ME's Van

[milner351]

I replaced the Superduty diesel steering box when the engine was out. I hope the van box is easier to replace than that one with the engine in.
I agree - if you're going to keep the vehicle - replace the steering box with a good rebuilt - the rock auto delco for the good price is probably fine - the cold hard truth is they are probably all rebuilt in the same shop anyway.... then put in different boxes.

[DanStokes]

According the Internet Wisdom, the van box comes out pretty simply. Hope they're right!

Got a little done today. Maybe everyone with Ford trucks already knows this but I didn't.

First, let me apologize for failing to take pics. I got caught up in the project and simply forgot even though the camera was sitting right THERE. Oh, well.

Anyhow - Ford truck door handles (at least the inside ones on the van) are operated with cables. The cables have plastic ends formed on them and they have slots that retain them to the components that they go to. These plastic ends fail after enough time passes and the inside handles will no longer work. Our side door had this issue. I went to the dealer and they shot me a discounted price of $104 for the latch assembly with the cable attached - it's the only way they sell them. This is really dumb! So onto Ebay and I turned up a couple of fixes. The cable assemblies are available but of course then you're back to the same deal - after enough time the ends will fail and there ya go. Then I found THESE:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-Econline-Van-Door-Latch-Lock-Handle-Cable-Repair-Kit-8-ends-1Kit-92-to-14-/171202954610?hash=item27dc7dc572:g:eqkAAOxyVaBSvD~~&vxp=mtr

These suckers work great and FOREVER! At least, as long as the van lives. This wasn't the vendor I used but was the first one I found today w/pics so I grabbed this link. If anyone else needs info, the directions can be found at:

http://www.fgtmotorsport.com/pages/doorcablemanual

I just followed their directions except for the side door I didn't pull the latch, I just removed the screws and messed with it inside the door. Tricky but doable.

Anyhow, works great and I can recommend this fix.

Dan

[DanStokes]

A bit more info on the door cable fix:

I ordered a set of 4 for the fix above. This is NOT enough! This time I found a different vendor on Amazon Prime and got 8 more for like $11 including shipping. The rear side door messed up and it takes 4 fixey gizmos for that door and I only had 2. I made a kluge for the top latch and used the 2 gizmos at the handle. Given that the bottom one is, for now, working, we now have an openable door. So anyhow, my advice is order at least 8 which will cover you with enough time to order more if needed.

Dan

[bigdog9191999]

looks good so far! but were are the pics? nothing on the exterior or the shiny hood even! any luck finding some tuning for it either?

[DanStokes]

I should take a few. The hood came out pretty good though the tops of the front fenders have faded a tad so they're a bit silvery-looking. Anyhow, Vanna the Van is pretty happy to have people who fix the little stuff as needed and keep her up to snuff.

Thought I'd posted this, but here ya go:



Every time I get into the door cable fix I get focused and forget to shoot any pics. (looking at floor) I'll try to do better.

Dan

[SuperBuickGuy]

You should get a job doing that

[DanStokes]

You should get a job doing that

I HAVE a full time job! Being retired takes all my time.

Dan

[SuperBuickGuy]

moonlight?

[nickleone]

Back up cameras. I had a FORD FOCUS rental when In was in NYC. It was 3 days before I realized it had a back up camera. At 69 years old I was too used to turning and looking
or using the rear view mirror.

Nick

[DanStokes]

Keeping my Sweetie happy. While she loves the van the seats never fit either of us mostly because the seat depth (measured from the seat back to the front of the lower cushion) was too long. Given our compact stature (ME has shrunk to the point that she's no taller than I am and she used to be 1 1/2" taller) our legs went to sleep from the front edge of the seat cutting into the back of our knees. I had tried several fixes but the real solution was a pair of seats with a shorter cushion.

We knew we loved the seats on the HHR and they have an inner arm rest as did the Ford seats - a nice thing on a long trip and that's mostly what Vanna does for a living. I've been scrounging the salvage yards for months looking for a pair of decent HHR seats and finally found a decent set at our PnP. Unfortunately they were charcoal grey (Vanna's interior is tan) but ME thought she could live with that so I picked them up - $25 for the right (non-power) and $35 for the left (power). I dropped them off on the way home and had them cleaned at the detailer we use so $35 later we had some decent seats.

An HHR tip: The seats come out weird. I spent +/- a half hour looking for the front bolts - well, there aren't any. You simply pull the back bolts (18mm heads and pretty easy to get to) and rock the seat up from the rear and pull. The front simply hooks into a reinforced area in the floor. Easy once you know how. My guess is that other GMs of similar vintage likely have a similar system.

So after considerable fiddling here are the pics of the driver's seat in place and all happy. By swapping the inner seat belt assembly I was able to make the van think it still had Ford seats in it and the belt still has the automatic tensioner in place which I guess is in the event of an accident. This was not as simple as it sounds and Tip #2 - Ford seat belt bolts are 12mm X 1.75 pitch. I now own that tap.

Pics:





From the back: As always, everything is STOUT! That's a 3" x 2" X 1/4" hunk of square tubing mounting the rear. The stock HHR mount is similar but NOT 1/4" think (it's what the steel yard had in stock). It let me tap directly into the square tube so it's OK in my world.




And finally, a happy customer.





I'll get started on the other side tomorrow.

Dan

[pdub]

Pdub ran his wife's car, you will run the van.

Treed.

[DanStokes]

Treed.

I don't think so. Vanna is not up to pulling the car trailer and has no hitch anyway so I don't see a scenario where Vanna and Mutt would be at the track at the same time. I also don't see taking Vanna on her own. So I doubt she'll ever be at the track TO run. And one more hold up - I don't think Brian has a calibrated calendar in the tower which would be needed to time a high top van with a small V8.

Dan

[pdub]

I don't think so.

I DO think so, don't give up on it Dan. D/FMV. Minivan class. You'll own it. The only one. If you go 73 mph, there's the record.

[DanStokes]

Vanna is NOT a minivan. She's a big girl. Last I knew there wasn't a Van class.

Dan

[pdub]

Last I knew there wasn't a Van class.

Dan

That's what I mean. They'll have to MAKE a class for it!