Shonky's STR [No longer Shonky's Navara - SOLD]

[Shonky]

I was just thinking to myself that I should practice what I preach, so it's time that I did my own ride thread. As of today I've had my Navara for about 13 months, bought it with 82,000ks on the clock and it hasn't missed a beat since getting it, in that time I've done a bit of work to it to make it a bit more capable off road as well and gain some power.

Mods done thus far;
2" Ironman springs and shocks all round.
Ironman Protector bullbar.
Ironman 9500LB winch.
Lightforce Striker 170 Lights converted to HID.
Safari Dtronic.
Fitted EGT and Boost Gauges
3" Mandrel Bent exhaust.
GME TX4400 UHF.
ABR Sidewinder Dual Battery controller for rear anderson plug to camper trailer.
Unifilter foam filter.
Homebrew underbody protection covering front crossmember, sump gearbox and transfer case.
Front recovery hooks.
A set of Bridgestone D694LTs for work, towing and light off road duites.
A set of Mickey Thompson 265/75/16 on a second set of Navara rims for off road fun.

Pics in some sort of order.

As I bought it.

Home brew under body guards made from 3mm steel plate, adds a bit of weight to the front but I've dropped the car on them pretty hard a few times now and they show no signs of bending.

A while back I was getting a bit tired of the noise in the Nav so I put in some panel deadening mat in all the doors, it cut down on the noise a lot from the sides, but you can hear the engine noise a lot easier instead now, and I'm not all that keen to pull the dash out to sort that.

Some of you will have already read about my 3" exhaust install, but I figure I'd stick a pic of the dump pipe in here anyway.

 

[Shonky]

Top: Nissan stock pipe, Bottom 3" Mandrel bend goodness.

EGT and Boost Gauge install. Wiring looks a little rough on the dash like that, one day I might get the urge to move them on to the pillar using one of those pods.

Here are the pickup points for the gauges, note the pre-turbo EGT sensor, there's a trick to installing it there without removing the manifold and turbo. :18:

 

[Shonky]

For anyone wanting to fit recovery hooks to their Nav, this is where I put them. Front hole of hook goes into existing chassis nut, rear hole needs to be drilled and then a nut dropped into the chassis rail.

 

[Shonky]

And here's a few random shots of the Nav at a few different places.

And today checking for scrubbing with the MTZs.

 

[Jon]

Looking good Shonky, those new tyres look good too. Any other plans for it? Are they genuine Nissan roof bars?

 

[Shonky]

Not really any other plans for it at the moment, I am considering grabbing one of the Lock Rite Lokkas for the front diff but don't really have the funds at this time so that will have to wait, other than that I just want to get out and use it.

 

[joshy]

Looks good shonky

 

[Dave]

Looks good shonky

Ill second that, love that bullbar to. Some good pics to.

Dave.

 

[Laith]

Great post (and truck) Shonky.

If I dont get that GQ I'll prob get one of those lockers as well. After I get Christmas out of the road.

I love how my Coopers have done but have been thinking that MTZs would be good when I need to replace them.

 

[Shonky]

Are they genuine Nissan roof bars?

Yes they are mate, were on it when I bought it, and haven't used em once yet.

I love how my Coopers have done but have been thinking that MTZs would be good when I need to replace them.

Laith, you still got me stumped how you get 285/75/65 on there without them scrubbing something chronic, up on the forklift with the 265/75 MTZs I have about 3mm of clearance at full compression and lock, and that's with the mudflap trimmed as well.

 

[celibaterifle]

Looking good shonky. I'd be proud to have that in my driveway.

 

[Laith]

Realy

I read online of people worried about how bigger tyres will fit and I think they are just being sooks :18:

My tires are all terains and have a diameter of 836mm when new. Im told mud terain tyres in general are normally a bit bigger even though are the same tyre size.

Maybe thats why???

 

[Shonky]

Who knows mate, the 265/75/16 MTZs are supposed to be 813 in diameter new, so that's a fair way to 836mm, I reckon another 12mm rearward (1/2 of the 23mm increase of diameter) would scrub to the point of stopping the car at full lock. Can you remember what offset you are running, maybe this is the difference?

 

[Laith]

Dont know mate. Stock SII rims.

When I got them it scrubbed on lock. Trimmed the mudflaps a bit and then only scrubbed on lock and flex.

Then decided to trim more from mudflaps and no scrubbing since. But tyres were worn quite a bit then too.

But either way it wasnt real bad anyways.

I dont know why I havnt had a problem with them. Maybe my tyres had the wrong size printed on them

 

[joshy]

Realy

I read online of people worried about how bigger tyres will fit and I think they are just being sooks :18:

:35: couldnt agree more.....

 

[maddogrc]

nice ride, wish i had a navara st-r, not the tradies ute, haha

whats the max boost you've gotten on that thing? i see its a 30PSI gauge, but i dont think these engines will get above 20? also i'm interesting in your boost pick up area. i thought you're supposed to get a T connector and put the boost line in-line? or have i got it mixed up?

 

[Shonky]

Running the stock 15psi of boost, not out to blow the engine up, I was told to get a 30psi gauge by the supplier because the 15psi would wear out too quick being maxed out all the time.

With the pickup I drilled and tapped a thread in the crossover pipe to suit the fitting supplied with the boost gauge.

You can use a T-connector on the waste gate actuator hose, this is the easiest way to hook in the boost gauge.

 

[Shonky]

Was out doing a bit of wheeling again today up round Walhalla, didn't get many pics, but we did do Deep Creek No.1 Tk which was awesome fun, it involved a steep descent down into the gully and driving along the creek for about 300 metres, rock hopping all the way, and then a steep ascent back out the other end. It was also the first trip out on the MTZs, pretty darn impressed with how they performed.

Click for bigger.

 

[Shonky]

Another one from today taken by one of the other guys on the trip.

 

[joshy]

looks like a nice area. is that 3 navs on one trip?? im still yet to go wheeling with another one..