2000 Ford 7.3L Motovan build (225's build cont'd)

[Mwilliamshs]

Winch line keeper, that's the thing that keeps the end of the winch cable attached to the winch drum, right? How'd it break? Did the whole cable slip off under load?

You should have a minimum number of cable wraps on the drum at all times. This puts the load on multiple wraps of cable and not on the cable keeper. I'm sure manufacturers vary on exactly what that minimum number of wraps is but I never go below 1 or 2 wraps of the first layer. In other words, my drum is always covered side to side by the first layer, minus 1 or 2 wraps. I'm in a state with plenty of trees and I'm not pushing the limits of a winch so severely that I need more than a couple wraps' pull at max pull rating. If that changed, I'd get an extension cable and use my snatchblock more.

 

[CaptainBuilt]

Winch line keeper, that's the thing that keeps the end of the winch cable attached to the winch drum, right? How'd it break? Did the whole cable slip off under load?

Yes, I don't think there was enough wraps on the drum.

Since I basically trashed that winch line on both ends, I am ordering a new winch line and using that one as an extension, and ordering snatch blocks. I'm ordering a bunch of recovery gear actually. Snatch blocks, another tree strap (I already have one), Hi Lift jack, and traction boards.

I forgot my tire repair kit at home which had spare valve cores and valve core tool. Next time I go out, I will be kitted. I work on a boat, and when I come in, I am finishing the 4WD, and adding 35's. And making sure everything is 100% operational.

If I would have had traction boards, I would have been fine. No biggie. I see why people have them now.

 

[luthj]

Soft shackles, and a kinetic recovery rope are useful, especially if you often have other folks around.

No shame in getting bogged. It happens to everyone a few times. Now you have an idea of your limits (2WD aside).

I may have missed it, but a short and sharp spade (for mud/rock/soil). If you see soft stuff, a square edge shovel is good for snow/sand.

 

[CaptainBuilt]

Today was a good day. Didn't work on the van, but I found a guy who literally has HUNDREDS of Ford trucks and a dozen or so vans.

I bought some seats off him and a cab off a ambulance. Later on down the road, I'll make Betty Sue a cab / chassis van and build a box on the back.

But, I may buy some axles and flip them. This dude has it all, and if I pull it, I pay less than scrap prices.

Anyway, the pics.


Van heaven:

All of the potentital:

This one needs a engine:

Fighting with a bolt.....

Winning!

Before cleaning. They're different patterns, but I'm buying new covers for them anyway:

After:

I love junkyards:

 

[CaptainBuilt]

Pulled the old 4" spring off:

The new spring in with the 35" tire on. I mounted the tires myself. I'll bring them to the shop to get them balanced once I'm done.

 

[CaptainBuilt]

Finished the lift.

Made a run to the dump lol...

I always had shaking like the wheels were out of balance. I've tried regular balancing, balance beads, etc.. Nothing worked. The more I took my wheels off I realized that it had to be the wheels. Upon further inspection, I saw that only two places the wheel was making contact with the hub instead of the entire surface making contact.

See the two rings? One by the hub lockout and other by the edge of the brake rotor....

Back of the wheel:

The back face of the wheel wasn't making contact like it should. I talked to UJOR and they said that wasn't correct. So I bought the wheel that they use in most of their builds:

Back face of the wheel:

I live 3 blocks from a tire place, so hopefully I'll be set in the morning. The wife is yelling at me about camping, so after the new wheels are on, we're doing some camping!

 

[CaptainBuilt]

The tire place cracks me up the way they change tires. But they are by far the busiest tire place in town. And they don't mess around.

I got jacked! lol

New wheels on:

I need new lugnuts:

 

[CaptainBuilt]

Did a little shakedown run. Wife has been yelling at me about going camping, so we went.

We went camping at the base of the "Fugitive" dam on US129. Basically the base of Tail of the Dragon. When you cross the bridge coming from Robbinsvills, NC., take a left and that's free camping on the river. And it's away from loud partying at the Gap. I won't buy another bike for a couple months, but the wife loved it.

Drone Dam shots:

Our campsite:

 

[CaptainBuilt]

Whoa, it's been 5 months since I've posted on this thread.

I ordered custom blinds last year, and finally got around to building window boxes for them:

Before:

After:

Camping at work in NOLA:

My buddies van:

Fiamma F45 Awning:

After I drove from NC to Natchez, MS., I lost my vacuum pump once I was in Mississippi. Wasn't a fun road repair.

If you look at the bad pump, the cover is missing and a piece of metal is wedged in the pump. Crazy.

 

[CaptainBuilt]

I have a few small rust spots on the rear fender wells. There is no rust under the van or on any bolts anywhere on the entire van, just there.

I've ordered new sheet metal for the rear fenders, rear quarters, and driver side rockers. I'll be replacing that next month.

While I'm at it, I'm probably going to get the van painted and get rid of the Raptor Liner.

Maybe even replace the rear windows with metal. Weld them in and make it look like it was originally a panel van.

 

[CaptainBuilt]

About to do a 9-10 day trip, we're doing a few National Parks and Niagara Falls.

There's a couple things I wanted to take care of. I can't tell if the torque converter is giving me issues or the fan clutch. Whenever I've been driving a while (interstate driving) and then I slow down, I hear aloud whirring like the fan isn't disengaging or the torque converter isn't disengaging.

Trying to do the lesser of two evils, I swapped the fan clutch. I used the Gearwrench 3950 clutch tool and a chain vise grips. Once I had the belt off, I used the chain vise grips and the clutch wrench. I held the vise grips, and gave the clutch wrench a hit with the hammer, and off she went.

I'm doing a full transmission flush, which is 18 freaking quarts. Then I'll give it a spin. Hopefully that will fix the issue. If not, out comes the torque converter.

 

[Bikersmurf]

About to do a 9-10 day trip, we're doing a few National Parks and Niagara Falls.

There's a couple things I wanted to take care of. I can't tell if the torque converter is giving me issues or the fan clutch. Whenever I've been driving a while (interstate driving) and then I slow down, I hear aloud whirring like the fan isn't disengaging or the torque converter isn't disengaging.

Trying to do the lesser of two evils, I swapped the fan clutch. I used the Gearwrench 3950 clutch tool and a chain vise grips. Once I had the belt off, I used the chain vise grips and the clutch wrench. I held the vise grips, and gave the clutch wrench a hit with the hammer, and off she went.

I'm doing a full transmission flush, which is 18 freaking quarts. Then I'll give it a spin. Hopefully that will fix the issue. If not, out comes the torque converter.

I hopefully that solves it… a torque converter wouldn’t be high on my list of things I’d want to do.

 

[CaptainBuilt]

I hopefully that solves it… a torque converter wouldn’t be high on my list of things I’d want to do.

Unfortunately it was the torque converter. I just had to find out that was the problem 1,000 miles into a road trip..... Right now, it's stored in a RV storage lot in Pittsburgh.

We rented a Nissan NV van to finish the trip out.

 

[Bikersmurf]

That sucks…

I hope the rest of the trip goes well.

 

[CaptainBuilt]

That sucks…

I hope the rest of the trip goes well.

Thanks, we're home now. We made it to Niagara Falls and Hudson Valley.

Another van visitor: