AmboVan Restarted

[Skooter_Built]

While on the trip to Galveston, the thing was getting harder and harder to keep in the road. Wouldn't return to center, felt 'notchy' when the wheel crossed center, wouldn't track straight. I tried getting an alignment in Texas, but they said it was already in spec - dammit!.
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The spring bushings looked cracked, and I imagined that ruined spring bushings could cause the symptoms I was having, so I pressed them out and installed urethane bushings - not only were the old ones fine, but the new urethane bushing were stiff enough that the front was binding when I finished - felt worse than before. I was getting frustrated - the Dream Van was getting impossible to drive.
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A couple calls to Chris, and we decided to install the high-steer kit, and update the springs to match the current weight as the next course of action.
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Pieces

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I go to take off the wheels, spacers, and discs, and get to the unit bearings - Metal shavings and signs of thrown grease!

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Seals at the knuckle - ground off.

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These were new when the Chris put the axle in 25k miles ago, we are both a bit stumped. Is it the weight? Hopefully just a bad set of bearings? Hate to do this every 25k... I'll keep an eye on it.
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Good news is that this also helps explain the decline in steering performance...
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New unit bearings, and crossover steering arm with spacer block - Added a couple stainless clips to keep the ABS wire out of the way

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Clearance to the disc

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New springs - two more leafs in the new spring pack

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Installed, crossover steering linkage looking good, parallel with the axle

With the steering upgrade, what arm at the steering box are you using? It looks like a dropped piece, is that stock to the box or aftermarket?

 

[ujoint]

Aftermarket pitman, longer than stock.


Trim & paint those u-bolts too!

 

[hobietony]

Trim & paint those u-bolts too!

Got it!

 

[/dev/ram]

Got it!

You could also look into a u-bolt flip kit.

 

[ujoint]

You could also look into a u-bolt flip kit.

Not too easy on these axles since the sway bar attaches to the lower plates. And the center section would have to be notched for the D side inside u-bolt.

 

[flightcancled]

Tony how have you liked the folding steps you installed instead of a ladder? I had been thinking of the same thing when I saw it in your build. Much easier on the eye and lower profile, but seems a little less user friendly, especially trying to find that first step going back down.


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[hobietony]

^^^ They are awesome. Maybe a little less user friendly, but how often are you going up there? If you store bikes/skis/commonly accessed items on the roof, then you may be better off with a real ladder. You would want some sort of hand hold on the roof/roof edge to make the first step off the top a bit less spicy.

 

[hobietony]

Nothing new to add here, but got the rig out a couple weeks ago for the 24 Hours of the Old Pueblo bike race/event. Buddy took this from his tent, great shot. Shameless posing, I know...

 

[flightcancled]

Actually I will be up there about 8 times a week minimum. Spicy is the exact word I had in mind, especially when I was joking with a friend about using climbing wall holds!


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[hobietony]

Rear axles?

Alright, going to post this question on Pirate as well, but I figure I should start here first.

Current rear axle in the van is a drum-brake Dana 70, with 4.10s. With the spacers on the drums (needed to convert the bolt pattern from 8x6.5 to 8x170), my flange-flange width is just over 76" - final arrangement needs to be pretty close to this, any less would interfere with the inner wheel well and the air bag suspension.
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Currently installed axle -

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I have a disc brake rear axle from my doner vehicle, a '99 Minnie Winnie motorhome. Dana 80 with 4.63 gears, a beefy sway bar, seemed like a pretty straightforward swap, knowing I would need to regear the front, which I planned to do anyway.

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There are, however, issues.
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Emergency brake - This axle has no e-brake provisions, doner had the brake on the driveshaft at the tranny output. Is there is an easy to use brake-line lock I can use as an e-brake? Otherwise, I would need to figure a mount/caliper/etc for the e-brake on the driveline - Seems like a big PITA.
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Width - this is a wide one - 77" flange-to-flange, which would be 1" wider than my current axle, perfect, wouldn't want it any wider - except the bolt pattern is 8x6.5, adding a spacer to change the bolt pattern would push the mounting flange out unacceptability wide. Could a mounting flange from a 8x170 dually be easily swapped in? How hard to re-machine the current flange to a 8x170 pattern? The bonus about this setup is that if I can get the appropriate bolt pattern at the flange, then I can run a spacer BETWEEN the duallies and have bigger tires. It would also be compatible if I ever went to super singles

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Brake compatibility - Lots of people have just swapped drums for discs, Chris sez it's no problem, but my mechanic warns that the brake bias may be off. If I swap the hydro-boost master cylinder from the doner at the same time, this would be moot.
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Otherwise, if I had to sell it, what is the value of this thing? Seems like the rock buggy folks would dig it.
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If I sell it, I'm thinking that I should look for a rear DRW 4x4 axle from the same years as the front - Looked at one at my mechanics yard, '02 I believe, had the e-brake to the rear and the 8x170 bolt pattern already, I believe it was a dana 70, not 80 - not sure about this. I would still probably need to space out the flange to get to my current width, couldn't get a measurement on the flange-to-flange width, so maybe a DRW 2x4 axle would be fine too? If I have to add a spacer, however, then I would still not be able to run a bigger/taller tire, basically where I am now, but with disc brakes.
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Finally, how much difference will this really make? are the discs that much dreamier? If the axle I have could be used, great, it is a burlier one than the one I have. But if I have to sell this one and get one from a more appropriate donor, and have a 70-for-70 direct swap, is it worth it to go through that much trouble just to get discs, with no other improvements?
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Oh, and I want to have all this done by expo this year

 

[ben2go]

E brake,get the set up off the donor vehicle that has it on the trans.Those are no problem.The front to rear brake bias will be off with the current proportioning valve because it's for drums all around.You will need one from a disc brake all around van or possible a 3/4.I would use an adjustable proportioning valve from Wilwood to fine tune the brake bias.Front locks before the rear or the van will switch ends in a panic braking situation.

 

[hobietony]

donor vehicle long gone. Good to know that there is an adjustable valve avalilable

 

[Shocker]

I wouldn't swap the axle. There are several places that have Dana 70 rear disc brake conversions.

http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/BoltOn.html
http://www.greatlakeoffroad.com/GLO-Dana-60-and-70-Disc-Conversion-Kit.html

I thought about swapping to rear disc's on VanDOOM as it has the 70 in it, but frankly the drums have more initial stopping power and bite than discs, but discs are much more resistant to water etc.

Kind of a crap shoot really.

 

[java]

T case E brake, for a toyota, but it might be easy to adapt. Or make your own... https://www.allprooffroad.com/9095brakeupgrades/33

I used a line lock in the past on one if my old trucks. Worked very well. (all 4 locked) It was off of summit racing. I also used a wilwood proportioning valve. On the same truck.

IMO im not sure its really worth the trouble for disks. They stay cooler and thats about the only advantage I see to them on the rear of a heavy truck. (all the OTR semis are still running drums)

 

[ben2go]

There are also transfer case mounted drum brakes.A brake disc and caliper from a Grand Am could work.The brake caliper uses a cable to hold the caliper closed on the brake disc.Redrilling a Grand Am brake disc to mount to the yoke wouldn't be very difficult to do.JY parts would probably run $30 and reman probably $70.