What did you do to/with your van today?

[WE7X]

OOPS! Typo
It is a '98.
DUH!

[Astrophysics]

Hi,
My 200 Astro hydro boost power brake unit failed causing loss of power steering and power brakes.
Got a rebuilt NAPA unit 527363 hydro boost.

Will install in the next few days.

AP

[WE7X]

Just a picture of the Astro at work, on it's first major outing.
On a mountain top in NE Washington State, being used as a amateur radio station.
Everything worked as planned and the old military 'shelter half' worked excellent as alternately as a rain fly, sun shade, and hail stone repellent, while allowing me to operate from the relatively comfortable interior.
I had a small Honda generator (EU1000) to top off the radio batteries when needed, and it also ran a small electric heater if needed and/or and a small microwave...all the comforts of home!

[Astrophysics]

Hi Rod,

That is great. Ham radio will be fun for 4x4 trail too.

AP

[nonhog]

Great outdoor shot Rod.

[Snowgeek]

I tried to install rancho 9000’s scocks on my rear axle. I have nt done the shock mount relocation. Turns out there is not enough room between the stock arms to fit the larger 9000 shock body.

Back to the drawing board.

[Cobra]

I put them on my van years ago without any issues I would phone Tenneco and see if they have made a revision to them or if the part number you received is the correct part.

[Herbie]

The too-rare post from me with nothing technical or mechanical to update. Just using the van. Went camping in the local mountains to celebrate the end of the school year and Father's day. Started teaching my kiddo how to build a fire for 1-match lighting. Also whacked myself in the shin with a log after a failed attempt to split some wood for kindling, so I got to teach her about 1st aid, too.

[WE7X]

Nice setup and great looking camp site.

[Herbie]

Wrapped a couple of projects this weekend, despite the blistering heat:



Got some help from my ladies to get the rear bed platform painted, after making some small adjustments to the fitting so that the rear seat reclines smoothly. (There was initially some interference between the back of the rock-n-roll seat and the platform making it such that the back didn't come down flush as designed.) The new water tank cabinet is done, too, but I'll talk more about that later.



Finishing the painting also meant I could wrap up my project to put a tool drawer under the driver's side of the rock-n-roll bed. These tools were accessible by flipping up the rear bench seat, but I wanted to make sure they stayed "corralled". I also wanted to be able to retrieve them from the back of the van, too, since lately it seems like I'm at the rear when I need a tool. The notch on the left side of the drawer is to clear the support arm that holds the bench up when in bed-mode. Using every available cubic inch.

Next up, I'm going to try to re-upholster the seat cushions by re-cutting the original conversion van upholstry and sewing them into full covers.

[Astrophysics]

Very nice camper van!

AP

[WE7X]

That looks like a great setup.
The only thing I would change is the handle on the tool drawer. I would suspect that will rattle and clank a bit on other than smooth roads, if nothing was pushed up against it. I would have just cut a small opening in the face of the drawer, for use a handle.
Rod J

[Herbie]

That looks like a great setup.
The only thing I would change is the handle on the tool drawer. I would suspect that will rattle and clank a bit on other than smooth roads, if nothing was pushed up against it. I would have just cut a small opening in the face of the drawer, for use a handle.
Rod J

The handle is spring-loaded, so no rattles. Same reason I used a spring-loaded sash lock instead of a barrel bolt to keep it in place.

I actually put a handle on both sides so I can take the whole drawer out and move it around as needed. (I had a pair of leftover from another project.) A small cut-out was an option, but wanted to be able to load the drawer without worrying about what my fingers/hands would run into. A rope/cord/strap handle would also have worked, I suppose.

[WE7X]

Good point about being able to get a-hold of the drawer when loaded, and the spring loaded handles are a nice touch. You were way ahead of my thinking.
My setup has to convert from 5 passenger people mover (have not had a request to use the third seat yet), to a two-seat general materials and tool hauler, and then to a weekend warrior/ham radio van/camper. As a result, I cannot build anything very permanent. My interior 'design' is still fairly flexible as I get more outings on the odometer.
In the ~2000 miles I have accumulated since purchasing the van, (213K+ on the odo) I seem to be averaging about 16 MPG. A lot of that is local mileage; and the two longer trips (two tanks of fuel or more) included quite a bit of mountainous travel, so I do not get the advantage of long flat highway trips like in the mid-west.
Rod J

[Herbie]

Finally had a break in the SoCal heat wave this weekend, so I finally had a chance to address the brakes.



I was feeling a pretty substandard braking lately, so I wanted to go through the whole system. At the Rx of a thread here from a while back, I went with the Hawk LTS pads and new OEM rotors. Probably more importantly, I also did a full flush on the brake fluid - the stuff that was in there was pretty damned dark, I'm ashamed to admit.

One finding of note is that the pads were *very* un-evenly worn, much more than I've usually seen. (Even on other 2-pot systems). I think the issue was that the pads weren't moving well on the slides. It took a couple of whacks with a hammer to get them removed. I cleaned up the slides thoroughly and greased everything and the new pads are moving well, for now.

The original rotors have a pretty significant lip at the edge, but may still have enough meat on them for more use. I'll mic them and have them lathed and store them, if so.

My driveway has a pretty steep slope, so I'm going to flip the van around and give it one more bleed, then I'll bed the pads today.