I'M BATVAN! ...a 2006 E350 V10 DIY Ujoint Conversion

[dazdconfsd]

Looks like the 3 ton model, you can get to the 6t through my link but it's $92.??

Not fully awake typo, you're right it's 3T, but that should be stronger than the 4000lbs in your initial link? I just thought it was odd. I'm gonna put it down to a difference in the manufacturer vs a reseller now that I look closer and slightly more awake

 

[Pinnacle Campers]

Went on a little vacay to Oahu over Thanksgiving break,
van related, my buddies surf van, came out of Fresno and was shipped over.

 

[Pinnacle Campers]

Spend much time on expedition portal and you start having dreams of a 12volt fridge, you know reading all those comparo's.
Now that I had the battery power, why not?
Typically when using a cooler, combined with a pickup truck, the cooler gets pulled out, taken to the table, if at a campground, used as a seat, parked in the shade, etc. This is something that "has" to change when using a fridge, it has to have a fastened down location and pretty much leave it there.
For a while I used this method with a cooler, in the van. With the bed platform just a touch higher than my tallest cooler it was not possible to open it without taking it out, EVERY, time you needed something out of it. This necessitated the bedslide, similar to a tailgate, you can slide the cooler out, open, and slide back under. At some point I realized that it works great for "out the back" camping but what about roadtrips? Stuck inside and want to grab a snack? Beer? So I was positioning the cooler in the middle so that I could actually access it from the front between the seats or out the back on the bedslide.
A plan was developing!
By this time I had some serious height constraints to deal with, besides wanting a side hinging lid for this application. I had narrowed my choices down to the Dometic/Nordold line. I ended up running across a Norcold NRF-45 on Amazon warehouse deals, https://amzn.to/2JnnTgs
It met all the check boxes for me, low height, side opening (and reversible) lid, quality brand, although no "Overland" cred means lower cost. This is also a 12v only fridge, an external 110v power pack can be purchased.
I paid around $500, cheapest at the time was around $650.
Amazon WH overnighted it to me. I plugged it in and the fuse popped, great, I put another in and it was fine until I wiggled the cord, pop! Long story short, I pulled apart the cig plug and found that the metal positive contact had rubbed through the heat shrink of the negative. So I bent the contact differently put it back together and its been fine ever since. yay!
For a short period of time I ran the fridge on the floor between the two rear seats, we really liked its access inside, use as a coffee table, but cooking outside, or camping "out the back" required going up front for retrieving or returning items in the fridge.
So the telescoping bedslide came to be.
This solves that pesky problem of accessing the cooler from the back (where I just increased my counter space as well), or the front on roadtrips.

 

[dcguillory]

We really need a "like" button on this forum

 

[richsipe]

Awesome build I am currently considering just such an adventure in converting a Ford e350 to 4x4

Maybe I missed it but did you ever list out the total costs for the 4x4 conversion? I am going to leave mine a people mover but really wondering how much the conversion is approximately going to set me back. I can source an axle and TC for similar prices so feel like yours is an awesome gauge of how much to budget. Thanks!

 

[Vandit]

Really nice design on the fridge slide. I love the amount of functionality you have built into every single feature of your build. Really well thought out. Nice work!

 

[Pinnacle Campers]

We really need a "like" button on this forum

Thanks, you found the "like" button(s)!

Awesome build I am currently considering just such an adventure in converting a Ford e350 to 4x4

Maybe I missed it but did you ever list out the total costs for the 4x4 conversion? I am going to leave mine a people mover but really wondering how much the conversion is approximately going to set me back. I can source an axle and TC for similar prices so feel like yours is an awesome gauge of how much to budget. Thanks!

I didn't but I can.

Axle and swaybar- $440 (high mile, in need of rebuild, 3.73 gears, 2004 F250SD, no calipers/bolts for core)
Fuel tank mods and pressure test- $230
Wheels and lug kit- $580 (Pro comp 7069)
Tires and mounting- $1100 (Toyo AT2 285/17)
Exhaust- $1000 (new pipe work from the manifolds back, custom routing of driver side, y pipe, 2 new cats, OEM cat extension wire, muffler, etc.)
Sandblast/paint= $270
Used T.case, adapter, donor front drive shaft, GEMS module/switch= $500
Driveshafts= $840
Total= $4960

Ujoint stuff: (no itemizing here as I hope Chris would appreciate)
4" kit, drill bit kit, ubolts, lower shock mounts, rear wheel spacers/adapters, brake line kit, crossover steering, rear add a leaf, 3" rear blocks and ubolts, front upper shock mounts, sway bar links, tank shortening kit, Bilstein F+R shocks, Warn hubs, Large Shirt, freight.
Total= $4,240

Rock Auto:

You can see on the invoice that I bought a couple extras, 2nd set of brake pads, fuel filters. Now anytime I buy from Rockauto I look for great deals on consumables, I have picked up quite a few MANN fuel and oil filers on "closeout" great deals! I also later exchanged the brake calipers for a different Wagner PN. I ended up getting the CRB134536 and 7. Cant remember why but I will say they are the phenolic piston type and I have had one fail (locked up) since I have had them. I would probably go with the steel bore type in the future.
Total: $1200

Grand total= $10,400 not including my own labor/research/part acquisition, etc. which I value in the $3500 area.

Thanks for asking about this, it was good to go through it and collect my notes and receipts to reflect that what I have been telling people it costs to convert is true, "about ten grand, not including labor".
Can it be done cheaper? I'm sure it can.
What I would do differently? I would seriously consider a larger fuel tank, weather from ujoint or otherwise. I have been zig zagging in the mountains a few times wishing I had a little more capacity, I have made it every time but I'm not sure its worth the stress.

 

[Pinnacle Campers]

Really nice design on the fridge slide. I love the amount of functionality you have built into every single feature of your build. Really well thought out. Nice work!

Thanks, the only way it would have got to this point is by using it. I cant stress enough to people wanting to convert a van, ease into it, there are so many things to learn from using it, everyone is different, and has different needs you can't model a conversion after someone else and expect it to work for yourself. Lots of great ideas on this forum have led to this as well.
Thanks for the kind words!

 

[mk216v]

Well done with the telescoping fridge slide.

Thanks, the only way it would have got to this point is by using it. I cant stress enough to people wanting to convert a van, ease into it, there are so many things to learn from using it, everyone is different, and has different needs you can't model a conversion after someone else and expect it to work for yourself. Lots of great ideas on this forum have led to this as well.
Thanks for the kind words!

And very well said!!

 

[Bikersmurf]

Thanks, you found the "like" button(s)!



I didn't but I can.

Axle and swaybar- $4400 (high mile, in need of rebuild, 3.73 gears, 2004 F250SD, no calipers/bolts for core)
Fuel tank mods and pressure test- $230
Wheels and lug kit- $580 (Pro comp 7069)
Tires and mounting- $1100 (Toyo AT2 285/17)
Exhaust- $1000 (new pipe work from the manifolds back, custom routing of driver side, y pipe, 2 new cats, OEM cat extension wire, muffler, etc.)
Sandblast/paint= $270
Used T.case, adapter, donor front drive shaft, GEMS module/switch= $500
Driveshafts= $840
Total= $4960

4400 + + + = 4960

Do you mean $400?

It doesn't quite add up

 

[Pinnacle Campers]

Well done with the telescoping fridge slide.


And very well said!!

Thanks!

4400 + + + = 4960

Do you mean $400?

It doesn't quite add up

$440 actually, I realized later that the swaybar was an extra $40 and I typoed it.

Here are some extra pics from lately to try and make up for it.

One of those "where's the van shots", we are (or at least I'am) loving the van, as per usual, for board/ski trips. Our mountain is close, has cheap season passes, and open 13 hours a day so it makes fitting it in often relatively easy. Well as easy as driving 16 miles on a road that would make the "tail of the dragon" look like a kids ride at a county fair. This road is usually clear (of snow/ice) for about 10-12 miles, it tends to demand more of a vehicles handling than its on snow prowess. I'm really impressed with my ujoint van in the "twistes" as well as on snow.
The rubber coin flooring has made getting in and out with boots and/or putting them on/taking them off worry free, no ruined or wet carpet, and no more standing outside in my gearbag dressing/undressing. Also, having two seats in the back, two of us can chill without having to fiddle with turning the passenger seat around or deal with the cramped front seats. We keep snacks in the fridge and bring a thermos for warm items (still would like a little microwave for warming up lunch/leftovers quickly). We tend to take breaks at the van rather than the lodge. This parking spot is actually closer to the slope than the lodge.
We were up there yesterday and I spotted my old Tundra parked behind us, chatted with the new owner and he said it has treated him really well over the past two years.

 

[Pinnacle Campers]

I had bought my front axle with, matching to the rear, 3.73 gears. My thought was, I would start off with this and if I decided I needed more gear I could switch them out later.
Over the course of the past two years I had decided that 3.73 would work out for me. I think it comes down to a couple factors,
Gas mileage, anything lower, (numerically higher) would put me in the upper RPM range and ultimately decrease fuel mileage
Speed limits. Our interstates have 80 mph speed limits, I think 3.73 is the best balance between road and off road, see above.
Costs, obviously its cheaper to not have to re-gear.

On a few on snow excursions last winter I found the traction from the open front diff was less than stellar. On one occasion I was on a packed snowmobile trail late season and managed to get my right side tires off the packed trail. I sat there in amazement as my newly converted 4x4 van couldn't move because it was actually 2-3 wheel drive (the rear OEM LSD does help). The left front was on the packed trail and spinning while the right front was buried and doing nothing.
So this fall I picked up a Eaton Detroit true-trac differential.
http://www.eaton.eu/Eaton/ProductsServices/Vehicle/Differentials/detroit-truetrac/index.htm
This seems to be somewhat of an uncommon choice in the off road world but after driving near 1000 miles on dirt over the past two years (and 98% of it in 2wd) I decided my vans limitations weren't in the dirt it was in the snow/ice and VERY low traction surfaces. I also wanted something that was a little less aggressive than a true locker for the front giving a near normal driving feel when turning on pavement. The true-trac acts like an open diff until it comes to a low traction situation then "automagically" locks up to prevent wheel spin.
After a few failed attempts to get my van into my drivetrain shop I decided to just buy the clamshell style carrier bearing puller and do it myself. I purchased this clamshell style puller on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/251544641906?_trksid=p2060353.m2763.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Instead of getting under the bearing and pulling it up, which almost always destroys the bearing. This tool clamps the bearing with the race on top of it so as it pulls up on the bearing the race is keeping the bearing from deforming. Works a treat!
Once the puller is in place its just a matter of hitting the nut on top with an impact gun. I used my 18v cordless Makita impact gun rather than listen to the shop air compressor run.
The backlash is to be set at .006-.010", here it is at about .009"

I pulled the ring gear side bearing 3-4 times and pressed it on with my hydraulic press to add shims as I snuck up on that number. At this point the diff was getting pretty difficult to get in and out of the case, besides getting out from under the van, over to the bench to pull the bearing, back to the press, back under the van, you get the idea, like a crossfit program with a kettle bell.
After the backlash was set I checked the pattern.

They say with used ring and pinions that you should only focus on the "coast" side but both sides should be taken into account.

My amateur evaluation is that both look acceptable so I buttoned it up with new inner axle seals, and diff fluid.
Also, as part of this project I had my Warn caps and knobs powder coated black. The chrome/yellow combo wasn't working for me.

I have put some time in on some serious snow over the past few weeks. We have had record snow on the ground (13") here in Boise so there has been no shortage of "test" situations. Its been nothing short of amazing. I found in the past that I would focus on keeping my momentum/speed up to get through some sticky and deep snow situations but that isn't the case anymore. I can just poke along with the v10 set on idle and just plow through snowbanks 2' tall effortlessly with the D60 axle grading the snow like a blade. The transition from open to locked is undetectable and on higher traction surfaces the drivetrain doesn't seem to bind up quite so easily when turning. I think I'm going to be really happy with this.

 

[ujoint]

Those hubs look spectacular, great idea!

 

[shenrie]

nice brian! ive been eyeing one of these as well for the exact same reason....

I decided my vans limitations weren't in the dirt it was in the snow/ice and VERY low traction surfaces.

im really happy to hear youre happy with how it works. im a ways away from a purchase, but its on the list. the axle upgrade and a mini dequig set me back a lot more than expected stupid cars. oh and thanks for shining me today when i waved at you on chinden, rude. even with how dirty your van it, the big black brick looks great rolling

 

[Pinnacle Campers]

Those hubs look spectacular, great idea!

Thanks Chris, besides being the only yellow, I think its the only chrome that was left. Wish my black lug nuts looked as good. I saw that you just picked some up for V8, which ones do you use/recommend? Mine seem to be corroded/rusted within the first 6 months.

nice brian! ive been eyeing one of these as well for the exact same reason....



im really happy to hear youre happy with how it works. im a ways away from a purchase, but its on the list. the axle upgrade and a mini dequig set me back a lot more than expected stupid cars. oh and thanks for shining me today when i waved at you on chinden, rude. even with how dirty your van it, the big black brick looks great rolling

I saw your post on the SMB forum, I missed you, and I'm usually looking that way to see what Eurosport has out (is that Vic Sias old M3 they have?) or catch a glimpse at Throttle Works cars through the gate.

I had another thought about the diff, when out playing in the snow lately I'm finding that 2wd is WAY more "fun". You know SNOVANDRIFT! I really need to get some video. People stop dead in their tracks when they see me coming down the street sideways, steering wheel locked and sending snow into peoples front yards over the sidewalk. 4wd is "safer" in the snow yet not nearly as fun.