that..I just need someone else to come help me pull em. I guess I'll just do that and Poly it up. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pathybuilder Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 If you're pulling rear links from the JY, pull from the pre 94 models, they are a little beefier and the same length. Not sure why Nissan changed the style of the link in 94. Mine are somewhat bent, and I have a friend that bent his as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverton Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 the 87-93 "I beam" style links are definitely beefy, but there is word that they can snap in half if hit hard enough. I'd prefer to run them over the 94-95, but only because I've bent a couple myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inyourface1650 Posted December 17, 2012 Author Share Posted December 17, 2012 I have the I-Beam lowers as they were already replaced, but round (kinked) uppers. Were there I beam uppers or are you guys only talking lowers? Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesRich Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 Only the lowers were I beams. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 If you're pulling rear links from the JY, pull from the pre 94 models, they are a little beefier and the same length. Not sure why Nissan changed the style of the link in 94. Mine are somewhat bent, and I have a friend that bent his as well. Quite frankly, I'd much rather have them bend than snap and I suspect Nissan felt the same way. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KovemaN Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Quite frankly, I'd much rather have them bend than snap and I suspect Nissan felt the same way. B I don't think Nissan ever took wheeling into account when building the 93.5+ WD21s. There had to either be a cost or supply issue at stake. Personally, I prefer the I-beams over the tube lowers. The kind of hit it takes to break the I-beam is pretty extreme whereas the tube lowers are easily bent with only minimal contact. Trust me. I'm the PO from the OP's post. When I rebuild my rear suspension I'll follow GrandpaX's route and build extended uppers. I've got 2-3/8" greasable poly bushings for the frame side and 2-3/8" flex joints for the axle. That should provide reasonable road manners with decent longevity. Flexing out the factory bushings is what really kills them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Thanks, good info Bud. I do wonder why you think the 93.5+ are not for wheeling, not much else important was changed that I know of. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pathybuilder Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 I actually wasn't aware that there was an issue with the I beam style links breaking, Good info anyhow, guess I'll carry one rear lower link as a trail spare. I'm changing out to all poly bushings, and swapped to the I-beam style links. No info on flex yet. I certainly wouldn't spend the $1300 Nissan wants, I think there's better options out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KovemaN Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 I never said they weren't for wheeling, but I do believe that when Nissan updated the interior they were trying to position the Pathfinder more in the luxury market segment. I'm a firm believer in the off road capabilities of all WD21s. I've put my '95 through hell and I still get to have heated seats/mirrors and a 7" in dash navigation system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverton Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 (edited) there is word that they can snap, but has anyone actually seen one snap? Mr.510's brother has been a parts slinger his whole life and has never had to order one to replace a snapped one, perhaps we should get Alkorahail (sp?) in on this too with his years of parts department experience. But I am with B on this one, if they CAN snap, I'd rather have a bendable link than a breakable one. Edited December 19, 2012 by silverton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Yep, rather limp home than be towed, but by description... The kind of hit it takes to break the I-beam is pretty extreme whereas the tube lowers are easily bent with only minimal contact. I remember a discussion years ago about the same thing and the I-beams were the desired items. I haven't been a position to test them, but I might pick up an I-beam set, install them with new bushings and carry an old tube spare if/when I go hard core wheeling. I still drive by the 'if you really break it you are driving the wrong thing or drivind way to hard' motto. In my form of wheeling, you don't get any points for getting stuck or breaking down. I never said they weren't for wheeling, but I do believe that when Nissan updated the interior they were trying to position the Pathfinder more in the luxury market segment. I'm a firm believer in the off road capabilities of all WD21s. I've put my '95 through hell and I still get to have heated seats/mirrors and a 7" in dash navigation system. Ok, that clears it up. Sorry, I sold the heated mirrors to a Canadian, but I can keep an eye out for you... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KovemaN Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Heated mirrors aren't that big of a deal around Phoenix, but I have used them when I head out to snow country. The heated seats are pretty nice when it's below 50* in the morning. They are not so nice when the dog switches them on and it's 110* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inyourface1650 Posted January 5, 2013 Author Share Posted January 5, 2013 (edited) 4x4parts of course delivered the Poly 5 days late -so we ended up running to the PickNPull in chandler and got some upper links. Ripped the ones out my Pathy, and lo and behold they were good. Replaced them anyway, since we had them out. Kept looking around, and the lower link is the one with the bad bushing...*Head/desk*. So either the Nissan mechanic was guessing or I just heard him wrong. Anyway, It was too late in the day to get the lower, so I'll get a new one out of JY here in Denver this week. Its easily accessible, and I'm confident I can do the work now. And send back the 4x4 parts bushings....... ALSO: Just an FYI, my 3/4 Inch ratchet/socket set ($32, from Harbour Freight) , and a 2.5 foot pipe had no problem cracking the bolts. We also had a 450lbft impact which did some good work as well. I also test pulled the lower link bolts - Easy peasy since Koveman had already had em off once Mike Edited January 5, 2013 by Inyourface1650 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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