Pics of your VAN! Post up!

[New River KTM]

New Member to the board My 89 Ford Quadravan

Picked this baby up for a song in SF back in 2007. Slowly rebuilding the worn out stuff. Just added some rims and used tires, gave it another 2" of lift this month. She is ready for a repaint and a monster roof rack which I'm slowly building. More to come on details later.

 

[Photog]

Well I guess it is time top post pics of our new van.
It is a 2008 Roadtrek, on a Chevy Express 3500 platform.
I have installed a 4" lift so far.
Mods that are on the list:
- Replace lift blocks with better springs.
- Eliminate bump-steer
- Fit a set of 33"-34" tires
- Aluminess bumpers
- On-board air
- Skid plates for tanks and skirts
- 4x4
- etc.

This is a photo taken, just before I installed a 4" lift. It is so low to the ground, it would drag bottom with normal daily driving (entering parking lots, speed bumps, etc.).

Here it is, one early morning in North-East Nevada. It has the 4" lift at this point.

I have been talking with Advanced 4WD, in Salt Lake city, about installing 4x4. We are planning to have the 4x4 installed in 2012. I need to sell a muscle car between now & then.

 

[vanderpooch]

Break out the Ultra Wide and lets see the inside!! :drool:

 

[Photog]

Break out the Ultra Wide and lets see the inside!! :drool:

Here is a 360 degree view.
http://www.roadtrek.com/qtvr.aspx?ModelID=21&yearID=12&qtvr=pano_190v_

 

[vanderpooch]

That my friend is rolling in style!!! Congrats!! :victory:

 

[Jasper Jones]

Here is a 360 degree view.
http://www.roadtrek.com/qtvr.aspx?ModelID=21&yearID=12&qtvr=pano_190v_

How did you accomplish the 4" lift? I've been looking into lifting a newer GM van and can't seem to find very much info.

Thanks,
Jason

 

[ujoint]

Nice!!

 

[Maximus Ram]

What's the inside look like ?

 

[RocKrawler]

That is a beautiful van - are those 33" tires?

I wonder if those style headlights put out as much light as the composite housings on the upper models, I like the utilitarian look of the standard headlamps and black grille better!

 

[Accrete]

How did you accomplish the 4" lift? I've been looking into lifting a newer GM van and can't seem to find very much info.

Thanks,
Jason

I can't answer for Photog, but i did find a 4" lift kit available for the Express Van at Overland, if you scroll to the bottom of this page you will see the info, though that page only mentions rigs up to 2002(?) it seems like they could get'er done for you if you asked.

happy trails,
thom

 

[18seeds]

That is a beautiful van - are those 33" tires?

I wonder if those style headlights put out as much light as the composite housings on the upper models, I like the utilitarian look of the standard headlamps and black grille better!

Thanks

Yes 33 bfg at that I took off my Tacoma.

I am not familiar with the light t output on the newer models but these do OK. By no means are they bright

 

[Photog]

That my friend is rolling in style!!! Congrats!! :victory:

It is very comfortable. We will see how long the cabinets hold up to the vibrations of rough roads.

How did you accomplish the 4" lift? I've been looking into lifting a newer GM van and can't seem to find very much info.

Thanks,
Jason

I used a set of 4" spindles for a 3500 Silverado 2WD truck, and currently a set of 4" blocks in the rear (soon to be replaced by extra leaves in the spring pack). Since our van is a 2008, the lift spindles on that website will not work. The newer knuckles have the bolted hub units (spindle included). The 3500 (1 ton) has 4 bolts, while the 1500 -2500 have three bolts holding the hub unit to the spindle.

These are the knuckles I used. http://www.cstsuspension.com/products/sfID1/7/sfID2/8/sfID3/75/productID/133

There are some differences between the truck and the van. On the van, the control arms are further apart, making the knuckle 1" taller, between the ball joints. The steering arm (on the knuckle) is also in a different location. When installed on the van, the steering is in a condition of severe bump-steer. I am currently correcting this problem. And, to get the alignment set correctly, I need to install a set of eccentric bushings in the upper control arm.

The best solution may be to just install a taller coil spring, that still allows for a few inches of down travel. The stock shocks limit the down travel, so a set of longer shocks will add to the available down-travel.

 

[18seeds]

What's the inside look like ?

Will have some interior pics in a few weeks once the CCV is done with it. I am building in stages.

 

[RocKrawler]

Thanks

Yes 33 bfg at that I took off my Tacoma.

I am not familiar with the light t output on the newer models but these do OK. By no means are they bright

Looks like its time to update your sig line!

 

[SolarVan]

1997 Ford E250 Cargo Van

I just completed phase one of work on the van which included installing a new motor, cleaning and repairing every part of the vehicle, new Kumho Road Venture AT tires LT265/75/R16, which are the largest I could install without rubbing on a stock van. With over 6000 miles on the tires I can highly recommend them. I used to run Bridgestone AT's till I got tired of the sticker price. I have zero complaints with the Kumos. 400 miles of offroad use and 5600 miles on the highway.

Phase two: Ujoint Offroad kit install is in the works and I have the majority of the parts ready to go in. I spent the entire summer searching for good deals on 1 ton axles and found a front D60 and a rear Sterling 10.5 in good condition and then rebuilt them with good parts for less than $1500.

Having completed Phase one I was anxious for a road trip and just before I left from Delaware to Moab Utah found a sponsor who hooked me up with the roof full of solar panels you see in the photos. http://ceusa.com

The Solar panels feed a small bank of 6 volt 230ah batteries that gave me more than enough power for lighting, six hours of movie watching each night on a 22" screen, power for my computer, power to run small tools, etc all without having to run a noisy generator. The solar batteries even saved me when my alternator and starter battery died 50 miles from civilization.

I was amazed at what the van could do with oversized tires even without 4 wheel drive. Two weeks in Moab and I never got stuck. You can see the video on youtube at the following link: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZiP7SoRSE8"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZiP7SoRSE8[/ame]

I have a detailed write up of the work I've been doing on the van at my website which you should be able to find in my profile.