The $3,000 Sportsmobile project

[hansk]

Rotors are t cheap, they customize their own to fit the Dana 60 I learned and are $155 a piece.

I have a 2001 EB that was experiencing the same exact death wobble symptoms you describe. After going through various forum posts related to the issue, I narrowed it down to the rotors being warped. I also found the pad caliper guide pins needed grease. This might have lead to some of the warping. As mentioned in another comment, the steering stabilizer only masks the problem. I know because I had replaced mine and I thought it solved the problem but the wobble came right back.

The Quigley replacement rotor cost was painful to find. A bit of research revealed that the rotors were simply machined a small amount so I decided to attack the job myself. I posted a writeup over in the Sportsmobile Forum describing the process and details:

Info Milling K30 Rotors for 2001 Quigley Conversion - Sportsmobile Forum

Hi Folks - I've got a 2001 Sportsmobile with a Quigley conversion. It was time to replace the front rotors so I gave Sportsmobile a call which led to a call to Quigley to get the details. According to

www.sportsmobileforum.com

Video of milling one of the rotors:


Note, I would have liked to use a lathe but didn't have access to one that could handle the size of the rotors. I'm also guessing that a local machine shop can do this far easier with a big lathe. The rotors require only a very small notch removed from the inside so they clear the ABS sensor.

With mine, I've had no problems and the braking has been fine. No wobble has returned.

Hope this helps.

 

[upcruiser]

I have a 2001 EB that was experiencing the same exact death wobble symptoms you describe. After going through various forum posts related to the issue, I narrowed it down to the rotors being warped. I also found the pad caliper guide pins needed grease. This might have lead to some of the warping. As mentioned in another comment, the steering stabilizer only masks the problem. I know because I had replaced mine and I thought it solved the problem but the wobble came right back.

The Quigley replacement rotor cost was painful to find. A bit of research revealed that the rotors were simply machined a small amount so I decided to attack the job myself. I posted a writeup over in the Sportsmobile Forum describing the process and details:

Info Milling K30 Rotors for 2001 Quigley Conversion - Sportsmobile Forum

Hi Folks - I've got a 2001 Sportsmobile with a Quigley conversion. It was time to replace the front rotors so I gave Sportsmobile a call which led to a call to Quigley to get the details. According to

www.sportsmobileforum.com

Video of milling one of the rotors:


Note, I would have liked to use a lathe but didn't have access to one that could handle the size of the rotors. I'm also guessing that a local machine shop can do this far easier with a big lathe. The rotors require only a very small notch removed from the inside so they clear the ABS sensor.

With mine, I've had no problems and the braking has been fine. No wobble has returned.

Hope this helps.

Hansk, that is super helpful. Interesting point on the rotors triggering the wobble, I could see that being part of my issue. It happens under braking in very specific circumstances but basically between the old worn tires and the rotors it probably hits just the right resonant frequency and sends it into a big dance. I am replacing all the rotors and calipers so that will eliminate that as a possible problem.

 

[upcruiser]

Ok haven’t had any updates, winter came early and not having a shop yet at our new place means everything is weather dependent and likely meaning that I m waiting till spring unless I pay a shop to do some of the work. I finally got the wheels swapped with the new wheels and tires today. We have had a big warmup and lost most of our snow. My first attempt to do this was ended by the lugnuts being seized so I did a long term penetrating solution spray to them over a period of time daily. The back wheels were seized to the hubs and took some major persuading to break free. Finally got a good up close and personal look at the calipers and rotors... yeah so they are pretty rough. Going to have to do calipers and rotors all the way around for sure. Also, discovered a compromised control arm that was about to give up the ghost.... glad I saw that. I haven’t been driving the van since fall and even then it was just a mile or two down to the beach. I am going to need to address that control arm, I am hoping Quigley sells replacements as I would rather swap it out then have some sort of repair done to it. Going to have to reach out to them. Sketchy though, look at the first attachment for a picture of it.

 

[Arjan]

Very Nice !

We don't have them here in France - in 4WD I'd love to have one

 

[upcruiser]

Very Nice !

We don't have them here in France - in 4WD I'd love to have one

Yeah but you guys get those awesome 4 motion Caravelle TDI’s such cool vans.

 

[jacobconroy]

Ok haven’t had any updates, winter came early and not having a shop yet at our new place means everything is weather dependent and likely meaning that I m waiting till spring unless I pay a shop to do some of the work. I finally got the wheels swapped with the new wheels and tires today. We have had a big warmup and lost most of our snow. My first attempt to do this was ended by the lugnuts being seized so I did a long term penetrating solution spray to them over a period of time daily. The back wheels were seized to the hubs and took some major persuading to break free. Finally got a good up close and personal look at the calipers and rotors... yeah so they are pretty rough. Going to have to do calipers and rotors all the way around for sure. Also, discovered a compromised control arm that was about to give up the ghost.... glad I saw that. I haven’t been driving the van since fall and even then it was just a mile or two down to the beach. I am going to need to address that control arm, I am hoping Quigley sells replacements as I would rather swap it out then have some sort of repair done to it. Going to have to reach out to them. Sketchy though, look at the first attachment for a picture of it. View attachment 558281View attachment 558282View attachment 558283View attachment 558284

I sure like the look of those stock steel wheels on these vans (when they have some nice paint of powder coat on 'em). Good choice!

 

[Arjan]

Yes... We do.

But they are not cheap.

and less powerful.