Completed Project Kirby's Navajo Next Level

So I haven't been posting much or working on the Navajo. I have been wheeling some and dirtbiking alot and just not doing much new stuff to the truck. Anyway, I have been gathering parts and need to do some wrenching and take it to the next level. I did add a new door last night! The old one wouldn't roll up due to the new dents. Partly from Independance trail, partly from an encounter with a tree snow wheeling!

Here's the new parts going in:

1) 8.8 New Axle- The old one has some ghetto brackets and the pinion bearing is toast. I paid a guy to setup the gears and he must have set the pinion preload with an impact or something. I need to do something about this soon!

2) 8.8 Detroit EZ Locker Got it cheap

3) Dana 44 Detroit Electrac Its a gear driven posi until you push the button, then it is a spool. Got it Cheap

4) New Front Bumper. Got a Warn X8000I mounted up, now it needs some tube to keep the grill off the rocks!

5) Wristed Arm- Picked one up a guy built and didn't use for cheap. I need to redo the welds because I don't trust him.

Pics:
Parts:

Winch Mount ( I think I need to make a thread For this)

Side View

Top View

 

[SteveG3]

Speaking of.............(towards bottom of page)
http://www.autofab.com/ranger_motor_mounts.htm

These don't look too hard to fabricate. I bet you could do it for less than $10.00 in bushings / metal. Those Autofab people think their stuff must be made out of gold or something...
JC Whitney has the basic mounts for cheap.
We should all get together and buy a set of the Autobab mounts, then use them as a template for making our own mounts. Since it was my idea, I get to keep the original mounts.....HE HE.
Oh, Energy suspension makes your basic transmission poly mount, but I have one and it flexed so much I had to put in that torque arm.

Even as desensitized as I am to the shameless ways of the general population, it still surprises me at how blatant people are about cheating or stealing as long as it benefits them.

For those wondering about the Autofab mounts, I've owned several sets and have been super happy with them. They install easily and hold up to some pretty serious abuse.

Kirby, nice job on the engine mounts. Cheap and easy. I like it!

 

[Dannyboy]

ooohhh, Officer Kennedy isn't going to like being called a thief. He's doing R&D (Ripoff and Duplicating).

 

[kert0307]

Even as desensitized as I am to the shameless ways of the general population, it still surprises me at how blatant people are about cheating or stealing as long as it benefits them.

For those wondering about the Autofab mounts, I've owned several sets and have been super happy with them. They install easily and hold up to some pretty serious abuse.

Kirby, nice job on the engine mounts. Cheap and easy. I like it!

I highly doubt there is anything patented on those mounts, they are very basic. Therefore, there is nothing wrong with copying them for yourself...

Think about this, Autofab had to measure and copy the Ford mounting points to come up with their own mounts, does this mean they are stealing form Ford?

 

[Dannyboy]

In all honesty, Steve has a good point. I'm a huge supporter of autofab although I haven't bought anything from them. I bought a truck with their suspension and have been amazed at the quality and performance.

Autofab IS VERY expensive but when there is such little demand for the products he builds, you need to pay a premium to make it worth your time. If more people bought his suspension instead of the cheap skyjacker/superlift that don't perform 1/3 as well his prices would come down.

For that kind of money I'm the kind of guy who would also rather figure it out on my own, but I also know that if you bought those mounts there is very little chance that you would damage them vs. the set I'd try to whip up.

It's an ongoing issue I've seen on this board for years. Everybody want's aftermarket support but nobody wants to pay for it when good products are available.

[/hijack]

 

[SteveG3]

I highly doubt there is anything patented on those mounts, they are very basic. Therefore, there is nothing wrong with copying them for yourself...

Ha! Great logic. You're absolutely right. There is no patent on those, so copy away. Morals schmorals!

Think about this, Autofab had to measure and copy the Ford mounting points to come up with their own mounts, does this mean they are stealing form Ford?

Right. Completely redesigning a product to be stronger and more durable than the original is the same as copying.

I tip my hat to your lack of shame, kert. Very impressive!

Kirby, sorry for the tangent. I'll let it go. Keep up the good work.

 

[Kirby N.]

Hmm. I am a ordained minister (not that it means anything to anyone), but I am not sure I want to weigh in on this...

I appreciate your conviction steve, but I am a little learly of your legalistic enforcement of it on others.

Anyway- We will see if the Advanced Auto specials hold up. I am definately running Holy Cross in 2 weeks (no pun intended).

 

[RockRanger]

Its a leaf spring bushing and a few tabs of metal. Yeah all the *******s that build motor mounts using that method are copying Autofab. I know Autofab makes nice products and they are very proud of them as well. Good thing they have a bunch of nutswingers that will buy there stuff.

Steve do me a favor and do not search for the thread where I built my own transmission mount. I do not want you telling me I am immoral for using leafsprings bushings and some steel. After all the holes on the top and bottom are the same as well.

I hope your solution works Kirby.

 

[DB_1]

Ok, drill a couple speed holes to make them different then:

Bottom line is if you have the ability and tools to build your own motor mounts like Autofab's then why not? I certainly wouldn't lose sleep if I built my own copy's vs. paying a couple hundred bucks for Autofab's.

Seems like BKennedy's statement really struck a chord, but if you know him like most of us do you'll know it was mostly in jest. I doubt anyone here would mass produce motor mounts for their own financial gain. I think it's safe to say a lot of us are fabricating stuff just for ourselves
because it's cheaper than paying someone else to do it. Buying brackets/tabs/motor mounts/etc. is part of that process...is it cheaper to buy a part or make it yourself?

 

[IZwack]

...it still surprises me at how blatant people are about cheating or stealing as long as it benefits them.

If the attribute of being blatant surprises you, then turn down the "darkness" on your monitor settings and slowly increase it until it reaches normal levels. Doing so should conceal the blatancy for a bit and also allows you to control the rate at which you ingest the blatancy of people.

 

[Dannyboy]

alright guys, give this a rest. SteveG is a good guy, I've gained a lot from him on other boards and I wouldn't mind seeing more information from him instead of threads about torsion twists and 31s.

 

[DB_1]

alright guys, give this a rest.

You're right, Kirby isn't using the Autofab mounts so this shouldn't even be an issue.

Kirby, carry on

 

[Kirby N.]

Motor mounts worked great. Got up to Holy Cross this weekend. Here are some pics.
Phils Bronco got some 6.5" EB BC bronco springs too. It was way, way too stiff. Much better now though. Traveled awesome. No broken motor mounts too! Redriverranger is a rockstar!

 

[Dannyboy]

AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME!

I love Holy Cross, likely because I drove 16 hours to do that plus a couple other trails 7 years ago. One of the most scenic places on earth.

You guys go to Holy Cross city or above on Cleveland Rock?

 

[BKennedy]

Great Pic's Kirby, wish I was there.
As for Steve; No one was talking about stealing anything, since Autofab is not the original designer of that type of engine mount, I guess they are thieves according to your logic. No one was talking about any for profit anything, and it was in jest.
If we are going to go that way, you need to sign up for elite status so you do not "steal" from this web sight.

 

[Dannyboy]

 

[Kirby N.]

AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME!

I love Holy Cross, likely because I drove 16 hours to do that plus a couple other trails 7 years ago. One of the most scenic places on earth.

You guys go to Holy Cross city or above on Cleveland Rock?

Yep we made it to the city this time and to clevland. We looked at cleveland and laughed then turned around and left. Last time I was there I smoked my clutch at french creek and turned around. It was a blessing too because my truck died as soon as I exited the trail. I mean as soon. my shock hoop rubbed through a vital red wire! I ended up wrenching all night then getting towed home. Figured it out after Jaime told me what was wrong!!!

Here is the only pic I have of the city I think my sister has more...

 

[colindo94]

haha gota love it

 

[Gambit606]

hey kirby, i was wondering what you thought of the wild horses 5.5 inch coils. I am doing the same setup on my navajo but i put my coil buckets alot lower than where you have them. I am also going with the 37 inch mtr's, and hoping that they will compress enough to stuff the tire. what do you have setup for the rear? i was thinking chevy 64 inch leafs with 2 inch shackles. maybe you have something similar?


by the way does anybody here live in washington state jee whiz. lol

 

[Kirby N.]

I ran the WH 5.5" springs and I think they suck. I heard alot of people say the liked them, so I had them on first. IMHO the progressive rate spring is hype on this length/ size of spring. The WH springs were soft for the initial few inches, but it sagged and settled out of them. Not only that, before they were sacked, they were still harsh because that first few inches got soaked up so fast.

I ran my springs because I think a longer spring nets better travel then a shorter spring mounted differently for the same ride height. I am pretty happy with how mine drives and travels. If I were you, I would use BC broncos 5.5" spring way before I spent my money on more WH coils. I have been extremely happy with the ride on mine, the flex, the longevity, and the resistance to settling. Chuck at BC just changed vendors on his springs, but when we ordered the ones on the bronco a month ago he assured us that they were the same specs. We are every bit as happy with his new vendor. The springs on the bronco are soo nice and identicle to my older ones.

When my ranger gets its solid axle it will get 4.5" or 5.5" BC springs.

 

[Dannyboy]

by the way does anybody here live in washington state jee whiz. lol

Look up Diff Wack Daddy, that will be all you need to know to get in more than enough trouble with fabricating and wheeling.