4 Wheel Drive/SUVs/Suspension

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Expert: - 8/12/2004


Question
My wife has a 1993 Nissan Pathfinder, 4 wheel drive, manual shift. I would like to make it as safe as possible re: rolling over. How safe can I make it & what changes can I make?
Thanks,

Answer
Jim,

Try not to listen to most of the bad information out about SUV's being so dangerous.  Yes they can roll  over, if you try to drive them like a sports car, but under normal driving conditions, they are very safe.  The Nissan Pathfinder is a very capable vehicle, and I doubt very much that your wife would corner it hard enough to roll it over.  

As far as any changes, just make sure that your tires are in good shape, and keep the air pressure at the suggested pressure.  You can install a good set of shocks, if yours are questionable.  With routine maintenance, the Pathfinder will do just fine.

These answers, are assuming that your Nissan is stock, and not lifted with big tires.  As with any vehicle, the more you lift them, the higher the center of gravity, and therefore, you need to drive them a little slower.  If you are going to be going off-road with it, I would suggest that you see if there is a local 4x4 club, that is qualified to teach off-roading techniques, and take a class.  Not only, is is a great education, but can be a lot of fun also.

Carl  

4 Wheel Drive/SUVs

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Carl Brandt

Expertise

Will discuss suspensions, lifts, lockers along with tire suggestions. Trail ratings and possible requirements needed for specific type of trails. Safety equipment and what you should carry with you. Certified off-road instructor. I am not a mechanic, and 4-Wheeling is a hobby, so if I can't answer a technical question it is due to my mechanical knowledge being related to vehicles that I have owned, or have worked on. I do not have manuals on all vehicles.

Experience

40 plus years of 4 wheeling in a variety of vehicles. At the present time, my major off-road rig is a 94 Jeep Wrangler with a spring over and a 1 1/2" suspension lift. This gives me a total lift of 7" or so. I have lockers front and rear. I have removed the track bars, and sway bar for maximum articulation. I am running a stock 2.5 ltr 4 cylinder with a Jacobs ignition along with a cold air high flow filter. It has 4.56:1 gears with a Dodge NV4500 transmission along with a 3.8:1 Atlas II transfer case. This gives me a final ratio of 105:1 in low gear/low range. Other vehicles I own, are a 96 Ford F-250 with a 6" lift, posi rear end, 36" Hummer tires, 5 speed with a fuel injected 460 ci engine, an 87 Samurai with an 8" lift, Ford 9" rear end with a spool, Chevy Dana 44 front end with an electric locker, 5.88 gears, 16% reduction in high range and a 6.5:1 low range with 35" Baja Claws, and a stock 2003 Grand Cherokee Overland. Trails I have run are the Rubicon (10 times), Dusey Ershim, Fordyce Creek trail, McGrew trail, several trails in Moab, Utah along with local monthly runs.

Organizations
Lost Coast 4x4's Cal 4-Wheel Corva UFWDA Blue Ribbon Coalition

Education/Credentials
Certified off-road instructor - Certificates in engineering/electronics

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