4x4 Pathfinder Locked and Loaded: Off-Road Tested -UPDATED!

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jerry6
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Postby jerry6 » Fri Jul 16, 2010 7:51 pm

Great setup ! Can't wait to see the video .


dieselfan
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Location: South Africa

Postby dieselfan » Tue Jul 20, 2010 4:24 pm

I want to try rragpaoa's setup bar the difflock but where is rragpaoa? It seems the only setup to get better articulation as well as lift?

Where can I get

"Solution: Radflo 2.5 Extended Front Coilovers, Radflo 2.0 Extended Rear Emulsion Shocks, PRG UCA, Eibach 625lb Front Springs"

and will I need the camber kit? 2008 Diesel manual

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guinnessjim
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Postby guinnessjim » Tue Jul 20, 2010 4:47 pm

dieselfan wrote:where is rragpaoa?
question i would love to know the answer to as well....didn't hear from him for a while, then he had a couple tantalizing posts, then *poof* he vanished again.

love to hear back from him, esp re: this new set up.

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rragpaoa
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Postby rragpaoa » Wed Jul 21, 2010 9:54 pm

guinnessjim wrote:
dieselfan wrote:where is rragpaoa?
question i would love to know the answer to as well....didn't hear from him for a while, then he had a couple tantalizing posts, then *poof* he vanished again.

love to hear back from him, esp re: this new set up.
Hey guys,

Yeah, yeah, I know .... surprise
Anyway, last year has been a tough year for me and the business (or lack thereof). Was in the process of a sale, but the regulators didn't approve of the new buyer, other buyers fell through, yadda yadda, current buyer is wavering, etc...

BUT, been poking my head in here once in while since I'm still a big fan and my Pathy has served me well, through thick and thin. Anyway, I am updated my first post to include: My Winch Bumper Install, My BajaRack and Lights Install, and my new Radflo Rear, super-extended, reservoir shocks! Stay tuned ...

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guinnessjim
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Postby guinnessjim » Wed Jul 21, 2010 10:46 pm

rragpaoa wrote:Hey guys,

Yeah, yeah, I know .... surprise
Anyway, last year has been a tough year for me and the business (or lack thereof). Was in the process of a sale, but the regulators didn't approve of the new buyer, other buyers fell through, yadda yadda, current buyer is wavering, etc...

BUT, been poking my head in here once in while since I'm still a big fan and my Pathy has served me well, through thick and thin. Anyway, I am updated my first post to include: My Winch Bumper Install, My BajaRack and Lights Install, and my new Radflo Rear, super-extended, reservoir shocks! Stay tuned ...
hey man! good to hear from you. sorry to hear about the tough year, sale, etc. best of luck w/ the current sale.

can't wait to see what you've done w/ your rig :D

dieselfan
Posts: 92
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Location: South Africa

Postby dieselfan » Thu Jul 22, 2010 1:23 am

Welcome back! 8) Business has been slow globally, I had to retrench 60% my workforce - SLOW comeback.

Hence the time to "do up" my car and drown my concerns offroad.

Please include in your post part no's for someone like me to repeat the install.

Altho I'm just looking for

- Articulation
- Ride on and off
- Height
- No camber issues

Winch, extra reservoirs bumpers not needed

So I assume parts would be
UCA front and back?
Front shocks (coil overs?)
Rear shocks with stock coils?
Airlift to aid stock coils

Please be patient I've never "supped" up my suspension, engines yes but not suspension. :oops:

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rragpaoa
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Postby rragpaoa » Thu Jul 22, 2010 10:23 am

dieselfan wrote:Please include in your post part no's for someone like me to repeat the install.

Altho I'm just looking for
- Articulation
- Ride on and off
- Height
- No camber issues

Please be patient I've never "supped" up my suspension, engines yes but not suspension. :oops:
If articulation and ride on and off road is what you are looking for, then the setup I have is your choice. You have a few other selections for a decent setup, like OME, Bilsteins and Rancho, but it's the Radflos that will give you the best ARTICULATION and handle high-speed off road driving.

For the Radflos, there are a number of options for the front. Basically the same setup for the Xterra and Frontier with either a 2.0 or 2.5 body, numerous spring weights, and with/without reservoir, extended travel (need new UCA yielding 8" travel) or standard travel (about 6" travel). For me, I have the 2.5 coilovers with 625lbs springs without reservoir. They can be valved anyway you want based on your driving and off road needs.

For the Radflo rears, you have 2 options. 2.0 emulsion shock, or 2.0 extended with reservoir. The emulsion will give you about 9" rear travel, and the reservoir extended will give you 10.5" travel! More than the stock FJ Cruiser and most stock solid axle setups. Pathy stock is around 7" travel. However, you MUST get new rear springs like the OME or Ironman since they are longer to handle the extra droop (the stock springs may pop out at full droop), and the Radflo are tuned for them. Here is a picture of the three from left to right, OME, Radflo emulsion, Radflo reservoir:

Image

You will need camber bolts for the front if you go the extended front shocks and new UCA. No need for any rear UCA/LCA or camber bolts. The rears have a decent travel range and is limited by only the length of the shocks.

Ride height overall is about 2.5" more all the way around.

Sorry, no part numbers yet since my truck was Radflo's R&D vehicle. But I'll give them a call to get the part numbers. Check out the first page of this thread for my updated builds and specs.

dieselfan
Posts: 92
Joined: Mon May 10, 2010 8:31 am
Location: South Africa

Postby dieselfan » Thu Jul 22, 2010 3:18 pm

Thanks a mil! I personally hadn't heard of Radflo until your thread. How do you think they will handle badly corrugated African gravel roads and dunes? Leaks, breaks? The OME's seem pretty well tested and strong, Radflos? bore size etc

So my shopping list is this

REAR
Reservoir extended
OME medium coils

FRONT
2.5 Coilovers with OME or Radflo Coils?
UCA? only need for reservoir setup or the 2.5s as well?

Cost roughly? Are the ready for ordering, cause I'm drooling at your pics. I posted this thread on a local forum showing what the Pathfinder can actually do.

Why didn't you get the extended for front?

I read that 2" was max for not getting the camber kit?

I was once convinced I was going to buy the Ranchos, struggled to get answers for shipping...also was told height only no articulation ;(.

My BIL is about to buy a Navara or Patrol, likes the city specs on the Nav and we kitting them out for a couple of overlanding trips to Botswana and Zimbabwe and trail blazing ;)

Hence why I wouldn't want the Radflos breaking vs OEM schocks, one buddy has a Toyota and don't want his criticism ;).

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rragpaoa
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Postby rragpaoa » Thu Jul 22, 2010 4:39 pm

I actually do have the front extended 2.5 shocks with the aftermarket UCA (PRG Products). With this, I get 8" upfront (look at the first pages)

Go with the Radflo springs (made by Eibach). As a matter of fact, they are made to work together, and won't sell you a new set without thier springs. If you are not going to get a winch bumper, I'd recommed 600# springs.

Aftermarket UCA like PRG Products is needed for any extended coilovers, no matter if it's 2.0 or the 2.5, otherwise your UCA will hit your upper colibucket with a loud "clank".
You can get the front shocks in remote reservoir or not. Remember, they are both reservoir shocks, not emulsions (Rancho and Bilsteins are emulsion). The only difference between the 2 Radflo's is that remote reservoir allow for better cooling and more oil capacity increasing resistance to shock fade when you are wheeling hard for long periods. Reservoir shocks are better than emulsion shocks overall due to the separation of oil and air, therefore increasing cooling, decreasing fading.

The Radflo are racing/hard core rock crawling shocks: www.radflo.com
It's going to be pretty hard to break them.

Let me know what you decide and I can ask Glen @ Radflo the part numbers. and no, I do not work for them :wink:

dieselfan
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Location: South Africa

Postby dieselfan » Fri Jul 23, 2010 3:41 am

Is the 2.0 the lift? ie 2" and the 2.5 being 2.5" if so why 2.5 front and 2 in the back?

What is height of your vehicle, I need to check if my garage will have issues ;). From ground to roofrack including your aftermarket one and the perhaps height withwout roof rack?

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NVSteve
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Postby NVSteve » Mon Jul 26, 2010 4:25 pm

rragpaoa wrote: Let me know what you decide and I can ask Glen @ Radflo the part numbers. and no, I do not work for them :wink:
There are a few listed on 4x4parts, along with some of the Icon shocks. The descriptions, however, leave a lot to be desired. One of the listings says for "5-6 inches of lift," but then at the bottom of the description, it says "provides 0-2.5 inches of lift." What? Even the OME has me skeptical. Since I replaced my rear OME with Monroe, I put the OME alongside the OEM Rancho I had & they are identical in all dimensions, as are the Monroe. Yet the Monroe list 4.5" of travel? Ugh.

It would be awesome if someone (hint) could post part numbers, descriptions & prices for the Radflo options. It's nice that we have so many options, but it would be fantastic if we could post all the info/specs/prices here for all to drool over, rather than bits and pieces gathered from all over the place.

Nice to see you making another guest appearance, rragpaoa!

dieselfan
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Location: South Africa

Postby dieselfan » Tue Jul 27, 2010 3:11 am

I've got someone from Radflo, giving me prices but they are quoting "general" parts ie NOT the R&D ones here??

Rear remote canisters - $410
Rear Emulsion - $300
UCA - $700-$800
Front emulsion coilovers 2.0 $1225 EX 14% Vat.

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rragpaoa
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Postby rragpaoa » Tue Jul 27, 2010 3:08 pm

NVSteve wrote:Nice to see you making another guest appearance, rragpaoa!
Ha, good one. I feel privileged 8)

In terms of wheel travel, the shock travel does not equal travel at the wheel due to the geometry of the system, also called Motion Ratio (the distance the shock travels per 1" of wheel travel), i.e. angle of the shock, the shock's location from the pivot point (different for IFS/IRS and Solid Axle), and the length of the LCA/UCA. In the case of our Pathy's wheel travel is approx 1.8" for 1" of shock travel which yields a ratio of 1/1.8=.56

In the case of the Monroes you have and the OME, it's 4.50/.56 = 8.04" of wheel travel. The stock is 4.25/.56 = 7.59". Radflo Emulsions: 5.00/.56 = 9" wheel travel, and Reservoirs = 5.74/.56 = 10.25" wheel travel.

Shock length and where the shock piston's sit at ride height is a major factor on how the shock travel is used most effectively. That's why, for the Radflo, it's important to use upgraded springs like the OME. Optimally, the shock pistons should sit center of its overall travel at ride height.

Okay, still following? ....

The overall length of the shock determines the "Droop" of the wheels, separate of the wheel travel. The Droop is the distance the tires drops away down from the body at full extension. limited by suspension components, and in our case, the shock length. This is an important factor for overall articulation since the whole purpose is to maintain all tires on the ground. Not only does wheel travel increase, but droop has increased by another 1.5-2" with the Radflo shocks due to the shock bodies being longer. Remember the 'shock piston at ride height' I mentioned? With OME springs and Radflo shocks, you are about center of the shock pistons at ride height, allowing you to maximize the full travel from compression to extension when wheeling.

Picture of Radflo Reservoir rears at full droop:
Image

dieselfan
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Location: South Africa

Postby dieselfan » Tue Jul 27, 2010 4:39 pm

rragpaoa for the rear travel did you have to disconnect your sway bars? My order going through next week... :twisted:

I'm going to go with standard emulsion 2.5 / 2.0 upfront. Should I get Eibach rear coils while I'm at it or OME? Local agent wants to give me stock length shocks...reckons I'll get 1" by turning them.

Those part nos would be a boon!

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pawjr74
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Postby pawjr74 » Tue Jul 27, 2010 4:47 pm

Image[/quote]

Where was this picture taken? I grew up in San Diego.


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