The Nissan Path

Okay - mine is a '97 SE with 217,000 miles on it. I have some pretty serious sway, especially at highway speeds and when I hit a bump.

The following are ALREADY NEW (<1000 miles): rear control arm bushings (actually second time replacing these!), panhard rod bushing, rear sway bar & end link bushings, and front sway bar & end link bushings, struts, shocks. The front lower control arms are at around 10,000 miles so I don't think there's anything wrong with them, either.

I checked the springs and there doesn't seem to be anything wrong at all 4 corners. The tires are in good shape, pressure is right on, and the tread is even all around. I'm at the end of my rope here and I need to get this thing safe again. Any help would be appreciated.

Hello Sparky,

Did you ever get an answer to your question?
I just bought a 1997 pathfinder and when i was driving it home I hit a bump and I thought the truck was going to go out of control! It started rolling and swaying like mad. My daughter was following me home and she thought that i had people jumping around inside the car it was so bad. I need to get this fixed but I was hoping you had some hint for me.

Thank you,
Dave

And the answer is: Rear bushings. Probably the whole set but definitely control arms.

Thanks Gregg. I will start there, but if you read sparkys note he replaced those twice! I just wanted to have some kind of info when I go to the dealer so that they wont sell me a whole lot of stuff I dont need.

Thanks again!

dww-
In your case, replacing the rear control arm bushings will probably solve the problem. It did for me, at least the first time. This time, it did nothing. As you mentioned, I replaced nearly every bushing (save front lower control arm bushings which are relatively new anyway), and still have the problem.

I think my next step is to try tighten the steering by adjusting the steering rack nut. Beyond that, I'm at a loss.

sparky wrote:dww-
In your case, replacing the rear control arm bushings will probably solve the problem. It did for me, at least the first time. This time, it did nothing. As you mentioned, I replaced nearly every bushing (save front lower control arm bushings which are relatively new anyway), and still have the problem.

I think my next step is to try tighten the steering by adjusting the steering rack nut. Beyond that, I'm at a loss.

Have you checked the Idler arm? I know on my old s-10 blazer, it would sway and you could move the steering wheel left and right with no effect on steering until i put an idler arm on it and that fixxed it all.. So maybe in your situation this would be something to checK?

The bushings are definatly the cause. We always replace all five arms. The upper two, lower two, and the panhard or traction bar. I just purchased my very first 97 pathy and have this problem also, here are the part numbers that i replaced. (note, i did not do the panhard bar in this job)
55110-2W110 UPPER LINK LIST $100.00 EMP COST $66.00 (NEED2)
55120-2W100 LOWER LINK LIST $141.92 EMP COST $93.67 (NEED2)
55080-0W00B BOLTS LIST $3.30 EMP COST $2.18 (NEED4)
08918-6441A NUTS LIST#1.00 EMP COST $.66 (NEED 4)

MY TOTAL COST AFTER TAX WAS 353.36
MASTER TECH QUOTE $150 LABOR UNDER THE TABLE.


HOPE THIS HELPS SOMEONE
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I too have the same issue but after searching through my entire town I can't find a store that carries rear control arms. Where can I get the parts?

packfancjh wrote:I too have the same issue but after searching through my entire town I can't find a store that carries rear control arms. Where can I get the parts?

have you tried your nissan dealer ??

They are the only place in town but I'm trying to avoid paying the $600 plus dollars they want as I find that as a rip off.

I have a '97 SE...replaced the links about 6years ago...and now the death sway has returned so due to replace again. You might be interested in this thread....http://www.nissanforums.com/pathfinder/ ... peeds.html

Not sure I'll own my Pathy another 6 years...but I refuse to get crushed in cost to replace these links again. It's silly and expensive to me to replace an entire link due to failure of a bushing. I'm getting ready to pull out my lower links and replace with polyurethane bushings...see link below...in the hopes I'm never doing or having done...this job again as long as I own the vehicle. I'm even buying a shop press just to do it...only potential roadblock I hvaen't figured out is pressing having a tool end to press out the old bushing including outer sleeve. Shop manual says to use a "suitable tool"...backup plan is to chisel or cut it out if needed.

https://www.4x4parts.com/catalog/pathfi ... p-713.html

I have 4x4parts.com bushings and bolts. $100 for lower arms. Bolts were in a set for 4 arms, so I got the bushings. If the lowers do it, I might save the other set and do someone else's for $. I am going to drill some holes through the old bushings, experiment a little with a sawzall, etc, and then burn the old out at night if I need to. I went to Fastenal and ordered a 9/16 x 6? fine thread grade 8 bolt and nut to draw in the new bushings. Cost about $6 if I remember right.

skifiddle wrote:I have 4x4parts.com bushings and bolts. $100 for lower arms. Bolts were in a set for 4 arms, so I got the bushings. If the lowers do it, I might save the other set and do someone else's for $. I am going to drill some holes through the old bushings, experiment a little with a sawzall, etc, and then burn the old out at night if I need to. I went to Fastenal and ordered a 9/16 x 6? fine thread grade 8 bolt and nut to draw in the new bushings. Cost about $6 if I remember right.

If you got the wobble...the lowers fix it most every time. I got one set of bushings and the bolts from AC...still have the second set of bolts ...so will do the uppers at some point. I ended up using a press that I got at Harbor Freight for like $120. There's many threads on how to do this job over on npora and nissanforums.com. good luck!

Did my lowers yesterday with the 4x4parts.com bushings. Rear bolts on both sides were seized. Got the nuts off, sawzalled bolts upward on inner end. There was gap enough to saw just the bolt and not the inner sleeve that seemed to be much harder. I was just polishing that. The bolt heads would not rotate with a breaker and cheater and then a two by four prying on that. I just barely got my 4in grinder in to grind off the heads. Dropped front of link and pried out the rear.
Drilled through rubber and tipped the bit back and forth, and in couple of minutes had the rubber out. Cleaned that up some where I was going to cut and cut the outer sleeve with the sawzall at two places 3/8+ apart toward the shaft so there is more meat. Kept checking and stopped when I started to see spots of darker metal. Hammer and chisel and cut area curled in and sleeve dropped. Did not need the bolt that I bought to use as a press. Lubed bushings went in with light tapping, and one of the old bolts to finish one or two. One end would not release air, so it would keep separating. I kept it squeezed with a C-clamp on the bottom of it, until it was halfway into the mount. Used jack and pry rod to align last one and used the C-clamp to get the bolt to where I could start the nut.
Bitch time - why would anyone use such little studs etc on a winter salt vehicle. I broke a couple of the brake lines. Going to zip tie around that sandwich and then another around vertically.