luthj
Engineer In Residence
Hey gents, I am planning to build a 84" wide by ~14ft composite box on a chassis. GVW in the 11klb range. Considering medium duty cab over engine trucks and vans.
The intent is for full-time occupation for years at a time, and will be used for international travel. I like the E-series due to the gas powerplant, and option for reliable 4x4 (UJOR etc).
I am looking for some feedback on the E-series, as I am not intimately familiar with the platform. I know this is the van sub-forum, but there is probably more E-series experience here in general.
Track width, wheels etc:
Looks like the E350 SRW (cab chassis) has a hub-hub width of about 73"? Confirmation would be great though.
Typical 4x4 swap front axles are about 70" hub-hub width?
Looks like method 17" wheels with zero offset are a readily available option. (single rear wheels are a requirement for us).
Axle loads:
Any issue running 4,500-5000lb front axle load with a D60? No chassis issues with that weight?
General Questions:
Issues with the 7.3l gas and 6 speed trans? Anything to be aware of?
Fuel economy expectations with 35" tires, 4x4, and 84" wide by ~89" tall box? I see some small class Cs in the 11-12 range with conservative driving. Seems high with the 7.3L, but that's just a gut feeling.
Anyways, I will dig through the thread archives as I have time, but any useful links/threads would be greatly appreciated!
The intent is for full-time occupation for years at a time, and will be used for international travel. I like the E-series due to the gas powerplant, and option for reliable 4x4 (UJOR etc).
I am looking for some feedback on the E-series, as I am not intimately familiar with the platform. I know this is the van sub-forum, but there is probably more E-series experience here in general.
Track width, wheels etc:
Looks like the E350 SRW (cab chassis) has a hub-hub width of about 73"? Confirmation would be great though.
Typical 4x4 swap front axles are about 70" hub-hub width?
Looks like method 17" wheels with zero offset are a readily available option. (single rear wheels are a requirement for us).
Axle loads:
Any issue running 4,500-5000lb front axle load with a D60? No chassis issues with that weight?
General Questions:
Issues with the 7.3l gas and 6 speed trans? Anything to be aware of?
Fuel economy expectations with 35" tires, 4x4, and 84" wide by ~89" tall box? I see some small class Cs in the 11-12 range with conservative driving. Seems high with the 7.3L, but that's just a gut feeling.
Anyways, I will dig through the thread archives as I have time, but any useful links/threads would be greatly appreciated!