Herbie
Rendezvous Conspirator
I love the umbrella. I've had days where I've needed to deploy my awning in order to get a job done without baking in the sun!
95 E350 build
- Thread starter Paul E Dude
- Start date
I love the umbrella. I've had days where I've needed to deploy my awning in order to get a job done without baking in the sun!
nobodyhome
Adventurer
#vanporn
Paul E Dude
Observer
The front is way off. I have about 7 degrees caster. The front is higher than the rear. But I haven't had time to deal with it yet since Im in the Philippines this week. I'm prob going to but some 2" springs for it. I screwed un and thought thats what I ordered. but looked into it and they are 4" wth the hangers actually gave me 10" of lift on the van before they settled. They already dropped 1" but I don't think they will drop 5". I was shooting for a 4" to 6" lift since I still want to tow with it.
Sheep Shagger
Adventurer
Once you get it level I'm sure you'll be close on caster. ~2" lift on the rear of mine reduced caster 2deg. I went from 5.0 deg to 3.2 deg when I added leafs in the rear. I'd much prefer to be closer to 5, but hasn't been a problem yet.
Paul E Dude
Observer
I knwe it was coning I was shooting for between 5 and 6 so I didn't have to add as big of a hanger up front. The ABS motor may need to be relocated on the drivers side to go thru the frame, and an offset shackle. so I am debating between the ball joint shims or just puting a spring shim in for now till the springs settle.
Paul E Dude
Observer
I Ordered 2" springs while I was gone, and they were waiting for me at the house. Now it is close to level. should settle below, then when I tow the rock crawler I should be close to level again.
Close to my target. The factory shims are 0. Next to decide the new shims.
Paul E Dude
Observer
I had to cut it down so it didn't block the mount holes
When I got it off Craigs list it was a full brush guard bumper and M15000 Warn winch. The motor on the winch was burnt, so I got it all for $150! New motor, $200 I think.
Paul E Dude
Observer
since Im still waiting on steering knuckle I decided to pull out the swivel base I didnt put in before. Itss doesnt fit, but nothing a welder and drill wont fix.
Had to re drill, move the track back. oops twice. and weld extention on the back of the base. The holes in the side to the washernuts can fit. yea it was that close. and weld onto the front of the base.
had to bend the handle a but to clear the wide seat.
spins and reclines you could prob sleep here if you had to.
Had to re drill, move the track back. oops twice. and weld extention on the back of the base. The holes in the side to the washernuts can fit. yea it was that close. and weld onto the front of the base.
had to bend the handle a but to clear the wide seat. spins and reclines you could prob sleep here if you had to.
Paul E Dude
Observer
today I took a nap. When I woke I had a package on my porch.
BEEFY
BEEFY
Paul E Dude
Observer
Tried this stuff out. we will see how it works.
That is close enough to take to alignment shop for a proper alignment.
Had to make a little room for turning radius with the beefy arm and caster shims.
OOPs forgot to put this at the 45 degree with the axle.
fill it them swap back to the plug.. Why couldnt they just make them sealed and filled from the factory?
Thats a better angle
Knuckle looks black. maybe that stuff does work.
Paul E Dude
Observer
I have been working on the van still. Took the drag link of to shorten a bit and decided I needed a new steering box. Well if I had a new box I figired I better put a new pump on.. So I got the pump on and didnt like the pressure hose. Nobody in town had a hose they could get before the weekend. So I put the F350 line on. Its just bent a little different. It did fit, and I put a new teflon washer on it so it doesnt leak. Then I put the new box on. Pumped it full of fluid with no load on it first. Then when I went to put the pitman arm on. The sector shaft was clocked 45 degrees off. So did the parts store get me the wrong one, or is the box on my van acually a truck box and clocked wrong? Both pitman arms were the same. I swapped out the linger truck arm.
So I ended up using the F350 box I saved off the donor truck.
Than I broke down and added a drop bracket for the factory trac bar. I wasnt happy with anywhere to put a long track bar. I got a little burnt out of doing fab work anyway and wanted to get it back on the road.
Then I drove it again. No death wobble. steering feels good and centered. and it sits alot nicer
Just a couple more things I still want to do to the axle. Add some steel to the Ubolt plates to raise them to hit the bump stops a little earlier so I dont use shocks as bump stops. And weld a little support on the pass axle Ubolt mount. It is flexing a little when I tightened the Ubolts.
So I ended up using the F350 box I saved off the donor truck.
Than I broke down and added a drop bracket for the factory trac bar. I wasnt happy with anywhere to put a long track bar. I got a little burnt out of doing fab work anyway and wanted to get it back on the road.
Then I drove it again. No death wobble. steering feels good and centered. and it sits alot nicer
Just a couple more things I still want to do to the axle. Add some steel to the Ubolt plates to raise them to hit the bump stops a little earlier so I dont use shocks as bump stops. And weld a little support on the pass axle Ubolt mount. It is flexing a little when I tightened the Ubolts.
Paul E Dude
Observer
Update! Im still tinkering with it.
I did add too the spring plate to make sure the bump stops hit before shocks or steering
Made another leaf for the rear out of the f350 main leaf
I'm liking how it drives and looks. I still want to sleeve the frame and put the shackle there. should drop the front just enough to give it a little rake. Then will be straight again when I tow. And the factory shackles I put on are not as stable as a wider one thru the frame.
I did add too the spring plate to make sure the bump stops hit before shocks or steering
Made another leaf for the rear out of the f350 main leaf
I'm liking how it drives and looks. I still want to sleeve the frame and put the shackle there. should drop the front just enough to give it a little rake. Then will be straight again when I tow. And the factory shackles I put on are not as stable as a wider one thru the frame.
