Abu Dhabi Off-Road Club Forums

Dear marshals and experts,

I have a pathfinder when car coming down from any dunes either it go left or right.

Before i thought as everybody says about ABS so i installed an ABS switch as well. But once ABS is deactivated its even slide more.

The only option i use to remain in control of my car that i accelerate it until its straight again.

Is there any modification or driver skills needed to avoid this situation ?

I had few drives with dodge before and i use L2 when coming down and it always comes easily down without having any slides...but pathfinder seems to have an issue.

Appreciated in advance for any help.

For future projects on pathfinder i want to install lift kit as well so if any suggestion or recommended shops .

sent from my PLUS ONE.

Hi Shahidsaif

There could be many reasons why your vehicle would slide at the back.

It would be difficult to give proper advice without seeing the car in action.

The most likely reason is the rear suspension, check all the rubber bushes at the rear.

How does it drive on the street, on roundabouts ?.

Testinwork

shahidsaif wrote:Dear marshals and experts,

I have a pathfinder when car coming down from any dunes either it go left or right.

Before i thought as everybody says about ABS so i installed an ABS switch as well. But once ABS is deactivated its even slide more.

The only option i use to remain in control of my car that i accelerate it until its straight again.

Is there any modification or driver skills needed to avoid this situation ?

I had few drives with dodge before and i use L2 when coming down and it always comes easily down without having any slides...but pathfinder seems to have an issue.

Appreciated in advance for any help.

For future projects on pathfinder i want to install lift kit as well so if any suggestion or recommended shops .

sent from my PLUS ONE.

I suspect it's not a mechanical issue with your car (if it drives fine normally) just a transition from your previous dodge which had a lot more weight, longer wheelbase and different gearing.

Best to ask a marshal to observe you on medium to longer descent on a future trip - with the right gear selection and very limited or no braking then your slight acceleration should be enough to correct any sliding (which every car does to some extent if on a sand descent without enough momentum, wheels/car not straight or using brakes).

I'm sure you'll get it sorted soon! For entry level lift springs and shocks try Ironman (DOLLAR Auto works in dubai), ARB or TJM in mussafah.

Bro
Same thing used to happen with me

I used to keep the steering straight and sligltly accelerate.
As soon as i reached down i would apply breaks.

I advise trial and error method as this will help u know abt ur car.

Person i recommend abu halawa he is using this car he can guide you.


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Ray1 thank you very much for sparing time to reply on my post, I dont have L2 in this car, so i use first gear and make sure car is very very slow when i am entering to descent, breaks i forget bcoz i am accelerating it slow slowly or if sliding to one side more than a dangerous level so i accelerate it even more .

Abdullah1234 first of all thank you very much for sharing your experience with pathfinder, send me please Abu Halawa number or location i will try to contact them for lift kit.

My pathfinder is totally off road car, i dont use it for daily life. I have another porsche Cayyan Turbo, which i assumed will be very good in sand. But first two trips caused me more money than a price of pathfinder so someone suggested me to buy pathfinder.


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As said above its hard to judge unless I drive the car
But couple of questions might narrow down the solutionstreet

1: pathfinder year make ? Why , to know if you have
Rear solid a axel or independent one

2: if solid, did you ever checked the alignment ,
and I'm not talking about the tires alignment (it can cause
Such symptoms though) I'm talking about the rear axle alignment. In ano easy exercise let somebody drive behind you
On a highway and observe if the tail is deviated from the nose

2: according to the model you might have a HDC Hill descent control which interfere by breaking to help the driver not to slip
While downhill, on sand this will be totally against you

3 ; when you correct the car direction, does it slip again or
IT continues straight to the end ?
Jalal

Opsss jalal, too much technical questions... as per my knowledge car model is 2001, it has only one gear, which i dont know its H4 or L2 . On road even if i left the steering wheel still it goes straight... yes i understand your question but this thing i will ask somebody to drive behind my car and notice it.

HDC i dont have in this model, if any pathfinder have than suggest me i will buy that specific model,

My motive is to spend money on the car if its good to keep upto professional level.... if it cant help me than better i change the before spending money on it...

Alternative option i am looking for nissan petrol 1999 to 2004 SWB as well.


sent from my PLUS ONE.

Testinwork wrote:Hi Shahidsaif

There could be many reasons why your vehicle would slide at the back.

It would be difficult to give proper advice without seeing the car in action.

The most likely reason is the rear suspension, check all the rubber bushes at the rear.

How does it drive on the street, on roundabouts ?.

Testinwork

I planned to make trip with george as i know you were coming there.... so i was sure you can help me with the car ... but than suddenly my friends change mind and they forced to join dave trip....

Hope so see you seen if pathfinder alive upto than.... as today it admitted in hospital again, may be car mind this thing that i went to Al Ain to check one more pathfinder 2005 model. I thought its better to buy 2005 GCC specification good car and than i start modification on it... so my car dont like this idea so it got heat up with anger.... so now its in hospital again...

As soon as it comes back than i will make some plan to meet you some where...

As long as sliding concerns it made me worried last time as car went totally one side and brings me in very awkward position, it might rollover if its slide little more, it seems like i am not going towards down as car was trying to face up.... although i know its habit so i take extra care when i reached on the top edge to make sure speed is really really very slow.. all the breaking function i apply only on the top before entering decent dunes...



sent from my PLUS ONE.

Just small notice it might help you as you still newbie and may not aware of all the rules.
1.Before descending sharp soft face of the dune you have to make the wheel straight and go only with ur car gravity.
2. Use the 1st gear and 1 4L preferred for medium and big slip faces .
3. Never ever apply hard brake to slow down the car as this will cause the rotation of the car and would cause bad situations if you are descending with high speed or doing side slopes.
4. You are right about accelerating the car to re adjust the rotation but keep in mind the acceleration would be limited and controlled by the low gear to avoid the use of brakes.
5. Investigate to ensure no mechanical issue with ur car

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Agreed with above.

First check mechanical issue.
Second I use lowest gear when descending if in high or sometimes second to keep engine braking.

Third, if there is a chance on next drive ask a marshal to observe the car and maybe offer on site comments.

Quite often car feels as if it's doing more than it actually is. Just like being parked at strange angle, feels dangerous in the car but if you get out its not as bad.


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On your next trip you could ask a marshal to drive your car down a few slopes with you as passenger and understand the cause of this issue.
I hope you find the solution soon

shahidsaif wrote:Opsss jalal, too much technical questions... as per my knowledge car model is 2001, it has only one gear, which i dont know its H4 or L2 . On road even if i left the steering wheel still it goes straight... yes i understand your question but this thing i will ask somebody to drive behind my car and notice it.

HDC i dont have in this model, if any pathfinder have than suggest me i will buy that specific model,

My motive is to spend money on the car if its good to keep upto professional level.... if it cant help me than better i change the before spending money on it...

Alternative option i am looking for nissan petrol 1999 to 2004 SWB as well.


sent from my PLUS ONE.

If you are planning to continue driving out there, my advice
Get another car, not saying pathfinder is not good but always older models are done already and you end up spending time and money on repairing more than a monthly installment,
Also keep in mind having a mechanical problem in the desert
Is not funny.

If you are planning to fix the car to its "perfect" condition, you'll end up paying much more than a newer model

Jalal

SCORPIO wrote:

shahidsaif wrote:Opsss jalal, too much technical questions... as per my knowledge car model is 2001, it has only one gear, which i dont know its H4 or L2 . On road even if i left the steering wheel still it goes straight... yes i understand your question but this thing i will ask somebody to drive behind my car and notice it.

HDC i dont have in this model, if any pathfinder have than suggest me i will buy that specific model,

My motive is to spend money on the car if its good to keep upto professional level.... if it cant help me than better i change the before spending money on it...

Alternative option i am looking for nissan petrol 1999 to 2004 SWB as well.


sent from my PLUS ONE.

If you are planning to continue driving out there, my advice
Get another car, not saying pathfinder is not good but always older models are done already and you end up spending time and money on repairing more than a monthly installment,
Also keep in mind having a mechanical problem in the desert
Is not funny.

If you are planning to fix the car to its "perfect" condition, you'll end up paying much more than a newer model

Jalal

Sorry for a little late reply as i lost this thread and luckily i found it again.

You answer to first question to get another car... I was really laughing when i read that to get another car.... Actually i have Porche cayyan Turbo, i went with that car in desert and it cost me 3500aed for a very small trip. As air intake sensors stops working and small other issues which even stops the car, each air intake sensor cost me 1500aed from Porche agency.

Than one of my friend given me advice that buy another car dont bring porche again... I did the same and bought dodge durango... As it seems like monster, i thought every car which higher than ground and have 4x4 is good for desert. Than some marshel brings to me this information that its heavy car, and i did experiment of it as well when all climb easily and i am forcing car too much to climb a stiff dunes... Than again someone suggested me buy a pathfinder its light in weight... I bought pathfinder and found another trouble with this car which i didnt experience in my old cars...

And now back to the question that why i was laughing after reading your comments... Bcoz i was little late in reading that as i bought another pathfinder as well, ( yesterday and today finished the registration late at night 2am from abu dhabi muroor which took my sleep and sahoor time as well) and when i came back to home and trying to relax i read your comment to buy another car,,,, hahahahah i hope so you will understand my situation now....

Why i bought another pathfinder... As i have before 2002 pathfinder and i want to make some modification on it like lift kit, skid plates so one of my friend suggested me dont spend too much on this car as its american better buy a GCC specification car and 2005 model as it was the last model in that specific shape which is compatible with desert... So i bought 2005 GCC specification car...

Now coming Saturday 02 July will be the first trip with this new pathfinder and i will observe the same question i raised in start.... If it slides the same way than i think i will be sure its problem with car... And if its not than i think it might be the alignment issue with the old car.. Anyhow i will keep the other pathfinder for few weeks to make sure which one is best among them and than do the modification on that car...

Mean time if there is any suggestion or advices from all AD4x4 Marshals, Experts, members and newbie will be welcome.

This car will be totally for off road purpose, i will just start it when ever ad4x4 announces trips so i am not looking for any highway tip as like tyre noise or any other thing which i may not know at this level... So advice me purely for offroad, my idea is to have a car for long run offroad career.

One more thing in old car i installed a switch for ABS off, do i really need to do in this car as well ? As i didnt felt any difference at this stage either its ABS is on or off.





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Congrats on your new ride

* in a safe area try pressing the brake hardly
If the ABS interfered then go for a switch

* before start talking about mods, drive your car
For few trips if you are happy with it and it's free
Of problems then start planning your mods

Jalal

SCORPIO wrote:Congrats on your new ride

* in a safe area try pressing the brake hardly
If the ABS interfered then go for a switch

* before start talking about mods, drive your car
For few trips if you are happy with it and it's free
Of problems then start planning your mods

Jalal

Yes this was my plan as well to find out the difference in both cars and once satisfied any one of it than go for modification on it... Thats why i have plan to keep the other one for few weeks as well...

Thank you very much for your support... Its always nice to talk with you.


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