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The second generation R50 Pathfinder is a little bit harder than other brands to get good information and aftermarket support for, but resources do exist. The best place to start is the Automotive Customizers and NPORA discussion boards. The Pathfinder is the father of the Xterra, and is far more capable than most people realize. It's not about the truck, it's about the travels. I'm working on a series of travel pages from the last two decades of expeditions across America and Canada. Those trips were in cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles... not always related to this Nissan. But always in the spirit of exploration and adventure. If that appeals to you, you should surf around the Expedition Portal and the Toyota group at IH8MUD to find kindred spirits. If you want to take your driving skills up a notch, take a class with Bruce Elfstrom at Overland Experts. Knowledge is power.
I sold the Pathfinder in 2007 to make room for the Land Cruiser THIS PAGE IS STILL A GREAT RESOURCE FOR PATHFINDER OWNERS, AND IT HAS SOME OTHER FUN STUFF ON IT. ENJOY!
It's hard to drive farther north on the eastern North American continent than Happy Valley. Primary Modifications: Old Man Emu suspension (coils and shocks) with KYB gas struts, Warn hubs, TJM bumper, Hella 4000s, Black Panther SuperSkids, Optima RedTop, Hidden Hitch, six Yakima crossbars to configure multiple rooftop options. 31 x 10.5 tires - depending on season or year of photo - AR steelies with Goodyear MTRs or Cragar Soft-8s with BFG ATs.
1997 NISSAN PATHFINDER XE
Stock Pathy, with 30x9.5 BFGs and Hella 500s on stock bumper.
Surprise - I thought the ice would be melted!
After finding the Pathy's limits and crushing a rocker panel, we upgraded to 31 x 10.5 BFGs on 15x8 AR steel wheels, a (not so) Hidden Hitch, the Old Man Emu suspension and KYB gas struts, TJM bumper and Rock Sliderz...
...added EGR fender flares and four Yakima cross bars. At this stage the pathy is well suited for long roadtrips, and very capable for most dirt road situations. The side rails give you both protection and peace of mind if the road gets tight, or rocks get big, or you need to drag along an embankment to move forward. For challenging dirt roads, and mild trails, this set-up is pretty capable. Progression (or de-evolution?) towards more of a trail-capable vehicle
Experienced off-roaders usually point out four limiting issues: uni-body, IFS, limited articulation, and limited tire size. All valid points - you need to ask yourself what you really want this vehicle to do. When I bought this it wasn't to build an off-road monster, it was simply an SUV and primary daily driver. The R50 does have limits, but within those limits one can still have a very capable trail vehicle. My off-road design philosophy starts with more body protection. Knowing that 31 inch tires are close to the limit, ground clearance will always be relatively low. To counteract that concern, installing full skidplates where possible will insure no serious damage occurs if you drag up, on, or over rocks and stumps. You may be stuck, but not DOA - a very serious distinction. Puncturing an oil pan is the end of your day, and possibly the end of your motor. Black Panther can eliminate that concern. Black Panther SuperSkid This sweet skidplate is handmade by another Pathy owner in Manitoba. It is two parts - the front piece replaces the stock splashguard, and overlaps with a second section which protects the oil pan and differential. A crossbrace supports the trailing edge located a few inches in front of the Nissan crossmember.
The crossbrace uses the factory mounting holes for the running boards. In my case, it shares those holes with the Rock Sliderz.
A 'rock's eye view' of the Rock Sliderz
It doesn't take much of a washout to crush the rocker panels. Now about that rear bumper...
Living with a Pathfinder I've always liked the Pathfinder since Nissan first introduced them in 1986. It's a very manageable size for trails, yet big enuf to sleep in and smooth enough to cover 1000 mile days. But like any vehicle, it has some shortcomings. One of the biggest is simply finding out how to 'build' it better than stock. I put up this page to help other Pathy owners. I bought this in 2000 with 35,000 miles; as of 2007 it has 110,000 miles and it drives like new... maybe a bit better! Suspension Between 60 - 80,000 miles I had the suspension replaced: control arms (all 4), struts, strut bearings (towers), bumpstops and coils with a mix of aftermarket and Nissan parts. New Nissan upper and lower control links (all 4); I believe Nissan should have recalled these since many Pathy owners experienced a violent shimmy from the rear end at highway speeds. This happens when the rubber control arm bushings get soft. I first noticed it at 60k, and it wasn't properly diagnosed for months, even though two Nissan dealers and other mechanics investigated. I got better answers using the discussion boards. Some people refer to it as fish-tailing or the wobbles. If you feel a very unsettling rocking motion side to side at freeway speeds, it's probably bad bushings. Nissan sells the arms alone, the bushings alone, or arms with bushings installed. Another option is to buy poly bushings alone and have them pressed in, but it may be difficult to find a shop with that capability. I decided to take the easy route and install Nissan factory arms and bushings. You can search Automotive Customizers discussion boards for info on this common complaint, and the pros/cons of installing poly bushings. When the front struts wore out at 70k, I chose firmer gas struts from KYB. These are much better than Nissan's and cost less; check tirerack.com. AC also sells a rubber boot that works well with the KYB strut. In 2006 Old Man Emu introduced struts for the R50s, I may try them when the KYBs wear out. When you replace them it makes sense to also replace the strut towers/bearings. I used KYBs version with no complaints, but some owners reported problems with them (a popping noise) and suggest using Nissan parts. Around 75,000 miles the factory coils became a bit soft. After replacing the struts I noticed the coil fatigue even more. They are soft to begin with, and fatigue in a few years of light-duty use. This is a common complaint for those who carry a lot of toys and like to explore where the pavement ends. When the bumpstops have broken loose and managed to escape the coils, it's time to rebuild. I didn't want to lift the truck, I just wanted stiffer springs for heavy loads on rough roads and trails. Since Nissan's are popular in Australia, I looked at Old Man Emu's solution. These heavy duty coils and shocks stiffened up the ride and make the Pathy drive more like a truck. I prefer that, but it isn't the plush ride from the factory. On pavement it rides a bit firm for some people's taste, but on long stretches of washboard dirt roads, at 50mph, it drives incredibly well. The truck sits about 1 inch taller up front, and 2 inches in the rear. Manual Hubs The 1997 automatic hubs force the front drive to spin fulltime, possibly wearing out CV boots prematurely. Warn manual hubs free up the front end, making the steering feel lighter in 2wd, and theoretically gives an extra one or two mpg. Pathy's are not known for fuel efficiency, I average 17 mpg. On backroads driving under 50 mph in 2 or 4wd it may get closer to 19 mpg, but on the interstate at 75 mph it gets as low as 14. Bikes and boats on the roof don't seem to make much difference - it's a speed thing, anything over 65 sucks fuel. The sticker said 14-19, and that's pretty much the truth. Tires & Wheels Any Pathy can fit 31 x 10.5 tires, but they will rub a little at full lock. The other annoyance is a very tight clearance with the strut, which can be problematic in mud or debris. The steel wheels solve that by decreasing the backspacing. The truck gets a wider stance, which works better in the corners and on side slopes. The downside is the wheels hang out past the body a bit, so you may need fender flares to pass inspection, and to save your paint. The basic steel wheels are cheap and durable, which fits my off-road philosphy. Body Armor The best way to increase any trucks off-road capability, and durability, is first and foremost achieved with protection. Like most front bumpers from the factory, the Pathy's is woefully thin, and doesn't do much to protect the radiator. I wanted some extra insurance in case I hit a deer two days from civilization. I also wanted a bumper to eventually mount a winch. I added front and side protection with a TJM T-17 front bumper and Rock Sliderz. The Sliderz are serious side rails and make perfect jack points for Hi-Lifts, since they are square stock tubing. They also serve to stiffen the chassis. Underneath is the SuperSkid by Black Panther armor. K&N air filter I put in a K&N air filter for a season, but took it out. I can't feel any horsepower gain, although I believe it does exist on paper. The hassle is when you oil it (50,000 miles intervals, or once a season if you drive on dusty roads a lot). I drive on dirt roads a lot. The oil gums up the throttle body easily, which can cause the throttle to stick - you'll feel it at the pedal. Some owners report this problem who don't have K&Ns, so it isn't purely a filter oil problem, but it happened to me when I serviced the filter. Maybe it's coincidence, but I stick with paper filters because it's easier. Clutch At 65,000 miles we replaced the clutch due to a very angry throw-out bearing. The clutch was fine but the bearing made a racket. I've had good experiences with Centerforce clutches in other vehicles, so when I saw them listed for 1997 Pathys on Automotive Customizers website I ordered one. My local mechanic did the install. Unfortunately, the clutch had a defect which caused it to intermittently not release, making it unpredictable and grabby. After exhausting our options, and the Pathy become less and less driveable, we pulled it and saw the spring clip defect, and replaced it with a factory Nissan clutch (which is much less expensive). It took 8 months to get a refund from Automotive Customizers, and along the way the tech guys at Centerforce told me they do not make a clutch for a 1997 Nissan Pathfinder. Several Pathfinder owners are running Centerforce clutches, and I suppose if mine wasn't defective I would be too. But the whole process was confusing, tiresome, frustrating - just order a Nissan clutch. Brakes There are a few aftermarket options, but I've been happy with factory Nissan. I have 111,000 on the original rear pads & drums and front rotors. At 80,000 miles we replaced the front pads. That's fine by me. At 100,000 miles the right front caliper started to drag, and lubricating it didn't fix it. Surprisingly the dealer recommended a rebuilt caliper because they are considerably less expensive. Now - the emergency brake cables were a weak link. Ours siezed, and they are not servicable. The system utilizes three cables, we replaced two which cost $88 each, and took 1.5 hrs to replace. That's about $250 for something that would be servicable forever if Nissan put a two dollar grease fitting on the fixed cables. Tranny At 97,000 miles the tranny started howling after long hours on the interstate. It shifted fine, but got very loud. We had a transmission shop install new bearings, and now we realize how quiet the pathy can be. Tranny noise sort of sneaks up on you. One way to test is to listen when the truck is not moving. Depress and release the clutch in neutral: you'll hear a noisy bearing rattling before you hear it howling. It costs about $1000 to have a bearing kit installed. It will be cheaper if you time it with the clutch replacement. The fact that we had problems with both main bearings (Throw-out and tranny) may be due to the fact that we make many short trips in a cold climate. We live within a mile of our offices, so in fair weather we bike or walk. In winter, I drive a lot of 3-minute, 2-mile trips, which doesn't allow bearings to warm up and lubricate very well. Perhaps this contributed to the failure. Or perhaps they were crappy bearings.
AFTERMARKET UPGRADES Old
Man Emu HD coils and gas shocks, purchased from Rocky
Road Outfitters
OTHER SOLID PATHYS Dean Thayer led the charge, so to speak, on upgrading Pathy's. His is the best built in the US that I know of, and the first R50 to run the Rubicon Trail. Here's how they build them in Australia
Parts that didn't work out well: I bought the Rear Differential Skid Plate from AC. The mounting system is poor - it's a butchered Xterra mount, redrilled with two cut-off U-bolts. I was skeptical - seemed to me it puts the driveshaft at risk more than offerring protection. Another Pathy owner reported a failure when he dragged it; it jammed the driveshaft. I sold my used plate on ebay. PROBLEMATIC NISSAN OEM PARTS - basic repairs OEM Nissan Upper & Lower control links - as mentioned above, these seem to wear out prematurely on some pathys, and when they do, the vehicle becomes a handful to control on the highway. Nissan has since released a TSB on this, but not a recall, and it drove us crazy trying to diagnose and almost resulted in us simply trading it in. A frustrating time indeed. Heat Shields - when you hear an annoying rattle under the drivers door, most likely it is the heat shields falling apart in front of, and above, the catalytics. I removed 'em and haven't seen the need to replace. Throw-out Bearing: Ours started complaining around 65k, which I think is a bit early for a Nissan. We lived with it for almost a year before replacing the clutch. Tranny Bearings: Ours started rattling at idle around 85k, and downright howling at 95k on the freeway. But other owners have gone 150k troublefree. Maine's winters may have something to do with both our bearing issues.
Yakima racks: 4 crossbars, basketcases, bike trays and kayak mounts
Yakima racks are great, and the way Nissan designed the roof mounts allows you to slide the feet within the channel to configure a variety of set-ups. With four crossbars most weight issues are resolved, and you can mix and match the mounts to carry just about anything. The Yakima reciever hitch bike rack holds three bikes, allows access to the rear window and sits low enough to put boats on the roof. This design retains a relatively high approach angle so you won't drag the bikes in a situation like crossing a rough ditch. With the factory coils this really compressed the rear suspension, three bikes and the rack can top 150 pounds, and it is cantilevered up and away from the rear coils. The Old Man Emu suspension is stiff enough to handle this.
The Outer Banks of North Carolina
The plateau of a post-glacial landscape, Downeast Main
Heading out to play with a classic 78 Ford and a very classic right-hand drive 88 series.
The Studmill Road, running roughly between Old Town and Calais, Maine. You can drive this for about 100 miles, with a hundred options north and south. Most of the maps are wrong, so be careful out there.
I never get tired of watching old Rovers on the trail, and Rovers never get tired of walking up trails.
The view from the top - the very top - from an old firetower. The Machias Lakes with New Brunswick, Canada on the horizon.
About 50 miles of dirt to return: the Rover's beams illuminate my dust, the Ford follows, and the moon rises over the low hills in the background.
Winter Rover Romp 2006 in Unity, Maine. They were a great group, very friendly and didn't mind me crashing their party with some rice. The tractor-like quality of the old rovers is always impressive. I picked up a few new scratches following these guys through the woods. |
