I want to do a solid axle swap on my 1988 Pathfinder. Can you guys give me some advise maybe some pictures or web sites to help me on this project. I would be greatful.
thanks

I want to do a solid axle swap on my 1988 Pathfinder. Can you guys give me some advise maybe some pictures or web sites to help me on this project. I would be greatful.
thanks


you can check out www.nissan4wheelers.com There are some people on there with SASed pathys as well as 4x4parts.com They have a SAS section on their board with some good info. Hope that helps....

Any specific questions? I've SASed my 95 pathfinder and helped with a 94 hardbody. What are your plans for axles?

Any specific questions? I've SASed my 95 pathfinder and helped with a 94 hardbody. What are your plans for axles?

Thats what I need to know, what axles are available for this swap? I know with toyota most people just use a toyota axle, but with the Nissan I am kinda in the dark. Plus what springs did you use to get some lift out of the rear? Also how did you hook up the stearing?
thanks for any help you can give me man.

I'm using a 1980 wagoneer dana 44. They are pretty popular for pathfinders. For the rear I used 5.5in Early bronco front lift coils. They ride really nice, avoid XJ coils, they are way too soft even in the rear.

For steering I did crossover steering with flattop knuckles and a parts mike arm. I had the links made out of 1.25in round stock by Whaley Ent. You are going to have to ream your pitman arm out to accept chevy 7/8 drag link ends or something like that. Also I've seen people do inverted Tsteering or modify the wagoneer steering to work, both of which also invole reaming out the pitman.

I would recomend swapping out the rear axle, the nissan axle is a pain in the ass to get gears and parts for. If so I'd say to go fullwidth and run something like a HP44 front and a d60.

I want to do a solid axle swap on my 1988 Pathfinder. Can you guys give me some advise maybe some pictures or web sites to help me on this project. I would be greatful.
thanks

Another person that has SAS'd a Pathfinder is Datz if I recall right. He hangs out most at www.nissan4wheelers.com. There are also additional SAS projects at www.nissanoffroad.net in the SAS forum.

Hootowl

Really if you plan on keeping the existing powertrain and driveline the only choices you have for driver's drop axles are Wagoneer axles for leaf springs and Early Bronco Axles for coils and radius arms. Or Big Bronco if you want to go full size and swap out the rear too.


I'm currently doing a full size Big Bronco swap on mine:
http://www.bgaidan.com/albums/sas-step-three/P1010236.sized.jpg

Really if you plan on keeping the existing powertrain and driveline the only choices you have for driver's drop axles are Wagoneer axles for leaf springs and Early Bronco Axles for coils and radius arms. Or Big Bronco if you want to go full size and swap out the rear too.


I'm currently doing a full size Big Bronco swap on mine:
http://www.bgaidan.com/albums/sas-step-three/P1010236.sized.jpg



-kills self-

I used a Dana 44 from a 86 Grand wagoneer. The rear is stock with 4.88 gears in both ends.

See my website for more details on how I did mine yours will be very similar.http://nissannut.home.comcast.net/projects/sas/
http://nissannut.home.comcast.net/trips/Barnwell_2005/flex_barnwell.JPG

I used a front Toy 8" solid axle and also kept the rear stock Nissan H233b axle on 4.88 gears. I have a '93 Hardbody, but the front driveline is the same as any WD21 Pathy.

My report is here : http://www.geocities.com/jpvmlichttotobal/SASconversion.html

http://www.4x4parts.com/ptruck_images/6_6.jpg

here is one me and my buddy did
http://bb.bc4x4.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=73445

splendifferous, exactly what I want to do, but how much does this all cost about? I am working on a pretty tight budget. If there is a cheap root but not super weak I would like to hear about it. Also I have some Jeep Grand Cherokee front springs but they arent for a V8 they'er from a 6cyl. Will this be a problem?

splendifferous, exactly what I want to do, but how much does this all cost about? I am working on a pretty tight budget. If there is a cheap root but not super weak I would like to hear about it. Also I have some Jeep Grand Cherokee front springs but they arent for a V8 they'er from a 6cyl. Will this be a problem?


My link above has all the prices and costs. Also try some of the Nissan Boards. There lots of SAS documented at nissan4wheelers.com and 4x4parts.com and many more. Not much on this board. My main thread is on www.texasnissantrucks.com

Theres a bunch of early Pathy SAS on some Canada boards also.

i use grand cherokee coils in my SAS. However they are the 8cyl. I tried using regular cherokee coils and they were way to soft. The 6 cyl grands may work, but i forget the weights of all them, i've been out of the building phase for a while now.

I'm SAS-ing my Xterra this weekend with a 3 link and coils from a F150, I will post some pic's as soon as I can. I have a D44 from a 85 Waggy and 5.13's for the front and 5.14's for the rear.

My link above has all the prices and costs. Also try some of the Nissan Boards. There lots of SAS documented at nissan4wheelers.com and 4x4parts.com and many more. Not much on this board. My main thread is on www.texasnissantrucks.com

Theres a bunch of early Pathy SAS on some Canada boards also.

I checked out your site and it kicksass, but I just dont want to put out 3g into my pathy. Its pretty rusted out and I only paid $500cad for it. I'll look at some of the other sites you have listed there. I really want to do this project so I am sure I'll find a way to make it work and not be mega expensive...
where are these canada boards you speak of?

Thanks. Just trying to share what it really costs when things add up. And there are lots of things to do. Of course theres almost no labor charges. Only $200 for one R&P install. I did the other one.

You can do a SAS for less. Just look at where the money goes. The 3 big expenses on mine where:

1. high angle driveshft
2. Nissan (Hitachi R&P gears)
3. High steer parts and labor

If you modify a used dshaft, use used 4.9 gears from a Frontier or Xterra and do SUA you can cut that price in HALF!

Thanks. Just trying to share what it really costs when things add up. And there are lots of things to do. Of course theres almost no labor charges. Only $200 for one R&P install. I did the other one.

You can do a SAS for less. Just look at where the money goes. The 3 big expenses on mine where:

1. high angle driveshft
2. Nissan (Hitachi R&P gears)
3. High steer parts and labor

If you modify a used dshaft, use used 4.9 gears from a Frontier or Xterra and do SUA you can cut that price in HALF!

Exactly. I am on the budget SAS route myself. Got my D44 housing for $25 and my 4.90 rear gears for $8. The plan is to have it rolling in under 2 weeks from the first cut, and spend less than $1500. I'm pretty sure I can do it.

Exactly. I am on the budget SAS route myself. Got my D44 housing for $25 and my 4.90 rear gears for $8. The plan is to have it rolling in under 2 weeks from the first cut, and spend less than $1500. I'm pretty sure I can do it.


So the wagoneer dana 44 has 4.90 gears and I need to find 4.90 gears for my rear end? how is your project coming?

Dana 44 in Wagoneers normally had 2.72 gears. Plus you have to replace the carrier to handle the lower gears.

Exactly. I am on the budget SAS route myself. Got my D44 housing for $25 and my 4.90 rear gears for $8. The plan is to have it rolling in under 2 weeks from the first cut, and spend less than $1500. I'm pretty sure I can do it.
You bastard. Well you better come up and run Carnage with me when its done.

So the wagoneer dana 44 has 4.90 gears and I need to find 4.90 gears for my rear end? how is your project coming?

no, the gears I got for cheap were for the nissan rear axle, which was one of NIssannuts big expenses that I won't have. I plan to have the axle tubes cut and rotated to point the pinion at the t-case so I can hopefully get away without a CV driveshaft and still have good caster. So the highsteer will be expensive, but the rest isn't too much. Gears for a 44 are cheap, and so are carriers, but I won't need a carrier depending how I lock it.
Haven't even started yet. I am going to collect parts until I have everything then do it all at once, and because I don't have enough money all at once so I look for deals.
Didn't you do leafs Dan? I may want to pick your brain a bit.

Yeah I'm leaved. I'm probably running the big senic loop at Lefthand/Carnage November 5th weather permitting. Feel free to come take a look at it and wheel.

The plan is to have it rolling in under 2 weeks from the first cut, and spend less than $1500. I'm pretty sure I can do it. Dude, if you pull off a complete usable sas with correct gears and do it in 2 weeks for under 1500 bucks, you are a fawking miracle worker!:D

Dude, if you pull off a complete usable sas with correct gears and do it in 2 weeks for under 1500 bucks, you are a fawking miracle worker!:D

got my rear 4.90's for $8, and the waggy axle for $25, so I am well on my way.

gonna have it done before GONE too.

I just can't see it happening for that little of coin. Locker(s), springs, shocks, brakes, steering, dshafts, shock towers, and a but load of other stuff need to be purchased. So if you go ebay and junk yard all the way, maybe. But just so you know, my sas rig has nearly 10 grand into it, and that's before I started breaking chit.:D What do you go by on N4W? You probly know of my rig, and if you been here long enough remember the build up, I didn't skimp on anything, but I did look for deals and spent a long time (over a year)collecting parts. Plus, I did every single last thing by my self without any help what so ever. Good luck, and keep me posted on the build.

same name everywhere I go. I do remember your build, and I have seen plenty of others as well. I know it gets expensive, hoping that keeping it simple will save money. maybe not.
I priced it out in my head, so yeah, I'm sure it could go beyond that, but I think I can do it.

got my rear 4.90's for $8, and the waggy axle for $25, so I am well on my way.

gonna have it done before GONE too.

i agree miracle worker...it take alot of work and $$$$$ to do a correct SAShttp://us.f1.yahoofs.com/groups/g_11059208/The+Pathfinder/not+finished+but+getting+there.jpg?

sourcing parts for cheap is not doing things the wrong way, and some corners can be cut without affecting weather it is done correctly or not. ie, square driveshaft. cheap, and by no means wrong.

well i got both of my axles for a grand total of 200 bucks and i'm still into it for 3k

check out www.4x4parts.com they have a section in there forums dedicaed to sas's for hardbodies and pathy's. i am about to start a solid axle swap for my wd21 and there is alot of good info on that site. i'm prerunfun over there.