Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 07-21-2018, 03:08 PM   #31
Senior Member
 
carringb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Corvallis, OR
Posts: 5,300
I would be very surprised if the Hellwigs were the only factor in the frame cracks. Mine haven't cracked (of course, I'm only a sample size of 1... ), and I have torn the bolts out of the front driver side, and my van has been very airborne as well, not to mention I'm normally very heavily loaded.

The E-series frame is normally very ductile, so I'm surprised to see you had any cracking at all. Is it possible it was heat damaged during install (like a dull drill bit was used?). Or maybe you got a fluke frame that was heat damaged during manufacturing (like it got left in the paint booth on a friday PM, over the weekend)...

__________________
2000 E450 dually V10 wagon
carringb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2018, 11:17 AM   #32
Senior Member
 
moorefc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: PNW or maybe Baja Sur
Posts: 381
I've had hellwigs on an E350 2X, and removed the rear due to tripoding. The rear was great on the road, but off camber with the front it was a bit much for my weight. Have not been totally airborne, but occasionally find some baja dips too late. No sign of issues, but the rail loads would come from off camber shock, not straight on rolling. Front hellwig works great. Front is the 1 1/8 version, and they do offer a stiffer 1 3/8 front one.
Also don't quite understand the swaybar mounting in the OP. Mine has a frame doubler running fore and aft wrapping the inner frame half with no adjacent (welds), and the picture shows a bracket spanning the frame just aft of the mount...Difference in the 4X4 mod? or I find it hard to believe there is a 2012/2006 frame difference. This may be a 4X4 only discussion?
__________________
Pac NW and warmer places
1995 E250 EB 5.8 2WD on to a new owner
2006 E350 EB Elect Top 2WD
moorefc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2018, 03:59 PM   #33
Site Team
 
Gooseberry's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Covina
Posts: 1,317
Garage
Ok you guys made go out and look at my sway bar to see if I have anything happening. I just have the front and it’s all good on a 18 year old van. I did have one bushing that popped out while coming down from Funnel lake last week and is the new clunk I picked up. I cant disconnect mine and it’s been pretty good both on and off road and I did notice the handling difference with it now loose.
__________________
Kelly, Claudine, Sophie dog, Bell the redheaded step child and Gooseberry RIP.

Most the time the Copilot is Now Sophie dog the noise maker.

2000 7.3 PS Quigley/RB30 with a 6 window poptop.
Gooseberry is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-2018, 12:22 AM   #34
REF
Senior Member
 
REF's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Boulder, CO.
Posts: 2,552
Send a message via MSN to REF
Nemisisnight- Boulder off Road fabricated the new upper mounting bracket and installed the larger front sway bar with end links, eliminating where the original sway bars usually end in the often wallowed out bushings. The end links were then replaced with disconnects, and yes, this is on a Quigley. I can send you some more pics by PM if you want.
Sorry for the derailment......
__________________
'03 Ford E350 7.3L Diesel
(de)SMB'd Custom RB-50
Quigley 4X4 w/Deavers & Agile Offroad's R.I.P. package
CCV High Profile Pop Top
REF is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-2018, 10:35 PM   #35
Site Team
 
Gooseberry's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Covina
Posts: 1,317
Garage
Quote:
Originally Posted by REF View Post
Nemisisnight- Boulder off Road fabricated the new upper mounting bracket and installed the larger front sway bar with end links, eliminating where the original sway bars usually end in the often wallowed out bushings. The end links were then replaced with disconnects, and yes, this is on a Quigley. I can send you some more pics by PM if you want.
Sorry for the derailment......


Send pics please
__________________
Kelly, Claudine, Sophie dog, Bell the redheaded step child and Gooseberry RIP.

Most the time the Copilot is Now Sophie dog the noise maker.

2000 7.3 PS Quigley/RB30 with a 6 window poptop.
Gooseberry is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-24-2018, 12:20 AM   #36
REF
Senior Member
 
REF's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Boulder, CO.
Posts: 2,552
Send a message via MSN to REF
I had posted this up in the “what did you do....” thread a bit ago, but it’s huge. Here’s a few photos of it- there’s a pin that you pull to swing the disconnects up to the upper pin to get them out of the way
Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_2502.jpg
Views:	25
Size:	115.0 KB
ID:	21800
Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_2503.jpg
Views:	21
Size:	112.5 KB
ID:	21801
__________________
'03 Ford E350 7.3L Diesel
(de)SMB'd Custom RB-50
Quigley 4X4 w/Deavers & Agile Offroad's R.I.P. package
CCV High Profile Pop Top
REF is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-24-2018, 10:03 PM   #37
Site Team
 
Gooseberry's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Covina
Posts: 1,317
Garage
Thank you now I have ideas
__________________
Kelly, Claudine, Sophie dog, Bell the redheaded step child and Gooseberry RIP.

Most the time the Copilot is Now Sophie dog the noise maker.

2000 7.3 PS Quigley/RB30 with a 6 window poptop.
Gooseberry is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-31-2018, 06:44 PM   #38
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: East Bay CA
Posts: 1,078
I agree about detachable sways. I though SMB had such mounts on their 4WD builds; I recall that cuz I wanted to get some but no dice. In fact, I don't think I ever saw ANY detachable quick release type links that could handle the weight of a SMB. On my van one can just unbolt them, but it's kind of a pain to hang the thing out of the way.

And I would never ever drive the road without a beefy sway bar. While it's not great to use one offroad as previously noted, the opposite is true ON the road, and a rollover there is more likely to kill you, no?

Still, pretty alarming damage. That would seem to total the van. Yikes. And is it just the photo, or does the whole frame rail seem bent?
__________________
2001 Ford E250 Sportsmobile with Salem-Kroger 4x4 conversion
rob_gendreau is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-04-2018, 08:57 PM   #39
Site Team
 
Gooseberry's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Covina
Posts: 1,317
Garage
Quote:
Originally Posted by rob_gendreau View Post
I agree about detachable sways. I though SMB had such mounts on their 4WD builds; I recall that cuz I wanted to get some but no dice. In fact, I don't think I ever saw ANY detachable quick release type links that could handle the weight of a SMB. On my van one can just unbolt them, but it's kind of a pain to hang the thing out of the way.



And I would never ever drive the road without a beefy sway bar. While it's not great to use one offroad as previously noted, the opposite is true ON the road, and a rollover there is more likely to kill you, no?



Still, pretty alarming damage. That would seem to total the van. Yikes. And is it just the photo, or does the whole frame rail seem bent?


With just one bushing out of place I noticed a big difference in handling and a roll to the van.
__________________
Kelly, Claudine, Sophie dog, Bell the redheaded step child and Gooseberry RIP.

Most the time the Copilot is Now Sophie dog the noise maker.

2000 7.3 PS Quigley/RB30 with a 6 window poptop.
Gooseberry is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off

» Sportsmobile Registry

The Hulk

Hulk

Moby

maptester
Add your Sportsmobile
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sportsmobile SIP or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 01:14 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.