Yolanda my TURBINE PRINCESS E350 7.3 powerstroke build to 4x4 pop-top

[Wanderer-RRORC]

New cross members hoop cut and installed!

Forgot I moved the transfer case forward so I now get to cut 3in out of my new driveshaft and weld it together… groan…

Scored some tire carriers and got one that’s an OEM mount.. going to mount it so it independently swings open and I’ll mount 2 max tracks to it!

Also got the magnets and hinge for the fuel filler tail light mount (right now I have to take the screws out of the driver tail light to fill it with fuel! So lame!

Next up is swap the front output shaft on the transfer case and mount the cut down driveshaft!!

[Wanderer-RRORC]

Guess who’s finally 4 wheel drive????

Two days before exactly 4 years since I started this thread and this project

Transfer case works and shifts perfectly I can put it in front or rear wheel drive it’s funny if I put it in front wheel drive and have one hub unlocked it will torque steer like a high-performance tuner car!!!

It turns even tighter in front Drive only with only one hub locked (I have a front locker that will lock both front tires vs standard 4x4 vehicles that really only drive one front and one rear tire when the transfer case is engaged… I have front and rear lockers so I’m full 4 wheel drive when I flip the switches!)

However I did confirm the vibration is partly rear axle but the transfer case is bad.. very bad vibration since I installed it and needed to get the front driveshaft connected to confirm.. time to hunt a new one since I did rebuild this one and had concerns

It’s been 4 years in the making since I bought the van and a 12 year dream to get a 4x4 pop top turbo diesel van!! Yolanda really is my “Tubine Princess”

Yeah.. there’s a hillarious embarrassing story about that name…

[desertsherpa]

Hey congrats!!!

[Wanderer-RRORC]

Well a few weeks of turning wrenches and chasing a vibration I finally got her out to go play!


The dual lockers and street tire pressure did an amazing job up thru this tight overgrown muddy rutted uphill Ohio climb!!!

The guy in the side by side just stared when he got behind me.. one little slow down with the tree needing trimmed and away we went!!

Thought the vibration might have been a bad tcase… got a new one.. nope not it.. gears too much backlash.. learned to do gears… nope not that… maybe she needs a double cardigan rear driveshaft… in front wheel drive it doesn’t vibrate at 20mph… so gonna get one in a few weeks and see..

All in all very happy right now!!!

[MEDIA=youtube]eR9fPMfYCXo[/MEDIA]

[Wanderer-RRORC]

Rear driveshaft dropped off today. Consensus is that I am at the limit of the angle on it…time for a CV!

However our winter camping went very nice!! 70* inside 12* outside…27 trucks 50+ attendees and some nice give away stuffs!

[Wanderer-RRORC]

Well OK so I’m the worst at updating things.
ARB awning was replacing the OVS 270+ I got a fantastic ( some would say kickazz) deal on a shower enclosure and install them both. And as of two days ago I finally got rid of the vibration!!!!

A combination of a double CV rear shaft and I took the van in and had the rear differential completely rebuilt the driveline guy says pinion bearing was a little worn and he got my back lash and tooth pattern set perfect so now I don’t have any of the gear noise that I’ve been dealing with since I install that we were and I don’t think it was ever correct!!

Put a 3/4 of an inch shim underneath the transmission in the 20 mile an hour vibration completely went away now all I have is standard tire noise!!

I’m so happy we have a trip to Savannah Georgia in two weeks and then a week and a half later I go to Missouri for the MOORE Overland Expo in Springfield!!

https://youtu.be/nD7AD51RAM4

https://youtu.be/Nt6P2jM-7rE

[marret]

Awesome, great news.

Attended the MOORE Expo about 3 years ago when we lived in MO. There was a decent amount of displays/vendors, but it was relatively small. I did buy Action Trax and GoTreads from their reps.

[Wanderer-RRORC]

Originally Posted by marret

Awesome, great news.

Attended the MOORE Expo about 3 years ago when we lived in MO. There was a decent amount of displays/vendors, but it was relatively small. I did buy Action Trax and GoTreads from their reps.

It’s grown quite a lot this year!! Bigger buildings and actual classroom spaces!!

[marret]

Originally Posted by Wanderer-RRORC

It’s grown quite a lot this year!! Bigger buildings and actual classroom spaces!!

Excellent.

[jeff.depaul]

Cool build. Would you mind posting more pictures of the hidden fuel cap and hinged light access door?