The New Rig

[spencyg]

Well, I just took delivery last night on a '93 E-350 w/ 7.3L International diesel (n/a). There is some rust on the rockers, but the frame is in excellent condition, the engine runs great, and the transmission is definitely serviceable. I have a set of '90 Dodge W350 1 ton axles (Dana 60 F, Dana 70 R) and a divorced NP205 t-case waiting to be thrown under it. We're going to gut the interior and start all over, complete with fold out bed, cabinets, water storage, etc. The exterior is getting a set of custom winch bumpers, a roof basket, and rocker rails. I've weighed the pro's and con's of both leaf spring and coil spring front suspension, and I think we'll go with a 5 link coil spring setup similar to the later model Dodge 3/4 and 1 ton trucks. The tire package will be 285-75-16 (33x11x16). I'll be posting pictures as work progresses.

Spence

[DaktariEd]

Congratulations on the new rig!
You should have a lot of fun putting it all together...
Don't forget photos before you get started....we like to see the changes/improvements!

[G35Vortec454]

Congratulations for your new "baby". I'm amused you're going front coil suspension, just as I'm going with mine using the new Ford front coil suspension design. One of my reasons is, if I'm gonna do a lot of work on it anyway, I may as well use the new (and hopefully superior if Ford is right) design.

I hope it will be a lot of fun for you doing the build-up, just as I did with mine.

[ujoint]

Doesn't that van have a tone ring in the rear axle? How do you plan to retrofit that to the D70?

[spencyg]

You mean for ABS? Yes it does. I don't plan on bringing that system over to the 4WD version of the E350.

Spence

[ujoint]

The tone ring in the rear axle has more to do with the tranny than ABS. Without it hooked up, the tranny will slip and then shift really hard. It feels like the rear end is grenading, or being rear ended by a train.

[spencyg]

I did a quick search, and a tone ring is available for the Dana 70....I may have to pull the carrier and add one if it is tied to the transmission operation. Do you know what function it serves and how the transmission computer uses the hall sensor data?

Spence

[ujoint]

I'm not 100% sure, but I assume that it just gets a pulse from the ring & calculates speed so the tranny knows when to shift.

[spencyg]

A little research divulged the following information:

The VSS controls the transmission, ABS, and speedometer in '92-Present Ford applications. The tone ring in the differential sends 108 pulses/rev.

What I think I'll do is machine a new tone ring and install it in the output of the transfer case. I'll be running 3.08's, so a 35 Tooth tone ring will send the same signal to the appropriate receivers as the current system does mounted in the differential. I can use the stock VSS pickup with a custom mount. Its a little more work, but I think it will be an acceptable solution. Thanks for the heads up on this issue...I would have been stumped for sure.

Spence

[ujoint]

There's a company making that for Rangers, here in CA. I can't remember the name, but they make a tone ring for the back of the tranny so guys can put 9" rear ends in them. I know you got those axles cheap, but have you considered just getting a bolt in axle? It shouldn't be hard to find a full floating D60 out of a Ford van that will be a bolt/plug in. That will give you one less thing that needs to be fabricated, you've already got allot to do as it is. And it would be more reliable. Also, with the divorced t-case, where do you plan to mount it? I think the fuel tank is going to be in the way, it's gonna be really tight. And if you mount it next to the tank, it's going to take up all the room you need for the exhaust. The fuel tanks on these vans already hang below the bottom of the frame, so you're going to have to build a crossmember that goes below it. None of this will matter if the fuel tank is behind the axle, but it's most likely mid ship.