2008 with alignment issues after stiffer suspension

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Dawsonmed
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Mar 30, 2017 2:40 am

2008 with alignment issues after stiffer suspension

Postby Dawsonmed » Sun Nov 19, 2017 7:15 pm

Here is my problem..... I have a 2008 pathfinder SE and I put ready lift rancho coil over struts or shock on the front ( whatever you want to call them), and then I put the matching rs9000xl shocks on the rear. The rear suspension was way too soft for me. Im a big guy and my son is a big guy (both around 300#). We live in a rural area of Pennsylvania and the roads are bumpy and bouncy to say the least. Everybody was saying to get the coil spacer for the rear. Then I read that people were saying to get OME springs because to spacer takes away some of the articulation. I decided one the Medium duty extended springs from OME. I put the springs in and it looks great. The ride front and rear are what I expected to get from the factory, but my mechanic keeps telling me that people that buy these things anymore want them soft for the ride. Well, until I put the aftermarket suspension under it, the silly thing bottomed out on almost every single bump in the back roads.
This is where the problem comes in..... Now that the suspension is basically sitting at its upper limits sitting still, they can't get it to come into alignment perfectly because there just isn't enough adjustment. I remember the mechanic telling me that on the front, it wouldn't be a big deal because of the fact that there was more adjustment that could be done on the front with another set of camber/caster bolts. He said the hole and everything are there, its just that Nissan was too cheap to put a set of adjustable bolts in it and just used regular bolts. So, the front end fix is gonna be easy and cheap to fix.
The rear is the problem. I dont know if the rear adjustment on the lower a-arm is the limiting issue, if the adjustment on the lower rear control arm where the spring is located is the problem, or if it is both. I dont know if there is enough adjustment on the a-arm to correct the camber, but then not enough toe adjustment in the rear control arm. Or, if there is enough adjustment in the toe adjustment in the control arm, but not enough camber adjustment in the a-arm. Or, is there just not enough adjustment period?
Then my next question is whether there is enough adjustment gained using adjustable offset bushings to correct the problem or if I am going to have to FAB extenders to get the adjustment that I need.
On dry pavement it handles like a sports car, very tight. Going through bumps, it likes to rock from side to side. Im pretty sure that for the most part, that is tire flex and putting a set of E rated tires on it is going to take care of most of that. But when the road is wet or when there is snow, whenever the rear end loses traction in one of the tires, the rear end is all over the place because it pulls and pushes from the left to the right or vice versa according to which tire loses traction and this is all because the camber is not at 0 or is not negative, and because the toe in is not correct because the camber cannot be corrected.
I really like the way the vehicle rides all the way around and really want to keep it this way. I just want your input as to which mods need done from experience, or just from your educated guessing.


XVTer
Posts: 117
Joined: Tue Jul 09, 2013 9:24 am
Location: VT

Postby XVTer » Mon Dec 04, 2017 4:47 pm

Subscribed - I'm having the same issues with Armada HD springs in the rear and Radflos up front. Hard to keep control on wet corners. Had 2 shops attempt without luck - at least neither charged me. Trying a 3rd next week. Want to get it figured before new tires - my current ones are scrubbed/chopped bad. I've seen threads with alignment specs before - can't remember if it was here or PFCOA(sp??) link was saved on my old computer. I'll try to find it and post here.

marsdawg
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2017 6:12 pm
Location: Knoxville, TN

Postby marsdawg » Wed Dec 06, 2017 5:04 pm

I just installed the adjustable rear UCA bushings and they are the ticket to solve your rear alignment problems. Got mine from Super Pro suspension products. $40 cheaper than what I found elsewhere.

Dawsonmed
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Mar 30, 2017 2:40 am

toe adjust bushings

Postby Dawsonmed » Wed Dec 06, 2017 5:31 pm

I just found that company last night. I am going to buy a set of the rear toe adjustment bushings that are the inner bushings for the control arm that supports the spring. I think that there is enough camber adjustment in the a-arms, just not enough toe adjustment after the fact. Those two bushings are way easier to change than the upper control arm ones. I'll let ya know how I make out.

kevinthefro
Posts: 98
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2013 4:14 pm
Location: Torrance, CA

Re: toe adjust bushings

Postby kevinthefro » Thu Dec 21, 2017 5:32 pm

Dawsonmed wrote:I just found that company last night. I am going to buy a set of the rear toe adjustment bushings that are the inner bushings for the control arm that supports the spring. I think that there is enough camber adjustment in the a-arms, just not enough toe adjustment after the fact. Those two bushings are way easier to change than the upper control arm ones. I'll let ya know how I make out.
That should work. It only needs a couple of millimeters more range. I accomplished the same thing by modifying the toe adjustment brackets. Offset bushings would have been much easier.

MycHo
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Jun 10, 2013 9:43 am

Re: toe adjust bushings

Postby MycHo » Thu Jun 21, 2018 8:13 pm

Dawsonmed wrote:I just found that company last night. I am going to buy a set of the rear toe adjustment bushings that are the inner bushings for the control arm that supports the spring. I think that there is enough camber adjustment in the a-arms, just not enough toe adjustment after the fact. Those two bushings are way easier to change than the upper control arm ones. I'll let ya know how I make out.
Hi Dawsonmed

Any update on these bushings ? I am about to order them for the same reason. Did they provided enough toe adjustment ?


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