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Old 01-05-2013, 03:58 PM   #71
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Re: Finally Getting Started!

Back To The Top!

I have been feeling guilty about the lack of attention the van has been getting.

I had a busy day planned and needed to start early. A little frosty this morning.



I had to replace the axle in my trailer. I bent it hauling telephone poles. I bought 5 from the power company and cut them into corner posts for the new horse pasture and hauled them home. I was overloaded to say the least and ended up bending the axle. After my daughters riding lesson I had to go buy hay but that had to wait I had more pressing issues.



Second project on the list:

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Old 01-05-2013, 04:21 PM   #72
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Re: Finally Getting Started!

I've never had good steering in the van and after 5 or 6k miles and the recent threads showing the stabilizer from WVVAN I decided to take the plunge. I ordered the brackets off of the web and bought the bolts at Lowes. I was disappointed when I got the brackets because only three nuts came on the supplied u bolts and the large 12mm stud for the stabilizer seemed to be stripped (or the powder coat was to thick). I think the bracket was returned for someone and that's how I got it. No worries I chased the 12mm threads at work and bought 8mm nuts and washers/lock washers for a matched set. I took some progress pics but they did'nt come out (We're way overdue for a new camera).





Overall everything went smooth. I tapped the holes instead of bolting through the frame. I used 10x1.75x25mm bolts/washers/lock washers for the frame bracket. I also picked up a 12mm bolt for the frame bracket. Here is a listing for the hardware for the next guy(my install required two trips to Lowes)

(1) 12-1.75x70mm bolt (idealy you need about a 55mm. I had to cut mine off with a hacksaw. It was the smallest they had that would fit through the frame bracket).
(2) 12mm lock nuts
(3) 10-1.25x25mm bolts for the frame bracket
(3) 10mm flat washers
(3) 10mm lock washers
(1) 10-1.25 tap for the frame holes
(4) 8mm nuts (not needed if your u bolts are complete)
(4) 8mm flat washers
(4) 8mm lock washers
Of course:
(1) Ford frame bracket
(1) Ford steering bracket
(1) Monroe Steering Stabil from Advanced Auto.

Overall impression with the install is there is no reason you should not upgrade your van. My van has never driven well but after the test drive I'm impressed about the improvement. This is probably the single best improvement that I've made to the van.

Stay Tuned More Tomorrow!
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Old 01-06-2013, 04:59 PM   #73
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Re: Finally Getting Started!

Phase 2 of this week ends work.

So I tried to get some work done before church this morning. That in itself should have been enough to tell me to stay inside and drink coffee.



I bought the sway bar bushings to replace along with the steering stabilizer install. Reading Audisnapr thread and Carringb advice ( I also ordered off of Amazon) I started what I thought would be an easy 10 min project. Boy was I wrong. Taking the sway bar out was easy enough by removing the bolts and pulling the sway bar loose. Next was the bushings, I started from the back with different bits with no progress. I was regretting my $15 HF Air Chisel with bits. What ended up working was slicing the metal jacket in 2 or 3 spots and then bending over the edge with the air chisel and then hammering/chiseling out the whole piece.



I was not unable to install the new bushings with the chisel using washers. What ended working for me was using a 3 or 4 foot piece of fence post and a 5# hammer. I was able to hammer them into place. It took some effort but they went in.

The hard part was reinstalling the sway bar. There was no way to for everything to go back together. I tried turning the wheel, jacking the front end but to no avail I never got it in. I ended up having to get ready to leave so I had to leave it unfinished. When I got back to it I planned on using a pry bar and that got me close but not close enough. So I got the jack back out and jacked the sway bar all the way up as far as I could get it and then between the pry bar and the 5# sledge I got it back in the bushings. It a tight fit and its amazing how much wear the old ones had.

Sorry for the poor pic:



Anybody need a used HF Air Chisel? Almost "new" still in the box.
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Old 01-11-2013, 11:08 AM   #74
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Finally Getting Started!

My weekend plans!
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Old 01-12-2013, 04:55 PM   #75
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Re: Finally Getting Started!

I ordered the Maxx Lift kit talked about in Audisnapr Thread.

I picked up some bolts from a fastener store, some nuts from Lowes, and ended up needing washers for the project which I didnt have. I got them from Tractor Supply. At the end of the day TS had everything so I should have looked there first.

It took me all day but I got the front done. Well not really all day because I had to start and stop several times. After I installed the passenger I thought a coil spring compressor would speed things up on the drivers side. I went to the local auto parts for loan-a-tool which took some time. I couldn't get it to work out so I had to take the long way (wasn't able to use it at all), I returned it after I finished.

Start: Top of the front fender well was 33 1/2" from the ground.



Steps:

Remove the wheel
Install a jack stand supporting the frame
Support the radius arm and I beam with a floor jack
Remove the top spring retainer and bolt.
Remove the sway bar bracket
Drop the shock absorber (you have completely remove the shock to drop the I beam enough to pull the spring)
Spring should pull right out

During:


Install the 3/4" x 8" bolt from the bottom
Tighten a nut down, then install the bolt extender supplied with the lift.
Install the coil spring lift block
Reinstall the original coil spring cup, install the new 3/4" grade 8 nut to secure.
Reinstall the spring, then the shock, and sway bar.

After:


Top of the wheel well is 36" after finishing (with the stock tires).
I was planning to do the rear today as well. It wasn't going to happen, so I'll try tomorrow.
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Old 01-12-2013, 04:57 PM   #76
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Re: Finally Getting Started!

Lift continued:

For the rear I ordered a set of Add-a-Leafs from Chris @ Ujoint.

Start: Rear fender well was 35" from the ground.



Pretty straight forward install. I didn't grasp my instructions about the C Clamp until after it was too late. I had to grind the center pin to remove it and then drive the pin. The C Clamp would have held the spring pack together. I ended up ruining a center pin trying to get it all back together so it required a parts store run. I also had an issue lining the center pin back on the axle spring pad. What ended up working for me was to remove the wheel/tire from the other side. I was then able to side the axle around linig everything back together so the u bolts can be reinstalled.

During:



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Old 01-12-2013, 06:56 PM   #77
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Re: Finally Getting Started!

good stuff!

Took a second crack at those OE sway bar sleeved bushings. Was able to crush them enough from the front that that pressed right out from front to back. I used a 1/2" dia bolt, some large washers and an impact gun to press the new bushings in. The final 1/4" I used a piece of wood and a hammer to tap them into place. Fortunately for me I didn't have any issues reinstalling the sway bar.
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Old 01-13-2013, 10:28 AM   #78
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Re: Finally Getting Started!

Finish:





The fender well ended up being 36" when finished, so both the front and the back are 36".
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Old 01-13-2013, 12:39 PM   #79
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Re: Finally Getting Started!

I'm no expert here but shouldn't the new leaf be above the overload leaf instead of below it. The idea of the add a leaf is to put more arch in the spring pack.
Mike
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Old 01-13-2013, 12:45 PM   #80
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Re: Finally Getting Started!

Quote:
Originally Posted by MWL52
I'm no expert here but shouldn't the new leaf be above the overload leaf instead of below it. The idea of the add a leaf is to put more arch in the spring pack.
Mike
Unfortunately, this is correct. As sucky of a job as undoing all that is, the add a leaf is in the wrong spot OP.
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