R.J.'s Elite Navajo Registry.... I Think It's About Time

Me and Jim have been a member on here for a while and haven't made an Elite Registry. so here goes!

1991 Mazda Navajo
4x4, 5spd
4.0L ohv
KKM intake
Flowmaster exhaust
Port and Polished heads

Front Suspension:
custom cut and truned, extended, and plated beams (2.5" each side)
14x2.5" King Coilovers
extended stock radius arms- from McNeil Racing
engine cage for the coilovers- from McNeil off-road
4.56 torq line gears
Trac-Lok Limited slip
Dana 44 intermediet shaft (to make up for the increased track width)
2.5x4" F-O-A bump stops
extended steering adjusters and straightened pass. side steering linkage.
stock pitman arm
1-1/4" wheels spacers (bolt pattern adaptors)

Rear Suspension:
8.8 from an 03 f-150, w/ disk brakes. Plated and welded axle tubes
Stock springs w/ spring over axle
2.0x12" Fox Reservoir shocks
custom shock mounts
4.56 Richmond gears and Detroit locker

Tires n' Rims
16x8" Mickey thompson
315/75-16 Dunlop mudd terrains
bent to crap

Interrior
Full roll cage- by McNeil off-road
eBay gauges
autozone pedals, skull mirrior, skull shift knob.
a lot of dust and dirt
air freshener that smells like soap
still no cb radio

Exterior
Front fiberglass fenders-from McNeil Racing
custom rock sliders
Pual B's old rear bumper
front bumper from Craigslist/HappyGilmore
150w KC Daylighters
functional dual hood scoops added to the stock hood
a lot of dents and scratches

i think that about covers it. i'll update when i remember anything else.

Future plans

-Transfer case doubler (already sitting in the garage)
-c5 auto trans (in the garage)
- Deaver rear springs (garage)
- bigger, better, rear shocks
- hydro rear dump stops
- track bar
- new bumper
- drive line e-brake
- rear sway bar w/ disconnects
- something to keep the front axle from drooping out going up a hill (quick tension straps?)
- removablefront and rear fenders (dzus)

Dreams..
- D44 ttb and locker front
- trussed 9inch rear
- 2.3 turbo engine
- 3 link rear
- 37" tires


Here's a link to my thread documenting the work of the car http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...d.php?t=209124

Most Recent pics. How it sits currently

 

[R.J.]

Ok so I’ll give a little history….

I first became a "lurker" on the explorer forum when I got my first explorer. i wasn't a member but I would look on the site for info and to see what other people were doing with there explorers. I was 16 at the time and had just got my first car, a 92 Ford Explorer. I loved it! it was 2wd so i wasn't really sure if i was going to make it an offroad car, but i found myself trying to find as many off-road trails as i could in big bear and had a blast off-roading. Me and my uncle Jim- who's a good friend to me and I’ve been with him at his company for years, since I was 14 I think-me, him, and another friend went to the glamis sand dunes. after that trip Jim said "hey, I want a big Bronco to go offroad in the dunes and trails".

Jim got a Bronco and the off-road bug consumed us more. we looked around at another car so that we could have two trucks on our trips, we were scared we would be stranded one day if the bronco breaks. so we found a 1991 Mazda Navajo, 4wd, stick shift, and even had all terrain tires on it. it had a blown head gasket and somehow i had the idea that me and Jim could fix that, even though my car mechanics experience was only changing a starter. since I lurked this forum quite often, I knew a navajo was the same as an explorer. And since i just rebuilt the auto trans in my explorer, I thought the stick shift was a great idea. so we picked it up for $500.

Replaced the head gasket and at the same time put an 1.5" lift we bought off eBay (1.5" springs, a-a-l, and james duff shocks) then we took it on it's first run-cleghorn. wow, that was an amazing trip. we also found out that auto hubs suck. so it really was a 2wd run. i became an EF member around this time and made it the initials of me and my uncle since it’s a joined project car. Robbie and Jim = R.J. (which also works for me since my middle initial is “j”)

Cleghorn

Not long after, the engine died on its way to the next run. Don’t know what it was but it made a lot of noise, over heated, and lost a lot of power. so we had the engine rebuilt for peace of mind. swithced the headlights withe explorer lights to get the turn signals out of the way and put a black billet grill on to match the Bronco.

out in Glamis

put a locker in the front, took it to Glamis and a few other places. we bought a 4" lift kit from someone off this site and put gears, locker, and 33" tires. the rest is just a mess of mods and tinkering.

here's a few pics of it growing up

TruckHaven- first Explorer Forum trip. put the 4" Superlift and fenders on right before

right after the new tires

in Barstow

next to my daily driver

Truck Haven

Truck Haven

Azusa Canyon

Big Bear

Big Bear

 

[R.J.]

i just painted the raw metal in the front. here's some pics

 

[Donner]

Nice! No cb antenna? How far is Lakewood from San Clmente

Interrior
Full roll cage- by McNeil off-road
eBay gauges
autozone pedals, skull mirrior, skull shift knob.
a lot of dust and dirt
air freshener that smells like soap
still no cb radio

 

[R.J.]

Nice! No cb antenna? How far is Lakewood from San Clmente

mapquest says.... "Total Estimated Time: 55 minutes
Total Estimated Distance: 48.92 miles"

 

[mounty71]

air freshener that smells like soap

Haha, the last time i was over there i meant to compliment you on that. It made the drive so much more pleasant.

 

[Dannyboy]

So, I'm looking for an update, I know this beast is getting a new rear end. What's the status of the body and windows from the layover?

Where are the rear shocks going to mount on the new axle?

What wheels?

 

[R.J.]

i've been sneaking in some time working on the nava-joe. just snapped a few pics for the build thread and i'll update the registry whenever a "change" is complete

 

[Stic-o]

Can we get a update here? I see have new wheels, are they MT C2's? How do you like them? I thinking of getting a set for the one-fitty

 

[R.J.]

Wow. Ok looks like I haven't been on here in a few years. Sadly, not a lot has changed since 09. But I will update the first post with the current setup. I think last time I was active on here I was waiting to update after the rear was set up better..... Which it never got where I wanted

but right now it's on 35" mudders, 16" MT rims, full width rear 8.8 axle from an 03 f-150 with disk brakes, spring over suspension with stock spring, and 2.0 fox shocks. Frankly the back half of the car can't take bumps or high speeds well at all hopefuly start working on it again this year.

A pick from behind. And one of my distractions next to it.

 

[mounty71]

It's about time! Get to work on the rear, i think for once my truck could out run yours in the washes...maybe I say put those deavers back on, maybe build a longer shackle, and rebuild and revalve the foxes. Here's some inspiration: http://www.dezertrangers.com/vb/dr-rides/134334.htm

 

[kona_mtb]

Looks great man. I just love the look of two door lifted suv's! What are you needing to do to the rear still? And how much did that cost for the full width 8.8?

 

[R.J.]

Thanks guys! Nice thread mounty. I need to see your car still.

The rear works fine for rock crawling. It flexes and articulates well, what lacks is good high speed desert abilities. It needs better shock dampening and better springs. I have some ideas and I'll be working on putting my long travel deaver springs inherent back again. It'll take some work to make them sit right with the SOA.

I think we payed around $3-400 for the axle. It was plated on the bottum and the axle tubes were welded to the center section. If I was to do it again I would simply pull an 8.8 with drum brakes out of an older f-150 and start from there. The bolt pattern and large brakes on the 03 axle make it difficult to find rims and tires.

 

[Stic-o]

If I was to do it again I would simply pull an 8.8 with drum brakes out of an older f-150 and start from there. The bolt pattern and large brakes on the 03 axle make it difficult to find rims and tires.

That's what I did Then applied the Explorer brakes

 

[R.J.]

took her out on an impromptu run this morning

 

[Stic-o]

Cleghorn?

 

[R.J.]

Cleghorn?

yup. It's the go to spot for me. I think next time I'll do pilot rock. Maybe in the bronco II

 

[Stic-o]

I didn't think Cleghorn was open after the fires. Let me know next time you go. I may be busy, but never stop asking

Need to make it big bear next year too

 

[mounty71]

So now you remember how much fun this truck is and you're going to keep it, right?

 

[R.J.]

So now you remember how much fun this truck is and you're going to keep it, right?

It's so true. I plan to sell it, but when it point and shoot so good It's hard to let it out of my hands. I'm having the same problem with my GTI I want to sell.