Hi Everyone,

UPDATED 7/21/2010

My main objective is simple: To build a rig that is truly off-road worthy while maintaining a comfortable highway ride to and from the trails and serves as my Daily Driver.

Here are my current Mods:
1. Radflo 2.5 Long-Travel Front Coilovers with 625 Eibach Springs
2. Front PRG UCA
3. Radflo 2.0 Extended-Travel Rear RESERVOIR Shocks giving 10.5" of travel! with OME Medium Springs and Airlift AirBags
4. ARB Front Winch Bumper with WARN 9000 winch and IPF Xtreme Lights
5. ARB Rear Air Locker with 3.357 Big Tow gearing. Awesome power and traction!
6. Shrockworks full skids and sliders
7. BajaRack Roof Rack System with IPF Lighting

Upcoming:
1. ARB Front Air Locker
2. Rear Bumper

Here is my rig so far:

Pancake Rock Trail - San Diego County


Some flexing at a trail near my house:

Now, on to the new Radflo Suspension.

My objective: To increase articulation and suspension travel, increase ride height while providing better off-road performance and maintaining on-road handling and comfort.

Solution: Radflo 2.5 Extended Front Coilovers, Radflo 2.0 Extended Rear Emulsion Shocks, PRG UCA, Eibach 625lb Front Springs with OME Rear Medium Springs, Airlift Rear Air Suspension. Greg @ PRG Products said the OME Rear springs were very good and I didn't need to replace them.

Results: 2 1/2" Lift after springs have settled. Front wheel travel increased from 6" to 8", rear wheel travel from 7" to 9.5". Very consistant performance over the rough and very comfortable and smooth on the highway.

The front Install:


The Rear Install:


The truck sitting 2.5" taller after install:


Showing the flex abilities and greater articulation of the new suspension:

Okay, now for the ARB Rear Air Locker and new 3.357 Gearing:

My Objective: To increase traction and to lower gearing for better crawl ratio and compensate for bigger tires.

Solution: Rear ARB Locker and upgrade my 2.94 gears to the 3.36 gears. While I had the rear pumpkin open to install the locker, it was a good opportunity to install the new gears as well.

Results: Awsome traction mated with the ABLS, and the new gearing brought life back to the Pathy after updgrading to 33" tires and adding all the armor weight.

The original rear diff with original rear carrier:


The original carrier removed and the new ARB Locker next to it on the left:


The ARB Locker installed in the case with the new 3.36 gears:


The completed case with the holes drilled for the air hose inlet:


Completed and installed back on the Pathfinder:


Now the ARB Compressor installed in the engine bay in front of the air intake box. The compressor acts as a regular air compressor to fill up my tires. Notice the air attachment on top of the compressor to attach the air hose to pump up the tires:


Finally, the switches installed. The compressor switch is the one on top, and the rear locker switch is on the bottom left. Once I get the front locker, I will place the front/rear locker switches on top together and the compressor switch next to the 4x4 selector:

Reserved for the ARB Front Winch Bumper and BajaRack Mods

OMG!!!

Looks whos back!!

This is going to be good. I can't wait for the updates. I just finished both the "Long Way Round" and "Long Way Down" series this holiday weekend, and I'm itching to start putting some time (and $$$) into the truck. ARB locker? This is going to be good!

G35TR wrote:OMG!!!

Looks whos back!!

Hey G35TR, yeah yeah, I know ...

Damn looks like a nice setup you got there , cant wait to see some videos of it in action ( if your shedule allows it of course )

kacjames wrote:Damn looks like a nice setup you got there , cant wait to see some videos of it in action ( if your shedule allows it of course )

Yes, I have some videos from Borrego Springs (Souther Calif area) on the Pinyon Mountain Trail after my new suspension install. Rated a black diamond. The Pathy followed 3 Rubicon Jeeps with absolutely NO problems. There are 4 major obstacles that even 2 Rubicons had problems. One lost power on a rock and the other tipped over on its side.

Here is one tough section. The 4Runner in front of me had problems. Took him about 4 tries to get up. I did it the first try:


This is what happened to one of the Rubicons near the top of the section on the first pic:


This is "Heart Attack Hill". I don't have a picture of the Pathy, but I have a video I will post later. Jeeps and trucks rollover on this section due to being very steep and ruttted. The Pathy went down with aplomb (but I had to check my underwear afterwards):


A poser shot at Split Mountain near the end of the trail:

great to see you back, man! and the rig looks awesome...can't wait to see more.

and good luck w/ your new business.

guinnessjim wrote:great to see you back, man! and the rig looks awesome...can't wait to see more.

and good luck w/ your new business.

Thanks Bud. Still trying to get the investors to invest in what I'm doing. It's been a hard road thus far. I haven't been able to sell the orginal family business for what its really worth, but it was better than walking completely away from it and just closing shop. I hope that early next year, I can really get the new business going.

Anyway, I hope to do Death Valley with everyone again, and I'm hoping we can get more of the members out there. Maybe I can get some of you guys inspired enough to do some of the more challenging trails. I know our rigs are very capable.

Stay tuned ...

So sexy... That's exactly what I'm working towards as a finished product. Of course I have questions: Where did you find the 3.357 gearing? Any idea where to find 33 spline shafts for V6 owners???

rragpaoa wrote:I hope that early next year, I can really get the new business going.

Man, way to leave us hanging! I'm just glad to hear you are okay. After not posting in forever, especially since your last post stated you'd be posting updates in a few days, I got worried that something bad happened.

Anyway, I hope to do Death Valley with everyone again, and I'm hoping we can get more of the members out there. Maybe I can get some of you guys inspired enough to do some of the more challenging trails. I know our rigs are very capable.

I'm really hoping that I can make it out this year. Work sucks, and we are in the early stages of a 6 month software transition that has been extremely painful so far. I really need a new job.

Nice job with all the upgrades. Is that extra articulation with or without the sway bar connected? I think I know of just the trail for you in DV, but I honestly don't know if I'd want to try it without skids. Glad to have you back!

rragpaoa wrote:Anyway, I hope to do Death Valley with everyone again, and I'm hoping we can get more of the members out there. Maybe I can get some of you guys inspired enough to do some of the more challenging trails. I know our rigs are very capable.

would love to come play again...esp to see your rig in person. still haven't armored up yet....maybe i can at least get some of it done before another trip out there. who wants to give me a christmas gift?

quick question....any reason you went w/ the ARB bumper over the shrockworks? (i do like the looks of the ARB better but was there any performance reason?)

again, best of luck w/ the start up....my guess is that if you put the details into it that you put into your pathy you'll be up and running in no time.

Welcome back!!... Nice updates!!!!!!!!!!!!!...... Triffid

Thanks Guys. Good to be back.

Anyway, to answer your questions:

IcedTeasley:
First let me first clarify that the ARB locker is for the rear R230 diff found on the V8 Pathy and the Armada as well as the international Pathy with diesel engines. However .... you can easily replace your V6 rear diff (R200) with the R230. The R230 is a beefy diff, which is about a 9" ring which is slightly larger than the M226 found in the Titan. You can find an R230 from an Armada at the junkyard for about $500. Make sure you get the Big Tow gearing to match your front diff which is also a 3.36. IIRC, you don't even need to change the axle shaft and the tone rings. It should bolt right up. BUT, you have to make a slight modification to the gears since the ARB locker is designed for the international Pathy with the 3.538 gearing and up. We have the 3.56 gearing and down, so the RP offset is a bit off. No worries, it's an easy fix to fit the locker. This way you get a beefier diff with an ARB locker that is stout with 4 spider gears.

NVSteve:
Take is easy at work. I hear ya, My new company is a technology company focusing on international payments and settlements, and trying to get the system completed has been a major nightmare.
The full articulation can be achieved with the swaybars connected only if the opposite tire is on level ground. If one wheel is completely compressed on a rock, and the other is completely drooped in a ditch, then the articulation gets limited. This is the case no matter if its IFS or Solid axle.
Can't wait for DV next year.

guinnessjim:
Thanks for the 'best of luck'. I'll definitely keep you guys up to date on the new business. I wish I could transfer the same energy I have with off roading to business
I hope you can get some armor so you all can hit some of the more challenging trails with me. If you had to get started, get at least the oil pan and transmission skids from Shrocks. The basic Nissan diff and gas tank skids will work ok as an interim.
As far as the ARB bumper ... well that's easy. I am the test vehicle for their new bumper which they should be making a press release soon... so, I can't so 'No' to free! But, I will tell you this, ARB has put a lot of work on making sure the bumper does not compromise the safety and soundness of the vehicle, to work in conjunction with the crash sensors and airbags. The bumper is top notch, and I would recommend it in a heartbeat.