4x4 Van (OT ish)

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fluffy

Trad climber

Colorado

Feb 14, 2014 - 02:04pm PT

Kev...

Pics or it didn't happen!

I'm following this thread closely as I am in the market for such a rig.

Have a 97 4runner and 65 F250 4x4 to leverage, need a screamin deal though.

kev

climber

A pile of dirt.

Topic Author's Reply - Feb 14, 2014 - 02:49pm PT

Pics will come in a little over a week - I'm heading out to shoot (pictures) or tiger sharks next week and don't think I'll have time to get the postings up.

If you're in Colorado it'll be much easier for you to find one. Also check out thunders garage and look at the used postings.

Juan Maderita

Trad climber

"OBcean" San Diego, CA

Feb 14, 2014 - 02:56pm PT

Dapper Dan,
You guessed right, I've destroyed a "lunchbox" or drop-in locker. It was a Lock-Right in a front axle with 185 HP and 33's. Happened in a most inconvenient place - the biggest set of dunes in the bottom of a bowl on the wrong side of the border. Not running paddles at the time, I was lucky to get out of there in 2WD.

Agreed that a lunchbox is an "entry level", low cost way to get a locker.

Pud's van needs a locker in the rear axle. It will be working full-time on a very heavy vehicle with oversize tires, behind a 255 HP, 5.4L, V8. That calls for a heavy duty unit.

I've heard some good things about the newer Aussie Locker and Spartan drop-in lockers. It's hard to sort out the marketing hype from the truth. The basic design still relies on a cross pin that doesn't seem to last forever.

pud

climber

Sportbikeville & Yucca brevifolia

Feb 14, 2014 - 03:48pm PT

Thanks for all the good beta Juan!

Eaton does in fact make the elocker for my van.
It is heavy duty and should not have a problem on this van.
It's the way I'll go.

You were right on about gearing and axle on my Dana.
I hope to get it installed in the next couple of weeks.

Juan Maderita

Trad climber

"OBcean" San Diego, CA

Feb 14, 2014 - 05:11pm PT

pud,
Great choice on the E-Locker! A huge upgrade for traction. Better than anything else you can do (other than a 4WD conversion).

It seems that your 3.73 gears have a good balance of power vs. economy with those tires (diameter). The evidence of economy is in the great gas mileage for a huge van.

crøtch

climber

Whale's Vagina

Feb 14, 2014 - 05:20pm PT

Hey Kev,

With regard to water system, the route I chose was those blue 7 gallon Aquatainers plumbed to my sink through a foot pump. I can load 7 gallons for a solo weekend or 28 for a week in the desert with my wife. Lot's of flexibility and much easier to clean than a permanently installed 20 gallon tank. I plumbed a copper pipe through the hole in a Aquatainer lid. Move the lid over to a fresh Aquatainer when the first goes empty... takes two seconds. The foot pump doesn't require a battery connection, and water is used more sparingly than with an electric pump. This is the pump I use... it does take a few inches of floor space.

http://www.defender.com/product3.jsp?path=-1|51|2234226|2234237&id=161288

kev

climber

A pile of dirt.

Topic Author's Reply - Feb 14, 2014 - 05:25pm PT

That's an interesting idea Crotch. The Aquatainers are cheap too (I've got a few).

crøtch

climber

Whale's Vagina

Feb 14, 2014 - 05:31pm PT

I'll try to take a picture of my setup this weekend. It would take you 1 trip to home despot and 30 minutes to install.

ruppell

climber

Feb 14, 2014 - 08:37pm PT

Kev why this?

Make DC voltage reg for laptop (I have to take DC to AC back to DC)

Not sure you need to. In my van I have my marine battery hooked up to a celenoid. It's one way just like a diode but way less prone to failure. Then I just hardwired an inverter to the third post of my marine battery cable. I also run my stereo(2 amps six speakers and a sub) off the same post. I just plug my laptop into the inverter and I'm good for a long time. I can listen to tunes and play on the laptop for well over 8 hours before I kill the marine. Makes rainy days a lot more enjoyable for sure.

kev

climber

A pile of dirt.

Topic Author's Reply - Feb 15, 2014 - 02:57pm PT

Rupell,

I think my earlier post probably wasn't the clearest...

So when you use an inverter to go from DC to AC it's no where near 100%
efficient. Probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 70% at best. Then the laptop uses an AC to DC converter to take the AC (being put out by your inverter) and switch it back to DC of a specific flavor (x Volts at y Amps). Again not anywhere near 100% efficient, say 70% again. Well 70% of 70% has us wasting 50% of what were drawing off the battery. So I want to skip these steps and just make a voltage reg circuit to take the DC off the battery and bump it to what I need for my laptop. This will be way more efficient and since the laptop is the DVD player it's important ;)

kev

Brock

Trad climber

RENO, NV

Feb 15, 2014 - 07:41pm PT

Khanom,

I would like to see your ideas or hear more about them for "Winterizing" or insulating your van.

Also do have the plans for your wiring?

I still want to convert to AC in my future van and want to have solar capability.

Many thanks.

Post photos peeps!

ruppell

climber

Feb 15, 2014 - 08:17pm PT

Kev

Makes sense to want to optimize it but it's really not that critical. A Type 27 marine battery has about 100 amp hours if fully charged. That's enough to run most laptops, assuming a very high 15A draw, for about seven hours. I get well over 12 out of mine on a regular basis. If you wire it to solar as well as wire it to your alternator via a diode/cellonoid you will be fine for the use you want it for. Just some food for thought.

Peter Haan

Trad climber

Santa Cruz, CA

Feb 15, 2014 - 09:58pm PT

Try to keep your center of gravity on that 150 as low as you can; you will like yourself a lot more later on.

bluering

Trad climber

Santa Clara, CA

Feb 15, 2014 - 10:42pm PT

Nice to hear you pulled the trigger, Kev. Can't wait to see it.

As for the whole DC-AC-DC thing, seems like a clusterf*#k, I'd just rig an auxillary battery for DC use that can be re-charged off yer alternator. Maybe at the flip of a switch?

thudge

climber

Feb 15, 2014 - 11:39pm PT

Thanks for the thread, Im ready to do it again!
All of the technical things, like electrical and propane are SCARY to me.
Any photos and tips and links will be appreciated.

ClimberDave

Trad climber

The LBC, CA

Feb 18, 2014 - 01:15pm PT

Juan,
Yes thanks I was refering to the quality of the Quigley 4WD converstion, and I think you are probably right with the MPG being closer to 12 than 18 mpg.

Khanom,

Pretty sweet looking conversion you have.
Regarding the insulation and the loss of heat through the windows, my buddy cut out Reflectix to fit the windows and used little tabs of velcro to hold them in place, he says it works pretty well keeping heat out, he doesnt know about keeping it in yet. Also he uses a Mr Heater, propane heater when it gets really cold. Just enough to warm it up in the morning, he doesnt sleep with it running.

I lack the wood working skillz, tools nd room to do much myself unfortunately. I don't plan on doing much but would like a seat (with seatbelts) for 2 or 3 passengers, that folds flat into a bed and a few cabinets for storage, eventually some electrical stuff (batteries, and solar panels, for lights and a microwave, possible fridge. And maybe have a pop top installed by Colorado Camper Vans.

Would love to see some pics and hear of others ideas and plans!!!

pud

climber

Sportbikeville & Yucca brevifolia

Feb 18, 2014 - 08:03pm PT

I got two rows of seats (w/belts) from two ford astrovans at the neighborhood pick-a-part and modded them to bolt in. They fold flat and sleep two adults nicely.

kev

climber

A pile of dirt.

Topic Author's Reply - Feb 26, 2014 - 07:22pm PT

Nice pictures Khanom!

I'm back home now and it's raining this weekend so I'm starting to work on Beluga this weekend so I'll post up some pics this weekend.

kev