"Q" Flight's RB E250 Quigley Build

cjken

Explorer
Ken, are you using the truck frame or building a new one from scratch?

I’m keeping the original frame and for now the rear axle. If I end up pulling it More than I think I will I will swap out rear axle. For now it will be used for limited local purposes.

Both quigley s worked well in the sand.
The 5.4 was a bit better due to the low weight. It floated a bit more.
I am happy with the mini mod box.
Some seem to have problems rving the eseries ambos because they are so close to the max vehicle weight. Since mine started out as a wide box and is sprung for it I believe I am well below with the lighter mini box.

I am however really liking that 4x4 kodiak mdt ambo on the other forum. I could see doing one of those next if there is a tire and wheel combo that could be aired down for sand.
I saw one with low miles auction recently. I’m not ready to go bigger yet.
I don’t have time for longer trips at the moment.
 

flightcancled

Explorer
You're gonna have to share a link man! Not seeing it on a google search.

Wanderer - To break down residue in the combustion chamber and keep a diesel unit happy run it on kerosene. Especially a good idea before storing for the winter to clean it out, and at high altitude to prevent issues with partial burning.
 

wanderer-rrorc

Explorer
You're gonna have to share a link man! Not seeing it on a google search.

Wanderer - To break down residue in the combustion chamber and keep a diesel unit happy run it on kerosene. Especially a good idea before storing for the winter to clean it out, and at high altitude to prevent issues with partial burning.

run the entire vehicle on Kerosene?? You know they dont charge road tax on that...a whole tank would probably piss someone off and get ya a nice little ticket if they found out...but I accidentally filled up on OFFROAD diesel in my Ram ecodiesel and other than finding my filter red it didnt seem to hurt anything..

Ive blended mine in super cold weather with gasoline but never run straight K1 thru it..

Waste Veg Oil does a good job of knocking everything in your fuel system loose too!!! and pluging up filteres...also cleans up injectors and finds old O rings that are brittle...(Viton is some TOUGH stuff!!)...
 

flightcancled

Explorer
No. I'm saying run the bunk heater on kerosene for 30 min regularly so that it is cleaned out. Choking up the combustion camera with soot is normal for those who run the unit for extended periods at high altitude or at lower temps like when using the thermostat.

The heater is awesome! I'm stuck killing time on a job site in the snow now. Heater is on and and I'm mellowing out waiting for something to happen.


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Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 

flightcancled

Explorer
Side note for those wondering why an Econoline over a Sprinter.

When I went to fire up Q and head back from Xmas I immediately sheared off one of the windshield wiper arms at the hinge. Weather Channel was calling for a massive snow storm here in Syracuse that I'd have to drive through. Definitely couldn't wait for a part to get shipped, and no auto part stores were open. 5 min and a flathead screwdriver at the junk yard and I was back on the road for $9.60. I never see Sprinters at pick-n-pull yards, but I can always find at least 4 econolines.

Bunk heater is still doing great. I think I'm well over 20 hours of run time.

I've been searching for a VW kitchenette setup with no luck. At this point I am leaning towards building a galley box/kitchenette on the rear barn door. That will be the most compact and versatile option. Ideally I want something I can pull off and toss in the barn when I don't want it, or carry into a cool spot. Giving up half of my floor space for a kitchen and being stuck hunched over inside seems silly anyway. I can also take advantage of the tilt-out window on the door to vent while cooking inside.
 

patoz

Expedition Leader
That makes good sense, and I've seen the kitchen mounted on the side swing out doors also. I never liked the idea of cooking inside anyway, especially frying something due to the smells and possible splatter mess.

That's why my kitchen is going to be built on top of the ambulance stretcher, so it can be pulled out of the back and rolled around to the side or anywhere else I want to use it.
 

flightcancled

Explorer
Been a while since I've checked in. I was a busy getting ready for Uganda. They are damming up the last of the rapids on the Nile to make power for the Chinese. Soon cheap crap will be made in what was once paradise.

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If you need a serious tent get yourself one of these African Safari tents. You can just pull over and pick these things up from a shop that makes them on the side of the road. If it can keep the monitor lizards and mosquitos out then it can keep anything out!

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Also did you know all the taxis over there are deisel 4x4 Toyota vans?

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First, the heater is still functioning flawlessly- when my fuel gauge isnt being tricked by a slight incline. Lesson learned, keep a closer eye on the fuel gauge the last 20 min before the campsite. I was sucking air all weekend while it was below zero in the mountains. Brrrr!!!

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Not sure if I mentioned it, but I killed the fridge in late September. Seems 3 months of rattling shook a connection loose because it snaps back to life if I ********** it hard enough. Supposedly the warranty is good for 2 years, so I'll be dropping it off at a service center as the time of year where it works as an ice box is coming to an end.

Does anyone have issues with the windshield surround? That piece of rubber refuses to stay in the track. Seems to be fine in the summer, then shrink in the cold and pop out. It makes one hell of a humming noise driving down the highway! I siliconed the last one down, but the replacement that went in after I hit a turkey popped out seemingly from ice action while I was in Africa.
 

tmo2460

Observer
I fell in love with those 4x4 diesel Hi-Aces when I was in Uganda. I'd still like to get one here someday. My first white water experience was on the Nile about 4 years ago, it was a guided rafting day trip but it was really a blast, the people running the rapids in kayaks looked like they were having way too much fun. Thanks for sharing those pictures it really makes me want to go back.
 

flightcancled

Explorer
If you're going to go you had better hurry. The government is very tight-lipped about what is going on, but the completion date pulled off the wall at the Dept. of Energy is May 23, 2018. While we were there the Chinese had crews stripping the banks of vegetation. The remaining trees are being cut down and all the brush and grass was being slashed and burned. Between locals who don't know their land will soon be flooded despite not being compensated, and watching monkeys and other wildlife you know will be massacred it's pretty rough to watch.

Here's what we are about to loose:
https://vimeo.com/152585574

What was already lost (and a lot of awesome raft carnage):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_GVIMsYdQI

The islands where we stayed will soon meet the same fate before being sunk to the bottom of a reservior. Right now it is the only place that has been protected so it is full of wildlife and amazing vegetation. They are actively working to relocate the wildlife to preserves: http://hairylemonuganda.com/gallery/gallery/
 

tmo2460

Observer
Thanks for those links. I'm not really into the white water world but I can remember hearing about this. I remember the guides talking about the future developments and talking about the rapids that were lost from the previous dam project. What a shame.
 

flightcancled

Explorer
Given my priorities it is extremely unlikely I will ever have a fan in Q. Tilt out windows front and rear are excellent for cross-breeze, but they also seem to attract mosquitos like magnets.

Speaking of magnets, I decided I needed some magnetic screens. The commercially available ones seem like they could work, but are ugly, oversized, and go outside the vehicle. Hardly stealthy, and virtually screams for someone to come investigate if not let themselves in.

Last year I took a few minutes, some rubberized anti-pet screen, 1" black duct tape, rare earth magnets, and made myself a set for the front windows. I cut the screens to fit inside the doors, and get pinched in the weather strips when the doors closed.

Initially this was brilliant! A squirrel would be challeneged to break in, the look was very subtle and sleek, and it worked perfectly. I was prepared to live out of the van for a month of summer heat!

Daily use showed me what a limited idea this was. The tape was an awful matieral. It didn't fold, flex, or have any tolerance when it came to positioning the screen and getting a good deal. Anyone could walk up and unlock the van by lifting the locking knob, or just punching out the screen. Not to mention nightly rain and dew in the van.

Before long the screens were trashed. Magnets had managed to punch through the tape, and where the screens were folded for storage the edges were kinked to the point where I wasn't getting a good fit anymore because it would bridge convex curves. The stiff tape bridging also prevented a good seal on the barn doors.

Here's the right way to build yourself a bomber set of screens. If you think there is an obvious shortcut I'd bet you I tried it and it wasn't as good as the following procedure. This was a headache to make idiot-proof.

Go on Amazon and buy pet-proof screen (2 rolls will do all 6 windows, black silicone (3 tubes will do all 6), and 100-200 strong metallic magnets. You'll also need wax paper, a good set of scissors, and razor blades. A well lit and ventilated large working surface above waist height is ideal for constructing these screens.

Pick the door you'll see up close the least and start there (not the front barn door). Using a liberal number of magnets, get the screen material perfectly and securely fixed to the door. Try to use a corner to reduce waste. Use a fresh razor to rough out, then finalize the screen's shape. Use the grid pattern to help make move straight lines (hint, make sure the grid is square from the start for easy cuts). Use the scissors to clean up any odd spots. The screen should follow the outside edge of the flat surface surrounding each window. Make sure the corners clear lock mechanisms.

Prep your work area with wax paper and lay out the first screen. Make certain that the side facing into the van is upward on the table. Determine the minimum size of a square piece of screen material needed to nicely sit over a single magnet and drape back to the main screen. (The magnet should have plenty of room to move around.) Repeat for a 2 magnet stack. Create good templates, then made produce these square from the scrap material left over from your roll. Set the templates aside in case you need more later.

Magnets will be affixed as follows: place the magnet(s) in the desired location, choose the correct sized square. Run a medium sized bead of black silicone on square follow around the outside edge. Center the square over the magnet and place it down gently, making sure that the magnet is free, and not glued in place. Gently pat the silicone down so that it "were out" both layers of screen and soaks through to the wax paper. Do not press too hard and squish the silicone bead out of place- the idea is just to envelope the mesh with silicone. Smooth out the surface as needed to keep your work looking neat, and clean your fingers off with an old towel (not a paper product!). Check back and make sure that the silicone is still wetting out both layers once it is nearly cured. You'll have to play with your technique a bit to get consistently good results.

Put a double stack in each corner, and the middle of each side. I put 2 single magnets between each double stack, but these could all be done in double stacks, or single larger diameter magnets.

Once cured check your work. Make sure that there isn't mesh showing were you laid the silicone bead, and that the pouches you've now formed to hold the magnets are secure. Adjust as needed, and the other screens will be much easier and faster to produce.

Once these are dry you'll find they are perfect. The magnets can self adjust, the edges conform perfectly, and the silicone allows for durability and easy storage.

Enjoy!

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flightcancled

Explorer
It's been a long time since an update:

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That's right, Q got body work and Raptor-Lined Grey. She looks pretty sharp, and thankfully grabs much less attention then before. While things were apart I also had an exhaust manifold replaced, fixed a busted driver's side door, and had new hinge pins dropped into the rear door. She needed A LOT of love to take her back from the brink of a rusty death. The U Joints on the rear axle and all brakes were also recently replaced.


I also have been chasing some electrical demons. Labor Day the factory original starter solenoid gave up the ghost and in the process took my batteries with it. (The nice old man trying to jump me hooked to positive with red and black!) The next day I replaced the battery under the hood and left my aux/frame rail battery alone. I'd already been parked in front of a gas station for 24 hours waiting for a new starter at that point, I didn't want to push my luck any further.

When I initially built the van I assumed that the batteries were linked like in my 92 7.3. Knowing that I was going to use minimal draw and my fridge cut off before I had effected the battery's ability to start I didn't worry about a house system. What a mistake! I have been plagued by intermittent starting issues, and all sorts of odd battery issues.

Now there are a handful of threads that state some combination of info about the the aux/frame rail battery: there is a relay which isolates the main starter from the optional Aux/frame rail battery, the two are only connected to start, the two are only connected once the engine is already running, diesels have 2 batteries in parallel to make one big starter but the optional gas battery is there for towing..... It's all as much nonsense as truth.

Here's what I know from dealing with it first hand: The Aux is connected by the ignition switch to help crank over the engine. It is controlled by a charging relay under the engine bay battery. If your aux battery dies you will have starting issues because power will get dumped into the dead battery instead of the starter, which will kill your main battery. When sitting the batteries are isolated, but pulling power from one battery in the system will prematurely kill both batteries. -Basically just pretend the batteries are connected in series and don't run anything significant off them without the engine running. Buying a fridge or a bunk heater? Best to build a house battery system. Trust me, Ford's system is screwy enough without making it worse.

I've ordered the parts to start building a true house battery system. I'll toss a size 31 deep cycle battery into a ford frame rail box and put it next to the aux with a fully independent ACR and wiring system. All my house circuits will be moved off the main battery fuse box and into a new fuse box off the house battery.
 

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