pathfinder/truck suspension question

[ahardb0dy]

Wanted to know if anyone thinks this may be possible to do, would like to eliminate the torsion bars in a 94 pathfinder and possibly use a set of struts/coil over shocks instead, like the type found in newer frontiers, I have a pair of old Jim Connor Racing triple shock hoops that I bought for my 87 Nissan 4x4 and never installed that could be used as the top mount than was thinking of mounting the bottom of the strut to the upper control arm, height would be adjustable using the coil stop (not sure what it is really called).I was thinking of doing this on my 87 way back and someone was saying they didn't think the upper control arm was strong enough. But if the upper control arm was to be used as the lower mount the entire top of the arm could be closed off and reinforced as there would no longer be a shock running thru it.

opinions or ideas??

[alexf20c]

you're better off mounting the coil-over to the lower control arm, not the upper.

[ahardb0dy]

think there would be enough room with it being 4wd? The lower arm would be the better choice but not sure of clearance, may have to see if I can pick up a used coil over/strut to experiment with, truck would be used mostly on road with occasional light 4 wheeling, no jumping truck or anything. I just saw kits for ford ranger 4 wd's and they look like the coil over is mounted at a slight angle I guess to clear the axle.

[alexf20c]

so what's the reasoning behind converting to coil-overs from a torsion bar? typically the conversion is only done on 2WD long-travel kits. i don't really see the advantage on a stock suspension 4WD.

[ahardb0dy]

there probably isn't an advantage it's just something when I owned my 87 that I wanted to do, and now that I have another Nissan and one of the torsion bar cups may be stripped out it was just an idea that popped back into my head. One advantage if it would be feasible to do that I can think of is one is running the 4" suspension lift so that the torsion bars don't look like they are hanging down under the truck. But I was just thinking about doing the conversion to do it, I know it doesn't make any sense to fix something that isn't broke but as I said it was an idea I had when I owned my 87 and back than I may have had a reason I just can't recall it at the moment some 15 years later,lol.

[alexf20c]

for the same amount of work, and less headaches (potentially), you could do an SAS.
Modified by alexf20c at 8:10 AM 12/20/2009

[ahardb0dy]

that would be really nice, and now with Calmini selling a kit to do the conversion but don't have that kind of money right now and I can't weld. It was just a thought, if I find a newer frontier in the local junkyard I may pick up a set of the struts and do some experimenting. I just got the pathfinder and it doesn't run yet so the engine is top priority right now.

was looking on the sway a way site at Nissan torsion bars and it lists different part numbers between the truck and pathfinder also says pathfinder bar is 1" longer, any one know if this is true? I always thought the pathfinder was built off of a modified truck frame??

what is best way to jack up front end to re-index torsion bar so that tension is off of the bar? jack under control arm?

[alexf20c]

definitely do NOT jack under the control arm. the suspension will still be loaded. you want to jack up on the frame, so that the suspension droops and most if not all tension is removed from the torsion bars.

[ahardb0dy]

OK thanks, one side of the pathfinder has about an 1.25 clearance between the bump stop and the upper control arm the other side the bump stop is sitting on the control arm, my buddy who I got the pathfinder from said when the guy he had replace the engine he probably didn't put the bars back in the same way they were, either that or the torsion bar cup is stripped out, luckily I have another cup from when I had my 87 hardbody. I know the fronts of the pathfinders always sit low, hopefully I can re-index the one bar to the proper height.

[ahardb0dy]

what's the best way to remove one of the torsion bars to re-index the adjuster? it's been so long since I had my 87 I don't remember.