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Old 03-19-2020, 10:29 AM   #21
MSD
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This looks like a zavier/crows to me as well... Halcon racing down in TJ does all his conversions. But just recently McNeil racing is using them as well so now two or 3 folks out there all using Halcon to resell 4x4 vans. There work is getting better, but I would still never chance owning one without a extensive weld inspection with a shop I trust. Plus I would always do a walk around and check the track bar mount welds every time I drove it.

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2004 E350 EB Quigley - aka MCSporty6.0
2013 Fiat 500 pop/abarth - Sold
2003 Land Rover Disco II
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Old 03-19-2020, 12:44 PM   #22
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Thanks everyone for the shop suggestions. Can't wait to go spend thousands on a problem I didn't know I had. If my luck holds I'll probably get the Corona virus while going out to get the van checked/repaired. Or maybe I'll wait. What to do, what to do?
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Old 03-19-2020, 06:45 PM   #23
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I’ll sell you my van in the classifieds! Even give you a roll of two ply toilet paper.
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Old 03-20-2020, 04:07 PM   #24
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I am in line with carringb as far as your radius arm angles. Your upper ball joint needs to be degrees behind your lower to achieve positive caster. This is imperative to eliminate bump steer and your steering wheel returning to center after turns. If you are in a "0" or negative caster, the pressure or force pushes on the lower ball joint and thus causes the uncontrollable steering. When your at positive caster that same force pushes thru the lower to the upper working together to control the force thus self aligning the tires on where to go. An example of this is when you turn your steering wheel it will return to center, not so with negative caster!
With that said... you never stated if you were having a problem or not. The miles on the vehicle, or previous owner info. You stated that you want to have it checked out. This can be done by you. For starters your body mount sway bar bushing look to need replacing and possibly your link bushings as well.
I can not comment on spring length but your arms do appear to be displaying negative caster.
I can not comment on your crossmember if sectioned since I can not see it from the angle.
Your trac bar seems to be somewhat in line with your steering arm, but again pic angles can be misleading.
Ball joints need inspection, uni-bearing all this you can find how to on YouTube. There may be some things you find that are easy to replace (sway bar body mount bushings) and can save you money on the things you can't do (longer radius drop downs). If your not having issues then check weld points. I will say I do not like the work on the crossmember sectioned. The bottom can be plated 3-4 inches past the cut out on each side. That crossmember is now holding up the transmission and T case as well as the added torque of low range that is compounded by the size of your tires and added weight of the T case and vehicle including the front axle.
I almost forgot shocks. You mentioned needing new. This can drastically change your ride if you are in desperate needs of new ones.
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Old 03-28-2020, 06:49 PM   #25
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Thanks for the extra info. The reason I started asking about this was due to the reaction of the front wheels when sometimes hitting bumps. They will bounce out of control for a little before settling down. Doesn't happen often but frightening when it does. I had hoped new better shocks would help but have since learned, via the forum, that I am in need of much more. I have looked over the welds and so far I don't see any cracks. Unfortunately due to several issues I am unable to much mechanical work under the van. I will keep reading up on the suggestions people have made and see what there is that I can do. Hopefully this quarantine this won't last to long and then ill take to one of the local shops suggested to have it checked better.
I have had the van less than a year but during that time I've been to Utah, Death Valley and Joshua Tree among other places and no issues other than the occasional wheel bouncing I mentioned. Hopefully I'll get it straightened out and enjoy many more years of fun.
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Old 06-24-2020, 01:17 PM   #26
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B1200,
Have you done anything to the front end?
I'm curious about your front end "death wobble". Any corrections that worked to cure the problem?
2003 E350 4X4 SMB
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Old 06-24-2020, 03:48 PM   #27
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Hi Mike,
Quite a coincidence but I just dropped the van off this morning at Ventura 4x4 to get it checked out. The guy I talked with there said the setup looked pretty good and didn't think the conversion itself was the problem. He thought it could be that the larger tires had not been balanced properly.
He was going to do a more thorough inspection and let me know if he finds anything else. Once I get it back I'll have to drive it awhile to see if it happens again as the problem only happens occasionally.
I really hope that is it as other problems will be increasingly expensive to fix. I'll post more after I find out.
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Old 06-24-2020, 06:59 PM   #28
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B1200,
I was waiting to hear from you before I contributed. Most of the contributors are very knowledgeable about 4X4 vans. I have learned a lot from reading their reply's and evaluations as to various issues.
Here goes.
I have a 2003 E350 SMB 4X4 (Quigley). I ordered the van new from Fresno Sportsmobile West. I have nothing but good things to say about my SMB 17 years later.
I have some issues with the Quigley conversion as they change the bolt pattern and made a very difficult repair in CO.
About your wobble or as it's popularly know as the "death wobble". Usually caused when one tire hits a bump in the road.
I has serious "wobble" issues.
My 4X4 shop checked the entire front end and replaced several parts. It was still there. It's accurately named the "death wobble".
For years I would drive with that expectation in the back of my mind.
Back to the shop.....went thru part by part.
On 12/19/2017 at 237,227 miles (because of wear) we replaced:
Ball Joints/Steering knuckles
Track Bar
Steering Damper (for a F550)
5 New tires & 5 new rims
4X4 Alignment
Wheel balance was done with COUNTER ACT WHEEL BALANCE system.
My gut feeling is the steering damper and the Counter Act Wheel Balance were the key ingredients. Experts have disagreed with me but knock on wood (my head) I have been "WOBBLE" free since December 2017.
I was unable to see a steering stabilizer. Is there one?
Also my 4X4 repair guy just moved his shop to Ventura from Burbank.
2003 E350 7.3 4X4 SMB
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Old 06-24-2020, 08:32 PM   #29
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Thanks for the info. Got the van back this afternoon. The mechanic says he thought the build was very good but a few issues need to be addressed related to the wobble. One was adding a steering stabilizer, which I plan to do. Also he said the ball joints were a little worn so I'm going to have that done. He did balance the tires, doing the inside and outside of the tires. I don't know if that is the same balancing procedure you refer to. I did notice a little less vibration in the steering wheel on the freeway.
He also suggested putting a reinforcement between the radius arm mounting brackets as the torque can twist the frame over time as van frames are not reinforced for 4x4 as trucks are. So I think I'll have that done.
The shop cannot do this work until August so I won't know until then what those changes will do. But I will still be watching out for the wobble to see if the balancing did the trick. I'll post any new info as it occurs.
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Old 06-25-2020, 01:01 PM   #30
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B1200,
Sounds good. Most importantly sounds like you have an honest mechanic.
Yes for sure the stabilizer, as I mentioned I am now running what is equivalent to a F350 stabilizer, Yes the frame is not the same as F350.
I have a Quigley conversion and in checking with them the 4X4 is a 2001 Ford F350.
The wobble is not strictly a Van or Ford problem. There were law suites and they still might be pending.
The Counter Act Wheel Balance is very simple wheel balance solution.
It's a small plastic bag (which dissolves) you put inside the tire. It contains small round granules which adjust the wheel balance while your in motion. I think they are great. No more balancing, just rotate tires. I have not had any sign of a wobble after they were placed in my tires.
I don't recommend things as I'm in way a mechanic or have the understanding that many on the forum have. I can only report what my experience has been.
Keep us informed as to the actions your taking with your new toy. Again sounds like you might have a good guy at the shop in Ventura.
2003 E355 7.3 4X4 SMB
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