IDIBRONCO
IDIBRONCO
That's pretty cool. I've never even heard of that before. I'm not into vans very much so it may be more common than I know about.
Reconsidering my RV setup
- Thread starter Cubey
- Start date
being an old govt van, it was probably a way to hide stuff securely?
IDIBRONCO
IDIBRONCO
Hadn't though of that one.
I think I'll forget the retail price pyrometer and just baby it across the steep grades.
Gonna get a momentary switch tomorrow and see about getting it put on temporarily for OD off. I'd rather have a proper switch, if i can get one.
Gonna get a momentary switch tomorrow and see about getting it put on temporarily for OD off. I'd rather have a proper switch, if i can get one.
Cant Write
Full Access Member
The false high top is typically a way to conceal a bunch of surveillance antennas and such. When I bought my van, I saw one with the fiberglass removed. Top was filled with Antennas.
Maybe when I cut my top I’ll get lucky like Cubey and have just be blank up there.
Maybe when I cut my top I’ll get lucky like Cubey and have just be blank up there.
Except it has a couple of dome lights. very odd
It seems i figured out the pin out for OD off.
2 is + / 4 is - for instrument backlights. Voltage drops as i dim the lights, and only has voltage with headlights/parking lights on. (engine off)
So, 1 and 3 should be the OD on/off wires. 5 should be ground for the OD off indicator, controlled on/off by the transmission.
Several wire colors are different from F-Series, except for the two ground wires .. black #4 and green/white #5. so that clued me in.
The F-Series schematic.
2 is + / 4 is - for instrument backlights. Voltage drops as i dim the lights, and only has voltage with headlights/parking lights on. (engine off)
So, 1 and 3 should be the OD on/off wires. 5 should be ground for the OD off indicator, controlled on/off by the transmission.
Several wire colors are different from F-Series, except for the two ground wires .. black #4 and green/white #5. so that clued me in.
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The F-Series schematic.
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Yep, that was it.
A $5 momentary switch from home depot with screw type connectors and a $2 pack of splicers did the trick, for now. It's just dangling but it's a temporary solution, in it's current state.
I stole a bit of junky wire from the poorly rigged up volt meter that is sitting loose in the center console.
I went through two crappy grades already without pyro and all seems fine. I took it very easy, 45mph in 3rd with OD off.
A $5 momentary switch from home depot with screw type connectors and a $2 pack of splicers did the trick, for now. It's just dangling but it's a temporary solution, in it's current state.
I stole a bit of junky wire from the poorly rigged up volt meter that is sitting loose in the center console.
I went through two crappy grades already without pyro and all seems fine. I took it very easy, 45mph in 3rd with OD off.
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Oh and forgot... i found the coolant overflow bottle totally empty this morning. 
The radiator was full though. So in a hurry/pinch, I grabbed a gallon of Walmart distilled water and a gallon of O'Reilly green concentrate. Put 4 McDonald's small coffee cups of water in first to see if it was broken. Saw nothing leaking, so I put in 4 cups of coolant and headed on out. No added SCAs but I will before I leave Arkansas. Hopefully that won't hurt anything, short term.
And.... I had to after stop to fill the very low tires. That were all around 40psi. The door sticker says 58 front, 80 rear. So I used the free, high pressure air hose at Maverik. I also put in a couple more gallons in the front tank to be sure the gauge is somewhat right, showing around the full line. That's all it took to fill so I guess it is. It was beyond the line for a bit with that.
Pretty sure the tires are from 2011, not 2019 like the seller said, since I can't find a proper date code and they look aged. Just gonna keep a close eye on them and hope they hold out.
The radiator was full though. So in a hurry/pinch, I grabbed a gallon of Walmart distilled water and a gallon of O'Reilly green concentrate. Put 4 McDonald's small coffee cups of water in first to see if it was broken. Saw nothing leaking, so I put in 4 cups of coolant and headed on out. No added SCAs but I will before I leave Arkansas. Hopefully that won't hurt anything, short term.
And.... I had to after stop to fill the very low tires. That were all around 40psi. The door sticker says 58 front, 80 rear. So I used the free, high pressure air hose at Maverik. I also put in a couple more gallons in the front tank to be sure the gauge is somewhat right, showing around the full line. That's all it took to fill so I guess it is. It was beyond the line for a bit with that.
Pretty sure the tires are from 2011, not 2019 like the seller said, since I can't find a proper date code and they look aged. Just gonna keep a close eye on them and hope they hold out.
Cant Write
Full Access Member
Correct me if I’m wrong, but those pressures on the door are figures for safety at Max GVW.
You don’t have to run them at that pressure. I certainly don’t when not heavily loaded.
I find a balance between comfort and handling without too much sidewall bulge as that adds a lot of heat.
I like right around 45 on my van. F/R
You don’t have to run them at that pressure. I certainly don’t when not heavily loaded.
I find a balance between comfort and handling without too much sidewall bulge as that adds a lot of heat.
I like right around 45 on my van. F/R
Well I wanted to be sure...
Control is poor for probably many reasons: worn gear box, sway control bushings, shocks
It's been miserable in the wind today but I think I'm past the worst of it, for today.
Re: shocks, I'll be moving the 3 year old front Bilstein shocks to the van. And if the ones on the van are bad, I'll probably get some cheapies for the RV before I'm ready to sell. Or just put the old van ones on and let the buyer deal with it.
I'll probably just buy new rears for the van since the ones on the RV have taken a lot of abuse weight wise, and they're cheaper Monroe shocks.
I think I have a partial new sway bar bushing kit too.
It got a pair of new $10/each wiper blades from Walmart, and they got used a fair bit today.
I'll probably just buy new rears for the van since the ones on the RV have taken a lot of abuse weight wise, and they're cheaper Monroe shocks.
I think I have a partial new sway bar bushing kit too.
It got a pair of new $10/each wiper blades from Walmart, and they got used a fair bit today.
LowTech
Mech Wrangler
On my big truck which has 120psi tires and three axles I don't carry enough weight to get anywhere near that pressure.
I've been using the chalk line method where you draw a line from one side of the tread to the other. Then drive a short distance on pavement and see how much of the line is still there.
If you start high and keep dropping the pressure at some point it will take the line off all the way across, at that point the tread is flat as it should be.
I end up w/ about 45 in the rear two axles and 55 in the front. That works for most terrain unless I'm getting into the sandy stuff then I get really low and have to spend a half hour airing back up.
Figured I'd post this here since this is still related to fetching the van.
Killing a day in Borger TX with free electric and water. Crappy restrooms and porta ***** nearby. Reason being, it's hot (90) and humid/stormy half way between here and Arkansas, until tomorrow. So I wanted to wait it out. I'll be 82 there tomorrow, much better.
I bought two 9ft xmas theme extension cords with 3 outlets on the end for $3/each from Walmart when bought online and picked up in store. They're $6 in store. So I ordered two and waited around for pickup to save 50%. Well worth it. Useful now and later. Light duty, 25ft cords are $15, so it's a good deal for my immediate need.
Killing a day in Borger TX with free electric and water. Crappy restrooms and porta ***** nearby. Reason being, it's hot (90) and humid/stormy half way between here and Arkansas, until tomorrow. So I wanted to wait it out. I'll be 82 there tomorrow, much better.
I bought two 9ft xmas theme extension cords with 3 outlets on the end for $3/each from Walmart when bought online and picked up in store. They're $6 in store. So I ordered two and waited around for pickup to save 50%. Well worth it. Useful now and later. Light duty, 25ft cords are $15, so it's a good deal for my immediate need.
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Having a bit of trouble getting the ol F250 started.
At first, the starter solenoid on the fender wasn't clicking on but it finally did, then no starter but that finally did. But not running yet. I borrowed a single battery from the motorhome because the driver side one is blocked in by an added solenoid that's linked to + on the house batteries.
The battery got drained too much, so it's on a battery charger overnight now. I have an old, bulging but still fairly ok voltage 840cca battery i might have to stick on the truck to give it a little more juice. That's the one I must have used to park it back there because positive was connected but not negative.
Fuel is coming out of the fuel filter valve and the fuel shutoff solenoid clicks on/off as it gets/loses power... so i guess it's air and/or glow plug issues.
At first, the starter solenoid on the fender wasn't clicking on but it finally did, then no starter but that finally did. But not running yet. I borrowed a single battery from the motorhome because the driver side one is blocked in by an added solenoid that's linked to + on the house batteries.
The battery got drained too much, so it's on a battery charger overnight now. I have an old, bulging but still fairly ok voltage 840cca battery i might have to stick on the truck to give it a little more juice. That's the one I must have used to park it back there because positive was connected but not negative.
Fuel is coming out of the fuel filter valve and the fuel shutoff solenoid clicks on/off as it gets/loses power... so i guess it's air and/or glow plug issues.
