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Nissan Pathfinder Owners: Accessories & Modifications

johnskevjohnskev Member Posts: 98
edited September 2014 in Nissan
i'm looking for a place to get a cool hitch receiver plug/cover. it would be really cool if i could find a nissan/infiniti one like all the chevy/ford/dodge ones i see in people hitches, but i can't find one. does anyone know a good place to get cool ones? maybe with a batsignal?
(i've checked carparts and jcwhitney, but they either have plain ones, or the chevy/ford/dodge ones, nothing cool)

-johnskev
«13456710

Comments

  • nismofreaknismofreak Member Posts: 120
    Has anyone used a non-Nissan hitch and harness on the '01 Pathy? How was the fit and finish? Is it more "universal" than the factory hitch? Also, is there any benefit to go factory or aftermarket? I am looking to tow my racecar (real soon!)

    thanks,
    nismofreak
  • crikeycrikey Member Posts: 1,041
    For those interested, the Husky Liners for the PF are a marvelous fit. With my Beige Leather Interior, the beige color of the liner blends in very well. I got the whole set (Front, Rear and Cargo) for about $130.00 at carparts.com. Delivery takes a while, like most things at carparts.com but it was worth it. The liners have saved me more than once in clean up. Just hose it down and dry it, you're ready to go again.
  • phil47phil47 Member Posts: 394
    Based on your recommendation, crikey, I also got the Husky liners and I'm really happy with them. I've noticed 2 flaws with them (minor). The rear seat liners block the heat vents under the seats so it takes longer to heat the rear passenger compartment. Also, the driver's side liner doesn't have a foot pad and it's starting to get scratched up pretty good.

    About carparts.com....I'll never order with them again. It took over 2 months for delivery, the front and back sets came 3 weeks apart, and I got a message every week that delivery would be delayed just one more week (7 "one-week" delays in total). Those folks have got to get their act together.
  • brian60brian60 Member Posts: 76
    have any of you ever dealt with with nissanaccessories.com? I need to get some side moldings, but so far you guys have only brought back horror stories about dealing with these parts sites. BTW, they only want ~$32 for the side moldings - does this sound too low to anyone else (says that's for two side moldings - hopefully left and right side, but it's not clear in the description).
  • phil47phil47 Member Posts: 394
    I don't know if the sites are related.

    They sell the side moldings for $32 also. I have ordered side molding from them twice, for both my 99.5 LE and my 2001 LE. Delivery was fast (around 2 weeks) with no hidden costs or delays. This was especially impressive as I live in Canada (Calgary). Unless their service has changed in the last 3 or 4 months, I would highly recommend them. Hope this helps.

    BTW, I'll try and post some pics of the side moldings on my trucks on this site (if I can figure out the NASA coding system...).
  • loboyloboy Member Posts: 75
    Like Phil47, I also ordered some accessories from nissanpartsusa.com, including the side mouldings. However, I can't speak too highly of them since it took them 2 months and 3 shipments to get the order right with one cancelled order. The side mouldings did come in on the 1st shipment (about 3 weeks) but the left mouldings was out of its wrapping and it looked pretty scratched up. There are 2 mouldings per side, so you'll need to order both sides. I haven't order from othe sites so I'm not sure how nissanpartsusa compares. But from reading previous posts, it may the lesser of all the "evils". :-)
  • crikeycrikey Member Posts: 1,041
    Yeah, you're right about the rear seat liners blocking the heat vents under the seats. I never really noticed that because no one rides in my back seat right now. Thus, no one complains about it. And yeah, the driver's liner doesn't have a 'dead-pedal' on it. But I agree, there are minor flaws of an otherwise good product.

    I didn't wait as long as you did. Mine was about 2 weeks and they all came at once.

    Did you modify the cargo liner for the floor hooks, etc.? If so, how did you do it? Did you cut around it?
  • johnskevjohnskev Member Posts: 98
    i purchased the factory all weather floormats. great mats: thick solid rubber, 'dead-pedal', deep grooves for snow. the main drawback would be that they are only available in black, though i have a beige interior and i don't think it hurts it that much, the functionality won me. they're about $50 for 4 mats, and they fits perfect.

    -johnskev
  • phil47phil47 Member Posts: 394
    Actually, I have the Nissan cargo liner (very similar to Husky). Same problem though. I ended up cutting flaps in the marked positions (cut out 3 of 4 sides) on the "inside" of the ridge so the ridge still stops some spills. I wanted to be able to fold them back down when not in use. It won't stop the leaks, just slow them down.
  • nismofreaknismofreak Member Posts: 120
    johnskev
    I paid $44 for my set but I didn't get a "dead pedal" with mine. It does piss me off because there is all this mud and crud on the exposed dead pedal (which we all know is not a real dead pedal).

    It is a pain to get the mud out of the carpet even though it is only around that area.

    '01 SE 4wd Auto.

    7500 smiles! :-)
  • brian60brian60 Member Posts: 76
    well, after reading through some of the earlier posts, i decided to give irontoad a call. they were very pleasant to deal with and said that they should ship out on thursday. i also like the fact that they list the price of the moldings at $64/pair instead of the single price shown on other sites. so far, thumbs up from me.
  • brian60brian60 Member Posts: 76
    i'm not usually one for mucho accoutrements on my vehicles, but i was thinkin of a hot setup the other day: (pick color) LE PF, black grill/brush guard, black aftermarket SE-style running boards, and black Yakima roofrack with two bike holders and a snowboard or surf rack in the middle. haven't decided if i like the taillight guards yet. anyone see a setup like this in person? anyone want to setup their PF like this, so i can see what it looks like before i buy everything? :)

    99.5 Silver LE 4WD (basically an '01 with asthma)
    24.3k miles
  • phil47phil47 Member Posts: 394
    ...I like that one. Almost as much as I like saying the word "accoutrements" (did you use the spellcheck on that!!)
  • looking25looking25 Member Posts: 19
    I got the nissan winter mats, not too excited about the black that was sort of discolored in some spots. But other than that, they seem to fit Ok. Hard to put in mats that smell bad of rubber in your "new car smell" pathfinder. Anyway, what's a 'dead pedal'?

    Any reviews on the nissan hitch-mount bike rack?
  • xplorx4xplorx4 Member Posts: 621
    Hi all, I have a 97 LE, and I was wondering if anyone has comments or experience installing an aftermarket rear wind deflector? I would like to try installing a QX4 deflector on my LE, because it attaches to the window hinges (no drilling into sheelmetal), but I'd like to know if anyone else has better ideas...

    Thanks.
  • stevinwshingtnstevinwshingtn Member Posts: 23
    xplorx4;
    Funny you should mention it, I just got my rear wind deflector on my 01 LE last weekend. I bought the psuedo OEM nissan rear wind deflector . I mean it comes in a nissan box from nissan (http://www.irontoad.com/home.htm) but it isn't quite the same as what you get on an 01 SE from the factory. There has been a little discussion about it being not as nice as the original but I don't think I agree. The way this one works is you replace the hinges (supplied with the deflector) with a hinge that has "stantions" on them and the wind deflector attaches to the "stanchions". The main complaint with this rear wind deflector is that it is made of what appears to be the same acrylic material the sunroof wind deflector is made of and some people think that looks rather cheap. To get around that problem I took mine in to the same place that put the pinstripes on for me and had them paint it sahara beige to match my LE. I think it looks great. The paint job cost about $100. Outrageous, I know, but I'm not that good of a painter and I wanted to get it done. I have complained about the amount of road crud that was collecting on the backside of my SUV when I went up to the sloppy mountain passes and I was hopping that the rear wind deflector would eliminate that problem. The jury is still out on that one. So far it seems like it may help but I think the back side is still going to get dirty.
  • loboyloboy Member Posts: 75
    Xplorx4,
    I also installed the same deflector as post #17 a couple of weeks ago and thought it looked pretty good on my white LE. I don't think I'm going to paint it though since it matches the sunroof deflector and the future hood deflector. As for effectiveness, as Stevinwshingtn puts it, jury is still out.
  • xplorx4xplorx4 Member Posts: 621
    loboy/steve- how much did the deflector cost? I might just get one.


    Thanks for your comments.


    http://dean.thayer.net/off-road/

  • stevinwshingtnstevinwshingtn Member Posts: 23
    I got mine from Irontoad. I think they are in Pennsylvania. With shipping to the west coast it was right around $70.
  • duperduper Member Posts: 127
    Checked out your site, very cool and nice. Love to see you taking your LE out with those X for the Jackson Excursion. I'd like to do that some day.

    What do you think of the Jimwolf charger? will the engine be much louder?

    Thanks, take care
  • xplorx4xplorx4 Member Posts: 621
    If there's some off-road event taking place in Jackson, when is it, and where do I get info on it? I'd love to go, if I have the time!
  • duperduper Member Posts: 127
    Were you there on Oct 11 for the Pardoes Trail ride in Jackson with those in NCCX? I saw it on you site. Looked like lotsa fun.
  • loboyloboy Member Posts: 75
    Sorry for the late reply but I was in Vegas the last week. I got mine at nissanpartsusa.com. Paid $62.40+ship. I had a larger order so shipping was all bundled together. For my $275+ order, total shipping came to about $13-14. The only problem I had with nissanpartsusa was that the deflector, instructions and mounting kits all came separatetly and it took about 10 weeks. If you are ordering from them, I would call them first to verify all the items are in stock (which I didn't do). Hope this helps. Good luck
  • li_sailorli_sailor Member Posts: 1,081
    I've been doing some research on the web to find a bike rack, cargo liner and rear window reflector for my 2001 LE. I thought I'd post some of the results, starting with the list of car accessory sites I've found. A few of them have been posted here, but I thought some might find it helpful (have to string them out separated by a space to fit):

    atthemart.com irontoad.com autoaccessory.com autostockinc.com autosupermart.com carparts.com
    central4wd.com store.yahoo.com/future-nissan
    sportsrack.com nissan-accessories.com autobarn.net irontoad.com jcwhitney.com
    anybulb.com nissanpartsusa.com
    nissan-techinfo.com performanceproducts.com
    rackzone.com bicycleracks.com swagman.net
    rackwarehouse.com

    btw, the PF shop manual can be obtained from nissan-techinfo.com
  • li_sailorli_sailor Member Posts: 1,081
    I've narrowed it down to 2...the BVG revolution (with add'l 2 bike adapter + anti-wobble totals $250 at atthemart.com) and the SportWorks Mod (2 bike for about $215 or 3 bike for about $300 from a local dealer). The BVG swings out to allow access to the hatch without removing the bikes and it's very solid and holds 4 bikes for $250. The Sportworks is also solid, holds the bikes by the wheels only (no scratching!) but you have to remove the bikes to access the hatch (even then the racks are in the way) and they're more expensive. Any opinions? Probably going to go with the BVG, but looking for advice.

    I have a url list of 18 hitch racks that I found...if there's interest, I'll post those here, too.

    Tom
  • crikeycrikey Member Posts: 1,041
    I'm interested in a hard-shell rooftop container for my 2001 Pathfinder LE. Anyone have any recommendations/leads? Thanks.
  • xplorx4xplorx4 Member Posts: 621
    I know this isn't necessarily Pathfinder-related, but I have owned several hitch-mounted bike racks that suspend the bikes from the top tube on the bike frame. Only the swing out carriers have the advantage of allowing access to the rear hatch.
    However, any rack that supports the bike from the frame will
    a) cause the bikes to swing back and forth during braking and acceleration, causing scratches or damage to the bikes or the vehicle bumper and
    b) not accomodate bikes with small, "women's style," or other unique frame shapes.

    I've also had racks that require removal of the front bike tire(s), and then you have to not only put a dirty bike tire in your truck, you have to hassle with removing and replacing the tire (which is also a dirty process).

    I'm rambling, but I've found that the inconvenience of not being able to open the rear hatch is outweighed by the convenience of having a rack that is incredibly quick and easy to use. Besides, the rear glass is still openable on the Pathfinder, so you can still reach in and get to stuff.

    Just my $0.02, er $2.00
  • plwilliamsplwilliams Member Posts: 96
    Crikey,
    Let us know what you decide on a top carrier. I've had one of those cheap Sears boxes for a few years and really prefer the hard box to the soft. But, the el cheapo Sears box let water in on my last trip and I'm ready to upgrade. I've looked at the Yakima and Thule and they both look good. I'm leaning toward the Yakima Rocketbox primarily because of price and capacity. I also think I'll change to the appropriate rack system as well.
  • li_sailorli_sailor Member Posts: 1,081
    So it seems you recommend the SportWorks Mod over the BVG...ok. Couple of notes...I agree about the problem of swinging bikes - but the BVG has this bar (anti-wobble) that attaches to the wheels of each bike and is supposed to prevent that. And I'm imagining that it's not as easy to get to stuff thru the glass and I would think that the rack (even without the bikes) would be in the way of your feet...do you find this isn't a problem? (I believe you have the SportWorks, right?).

    In any case, thanks for the info.
  • xplorx4xplorx4 Member Posts: 621
    Li sailor, yes, I have the Sportworks rack. The rack keeps the bikes just far enough away to allow access to the rear glass. Sure, it's a little more inconvenient to get between the bikes and the hatch, but it's still possible.

    I guess it comes down to this: If you run errands that require access to the rear, while you're carrying bikes frequently, then the extra hassle of hanging the bikes, strapping or clamping them on, and securing them to the lower bracket that prevents swinging is outweighed by the convenience of swinging out the rack.

    However, if the stuff you need to get to in the cargo area is just helmets, gloves, water bottles and packs (i.e. stuff for bike-riding) then just unload the bikes first. When you're done, put the gear in the truck first, then load the bikes.

    This has worked great for me.

    But, keep doing some more research. There may be a number of other types of bike racks on the market that work for your application better. Sportworks and BVG are only two manufacturers. There are a lot of other styles of racks out there now. My Sportworks rack is over 2 years old already, so there weren't as many alternatives available at that time.
  • li_sailorli_sailor Member Posts: 1,081
    xplorx4 - thanks for the helpful info (yet again). I understand...I'll just have to make up my mind.

    As far as researching more, I stopped after selecting 18 'contenders' (while rejecting many others) so I'm done there. The sportsworks is pretty unique - the only similar one is performance's Xport universal tray hitch. But it attaches via the fork, not the front wheel which I didn't like and it didn't seem as solid. Cheap, though...$99/3 bikes. All the others are variations on the BVG theme and I have no doubt that the BVG one is the best of those. thanks again.
  • li_sailorli_sailor Member Posts: 1,081
    On to the next item, cargo liners. I have found 5 that look good, some of which have been mentioned in the main list:

    1) Husky/$63 at central4wd.com
    2) Cargo Protector/$78 at irontoad.com
    3) Highland Custom Fit Floor Liner/$80 at autobarn.com
    4) Cargo Organizer/$87 at irontoad.com and
    5) Black Armor Cargo Area Floor Liner/$60 at jcwhitney.com.

    Only numbers 2,3 and 5 have cutouts for hooks. Numbers 3 and 5 look identical, the only ones to extend up the back of the rear seats. The Cargo Organizer (#4) has a sectionalized piece that lies on top of part of the liner and is removable. Only numbers 1, 2 & 4 have a lip on the edges to help with spills. They all are 'rinseable' plastic/rubber with no carpet (my requirement).

    Here are the URLs:
    1)www.central4wd.com/gocart/itemdetail.asp?ID=210
    2)www.irontoad.com/n_associated.htm
    3)www.autobarn.net/rodi/higcusfitflo.html
    4)www.irontoad.com/n_associated.htm
    5)www.jcwhitney.com/item.jhtml?ITEMID=19459

    Questions: 1) Does anyone know whether the Highland and the Black armor are the same item? Or how good they are? 2) Has anyone bought one of these and thought that they were too 'flimsy' or had other flaws?
    I have heard from several listers that were happy with the Husky liner and the Cargo Organizer.

    Any feedback on any of these would be appreciated.
  • paco99paco99 Member Posts: 25
    Although I didn't look at the other sites listed, I did look at JCWhitney's site and found several more than the one you mentioned. To find them, one has to go thru their product listing, some can't be seen via their search of product number.

    1) # 19459: doesn't have "sidewall" pieces and apparently doesn't have any type of edging/wall up to catch spills.

    2) #96173: "CargoLiner" comes in 2 versions: full (#41020: $ 115.) and shorter size (#41043: $ 75.); nothing mentioned about "cutouts"; 3 colors; "full" covers sides, back of seats & cargo area w/velcro fasteners; "shorter" version covers cargo floor and back of seat; no sides; apparently, neither have "cutout holes" and maybe no edges to catch spills....

    I don't think it's so bad if a liner doesn't have the cutout holes; one can always do it with a scissor....without them, no water gets underneath.....

    Page 39 of their Feb 2001 catalog has pics of the liners.
  • li_sailorli_sailor Member Posts: 1,081
    Paco99 - yes, yes there are MANY other cargo liners out there including ones at the sites I mentioned...this is a list of what I thought were the best ones...biased by my opinion, of course.

    The one from JCWhitney with the cutouts is SKU 81ZX9965X which you can find from the search or you can use the URL I supplied in post #33. The ones you mention are lighter duty ones that I saw but didn't include...the URL for those two is http://www.jcwhitney.com/product.jhtml?CATID=96173


    I agree that not having cutouts is no big deal...several folks that got the Husky did that. I don't know how useful the hooks/cutouts will be...this is one of the things I'm looking for advice on.
  • crikeycrikey Member Posts: 1,041
    The Thule boxes look OK too. However, I notice that both Thule and Yakima require modification to the existing factory roof rack. Or am I mistaken? I prefer not to modify the roof rack.
  • crikeycrikey Member Posts: 1,041
    I kinda like the Thule Excursion, Thule Weekender, or Yakima SpaceCadet. I prefer the box to be within the roof of the vehicle, not too excited about the box protruding, which seems to be what the Rocketbox would be.
  • plwilliamsplwilliams Member Posts: 96
    From what info I've gotten so far, it looks like with the Yakima system (and IIRC, the Thule as well) they make towers that fit the existing factory installed tracks. That being the case, no modification is necessary, just replacement of the towers and cross bars. I guess you would consider this a modification but, it gives you the flexibility to easily use their other products including their fairing to reduce wind noise.

    One of the two (I can't remember which) told me that their box can be attached directly to the factory crossbars with the included hardware.

    I'm not sure about the box protruding. It seems to me that would depend on where you placed the towers/cross bars on the track. Oh well.... something else to research ;-). Maybe one of our fellow townhallers has some info on this.
  • mbuntingmbunting Member Posts: 158
    Just wanted to chime in with my experiences.

    I purchased both the Rear & Side wind deflectors from a dealer (didn't want to wait) who had them in stock last month. I have a 01' Sierra Silver LE and I think this really makes the PF look even sharper (If that's possible?).
  • li_sailorli_sailor Member Posts: 1,081
    Was the rear deflector the kind where it attaches via the rear hatch hinges? How does the color match with the silver?
  • crikeycrikey Member Posts: 1,041
    The Yakima and Thule sites had some pictures of certain boxes mounted on roof racks and it seems that most of them protrude at the back. I guess it's not a big deal but my preference is for a box that fits the roof.

    So, if one does purchase one of these boxes, one would need attachments that would enable it to be mounted -- replace crossbars and towers? So, the factory crossbars and towers are not usable in conjunction to these boxes? That would kinda suck.
  • crikeycrikey Member Posts: 1,041
    I saw this and I guess you're right, it really depends how the cargo box is mounted. (Granted the picture is not a PF, but you get the idea).
  • jeff173jeff173 Member Posts: 2
    Hi guys!
    I'm changing out the water pump on an '86 6 cyl pathfinder in a day or two and while I'm at it I'm going to change out the timing belt as well, since it has to be removed to reach the pump. I can't find a repair manual so I don't know what to align the valve gear timing marks (twin cam) up with. Does anyone have an answer. Thanks ------------ Jeff
  • plwilliamsplwilliams Member Posts: 96
    I can't remember which, but one of the two can attach directly to the factory rack & crossbars with the included hardware. You can call Thule at 800-238-2388 and Yakima at 888-925-0703. I found both to be informative and they can tll you if theirs will work. Thanks for the link to the picture. That was what I remembered the fit to look like, and remember that our PF's are longer than the MDX.
  • li_sailorli_sailor Member Posts: 1,081
    Ordered Cargo Organizer & rear window deflector from irontoad yesterday. They called me to say that because of its size, UPS must charge $30 to ship the organizer so he said "at that cost you should get it from your dealer"...so I cancelled the organizer. Just wondering...has anyone found a place to ship it at a reasonable cost?
  • xplorx4xplorx4 Member Posts: 621
    For those of you who have installed the Air Lift springs to supplement your rear coils on 96-01 Pathfinders, I have some questions:

    1) Which kit did you get? (Airlift1000, or "Outback Special" which includes Load Controller II)

    2) Did it include the compressor?

    3) Where is the compressor mounted?

    4) Where is the air pressure gauge located?

    5) What's involved with the installation?

    6) If no compressor, how do you adjust or monitor the spring air pressure?

    7) Who has the best price for the required kit?

    8) Who did the installation?


    http://www.airliftcompany.com/outback.htm


    Any comments would be greatly appreciated, since I'm growing weary of bottoming out my rear springs. Thanks.

  • johnskevjohnskev Member Posts: 98
    finally, after searching every day for 3 weeks i've finally found a nissan hitch cover (i've actually been looking for an infiniti one, and i'll continue to look, i just had to let people know about this). check out this page, and go towards the bottom and you'll see the three nissan choices:

    http://www.hitchcorner.com/accent_hitch_covers.htm

    too bad there isn't a pathfinder one, only xterra. i'm just happy i found something.


    kj

  • hasanashasanas Member Posts: 19
    Anyone know what's the best grille guard to get and where I can find it.
    I don't want to go to the dealer, since the dealer normally charges a very high price.
    Also, does anyone know how difficult it is to install.

    Thanks.
  • hasanashasanas Member Posts: 19
    1) I have an automatic transmisson, so what type of engine does the car have, the
    VQ35DE or the VG33E? Also, what's the difference between these 2 types of engines?
    Also, what type of octane rating should you put in?

    2) Is there a website where I can get all of the commands for the audio controls on the steering wheel. Or can someone just send me an email with the answers.

    My email is hasanas@hotmail.com

    Thanks.
  • crikeycrikey Member Posts: 1,041
    All your questions are answered by the owner's manual.
  • justatoyjustatoy Member Posts: 2
    I was wondering if any of you have purchased a custom fit windshield sun shield for a 01 pathfinder. Unfortunately mine sits outside at work mon-fri and I don't want the sun to "cook" the interior.
    Also what have you all been using to protect dash and leather, I have been using Vinylex on dash and door panels and Lexol on seats. Any pros or cons?
This discussion has been closed.