What did you do to your SMB today?

[rallypanam]

Originally Posted by 86Scotty

I can't wait until tomorrow Rob. Don't you have a camera with a flash? Set up some tripod lights? Drive over to the grocery store parking lot? C'mon man, this is your community!

Did I promise pictures? Crap. I still have to modify the bushwhackers and reinstall those, but I haven't got around to that yet.

Here's one:


Details on what I did here:
http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/for...ers-18043.html

[JoeH]

Originally Posted by rallypanam

No rubbing on the old tires, even when new. Have since moved the front axle forward, and lifted the rear with new springs, so moved up in tire size. Maybe should have gone wiht 34s, I might not have had to cut and weld. Oh well.

As for gearing, yeah, I will regear. The 3.73s were borderline before, now a bit sluggish off the line and up hills. The question is, 4.10 or 4.30?

Generally, a set of 4:10s would give you the most stock like feel. Anything lower you will gain some low end.

Stock tire: 3.73
35s: 4.10
37s: 4.30

This online gear calculator is handy: 4x4 related Calculators, Crawl Ratio, Gears Tires Sizes, etc..

I've got 4.10 running a 315/75-16 (68 mph =2000 rpm). Seems about right for the torque of the 6.0 psd. I'm 90% hwy miles before off-roading to a cool campspot or whatever. If it was a higher percentage off-road I'd go 4.30. 3.73 and it would be hunting for overdrive with 35" tires.

[MrHenrietta]

Completed my Quigley ride improvement upgrades today!!! New HD Bilstein shocks all around, Moog Springs upfront, re-arch and add a leaf in rear, Fox steering stabilizer from Agile.. I never thought I would be satisfied with the feel of my SMB. I was about ready to sell and start over with a UJOINT van. It's night and day difference. Feels like a new van. I'm finally able to enjoy driving it so I guess I'll hold on to it for awhile.

[BroncoHauler]

Originally Posted by MrHenrietta

Completed my Quigley ride improvement upgrades today!!! New HD Bilstein shocks all around, Moog Springs upfront, re-arch and add a leaf in rear, Fox steering stabilizer from Agile.. I never thought I would be satisfied with the feel of my SMB. I was about ready to sell and start over with a UJOINT van. It's night and day difference. Feels like a new van. I'm finally able to enjoy driving it so I guess I'll hold on to it for awhile.

Sounds like a common response to Quigley owners who go RIP. Congrats.


Herb

[JoeH]

Keep an eye on those bilsteins. I had two that were supposedly custom-valved by Deaver as part of their "package" blow seals or bend a shaft in less that 20,000 miles. And there is no warranty.

[Annie O]

Not exactly today but this past Thursday, I met up with JWA in central ohio. It was very productive and he was generous with his time! We met at his friend's truck shop- showed me how to trouble shoot for leaks, tighten window panels, improve door seals, fasteners etc etc. Very knowledgeable since he has been in the biz for so long. I left with a huge boost of confidence about which things I can address myself and which things to take to a shop (and sound semi-informed abut haha, always helps) A big plus is he has awesome stories to share. Each of us has a story right?

Thanks JW and thanks to this forum for the great community!

[arctictraveller]

Yesterday I ran a dedicated ground wire from my house batteries to the start battery. The old wiring had the house battery's grounded to the body with a rusty bolt near the bumper. I've gone through a set of 6v's every couple years and suspected the short life span may have been due in part to undercharging. At times I was able to measure a voltage drop of about 6/10th of a volt between the start and house batteries. Between the bad connection to the body and the fact that steel isn't the best conductor to begin with I'm hoping to see a higher voltage now. I also inspected my air cleaner, which has never been changed despite hundreds of miles off road and thousands on the road, it looked just fine. That seems odd though, so I'll be installing a new one before Moab...

[simplesez]

Installed a new starter today. Still trying to find that damn mouse that likes to nibble Clif bar wrappers in the pantry.

[Flux]

Originally Posted by Annie O

Not exactly today but this past Thursday, I met up with JWA in central ohio. It was very productive and he was generous with his time! We met at his friend's truck shop- showed me how to trouble shoot for leaks, tighten window panels, improve door seals, fasteners etc etc. Very knowledgeable since he has been in the biz for so long. I left with a huge boost of confidence about which things I can address myself and which things to take to a shop (and sound semi-informed abut haha, always helps) A big plus is he has awesome stories to share. Each of us has a story right?

Thanks JW and thanks to this forum for the great community!

I'm game here. I have a wind noise in my drivers side door. How do I get rid of that? Would love to know how to make doors seal better.

[gcvt]

Originally Posted by Annie O

Not exactly today but this past Thursday, I met up with JWA in central ohio. It was very productive and he was generous with his time! We met at his friend's truck shop- showed me how to trouble shoot for leaks, tighten window panels, improve door seals, fasteners etc etc. Very knowledgeable since he has been in the biz for so long. I left with a huge boost of confidence about which things I can address myself and which things to take to a shop (and sound semi-informed abut haha, always helps) A big plus is he has awesome stories to share. Each of us has a story right?

Thanks JW and thanks to this forum for the great community!

JWA is awesome! He spent a LOT of time walking me through my heater blend door and heater core issues on the Ford Truck forum on my first Sportsmobile. He stuck with it for nine l-o-n-g pages.

Thankfully, the van was stolen, I got a better van, and the thief either froze to death because of the broken blend door, or burned to death thanks to the faulty flexible solar panels

I would love to meet JWA in person and buy him many cold beverages.

Is he as cute as he claims to be?