lightning60
New member
Hello (Van) World-
We just became the owners of our first full-size van. We are going from a 2005 Chrysler T&C minivan to a 1998 Ford E-350 Hi-Top in order to pull a travel trailer around the country for a year. Our family is me, my long-suffering wife, four kids, and a German Shepherd cross mutt that looks like a dingo.
1998 Ford E-350 Club Wagon
V10
135K miles
Planned upgrades:
4.10 ring & pinion
Class IV or V rear receiver hitch to get 10k towing capacity
Tach & Trans Temp gauge (off diagnostic port)
Front receiver hitch for carrying bikes
Classier interior (cedar paneling?) with interior storage in the hi-top
Seating for 10, preferably something that stows or at least folds down when there are only 6 of us
Exterior lighting front/right/rear
Interior lighting
On-board air
12V refrigerator/cooler
The pictures below are from the listing, I ended up paying $3950 for it. Thankfully the glass breaker/seatbelt cutter was already installed, so that is one expedition upgrade I don't have to do :victory: The toggle switch near it was for a powered retractable step. I guess at some point it failed, because the step is welded solid to the framerail :Wow1:
First order of business is tackling regular maintenance items:
Brakes, currently locks up the LF under hard braking
Alignment, pulls left and wanders
Shocks, what are the best out there for stock suspension?
Weatherstripping
Power locks don't work
Corroded rear A/C lines, can someone recover the refrigerant when they replace the lines?
We just became the owners of our first full-size van. We are going from a 2005 Chrysler T&C minivan to a 1998 Ford E-350 Hi-Top in order to pull a travel trailer around the country for a year. Our family is me, my long-suffering wife, four kids, and a German Shepherd cross mutt that looks like a dingo.
1998 Ford E-350 Club Wagon
V10
135K miles
Planned upgrades:
4.10 ring & pinion
Class IV or V rear receiver hitch to get 10k towing capacity
Tach & Trans Temp gauge (off diagnostic port)
Front receiver hitch for carrying bikes
Classier interior (cedar paneling?) with interior storage in the hi-top
Seating for 10, preferably something that stows or at least folds down when there are only 6 of us
Exterior lighting front/right/rear
Interior lighting
On-board air
12V refrigerator/cooler
The pictures below are from the listing, I ended up paying $3950 for it. Thankfully the glass breaker/seatbelt cutter was already installed, so that is one expedition upgrade I don't have to do :victory: The toggle switch near it was for a powered retractable step. I guess at some point it failed, because the step is welded solid to the framerail :Wow1:
First order of business is tackling regular maintenance items:
Brakes, currently locks up the LF under hard braking
Alignment, pulls left and wanders
Shocks, what are the best out there for stock suspension?
Weatherstripping
Power locks don't work
Corroded rear A/C lines, can someone recover the refrigerant when they replace the lines?
