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Old 08-05-2013, 12:21 PM   #21
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Re: SOCAL build

I am not sure what a panhard is, I can take some pictures of it when I get home. The place I bought it from had the alignment done and tires installed right before I bought it.

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Old 08-07-2013, 12:21 PM   #22
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Re: SOCAL build

Picture of front end.
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Old 08-09-2013, 02:22 PM   #23
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Re: SOCAL build

Holy bump steer! Check out that drag-link angle! That's probably what is initiating it (any uptravel in the suspension will steer the van to the right), then if continues to oscillate due the springs reacting and the lack of a panhard/trac bar to keep the axle from moving laterally.

A steering stabilizer may help, or it may just allow for higher speeds before it does the same thing. That setup really needs some help in the geometry department. A crossover steering kit will eliminate the bump steer, and a trac bar will stabilize the axle laterally. If you haven't checked out Chris's parts at UJointoffroad, you should. His stuff should be pretty compatible since his conversion use the same axle and are also leaf-sprung.
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Old 08-09-2013, 07:27 PM   #24
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Re: SOCAL build

Quote:
Originally Posted by shadzima
I am not sure what a panhard is, I can take some pictures of it when I get home. The place I bought it from had the alignment done and tires installed right before I bought it.
A panhard is a track bar.

Here's a nicely labelled picture: http://www.4x4xplor.com/images/alignmen ... ment01.jpg

<disclaimer, other than debugging my own van and lots of my childhood spent with legos and RC cars, I'm a novice at this>

A track bar is not always required with a leaf spring, but will do the same thing as it does with a coil spring setup. It constrains the axle movement to a plane and keeps the axle from moving in ways that results in unwanted steering.
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Old 08-09-2013, 07:37 PM   #25
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Re: SOCAL build

Awesome and thanks but I still don't know if I have one or not . This is all new to me, novice at best.
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Old 08-09-2013, 07:59 PM   #26
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Re: SOCAL build

Not my picture, but I included a link to the site where I found it.



http://www.kevinsoffroad.com/how-to-fix ... th-wobble/


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Old 08-11-2013, 04:18 PM   #27
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Re: SOCAL build

Lot of good info on this steering problem, thanks all for posting. For right now I am holding off until I talk and pay some local to help with this, locals please speak up, I don't have a problem paying someone for help. And thanks again, I am learning, which I do enjoy.
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Old 08-11-2013, 04:23 PM   #28
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Re: SOCAL build

New problem:

Did the flooring this weekend (will post more on that later) and scored a captains chair with swivel base for $20 off of CL.

Where is the best place to mount this, looked under the van and all I see is a hole getting drilled in the gas tank!. Any tips, advise, shortcuts?

Attached pictures of the chair and swivel base, little elbow grease and spray paint cleaned the base right up.
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Old 08-11-2013, 05:01 PM   #29
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Re: SOCAL build

There is space between the floor and fuel tank. Just be careful not to drill too deep.

If you are lucky, your van will already have seat-mount nuts welded to the floor-pan. Seems like some do, some don't. Either way though, I suspect dropping the tank may be the best approach. If you already have the nuts welded in place, you'll want to mark the using a punch from below, then drill from the top, and finish with a countersunk bit so you don't drill out the threads.

If you don't have the threads already in place, or you don't like the location, you'll need to add backer plates so the seats don't pull out in a crash. I'm assuming the seat-belts will be mounted to the seat base. If not, then washers are probably fine and add the backer plates to the seatbelt anchors.
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Old 08-11-2013, 05:13 PM   #30
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Re: SOCAL build

I've done this a couple of times. There is really no need to worry about hitting the tank. I'm assuming you are mounting that seat behind the driver's seat, hence your worry about hitting the tank since it is on the left side. I did this: Using your base as a template, sit it in place and carefully mark where each hole will be. Move the base/template and drill your holes. Unless you use a foot long bit, you won't hit the tank. The left side holes are going to be right there in front of you when you go under the van to bolt them. The right side are harder to get to, but not bad. When I did mine, there was enough room between the bottom of floor and top of tank to reach my hand in there with a wrench and hold the nut while a helper ratcheted the bolt from inside the van. There's really a good bit of room. I went straight through the thin part of the floor where I wanted my seats though, not really trying to find any factory mounting spots. My van was a passenger van with benches and I saw no evidence of any factory holes or welded nuts to bolt to. I used large washers and bolts and feel pretty good about the safety of my setup. I did use the factory seatbelts mounted above from the bench seats, and added latches to my seat bases.

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