Boomer the Quadravan 4x4 Camper
- Thread starter spencyg
- Start date
wanderer-rrorc
Explorer
no pole dancer shirt for you?? bummer....
looks like so much fun!!!
looks like so much fun!!!
Boomer didn't participate on the really aggressive stuff which is why there isn't any video of it. Boomer is really good at lots of things, but tight trail work with severe drop-offs is not one of them. My turning radius quickly becomes a liability, and I don't think I could build sliders strong enough to support 10,000+ lbs scraping along a rock face without contributing significantly to the already massive GVW. The spot where the 4Runner smashed the front bumper wasn't (and likely couldn't be) accurately captured on video. It was an 8 ft vertical drop with a 60 degree slope around one corner which all the trucks used to slide down. Only after we stacked some rocks was it even possible for the long wheelbase (and locked) Tacoma to navigate it. We knew this section of trail was going to be extremely challenging, so I had parked at the head of the road and walked. The Red Tacoma didn't do this part either because it wasn't equipped with sliders and would have incurred significant rocker damage, so I hitched a ride back to the van and we booked it to the camp where we were having beers and burgers before the rest of the group even arrived.
The awesome thing about traveling with a good group is that you can make a decision that is based on your personal preference and experience with your vehicle, and everybody is supportive and willing to adjust accordingly to accommodate. When the trail got too tight, I turned around and we made a plan where to meet...no damage, no hurt feelings, just good (and responsible) times.
SG
The awesome thing about traveling with a good group is that you can make a decision that is based on your personal preference and experience with your vehicle, and everybody is supportive and willing to adjust accordingly to accommodate. When the trail got too tight, I turned around and we made a plan where to meet...no damage, no hurt feelings, just good (and responsible) times.
SG
That looked pretty intense, while its hard to tell how steep of a drop off that was, just the way the rigs slid with the tires locked tells you its pretty big. Looking forward to seeing more of Boomer! And next time you come through the Lake Sunapee Region let me know, I would love to meet you and see the van.
If ever you wanted a tour of Boomer's interior, it is now on the web for all to see! (the rest of the episode is pretty good, too!)
There hasn't been much activity on the Boomer front this late summer. We did head to the coast for Labor Day for some family fun, but that was mostly just a park and camp deal. I was hoping to get a new torque converter installed before the Vermont Overland Rally at the end of September, but I just got a revised shipping time estimate from TCI and it isn't expected to arrive until 9/29...the same day I leave for VT!
DRAM4 is in November and I expect that will be the last run of 2016.
We've started preliminary planning on the big trip for 2017. More details to come on that in the coming months. There will be quite a few mods leading up to that adventure so I forecast quite a bit of activity next spring.
SG
There hasn't been much activity on the Boomer front this late summer. We did head to the coast for Labor Day for some family fun, but that was mostly just a park and camp deal. I was hoping to get a new torque converter installed before the Vermont Overland Rally at the end of September, but I just got a revised shipping time estimate from TCI and it isn't expected to arrive until 9/29...the same day I leave for VT!
DRAM4 is in November and I expect that will be the last run of 2016.
We've started preliminary planning on the big trip for 2017. More details to come on that in the coming months. There will be quite a few mods leading up to that adventure so I forecast quite a bit of activity next spring.
SG
Chris Boyd
Explorer
Great episode! Enjoyed the "overview" 
wanderer-rrorc
Explorer
This is Boomer....and heres my concussion...LOL!!
Loved it man!! makes me miss my old van!!!
Loved it man!! makes me miss my old van!!!
Bikersmurf
Expedition Leader
Phase 3.
Really for as long as I can remember, the brake pedal on Boomer has always engaged deep in the throw. I have bled it countless times with the same end result. With the old brakes, it would never get to the floor, but in a panic situation you did wonder whether the hard stop you were feeling was "full brakes" or "full carpet". With the addition of the rear calipers this situation did not improve, in fact it got a bit worse.
I started looking around for alternatives. From the factory the largest bore master cylinder is a 1.125" bore unit. I wasn't convinced I had this master cylinder actually installed, but technically the 1 ton E350 was supposed to come with it. The next step up from a "factory standard" standpoint would be a 1.25" bore master, but no such beast exists as a bolt in option for the '85 E350 chassis.
I hit Google pretty hard for a few afternoons and came across Jeep guys who were swapping in early 80's E350 master cylinders into their mid-late 80's Jeeps after axle swaps and the like. From all accounts, the E350 master swapped "right in". Further searching came across other master cylinders that swapped "right in", so it seemed reasonable to assume that if one master cylinder bolted up to a Jeep, and another master cylinder bolted up to that same Jeep, that both of those would also bolt up to my van.
The master that was most interesting was a 1.25" bore MC from a 2000 Dodge 2500 with rear disc brakes. This master didn't have any residual pressure valve built in and is the correct bore diameter. Strangely, NOBODY advertises the pilot diameter or the mounting hole bolt circle spacing, so I just needed to try it.
The unit arrived and looked noticeably larger. A quick check with the digital calipers yielded the following:
1985 E350 Master Cylinder
-Pilot Diameter (what sticks into the booster): 1.600"
-Pilot Depth : 0.620"
-Mounting Hole Diameter: 0.400"
-Mounting Hole Spacing: 3.395"
-Primary Port: 3/8-24 Inverted Cone
-Secondary Port: 7/16-24 Inverted Cone
2000 Dodge 3/4"
-Pilot Diameter: 1.580"
-Pilot Depth: 0.650"
-Mounting Hole Diameter: 0.416"
-Mounting Hole Spacing: 3.196"
-Primary Port: M10-1 Bubble
-Secondary Port: M12-1 Bubble
I wasn't super thrilled with this as I'd need to modify the new MC for the correct mounting hole spacing and I'd need to install new ends on my brake lines up to the MC. I made one more trip to Napa to try a 2000 F150 MC and that was actually worse (and cost 2x as much). So instead of spending more money on a different MC, I bought a baller pro grade Double Flare / Bubble flare kit.
Once back at the shop I widened the new MC mounting hole spacing 0.10" on each side with the mill.
Old Vs New. I really like the new reservoir arrangement as well. The old one was a total PITA.
With the MC now able to bolt up, I cleaned up the booster and adjusted the pushrod to 0.030" clearance. I ended up having to machine the nose of the pushrod about 0.030" back because I couldn't adjust it back far enough. I also had to cut the pushrod threads maybe 1/4" because it also was bottoming on the female threaded portion of the booster. Not much space to work in there!
With that sorted I tried out my new bubble flare kit. At Napa I also picked up the appropriate fittings (M10 and M12) to connect my 3/16" brake lines to the new MC. It ended up working extremely well. I did find that lubing the die and the "press" threads made for a much smoother process.
With that, I installed the booster and "bench bled" it installed right in the van. Everything was nice and level in its' installed orientation, so bleeding the MC was pretty easy. It was a little messy unhooking the MC bleeding hoses and installing the brake lines (fluid dripping the whole time), but eventually I got it. Everything sealed up beautifully and looks nearly factory.
I have not had a chance to fully bleed the system yet, but even without bleeding the lines the pedal feels amazing. With the engine running I now have maybe 3/8-1/2 throw of the pedal for full panic brake and I can feel the brakes engage right as I step on it. I have only gone back and forth in the driveway so far, but I can already tell this new MC may be the missing link with the disc brake swap. I don't have an opinion yet on braking performance under way and will report that back as soon as I finish bleeding the system. Overall I'm very excited about this mod and feel as though going full hydroboost may not be necessary.
If it does end up being necessary, the 2000 Dodge 3/4 ton came with hydroboost, so this MC will bolt right up to an eventual hydraulic booster without further modification. I did widen the mounting holes to mate with the E350 booster, but it should still bolt up to its intended booster without any issue.
All in all, good stuff.
SG
Trying to pick your brain about M/Cs. Do you know anything about the newer E350 1.25" M/C or the larger 1 5/16?
Are the front and rear circuits the same on both?
I don't know anything about the newer E350 master cylinders, but absolutely everything I came across seemed to max out at 1-1/8" for anything Econoline. Admittedly I didn't get into the latest model stuff, but 3rd and 4th gen are all a max of 1-1/8" bore. The front and rear circuits are isolated from each other both in the lines as well as the MC. Some Econolines were equipped with some sort of bias valve which also integrated the brake failure switch, but mine didn't have that.
Sorry I can't be more help!
SG