The Nissan Path

I have a 2008 Pathfinder SE V8 with 85,000 miles on it. The vehicle runs great, but the entire vehicle shutters whenever you drive over any kind of bump or minor pothole in the road. I had a Nissan technician tell me that Nissan recommends changing the shocks and struts every 80,000 miles. Would that solve my problem? If so, should I go with Nissan parts or does anyone have recommendations for better equipment?

I also have had a persistent squeaking sound that is driving me crazy that I can hear every time the vehicle rattles. I only hear the squeaking sound between 0mph - 35mph. Does anyone have a suggestion on how I can fix this problem? I had the same Nissan technician tell me that this was most likely a bushing, but they could not identify where the sound might be coming from. Thanks for the help.

The rear shocks are pretty crappy right from the start. Most around here have replaced them plus added airbags which are worth every penny at twice the cost. I used Bilstein HD's shocks and Airlift 2000 bags.

One other thing that will make the PF jump around is a bad alignment. Mine will start jumping when you hit a bump and an alignment fixes it.

The squeaking...check the hood latch. It's notorious for squeaking and it sounds like a suspension part. Wrap some electrical tape around the hood striker post and see what happens. Cheap and easy. Only need to wrap it about 2-3 times.

So would you recommend that I replace the rear shocks and struts to solve the shuttering problem? If so, what kind for both?

Also, I've already had the engine hood latch replaced. The squeaking sound is evident even when the vehicle is parked and you rock it side-to-side. Would replacing the shocks/struts help this problem, or is it a totally separate issue?

That kind of squeaking sounds like a bushing. Has the front sway-bar bushings been replaced? These were faulty from the factory and most needed replaced after a couple years. There's an updated part which seems to have fixed mine for good. It was <$10 and only took a few minutes to swap so try that first.

It wouldn't hurt to swap out shocks/struts at this point. An alignment might be all you need to fix the shuttering, but you'll need that after shocks/struts anyway. So it would suck to do the alignment and decide you still want to do the struts. I like the Bilsteins all around. There's probably some higher-end Monroe's that would be equal to the OEM and cheaper than Bilstein but I've not used them.

If you want to do it in phases, I'd replace the rear shocks and add air-bags first. This typically makes a huge improvement by itself. Then make a decision if you want to do the fronts as well. My front struts have felt quite good right up until this spring (115k miles) where I think the horrible roads I drive have finally worn them out. As soon as they patch some of these roads I'll be doing the front struts as well.

Thanks that is really helpful.

Where can I buy new shocks and struts? online or a store or at a dealer?

Pick your poison, either place would work, as in local store, online, online dealer, local dealer. Just depends on what set-up you are interested in.

I bought my Bilstein's on amazon. They by far had the best price. I think I paid like $55-60 a piece for the rear and $90 a piece for the front. I installed the rear shocks my self. It was a relatively easy job. It took a few hours, but most of that time was figuring the best way to actually remove the bolts due to their locations. After I got the first one out of the way the second only took about 20 minutes.

As for the front, I was initially going to attempt it myself, but finally backed out due to the difficulty I read about. I had a guy install them for me that works on another vehicle of mine, he only charged me $200.

Good luck.

When you read reviews for the R51, you're bound to read a lot of complaints about its rough ride. The airbags and new rear shocks will improve your handling and prevent rear sag but you shouldn't expect a tremendous improvement in ride quality. In fact, airbags will stiffen your rear suspension and make the back feel jumpier - more responsive to changes in road texture.

It took me a while to learn that the Pathfinder is a body on frame, which, by nature, rides as if the wheels were connected directly to your spine. They all do.

With new shocks, airbags, new tires and perfect alignment (I get one every oil change), my Pathfinder still shutters over every bridge joint and pothole. There are some bridge joints that are mid-turn and when I hit them it feels like the truck jumps sideways and gets a little squirly. What feels like a pebble in my wife's Jetta feels like a brick wall in the Pathfinder. And it's normal. Though I've gotten used to it, passengers still describe the ride as "violent" and "rough." Like the opposite of how I like my women.

Bilstein HD rear shocks and Airlift 1000's are definitely the way to go if you are planning to keep the stock ride height! Tires can make a difference, too. I just swapped my worn out Michelin LTX M/S2's for some Nitto Dura Grapplers on my 06 LE and the ride definitely got harsher! I think next time I'll go back to the Michelins!

I'm trying to get a sense of which shocks/struts make the most sense to buy. I've heard good reviews about Monroe's and Bilstein's and OEM's straight from Nissan. I'm not looking to raise my truck, just replace the existing shocks/struts. Given that, what would you recommend?

Bilstein

The stock front struts really aren't too bad; KYB Excels/G2's are essentially the same thing and a good OE replacement. For the rears, upgrade to a monotube shock like Bilstein HD's. Install the Airlift 1000's in the rear if they aren't already installed and it keep it from bottoming out over large bumps.