UJOR Build Thread

[350outrage]

I caught the plastic trim on some low lying brush w/o realizing it one night while turning to back into the barn. It had already removed itself on one other occasion when it snagged something, so I finally just left it off. Yes, I'd already had to trim it just to fit the 265's even before the UJOINT lift, and the front tires also had a light rub on the rear part of the plastic inner fender when wheel was turned and going up driveway, etc. No problems in that area now!
Thanks Chris! It looks great!

 

[tommudd]

Prepping for delivery! V10, 4" lift on 265's.

This is what I am going for here real soon.
If it were just me I'd go higher but wife doesn't want that much lift. I think she is afraid she won't be able to crawl up in it !
So are 265-75-16s the biggest tire you can do with 4 inches of lift, or do 33s or so fit?
Also another question, how does the 5.4 gasser do on the highway as far as power and mileage ?

Thanks

 

[ujoint]

The 4" lift will clear a 33" tire. 5.4's do fine with the right gear ratio as long as you don't expect too much from them! Mine is on 35's with 4.88's and see's 12 mpg's as a DD.

 

[tommudd]

The 4" lift will clear a 33" tire. 5.4's do fine with the right gear ratio as long as you don't expect too much from them! Mine is on 35's with 4.88's and see's 12 mpg's as a DD.

THANKS Chris, figured somewhere in there
Now to find one !

 

[350outrage]

THANKS Chris, figured somewhere in there
Now to find one !

Don't be afraid of the v-10. Mine got about 13 mpg hwy with 3.73 gears. Didn't seem to decrease much, if any for city. Now with 4.10's, guess we'll see, but I don't expect much decrease, if any. You don't have to gear the v-10 down quite as much as the 5.4 to get good performance, hence, comparable gas mileage. Although Chris is running the 35's on his 5.4.

 

[Pinnacle Campers]

Don't be afraid of the v-10. Mine got about 13 mpg hwy with 3.73 gears. Didn't seem to decrease much, if any for city. Now with 4.10's, guess we'll see, but I don't expect much decrease, if any. You don't have to gear the v-10 down quite as much as the 5.4 to get good performance, hence, comparable gas mileage. Although Chris is running the 35's on his 5.4.

Nice van outrage. I'm loving my chateau and I'm less than a day away from pulling the trigger on the DIY ujoint kit. (Axle and tcase already acquired).
How hard did Chris pressure you to go 6"? Any thoughts on why you went the way you did?
I plan to go 275/17 (33's), is 265/16 the combo you plan to run permanently?

I think the 6" lift with 35's looks good proportionally but as a daily driver I'm looking for good ingress/egress not only in the front, I also plan to get in and out of the back often. I also think pushing around less tire all week, and paying extra for replacements...

You also can't use a trac bar with the 4" lift, although I'm not a huge believer in trac bars by design, Chris says it works, would like to have the option to try it both ways...

Anyone following along have any thoughts on 4" vs. 6" and tire sizing?

 

[derjack]

Nice van outrage. I'm loving my chateau and I'm less than a day away from pulling the trigger on the DIY ujoint kit. (Axle and tcase already acquired).
How hard did Chris pressure you to go 6"? Any thoughts on why you went the way you did?
I plan to go 275/17 (33's), is 265/16 the combo you plan to run permanently?

I think the 6" lift with 35's looks good proportionally but as a daily driver I'm looking for good ingress/egress not only in the front, I also plan to get in and out of the back often. I also think pushing around less tire all week, and paying extra for replacements...

You also can't use a trac bar with the 4" lift, although I'm not a huge believer in trac bars by design, Chris says it works, would like to have the option to try it both ways...

Anyone following along have any thoughts on 4" vs. 6" and tire sizing?

:ylsmoke: Interesting- looks like I am one the minor group people who miss to sit as high as before. A higher entrance is something I will miss from my Iveco http://www.derjackistweg.de/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMAG0296.jpg
Of course it takes more effort to get in, but these E350 Vans are no big deal to get inside. The Bottem ground of my 40.10 was roughly 40", maybe more. So everthing coming now is easy ingress.

Value of this: If you are in areas where you don´t want people to have a look into your rig- except they they onto anything.

On my E350 I´ve actually 265/75-16, but already 315/75-16 laying around. If you plan to switch from 17" to 16ns it´s a different story: You need to know what you´re planning with your rig. A flat tire like your driving now is better ON Road, will steer better and brake better (depending on the profile and quality of course). Note that the high of the tire is the most important number! 275 on 17" wheels are probably 65 -> 275/65-16
265 on 16" are mostly 65 to 75 -> 265/75-16 like mine e.g. can be made with an AT Profile, that will work good OFF Road and can be used ON Road also, with minor disadvantages to the one on 17". the total tire diameter does not matter at all.
The more "rubber" is on the tire the worse its on the street -> the better can it be off road (like air down, strength etc.)

This is 315/75-16 vs. 265/65-16
http://www.derjackistweg.de/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/IMAG1009.jpg

 

[350outrage]

Nice van outrage. I'm loving my chateau and I'm less than a day away from pulling the trigger on the DIY ujoint kit. (Axle and tcase already acquired).
How hard did Chris pressure you to go 6"? Any thoughts on why you went the way you did?
I plan to go 275/17 (33's), is 265/16 the combo you plan to run permanently?

I think the 6" lift with 35's looks good proportionally but as a daily driver I'm looking for good ingress/egress not only in the front, I also plan to get in and out of the back often. I also think pushing around less tire all week, and paying extra for replacements...

You also can't use a trac bar with the 4" lift, although I'm not a huge believer in trac bars by design, Chris says it works, would like to have the option to try it both ways...

Anyone following along have any thoughts on 4" vs. 6" and tire sizing?

Thanks for the kind word! Mine's a Chateau as well. Chris did not pressure me at all to go 6". He did explain that 6" has a couple advantages, i.e. more suspension travel, sharper turning, and ability to use trac bar. However, he maintains trac bar is not really necessary with the leaf springs on 4" of lift, and I believe this is true. Reasons I went 4" are mostly same as you listed above; 1) wanted to keep the load height low, because I'm constantly lifting things into the rear and towing trailers. Wanted to keep a low hitch height. 2) 6" looks better with the 35's, which will not fit in the stock spare location, meaning you have to carry a giant wheel and tire on the outside of your van somewhere, unless you want to sacrifice cargo space. Did not want to carry the spare on a rack (decreased mpg and wind noise), or on rear bumper (blocks access to rear door(s)).

When I decided to pull the trigger on the conversion, the van had nice 265's (basicly 32's) on it which were only 3-4 months old. Did not want to drop another grand on tires right now, what with paying for the conversion and wheels. When these wear out, I might go to 285's (33's) which should be abt right.

Guess the bottom line for me was, although the 6" on 35's looks, handles, and rides good, the 4" on 32's or 33's was just more practical for my intended uses (camping, hunting, cowpasture, ski trips, people hauling, etc.)

Thanks for your interest,
Dave

 

[Brad Kilby]

I think the 6" lift with 35's looks good proportionally but as a daily driver I'm looking for good ingress/egress not only in the front, I also plan to get in and out of the back often. I also think pushing around less tire all week, and paying extra for replacements...
Anyone following along have any thoughts on 4" vs. 6" and tire sizing?

I have Chris's 6" kit with 315/70-17's and use it as a daily driver. What really helps is the electric steps though. Without them, It would be a little less friendly as a DD. My short wife can get in no problem as well.

 

[ujoint]

Updates!

Chad swung by on his way home to CO for some more light so we added a 30" Rigid to the F bumper. Love this van.

Here's David rig ready to roll west!

New product, TX003 for the 4R70 & 4R75 transmissions with the NV271 t-case. Slightly different than our TX002 and since its shorter we added the notch for front shaft clearance.

 

[mk216v]

Looking sweet Chris!

 

[350outrage]

Had a nice drive home to OK; the van ROCKS the highway! Couldn't resist so stopped and took it up a nice little two lane dirt road in the National forest outside Fletcher on way home. Pretty steep but it was effortless. 4.10 --nice! On way down passed local 4wd group (4 or 5 jeeps) on way up. Tried big mud hole that would have formerly stopped van in its tracks. Once again. . . effortless. Once got home drove around the 5 ac, and dropped the front end off down a little ridge on trail down to barn; then tried to backup. In 2wd, nothing but tire spin on rear (all weight is transferred to fronts). If you have a van, you know that backing up offroad uphill usually is just not going to happen. It was really gratifying to just move that lever to 4 hi and back up effortlessly, popping those fronts right back up over the ridge! I'm liking it so far!

BTW, I know I've called the van " Plan B" on here before, but now everyone who sees it automatically calls it "Vanzilla" So, to whoever used that name first, apologies, it just stuck!

Regards to all,

Dave.

 

[mk216v]

Congrats Dave, glad you're loving it!!

 

[CrabbyMcNab]

Had a nice drive home to OK; the van ROCKS the highway! Couldn't resist so stopped and took it up a nice little two lane dirt road in the National forest outside Fletcher on way home. Pretty steep but it was effortless. 4.10 --nice! On way down passed local 4wd group (4 or 5 jeeps) on way up. Tried big mud hole that would have formerly stopped van in its tracks. Once again. . . effortless. Once got home drove around the 5 ac, and dropped the front end off down a little ridge on trail down to barn; then tried to backup. In 2wd, nothing but tire spin on rear (all weight is transferred to fronts). If you have a van, you know that backing up offroad uphill usually is just not going to happen. It was really gratifying to just move that lever to 4 hi and back up effortlessly, popping those fronts right back up over the ridge! I'm liking it so far!

BTW, I know I've called the van " Plan B" on here before, but now everyone who sees it automatically calls it "Vanzilla" So, to whoever used that name first, apologies, it just stuck!

Regards to all,

Dave.

Congrats Dave! Is yours the two tone above with the bling wheels? I've been trying to decide for when the time comes about the 4 or 6 inch lift.

 

[ujoint]

Glad you got home safe & sound and have already locked the hubs!