You can now follow my build elsewhere

[LostInTransit]

Just got word that Motul is sending another case of their eco-lite 5W20 motor oil. Plus within the email, they suppled a link to the Low viscosity ATF trans fluid for the van. So I went ahead and ordered 5 liters of that and will order the remaining 4 liters next week. Tomorrow is the big day where we have the van serviced. Switching out the failing Canister Purge Valve, Failing Mass air Flow and installing the new heavy as a bitch Optima Battery. Also just got word that our Bilstein B6 struts should be delivered today.. No word on the coil springs as these would be coming form CA.

So might be wondering why the rush to get these things on the van.. dare I say road trip next year?..

[LostInTransit]

New Bilstein B6 Struts for our 2020 Connect, Just arrived

[LostInTransit]

Was a tight fit, But the Optima Yellow Top Battery made it into our 2020 Connect.



Plus moments ago, just got word form Maxton Design that our front splitter was completed and shipped. We should get the splitter this Fri. That's 2 week ahead of schedule. Also, this afternoon the rear brake pads arrived so all that's left is the rotors and coil springs. BTW, the shot above is one of the first shots with my new Canon 85mm lens and I thought the optima battery was heavy..

[LostInTransit]

Just got a confirmation email that our coil springs and poly isolators have been shipped. Also last night got a confirmation that both the front and rear set of custom dimpled /slotted rotors will be arriving soon. This and next week will be busy taking delivery of all the items, then it's onward to deciding which is best to start installing first. we'll prob do the brake system first as the coil springs would need to be powder coated and allowed to cure properly.



But we seem to have run into an issue with removing those slats from the active shutter system. Yesterday the techs could not remove the check engine light which was due to the shutter system. The wife and I are discussion our options as we both do not like this shutter system. I have seen others (Non-Transit Connect owners) remove or delete these shutters without any check engine lights.. Now just need to find our sweet spot. Till then we've ordered a bluetooth scan tool that will help us isolate these codes were getting.

[LostInTransit]

I'm having trouble locating a part which I think would be called a trackbar which is located on both sides of the control arms.. but sites like Ford do not show any pics or diagrams of this part.. The square bar is attached to the lower control arm and the attaches to the frame towards the front of the van's wheel well. Apparently Ford is calling it something else. So if anyone would offer up different areas to locate this part.. I'd appreciate it.

Something worth noting here, the last time we mounted a set of the Bilstein B6 struts on the van, the tech included the plastic boot (#6) which 3 years later looks like crap. This time, we'll not be installing Ford's cheaply made plastic boot over the exposed strut housing..

[cstmwgn]

I'm probably wrong here but I thought that track bars (panhard bars) were only used on live axle suspension to help locate the differential. The picture you posted appears to be front suspension. I am assuming that item 16 is bolted to the body(frame) and therefore the front suspension is fixed/firmly located by that component and should not need/benefit from a track bar.

[LostInTransit]

K I posted the frotn suspension system as this is where this bar is located.. But as I said it's not being shown in the diagram above.. However I just located this pic from a eBay vendor:

[LostInTransit]

The van might just take on a new color change as we're not able to locate anyone willing to help us find the right color and we've had second thoughts about doing a wrap whcih would only last about 3-5 years. Mind you I feel that I'm an artist and photographer and always look to add some of my talents into my work. So, I got this idea and sent the wife an email about my thoughts. This is not the first time I've come up with a color change for a car or truck.. she just got back with me on this and.. she loves the idea.. Looks like there's going to be a dramatic color change in the works for the van and the wife and I will do this color change ourselves.. matter of fact, I can't believe she likes this idea, though this is one of her favorite colors..

Stay tuned as things just got a bit crazy and a bit more colorful.

[DanStokes]

Auto paint isn't all that difficult. It just takes time, patience, and developing some skills. If I can do it anyone can do it - except Dave G. He lacks the "patience" part!

[LostInTransit]

DanStokes You're not going to believe what we're going to attempt to do to the van.. and it will take time (several weekends) to do this and I've done this type of painting on several cars I've had in the past. So just as soon as we get all these stuff installed on the van, then we can proceed with the sanding, priming and painting.. let's put it this way, I contacted several graphic artist and even they refused to do this for us. I've asked BS' to showcase my youtube, but that point is moot now as youtube once again banned my account.

[LostInTransit]

Any moment now, we're expecting to get a large flat box via Fed-Ex. This box should contain a Maxton designed front splinter for the 2020 Connect and as far as I know, we are the first in North America to have gotten this splitter as these are normally designed for the over seas market. This couldn't be better timing as once the splitter arrives, we can then head over to the shop and have the tech remove the frotn bumper cover to access the shutter system as well as mount the splitter on the van. Killing two birds with one stone.

[LostInTransit]

Welp. looks like Fed-ex blundered my splitter shipment today as they missed the designated time frame they were suppose to have delivered it. Oddly I seen the Fed-ex truck around 1 pm this afternoon and he drove through our area. But again because the key bridge is out, all of these types of shipments must drive through the city or drive around the beltway..

But then, this happened..


UPS showed up with the coil springs and the poly isolators. Monday when I drop off the wife, I'll head over to the fab shop and have them set up a time to have these coil springs powder coated. hopefully, I can get them to color match the Cobra coils.. Plus I have an idea on a fender bender tool that I've been wanting to use on the van seeing how no one is willing to roll our fenders. So if they can mill this tool for me. I'll bend the fenders myself.

[LostInTransit]

Finally arrived around noon today..

[LostInTransit]

Welp tomorrow is the big day. I drop off the FoMoCo stock height coil springs to our shop and allow them to powder coating a color matching red..


Then I'll talk with one of the fab techs to find out if he can mill me a hand tool that will help with bending the fender edges. then once I leave there, it's off to our performance shop and schedule an appointment to have the front splitter and transmission fluid changed.

[LostInTransit]

Earlier this morning, The coil springs were dropped off at the shop and while I was there I asked about "what if" questions many of you have about recoating coil springs. This is the second time and the 4th powder coater I've asked the "what if" question dealing with when one recoats coil springs and heats them up, would there be any shrinkage etc done to the springs with that kind of heat. This and other shops have said the same thing and that they have done thousands of coil springs for customers without any issues. However the powder coater tech was off this week and once he returns he will get right on them. We're looking at a 2 week turn around.

Also, I spoke with the shop owner asking about him to design a tool that will bend the fenders inward without damaging the outer fender edge. We'll see how thta goes.



Lastly tomorrow the dimpled/slotted brake rotors should arrive then we can schedule and appointment to have the rotors and pads installed on the van.