FRONT LOCKER

[Guest cascade crawler]

I recently bought a 92 pathfinder with 31's a 2" body lift and the uca's cranked till they sit on the bump stops, it's in good shape mechanicaly and i would like to make it a better trail rig, Without breaking the bank. I would really like front and rear air lockers, but can't afford it. I started thinking about drop in auto lockers. But the more i learn about 4x4's the more parts i see probably needing to upgrade inorder to avoid breaking them on the trail. So i thought i would ask around to see what people modified on there pathfinder and what kind of chain reaction breakage they got. Thanks for the input.

Edited February 24, 2006 by cascade crawler

[94extreme]

look around, that's what more then half the threads are about. welcome!

[Guest cascade crawler]

your right, alot of the posts are about this kind of thing. But i do have a limit as to how many hours a day i can spend searching the archives. Just hoping to find someone who wouldn't mind rehashing it for me.

[88pathoffroad]

1. There is no front drop-in auto locker. Never was. The only rear locker you can get is from Powertrax/Richmond Gear.

 

2. With stock-size tires, you can offroad quite a bit on stock components before needing to replace anything. Steering components are the first to go, then front axles when the CV boots eventually wear out, the stock shocks will leak or fail, and the automatic locking hubs seem to have a tendency to lock up and/or not work as well after a lot of miles. You'll probably experience torsion bar sag as well, but reindexing the bars is always an option.

[Guest cascade crawler]

you've got a great looking rig 88pathoffroad. Thanks for the info. I guess I'll nix the idea of a front locker and look for a deal on a rear drop in. I can afford that. Any problem with yours w/33's? It's also good to know that i can run the front end in stock form for a while and upgrade parts as they wear out. Thanks for straightening me out

[govols74n]

Sitting on the bumpstops? rough rider huh?

[SC88Pathy]

Do you have the LSD rear diff? If so, they can be rebuilt to preform almost as well as a locker. See the How To section in the garage for more info on that.

And if you're not sure whether or not you have an lsd, look on the rear diff for an orange sticker that says LSD, it might be covered up with dirt and grime. You could also jack up the rear so that the rear tires are in the air (make sure that you chock the front wheels put the trans in nuetral and have the e brake off). Then spin one tire if the other tire spins in the same direction, congrats you have an LSD (wait um I think that's right...).

[Guest cascade crawler]

yeah it does ride like s&$t. someone lifted it without changind the UCA's pretty common probably. AM i right that changing the uca's will allow me to turn down the torsion bars and still maintain the ride height, and also clear the stops a bit. I also think that i remember reading about a differential drop. I should probably put that on my short list to, along with the CV boots that need replacing. Oh and a yes on the LSD in the rear. I am also poking around online looking at what lsd's will fit the front. Thanks for all the feedback.

 

 

[SC88Pathy]

All the info you ever wanted on LSD options for the front diff:

http://npora.ipbhost.com//index.php?showto...t=0entry89228

Apparently the only type that will work are LSD's from 4/87-89 300ZX's. They are also hard to find as they are VERY popular with the tuner crowd.

[Guest cascade crawler]

looks like calmini makes a lsd that works with the r200a. Which i belive is the front diff in a wd21 v6. It is supposed to be a modified version of the 300zx diff you are talking about. Looked all over the net and calmini page but can't find any stats on it. break away lb torque would be nice to know before investing a ton of cash. One quy said it "almost feels like a locker." But who knows what it's really like. I'm kind of frustrated with this independant front suspension crap. I wish they had taken a hint from jeep and stuck with the solid axel. Welding in a dana 44 sounds like more than i want to invest. Not to ruffle to many feathers but at some point it makes more sense to just buy a cherokee. Oh well i guess i should be spending my time and money on things like manifold leaks anyway.

 

[88pathoffroad]

The Calmini front LSD is the same thing as the 300ZX LSD, but new. Straight out of the box from Nissan.

 

What do you mean, "stuck with the solid axle"? They never had one for the Pathfinder in any country.

 

Go ahead, buy a jeep. You'll see why we all drive Pathfinders instead.

[SC88Pathy]

Just checked ebay, a USED clutch type LSD is selling for $550. For once Calmini isn't overpriced... :o

[Guest cascade crawler]

anybody know the break away torque of this LSD? i guess "stuck with" wasn't the right term. I believe that the old Patrol's had straight axels and maybe they still make the new Patrol's with the straight axle, i don't know. I just think that i would be happier if i had one. Either way it will be a hell of a trail rig.

 

 

 

[TrailChaser]

If you still want to lock the front end. Plan on having steering problems till you put on a TK1 modded centerlink and an idler arm brace. You can easily lock the front diff with a good welder. But then you'll need manual hubs so you can still turn.

 

As for the LSD, the ones in the early pathies break away torque is 300ft lbs, were the newer ones (r50's, xterra's, frontiers) is like 50ft lbs. I'd like to think the 300zx came equipt with the 300ft lbs one.

 

The main reason for the IFS is ride comfort. They wanted the consumer to be more pleased with the ride than the rock crawling abilities.

Edited February 26, 2006 by TrailChaser

[TrailChaser]

Oh, and the "word" is that lokka is making an auto locker for the r200a. and also for the 33 spline h233b crowd.

[88pathoffroad]

As for the LSD, the ones in the early pathies break away torque is 300ft lbs, were the newer ones (r50's, xterra's, frontiers) is like 50ft lbs. I'd like to think the 300zx came equipt with the 300ft lbs one.

 

Those figures are for rear LSD's on trucks only. The 300ZX LSD was rated at 36-87 ft-lbs, from what I get from the 88 300ZX FSM. I might be wrong about the torque on the Z LSD, but it's not the same at all as the H233B rear LSD.

[mws]

The main reason for the IFS is ride comfort. They wanted the consumer to be more pleased with the ride than the rock crawling abilities.

Far more important than comfort (IMHO) is the increase in handling performance and tire wear.

 

IFS allows controlled variable camber and caster during cornering which greatly improves handling and safety. It also reduces the outer tread scrubbing and excessive tire wear of a rigid axle.