Completed Project Kirby's Navajo Next Level

[RockRanger]

You will love that doubler. Single best mod I need to my truck.

 

[Kirby N.]

You will love that doubler. Single best mod I need to my truck.

Thanks for the motivation, Matt!!!

Here is the doubler all cut up:

Cuts smoothed out and cut to the right depth, block off plates trimmed to fit, and the area all cleaned up with a wire brush. Should be ready for welding:

 

[Kirby N.]

oooh build me one build me one! LOL

doubler = whole new ball game on the trail for you! I remember the look on HVAC's face in Moab when he first installed his Atlas T case (tractor gears) he climber right up rock chucker like it was nothing. You are going to have the same look wheeling before doubler and after doubler is like going from open to locked!

I may have been in moab that time. I ran into clint when I was in moab right after my sas. It was labor day like 2004. Rad truck.

Come to EJS with us jaime and tell me if I have that look!:

 

[Kirby N.]

Here it is all welded up. In the first it looks like there is a slight crater at the center seam, but it only looks that way because the weld is shiny. He charged me $40. It was worth that to me. Pretty cool watching a tig work. Today I am going to get the rest of what I can buttoned up on the doubler, then wash the truck and maybe get out the current Tcase. I am hoping it has the 6 gear planetary. Something inside it has com apart though. I think it is the shift fork.

 

[410Fortune]

NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are having a baby next month, only place I am going anytime soon is the garage! LOL

 

[colindo94]

sweet tigs. Good to see your making some headway.

 

[Kirby N.]

So I got both driveshafts off and the tcase out. I can't see anything wrong with this old 1354. I took it all apart and I don't see anything wrong with it. I thought it was the shift fork because I ignorantly ran it with 1350 shift linkage and I think there was pressure on the fork all the time keeping it just out of gear. The fork looked fine. Wierd. The oil did look like glitter paint. I guess I need to take it down further. I need to score my brothers impact because mine is too sissy to take off the yoke bolts. Maybe it is the fork that does the front output and chain.

 

[slammer67]

Are you doing your own R/p? Do you have parts yet?

I have the parts- the r& p are already in the truck, I bought the axles that way, but a local shop supposedly did the install but botched it up - they put the side shims on the outside of the bearings on the d44 front and they used the pinion shims to boot. When I pulled the cover the first time, all the shims were coming out from behind the bearings. I have the install kit and dial indicator, but need a press and in/lb wrench, etc to do myself.

I've never done r&p install so I may just hire it out

 

[slammer67]

on my doubler, I had probs with the 1350 shift setup too. after the plastic shift pads wore down, the collar would chew into the shift fork and I would get the glitter oil too.

There's a discussion on rrorc about it here;

http://rrorc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38533

which is where I found out about using the 1354 shift/planet setup.

I would think you'd be able to find a 1354E that doesn't shift anymore for cheap as is seams like almost everyone has had electronic shift probs at one time or another

 

[410Fortune]

I have 2-3 1354 e shift cores if you need parts

 

[Kirby N.]

on my doubler, I had probs with the 1350 shift setup too. after the plastic shift pads wore down, the collar would chew into the shift fork and I would get the glitter oil too.

There's a discussion on rrorc about it here;

http://rrorc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38533

which is where I found out about using the 1354 shift/planet setup.

I would think you'd be able to find a 1354E that doesn't shift anymore for cheap as is seams like almost everyone has had electronic shift probs at one time or another

I will email you on r/p parts/ a shop to fix it.

I read about your doubler and its issues earlier. That is why I was thinking of putting in a late 1354 shift fork/ sun gear/ planetaries. The problems I am having are on my current 1354 non doubled tcase. It is a manual and I installed a couple of years ago. It has been making a racket and turning out some glittery oil for a while now. I figured it was the same issue as you had, but it isn't. All that stuff looks fine. As soon as I get my brothers air gun I will look into it further. Something is comming apart.

Jaime- Thanks for the offer. I chucked my original 1993 e 1354 a while ago. I am a dork! Wish I had it now! It would probably be easier for me to go get one from my local yard. I am thinking of trying to gather the parts I need only; hopefully it will be cheaper that way. This last 1350 cost me $70.

 

[Kirby N.]

Got the tranny ready to pull tonight. My bro is bringing over his impact and his muscles to help me get it out the day after tomorrow. I am going to order 3/8" heims tomorrow. They cost $8 a piece unless I buy 10, then it is $4! I have a plan for linkage I think. Now I just have to build it. Centerforce will be here tomorrow.

 

[slammer67]

yeah, I'm up late too.

thanks for the pm

heim joint linkage, interesting. If your making linkage for t/c and doubler, I bet you're using four heims - $8*4 = 32, might as well buy ten for $40

right now my doubler has a push down/pull up setup and I have the crappy e-switch for the t/c. I do have a 1354M case, but It'll have to wait until I can figure out another center console or a creative lever setup cause there's no room on the floor right now

 

[Kirby N.]

That is tight in there. I like your console though. I am not going to do a push pull setup.

I don't really like the push pull setup, though I can see how well it would work. I have to build a custom shifter for the 4x4 case anyway, I might as well build one for the front one too. I am thinking twin stick type. Looking at the cases I should be able to clock the shifter rod that controls the cam to allow the lever to move horizontally (front to back) for shifting. Then it should make it easier to build linkage. I pressed out the studs on the shifter lever and the holes are 3/8, so I should be fine with 3/8" heims. I hate heims but they should be sufficient in this application!

 

[94 Crawler]

I wish I had better pics of my shifter. Basicly I built a bracket to line up with the top left transmission to xfer case bolts, welded a 1/2 inch bolt abought 3" long from the side of the bracket for a pivot, found two 1/2" bushings at the tractor supply and pipe that the bushings would slide into. I made the shift tabs out of some flat stock 1/4" and the shift leavers out of some 5/8 or 3/4 cold roll. (I actuly used my reese hitch to shape it. I'm not worried abought bending it i'll most likely bend the linkage first also the shifter is 12" long the mechanical advantage is not great enough to cause a problem) Then I drilled the shifter top center 3/8" and welded in some 3/8 bolts I cut the heads off of. I think they were fine thread. Also at the tractor supply I found some shift knobs that fit an 8-N ford for like $5 each (nothing like keepin that ford all ford [dont tell them abought the chevy np-203 range box shhh.]) The only problem I have right now with the shifter is the one for the 203 moves to freely and I can torque on the jam nut and fix that. The twin stick for the 205 works very well.

 

[Kirby N.]

Sounds somwhat like what I want to build. I wish you had a pic too so I could steel some ideas from it! I have looked at everyones I could find.

I am planning on using the stock pivot bolt/ point on the tail housing, but shaving down 2 stock shifters so they will fit on the bolt at once. Then all thread links back to each shifting arm. I have a good idea what I want it to look like, but I may have to do it differently if it won't work out that well.

I ordered up the twin stick shifter boot from jeffs bronco graveyard tonight. Can't beat $23. Got my flywheel in. Centerforce/ other junk should be here tomorrow.

I think I will have time tomorrow I may go get the 6 gear planetary and Aerostar speedo cable at the yard tomorrow.

 

[colindo94]

Try this thread
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=215697
there is a bunch of shifter setups, including 94 crawlers.

 

[Kirby N.]

There is some good ideas on that thread. Thanks. I wonder why no one is using 2 shifters in the stock pivot? I guess I will find out!

Made some progress. Took the new main case apart and clocked the shift lever to point straight up. That should make building linkage easier. I also discovered that it has the 6 gear planetary. So that is nice. I made a trip to the junk yard.

Got a 6 gear planetary from a 1992 E1354 and a speedo cable from a 1990 4x4 aerostar. Hope that is the right one!:

Also got my clutch, thow out and pilot bearing in today.

Last of all one Big question: To clock or not to clock? anyone have any experience? Does the floor need massaging if I do? I am thinking only 1 notch. Has anyone else done it? Seems like it isn't real popular!

My brother is comming over to help pull the tranny tonight. Then I am going to relocate the gas tank rearward 1-2". By then hopefully those cute little heims will be in!

 

[james t]

I have not tried it, like an idiot i sold my doubler without ever installing it, but i will say clock it and get a flat belly if you can. That would be soooo nice.

If you need to get into the floor, maybe cut a hole and build a removable hump?

 

[Kirby N.]

If you need to get into the floor, maybe cut a hole and build a removable hump?

Agreed! It would be sweet, but I only have until easter to get it back together. I am putting in the new timken seals for the inputs/ outputs and I would like to assemble the doubler. If it is going to be more hassle, then I will skip it this time. If it would be easy enough and I might as well do it while I am designing shifters then I will go ahead with it now.