Hello from Calgary!

[Alex]

Hey!

Name's Alex (if you couldn't figure that out by my username, shocked I actually got that!) and I recently bought myself a 1996 Pathfinder LE. I'm 20 years old, currently going through college, work at a Volkswagen dealership, and have been driving Nissans since I was 16. Bought the Pathy to use as temporary transportation while I attempt to swap the turbo'd VG from my 86' 300zx into my 93' D21, as I had plans on making that truck better for towing my little travel trailer. After owning the Pathfinder for about a week, doing some research on it (how I came across this site), and realizing I only have a month till I need to get my truck and trailer on the road, I have decided to make that my tow vehicle. Rated higher than the V6 D21, 4x4 so I can have some fun after unhitch the trailer, three more seats (well technically one, but those back two are brutal), and way more creature comforts. It only makes sense. Only disadvantage I see is the unibody instead of the frame. Still going to do the swap in the D21, but I can take my time now and make it more of a street truck.

Anyways, to the Pathfinder. 335xxx kms, loaded, mechanically sound other than the transmission. Shifts rough into reverse, or can take a couple tries if it's cold, and can be a little rough between 1st and 2nd. Thank god it was cheap! Feels great 99% of the time and doesn't feel like it's slipping at all. Gonna do a transmission flush and hope it fixes the issue, and if it does I will put on an aftermarket cooler before I tow with it. Want do do a small lift, but as funds are tight at the moment I will settle with some Ranchos or Blistens to make the ride with the trailer a little nicer. Other than that there's a nice hit on the rear bumper, which I might even have to take off for the hitch to clear, and I want to eventually have a friend weld me up a custom one. I've gathered there's a pretty weak aftermarket for R50s.

Or do you think it's stupid to start towing with a truck with 335xxx kms and a possible start of a transmission issue?

Pictures, because threads are better with pictures:


And one of my D21 with the trailer last year at the top of Rogers Pass, just so you get the idea of what size it is. My best guess is it weighs around 2000lbs, maybe a tad more with all of my gear loaded.

[the x kid]

Welcome. The pathy peeps will chimney in.

[Miner]

Like the D21. As for the Pathfinder, where's the rust? If it was around here all that would be left of it is pitted rims and a couple of windows.

[BigRed44]

Both look good and welcome to the club

[Alex]

Like the D21. As for the Pathfinder, where's the rust? If it was around here all that would be left of it is pitted rims and a couple of windows.

They both have their spots starting, but I just got really lucky. Especially the D21, only seen one or two cleaner ones around Calgary in the past two years I've owned it.

Those chrome fender flares are killers though, but they do hide what rust she has well.

[Bow_Tied]

Grats on the pathfinder.

The pathy is rear coil spring, and if it high mileage the rear springs may not like a lot of tongue load. AirLift makes air bags that go inside the springs that you can inflate to help level out the rig when hitched/loaded and are not too expensive (>$200 I think). The install would require the rear of the rig up in the air with the axle at full drop and the bump stops inside the spring mount to be cut. Considering you are doing an engine swap the air bags would be an easy install.

The rear brakes have a proportioning valve mounted to the body above the axle controlled by a spring that connects to the rear axle. Load changes the spring tension which changes the rear brake effort as a percent of the front. Just be aware that this is there.

You should be able to get a bolt on class III hitch that won't affect your OE bumper. It will hang below and stick out a bit to clear your spare. BTW, verify the spare will lower. If it does, grease the chain before raising it back up.

Changing fluid on the front a rear diffs and checking wheel bearings is recommended before towing with a high mile vehicle.

I recommend an anti-sway bar. Does your trailer have brakes?

Welcome to CNTC.

[Alex]

Grats on the pathfinder.

The pathy is rear coil spring, and if it high mileage the rear springs may not like a lot of tongue load. AirLift makes air bags that go inside the springs that you can inflate to help level out the rig when hitched/loaded and are not too expensive (>$200 I think). The install would require the rear of the rig up in the air with the axle at full drop and the bump stops inside the spring mount to be cut. Considering you are doing an engine swap the air bags would be an easy install.

The rear brakes have a proportioning valve mounted to the body above the axle controlled by a spring that connects to the rear axle. Load changes the spring tension which changes the rear brake effort as a percent of the front. Just be aware that this is there.

You should be able to get a bolt on class III hitch that won't affect your OE bumper. It will hang below and stick out a bit to clear your spare. BTW, verify the spare will lower. If it does, grease the chain before raising it back up.

Changing fluid on the front a rear diffs and checking wheel bearings is recommended before towing with a high mile vehicle.

I recommend an anti-sway bar. Does your trailer have brakes?

Welcome to CNTC.

Thanks for all the info, I think I have stumbled upon what will be a very helpful site.

I'll have to look into the bags, it'd defineley be nice to have the option to have them filled when loaded and keep the original "plushyness" of the Pathy when unloaded.

So esentially the proportioning valve increases the rear braking power when loaded? I think I know exactly what you're talking about, just never knew its actual purpose lol. Good to know.

Got the hitch already, and for a steal of a deal too, a good buddy of mine installs hitches at uHaul. But I'm glad you mentioned to check the operation of the spare tire afterwards, you probabably saved me me from a lot of cursing at the side of the road somewhere.

Wheel bearings are good, was planning on changing the front and rear diff fluid within the next month or so too. Just go for the Nissan recomended oil? Or do you have any recomendations on brands/weights? Also just changed the ATF and installed an aftermarket cooler. Cheap insurance!

I'll add a sway bar to the laundry list, but unfortunatley no trailer brakes, it was built in 1959. A little nerve-wracking at times, I've been thinking about intalling a surge brake for a while now. The D21 really did handle it well through the mountains in B.C. though. All it takes is the one time I guess, I'll have to put some serious thought into that one.

Cheers!

[Bow_Tied]

I also tow a 1959 trailer (Shasta Airflyte)! I however tow it with my other truck that has a little bit more torque in the RPM range needed.

I think you will find surge brakes are a bit of a pita unless you are really on top of maintenance. Electric brakes with a quality controller are pretty nice and reasonably maintenance free. I have them on mine and they have saved my bacon a couple times. My controller has a red 'oh poop' button that I can hit and it applies the trailer brakes only. In a sway condition where the trailer starts to own you this can pull you out of the sway. Now the surge brakes would do similar if you let of the gas suddenly, but it might depend on how sensitive they are set as to how effective it is. As your Uhaul buddy will tell you, most rental trailers are surge - that way they customer doesn't need a controller/wiring. So that is an advantage that if you change vehicles you don't need to rewire it. Newer trucks this is all plug and play with the controller which is nice, but we have to rewire things. I suggest researching the pros/cons a bit on the net of the two. Do you frequent any vintage trailer forums? http://vintagetrailertalk.freeforums.net/ is decent. What brand is your trailer?

I think you got it on the rear brakes. I don't know much about this unit other than I hear you need to bleed this valve when bleeding rear brakes.

You may not need the sway bar. But it is an easy install with this: http://www.etrailer.com/Accessories-and ... 26003.html. Just need to mount the ball plate on the side of the tongue. I really recommend having a sway bar regardless of which install method. It adds confidence when towing on a major highway and you get cut off and have to make a sudden maneuver.

As to dif oil, that is one of those 'everybody has a different opinion' questions. Use the recommended grade listed in the owner's manual and use a reputable brand and you should be fine.

A friend of mine who doesn't post a lot here recently added a controller and air bags for towing a trailer to his '01 pathy. I am sure he'd chime in when you get to specific questions on those....

[Adam]

The surge brakes on the uhaul rental I had kept getting stuck on...Was a PITA trying to move in a blizzard even in 4wd with all 4 spinning

Welcome to the club!

[fleurys]

Welcome to the forum !

If you are looking for an economic and scalable solution for a lift or level your truck, come and visit http://4x4design.com/r50-lift-kit.php

* we also make custom stickers * http://4x4design.com/Stickers_Decals.html - Just ask for quote !

Cheers.
Steve.

[PiDGE]

Welcome. Very nice Hardbody. Had one once and was a tough little beast. Good looking r50 as well.