What did you do to/with your van today?

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ihatemybike
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Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by ihatemybike »

Grumpy: Re-installed the front drive shaft to see if running without it locked the transfer case. 6 months, 4-5k miles without it and I'm very happy to report that it functions normally.

While under the van took a look at what I need to adjust for the torsion bar lift, perform a shade tree alignment, find good mounting points for under body armor, and general inspection. Found that the front diff's passenger side axle seal is leaking, and the rear diff's pinion seal is leaking, but fluid levels on both are still good. Other than that the van's looking pretty good.
Aaron

2005 Astro (Gandalf) - AWD, 4.3L, 3.42, 130k+ miles
1997 Astro (Grumpy - $250 Rally Van) - AWD, 4.3L, 3.42, LSD, 2" lift, 31" tires, 335k+ orig engine, $30 eBay fuel pump
Prev Astros:99,97,00,94,87,86
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justice
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Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by justice »

installed new power window switches (thats 89AstroDan!!), reconnected loose vacuume hose on TBI, installed new wiperblase assemblys and rotated the tires.
I have a ban hammer and I ain't fraid to use it!


Current - 2004 Astro Cargo


Former
95 Safari (money pit - sold)
93 Astro Cargo (totaled)
85 Astro - (Bought for parts and scrapped)
92 Astro Conversion (sold)
87 Safari Shorty (sold)

Topic author
ihatemybike
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Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by ihatemybike »

Grumpy: Torsion bar lift. :supz: Was going for an inch, but the passenger side bolt bottomed out. Ended up adding 3/4" So big, so aggressive. All other vehicles on the roadway bow before its might, or maybe they're just trying to get away thinking it'll blow a tire of something.
Aaron

2005 Astro (Gandalf) - AWD, 4.3L, 3.42, 130k+ miles
1997 Astro (Grumpy - $250 Rally Van) - AWD, 4.3L, 3.42, LSD, 2" lift, 31" tires, 335k+ orig engine, $30 eBay fuel pump
Prev Astros:99,97,00,94,87,86

Cobra
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Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by Cobra »

yesterday: routine maintenance, oil change, lube chassis check front diff fluid level(higher then i had thought) and attempted to check rear diff level but couldn't get full plug out and my electric impact wouldn't fit in the space have to wait till i get my compressor back down stair my air impact will fit. also tempted to find the tread wear indicators on my tires holy crap they are so deep in the tread i don't know how long it'll take to hit them

today:drove home in a thunder storm everyone was creeping along with emergency flashers on i just kept driving at the speed limit passing everyone those window treatments to help water bead off your windshields are great. Oh and i love my tires :muhaha:
1998 GMC Safari AWD, BFGoodrich AllTerrain T/A
Jet performance tuner 91 octane preset, Jet under-drive pulleys
Rancho 999000 series shock, on-board controller to be installed later
DHC rock rails and skid plate Add-A-Leaf
G3500 front calipers
Zexel Torsen Diff
11" drums
180 amp Alternator
Long tru-cool 4590 trans cooler

1997 gone
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SafariRob
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Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by SafariRob »

Well, this weekend I loaded up two 4.3 engines in the back of my 89 and delivered them to their next owner. One of the V6s was the original from my 89; the other was from my trashed out 88 Astro. May both engines find happiness in their new home.
(Hmmm, it now occurs to me that my van had 20 cylinders for that trip...)
Rob Shaver
1989 Astro 305 with an MSD 6A ignition and a dash-mounted MSD timing control, a 4160 Holley 465 cfm four barrel carb, and an HEI distributor.
Moog 625 front springs and Energy Suspension poly bushings. Rear OEM sway bar. Edelbrock shocks.
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crash
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Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by crash »

yesterday am:

tore apart the 99 AC to rip off the rear air system and install the front only setup. only to find that i forgot to grab the return line for front air only. DOH! #-o

was going to top up the AC with duracool in the 93for the two hour long trip yesterday .. only to realize that I lent out my R12 adapter at work on saturday, double DOH!! #-o #-o

hottest day of the summer here yesterday, so far, 95F with the humidity it said on a sign i drove past yesterday #-o the air was as thick as sweaty pea soup

today:

going back to the guy parting out the van to grab the return line, if still there. install on 99, recharge AC

change front right brake rotor on 99, it's warped and hums pretty good at speed
Rob Image

current rides:
04 Mazda 6 V6 5spd

vans owned: Image
97 Astro AWD (selling by summer .. i think) SOLD
99 Astro LS Sept 08 ASV VOM
94 Astro LT
93 Astro LT
96 Astro LT AWD * parts van*

Topic author
ihatemybike
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Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by ihatemybike »

Grumpy: Busy weekend.

Friday, help my sister move, again. Came home with a load of her stuff in the back to take to my parents.

Saturday, run to the hardware store to get concrete floor anchors for my Harbor Freight tire changer.

Sunday, 125 mile run to my parents house to get rid of my sister's crap and bring my daughter home.



Not van stuff:
Saturday, I helped a Jeep buddy swap out the tires on his Jeep.

He went too big and lost his fender flare and wheel well lining.
Image
Grumpy lurks in the background.

Sweat soaked and making him do most of the work.
Image

Seat it! Seat it with fire!
Image
Aaron

2005 Astro (Gandalf) - AWD, 4.3L, 3.42, 130k+ miles
1997 Astro (Grumpy - $250 Rally Van) - AWD, 4.3L, 3.42, LSD, 2" lift, 31" tires, 335k+ orig engine, $30 eBay fuel pump
Prev Astros:99,97,00,94,87,86
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Rileysowner
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Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by Rileysowner »

Put anti-squeal compound on the back of my brake pads and discovered on of the pad shims had come loose so I tightened them all up. So far no more squealing.
"I have a torque wrench and I am not afraid to use it."
Jim
1997 GMC Safari RWD, Power Windows and Locks, 7 passenger, a/c, rear heat

http://rileysowner.blogspot.com/
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LaGrasta
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Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by LaGrasta »

R&R rear transmission tail shaft seal.
The wife is out running around with it now. After she returns, I'll check for any leaks and report back.
1998 Astro, 246,000 miles

K&N air filter
TruCool trans cooler
2" Overland lift & 15" BFG Terrain, 3.73 gears
JET Performance SCU-2000 (Speed Control Unit)
Gabriel Ultra shocks, rear AirLift bags & sway bar
Draw-Tite Dual Port Hitch System, hitch-mounted bike rack (4), hitch-mounted cargo tray, Thule roof-mounted cargo box

Topic author
ihatemybike
I plan to be buried in my van
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Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by ihatemybike »

Grumpy: Vacuumed the interior, washed the floor mats, and re-installed the benches.
Aaron

2005 Astro (Gandalf) - AWD, 4.3L, 3.42, 130k+ miles
1997 Astro (Grumpy - $250 Rally Van) - AWD, 4.3L, 3.42, LSD, 2" lift, 31" tires, 335k+ orig engine, $30 eBay fuel pump
Prev Astros:99,97,00,94,87,86
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kings-x59
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Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by kings-x59 »

ihatemybike wrote:Grumpy: Busy weekend.

Friday, help my sister move, again. Came home with a load of her stuff in the back to take to my parents.

Saturday, run to the hardware store to get concrete floor anchors for my Harbor Freight tire changer.

Sunday, 125 mile run to my parents house to get rid of my sister's crap and bring my daughter home.



Not van stuff:
Saturday, I helped a Jeep buddy swap out the tires on his Jeep.

He went too big and lost his fender flare and wheel well lining.
Image
Grumpy lurks in the background.

Sweat soaked and making him do most of the work.
Image

Seat it! Seat it with fire!
Image
you know I'd never heard of seating a tire with fire, until a few days ago. My son saw that show on tv, where they do the high speed filming to slow things down, I forget the show title...anyway they did this and he told me about it. And, holy cow, one of my brethren posts it on ASV just days later. Man I do appreciate this site :supz:
'89 Astro, 4.3L, TBI. Minor intake and exhaust mods. Rebuilt 700R4 trans (by me). Corvette servo, 0.5" boost valve, police grade 1-2 accumulator spring (shifts fast and solid). B&M stacked plate trans cooler. Bilstein shocks. Belltech sway bars front and back. New head unit, speakers and subwoofer. Needs paint and a new headliner.

name's Steve
I can't remember all I've forgotten about that....

Topic author
ihatemybike
I plan to be buried in my van
I plan to be buried in my van
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Location: Elgin, IL

Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by ihatemybike »

Originally the idea was to seat the tires using my air compressor, but the pressure wasn't there fast enough. My friend Rob and I had both seen videos of the the seat the tire with fire thing. He suggested it, but I performed that act. The first tire I held the stick lighter near the bead, tire set really quick and smashed the tip of the lighter. After going to the store to get more lighters, I started using the redneck flame thrower method. Which brought a smile to my face as I started talking like Beavis going, "Heh heh! Ffire! Ffire!"

More tires will be mounted soon, plan is to take video.
Aaron

2005 Astro (Gandalf) - AWD, 4.3L, 3.42, 130k+ miles
1997 Astro (Grumpy - $250 Rally Van) - AWD, 4.3L, 3.42, LSD, 2" lift, 31" tires, 335k+ orig engine, $30 eBay fuel pump
Prev Astros:99,97,00,94,87,86

6spd_monte
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Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by 6spd_monte »

Saturday night and Sunday I swapped out my composite leaf springs for steel ones.

kings-x59 wrote:My son saw that show on tv, where they do the high speed filming to slow things down, I forget the show title...
The show you are thinking of is called "Time Warp"
http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/time-warp/time-warp.html
-James

1987 LT
249,000 miles

trybe13
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Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by trybe13 »

Washed, waxed, and polished the wheels. I HATE polishing the wheels! But now it looks awesome. My daughters and I spent the evening driving around town showing it off. :guitar:
Image
90 Safari XT Hi Top
Lead guitarist for The Jericho Effect
Click the link to bang that head! http://www.ilike.com/artist/Trybe13
Image
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crash
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Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by crash »

6spd_monte wrote:Saturday night and Sunday I swapped out my composite leaf springs for steel ones.
any chance you took pics, made a parts list and did a full tutorial on this upgrade? LOL


AC update on 99: realized that the front only AC system on the donor van ran lines to the rear van (same location as my rear heater). that won't do. cut my rear line under the van right behind the motor pull out my front line (low side) and replaced with donor part. going to have an AC guy cap my high side line. after all this i really hope the guy that dyed it was right and it was my rear lines leaking LOL
93: went to work to recharge it, hooked up a can and broke the seal only to have the refrigerant leak all over me. someone lost the o-ring on the hose/gauge kit, there goes $12.50 ](*,)

didn't get to the brake rotor
by the time i get this all done i'm sure it'll be cold out again [-(
Rob Image

current rides:
04 Mazda 6 V6 5spd

vans owned: Image
97 Astro AWD (selling by summer .. i think) SOLD
99 Astro LS Sept 08 ASV VOM
94 Astro LT
93 Astro LT
96 Astro LT AWD * parts van*
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