FAKRWEE Navajo 44 swap

[FAKRWEE]

And in honor of the good Doc I'm posting his Heep. There's rumors he might swap it for an Explorer

 

[FAKRWEE]

Here you can see why. Thanks DOC.

 

[Grape Ape]

Thanks for the pics of the engine crossmember. Those will help mucho!
It looks like they used some 3/4" or 1" tubing. Looks real clean.
And again, sweet setup. Can't wait to see some action pics!
Now I just have to get mine done!

Dean

 

[ALYZ1FLR]

Posted earlier in thread

Alot earlier in this thread I had asked a question about the crossmember. Why not make the engine crossmember a bolt in two or three piece? , removable center section. Without suspension parts hanging on it, it looks like it could be channeled with a removable center section so oil pan could be removed. And create alot more space. Y both sides with flat or u style bolt in center section???

 

[Grape Ape]

Hey ALYZ1FLR,

Yes, that is possible, and would be a good idea, as far as oil pan access is concerned. The lower removable section would need to be strong, since the engine mounts are attached to the upper portion of the existing crossmember. As long as the forward most crossmember (just behind the bumper) is retained or replaced, I don't see why it wouldn't work.
Actually, I might just do that with mine!

Dean

 

[FAKRWEE]

Hey AL, we thought about it, but to have one made was just going to be too costly for me in manhours vs how many times do you have to pull the oil pan. In 35 years I've never had to remove the oilpan in any of my rigs.
If your doing it yourself and know what your doing it's doable. I had to cut cost somewhere. One thing about having someone do your rig is cost overruns are crazy

Good luck Dean. When are you posting some pics

 

[Grape Ape]

Hey Tom,

I'll be posting pics when I get my web site updated. For now there are just some older pic:
Dead Link Removed

I just moved the truck from my driveway into my friends shop. We'll be doing the steering and trackbar this weekend, plus some other things.

I will try to get some pics soon and someone can post them for me.

Dean

 

[FAKRWEE]

Great looking site Dean. When you get a thread going send me the pics and I'll post them for you.

 

[Kirby N.]

tom, what are you doing for a sparetire?

Again, that is the coolest rig on here!

 

[FAKRWEE]

Thanks Kirby. I don't know where I'm putting the spare yet. I'd like to keep it inside for balance.

The Doc just sent me these new pics.

 

[FAKRWEE]

another.

 

[FAKRWEE]

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[FAKRWEE]

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[JoshC]

Very impressive Tom, what is the advantage of using dual shocks in the rear?

Happy trails!!

 

[FAKRWEE]

Thanks Josh.
I use the double shocks to control body sway on the navajo. Being a 2 door it tends to sway a little more than 4 doors. On my old set up I had 2 shocks on each corner all the way around and didn't need sway bars even with the 35's. Another thing that helped avoid body sway was installing the gas tank in the rear where the spare used to go. Rock Krawling is little things that just add up.

 

[RangerX]

I just got home from going up to LA with Tom to pick up his Navajo. And I gotta tell ya, it looks good in the pictures, but it's absolutely insane in person!

 

[FAKRWEE]

Thanks Ranger for the favor. I owe you one. Maiden voyage will be T-H next week.

 

[zensius]

Well, I read all 13 pages of this thread and I'm jealous and confused. First was this truck IFS originally not TTB? And if it was actually a ttb and IFS was just a typo how much of the custom work is REQUIRED to make a SAS work (bare minimum). I've got a chance to do a SAS with a 9inch in the rear as well. Why doesn't anybody do this? Any finally what what the final tally? You've got a great rig going I hope it serves you well!

 

[Rick]

Originally posted by zensius
I've got a chance to do a SAS with a 9inch in the rear as well. Why doesn't anybody do this?

Because a SAS only affects the front axle Swapping the rear is not nessasary. Besides the 8.8" is a very strong axle which can handle 37's in stock form.

 

[zensius]

Rick, I understand that the 8.8 is plenty strong enough but the advantage to using the 9 is that
1. it's the same width as the d44 that I was gonna leave uncut.
2. It's already got the matching gearset in it.
3. It's basically free with my d44.