[desdeleo]

Need help! Replaced my OEM rear struts several months ago with Rancho rsx struts after several days, I noticed a gushing noise coming from the right rear. When looked under truck found oil on strut. Contacted Rancho several times no response. Replaced both struts again this time with Monroe sensatrac, again heard that noise and now oil all over the right rear shock again after 3 months!!! What can be causing this. I use this truck mostly highway with some light off road. 03 pathfinder SE (altitude edition) with 115,000 mi. ohh yeah the OEM shocks were not blown when removed. PLEASE HELP!

ohh yeah installed airbags on rear with the rancho shocks but were removed when installed the monroe's to see if that was the problem. Guess not.

 

[OchnofConcrete]

a: are the struts brand new from the aftermarket? (are they used)
b: there any other problem with your rear suspension? (the coil springs still good)
c: the axle braces good and straight?

have to look at it for more i guess..

 

[desdeleo]

All the struts installed were new from factory(rancho and monroe). Springs seem ok as ride height is still ok. cannot see any visible damage to rear suspension members. Just keep blowing the right rear shock. Seems odd that I would get two bad rear shocks on the same side.

 

[desdeleo]

No ideas? Just looking for ideas.

 

[OchnofConcrete]

if you installed both sides...
i'm guessin it's a bad spring...

ride height comes back into shape when you stop the car...
it's when you hit a dip you gotta worry.
if the spring is out of tension... then it's just gonna unload the shock WAY too fast.

the only other idea i can come up with it human error on the install, but that doesn't work either cuz you installed both sides.

if the entire suspension looks good (including the bushings and joints)...
it's gotta be the spring.

 

[desdeleo]

guess I'm in the market for new springs. Figured that had to be the problem.

 

[IanH]

I read that the back sags on these, and then i looked at mine (2003) and sure enough the back is sagging a bit. They recommended a slight increase in height and rate. will try and see if I can find .....
btw OEM's still good at 69k....

Ohh- what the hell is an altitude edition, mines been over 12,000 ft several times with no problems....

 

[OchnofConcrete]

i hate sh!t like that.

nothing like spending good money on aftermarket crap that doesn't fit right.

 

[OchnofConcrete]

either way.... wouldn't it make sense that if they are shorter... then the springs would take up the slack.. and if the shocks were longer, then they'd overload???

 

[desdeleo]

Well the funny thing is my back is higher than my front. But yes if I have a feeling the rear springs are not doing what they used to anymore (unless its just paranoia?lol). But if the rear springs are bad why only the right rear blow out? could only one spring go bad? Or maybe just found two bad rear struts and installed them on the same side, I am perplexed:wtf: by this.

"Altitude Edition" is a limited edition, SE exterior with mostly LE interior (minus the faux wood grain) and custom seats done by Katzin. Nothing to do with altitude which is good since I live just above sea level. Have not seen another "Altitude" Pathfinder since I bought it. But have seen it on other SUV's both Honda and Toyota.
P.S. I have over 150,000 miles on her and still kickin but!
BTW thanks for the help

 

[IanH]

Funny, i lived in Colorado and they had real altitude editions from the manufacturer's as new vehicles.....
My Se has after market leather.
Yes i think you may have had two bad shocks. Length should be fine.
I had a Toyota Tercel with tire wear and they replace one front spring at 14,000 miles ( two front tires twice).
Tire wear went from 7,000 miles to 40,000 on cheapo tires !!
So yes one spring can go bad. BTW they sent to car to an Audi dealership when they (Toyota in Albuquerque) struck out on fixing it.

 

[OchnofConcrete]

LOL, you can easily forget that your car's been owned by 5 other ppl..

a halfass fix on a 4 point suspension can easily cause probs down the road.

another reason i don't like seeing someone spend thousands of dollars on a car and then hungry theives force him to sell it for ultracheap just cuz the wifey thinks they need a whole new house for one kid.

 

[OchnofConcrete]

and yeah, i thought that was cool that colorado had it's own manufactured cars.

lived up in colorado springs.

 

[desdeleo]

Well seems my upper link bushing are also on their way out. Guess I am in the market for springs and upper links also.

 

[OchnofConcrete]

bushings are always a good thing to replace.

just be sure you preload them correctly...
you tighten them down in the wrong position and when you lower the car down it'll tear them right up.

 

[desdeleo]

OchnofConcrete
bushings are always a good thing to replace

just be sure you preload them correctly...
you tighten them down in the wrong position and when you lower the car down it'll tear them right up.

Thanks "Ochnofconcrete" If I rember corectly vehicle should be on its wheels with weight supported by frame stands. Do you know if that is correct?

 

[IanH]

I have always lowered the car onto its wheels and had all weight on the wheels before tightening the bushings.

 

[desdeleo]

Hmmm......dunno now great! lol Guess I will be doing some reading tonight.

 

[OchnofConcrete]

tell ya the truth, this is one of the thing i still need to learn up on.

when you think about it... you're first idea of puttin the weight on jackstands, but the wheels touching is a good idea... simply cuz when you put it down to the ground it will be already pushing up on it...


but then again i think it depends on what you're doing here...

with what the second idea stated... when you tight them with the car's weight down... then that means when you hit a bump in the road.. the bushings are set to come back to the position of where it was installed...


this is somethign i've thought on a lot...
but i'm sure it's just an easy thing to learn...

another thing i've thought on, is that you can load the bushings to different loads, that way... you have particular settings... i think similar to what racecars do.. you know what i mean? to where if you tighten them to a particular load height then it will give you different ride settings.

this is taking into account though that with regular autozone bushings... if they aren't tightened to the right spot... when you drive around those cheap ass bushings will just rip in thier sockets... i think adjusting preloading would be more towards performance bushings...

but i can garuntee you the dealership bushings were preloaded at a particular height.

 

[IanH]

Every car where I have worked on the front control arms the Factory instructions are to put the weight on the wheels before tightening.
What cars...
Nissan, Jaguar, Vauxhall ( English GM) , standard triumph, Impala, Camaro, Audi, and these are just the ones i can remember I removed the front control arms, some i replaced the bushings....
Rear suspension when applicable, Jaguar comes to mind.
For nissan,

I hope this helps...