soup
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Post by soup on Oct 15, 2013 6:07:54 GMT -8
Also Kevin Bigbill created a thread called SAFE TOWING. He has alot of great tips and suggestions. Its a great checklist to make for yourself as well. Go to: Vintage Trailer Discussion --> Vintage Owner Talk --> Safe Towing And DO have a safe and fun trip (with pics  )  |
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Post by bigbill on Oct 15, 2013 6:35:56 GMT -8
Excellent detailed advice Soup.
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shastabear
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Post by shastabear on Oct 15, 2013 6:51:21 GMT -8
LOL...Thanks Soup!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2013 13:11:22 GMT -8
Wow, awesome info. I will check for that hole on the hitch, should be MUCH better than some Jerry rig setup. I will check the consignment shop for a 2 inch ball, trying to save bucks wherever I can. I just got some Coleman lantern mantles too. Riding home from the DMV right now, made a carpooling trip with my uncle to get groceries in Sandpoint since the Priest River DMV was closed. Registration went smoothly. I'm glad you think highly of my van I will have to pick your brain for more info about all those "tweaks" feel free to dump them here if you want |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2013 14:46:29 GMT -8
I found the hole on the hitch. I was hoping it would go all the way through so I could thread a bolt straight through it. But this will work just the same. I shopped around for a 2" ball. Believe it or not, the auto parts stores are probably the most expensive place to get these things. Ace hardware had the same exact brand and specs ball for about $3 cheaper, and their ball mounts are about $15 cheaper as well. The ball was $11.64 after tax and the ball mounts are priced at $19.99. I would imagine that walmart has them priced even lower. It's worth checking out. Next time I'm browsing I'll price check.
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soup
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Post by soup on Oct 15, 2013 15:19:52 GMT -8
Wow, awesome info. I will check for that hole on the hitch, should be MUCH better than some Jerry rig setup. I will check the consignment shop for a 2 inch ball, trying to save bucks wherever I can. I just got some Coleman lantern mantles too. Riding home from the DMV right now, made a carpooling trip with my uncle to get groceries in Sandpoint since the Priest River DMV was closed. Registration went smoothly. I'm glad you think highly of my van I will have to pick your brain for more info about all those "tweaks" feel free to dump them here if you want OH heck, Thanks yall, Didn't intend on hijacking the thread. Ok 91 360 MOPAR. 1st = Tranny Cooler 2: Tune up, plugs, air filter, coolant mixture correct, new oil, use only WIX Oil filters or AKA NAPA GOLD brand filters, etc.. 3: Chip it, if there is an upgrade chip available. 4: Headers as big an outlet that will fit, like 3.5" - 4". 5: (Old School here) Get some 4" school bus exhaust pipe or what ever diameter pipe can be welded onto the new header collector plates without covering the bolt holes. Before welding, cut collar of new collectors to as wide of diameter as possible without losing strength. Basically your collector will be a ring with bolt holes matching header outlet, with about half inch to 3/4 pipe left on it, just enough to weld to. Then weld school bus pipe to collector rings. (Or take somewhere that does school bus exhaust) 6: Run the van at 60 MPH for a mile or so after it's warmed up. Then cut school bus pipe where it's color changes. That will be the starting point of the rest of exhaust system. You will then step down in pipe diameter for little back pressure of 1/4" - 1/2" with "X" crossover and Flowmaster turbo flow mufflers. (Or just get whole kit for your van straight from Flowmaster if you have the bucks. Banks also makes great air intake/exhaust kits for 360's too. Check motor home info, exhaust/intake kits) Then you can dump them out in behind the back tires or out the back sides corners all the way back. (recommended for safety) The school bus pipes act as cooling chambers and actually "Suck" out the exhaust from the engine. A breathing engine is a cool engine. 7: Air intake must be as cold and fresh as possible. Best: K&M Air filter air intake kit. (Cheaper than whole exhaust kit from Banks or the like) Connects to core support hole or has ram intake that bolts to bottom of front bumper. Ram air then goes through like a dryer hose to your air filter then into engine. You can sometimes also find these in junk yards too. You can't get good breathing if you aren't running your stock factory air intake hose. Is your factory one missing? Replace it. This will also cause the 360 to run hot. All the things above will help in power and cooling. If it still runs hot after all this, you got a timing chain acting up and would need replacing. If you have to do a chain make sure to replace the water pump and thermostat at the same time and don't forget all new hoses and clamps too. Clean out your over flow tank and hose too! I can hear the cackling of the exhaust pipes roaring through the mountains now. As only a MOPAR or Harley can sound! |
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Ten
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Post by Ten on Oct 15, 2013 15:55:53 GMT -8
Another way to use the infamous "hole" is to lock the hitch on with a Master padlock.
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mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Oct 15, 2013 16:38:31 GMT -8
Another way to use the infamous "hole" is to lock the hitch on with a Master padlock. That is the ONLY way I travel.... Doesn't have to be big. Just big enough to keep kids and potential thieves from getting any ideas while I'm in the restaurant. |
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Ten
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Post by Ten on Oct 15, 2013 16:45:07 GMT -8
It also is cheap insurance that a bolt and nut won't come undone. It prevents the sliding mechanism from moving apart from the ball and gives it a positive lock onto the tow vehicle, for pulling as well as theft and vandal protection.
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shastabear
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Post by shastabear on Oct 15, 2013 18:49:34 GMT -8
Also Kevin
I bought my 2" ball on a 3" drop hitch and a locking hitch pin for $35 at that W*Mart place...it was all together as a package.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2013 9:54:31 GMT -8
Soup, I traded my dad to get this van. I purchased an old ford ranger, like mid 70s from this guy who lived up in the hills with his wife and his dogs and his goats and chickens. Dude charged me $250 for the truck and had me help him move his chicken coop. This truck was a beast. Locally known as "Kermit" because it would literally jump out of any ditch you got it stuck into. The engine was way oversized for that thing and when you put it into gear it would just go. The downside was the damn thing was geared so low that it would barely do 45. Not the freeway driver that I was looking for, but hey, it did serve it's purpose for me for about a week. My dad knew a guy who wanted an older ford ranger to do a restoration job on it. He had this van from some horse trading. I ended up with the van, he had only $200 into it and ended up with $300 cash, 2 sets of brand new tires which he sold for another $300, and a riding lawn mower that he still uses. Long story short, I got this van for $250 and a couple hours of work. Even with the money I spent on parts here and there, it's still worth more in scrap than what I've got into it. Now if I could apply some of your little tweaks and beef this thing up and burn doughnuts in my dad's front yard, that would be awesome. What sort of estimated gain would I get from making these upgrades in terms of horsies and mpg? What would be the total $$ invested? Since money is tight, can you give me a breakdown of what I must do, should do, and should wait 'til later to do in order to make this trip? Sorry for the non-trailer talk, but since you must have a vehicle to tow a trailer, this is pretty relevant |
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mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Oct 16, 2013 11:23:59 GMT -8
Kevin I think you are talking about a Ford Bronco. The first Ford Rangers were little bitty pickup trucks designed to compete with the Chevy Luv and the Nissans.
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soup
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Post by soup on Oct 16, 2013 11:24:39 GMT -8
Camper; I would start with the pad lock on the hitch 1st. Then axle bearings.
Van; Then drain, flush, refill cooling system with proper coolant/water mix ratio for winter temps in you areas of driving. Check and or replace thermostat, hoses, belts, filters, oil change, tune up, lube front end, inspect/clean brakes repair if needed. Check fluid level in battery and if low, fill to bottom of neck with distilled water only, not tap water. Always wear safety glasses when working on any of this shtuff!
Make sure you are running the air intake hose that goes from front of van to the air cleaner. These can be found at junk yard.
Also from junk yard if you don't have one, FAN SHROUD. It should be a plastic housing around the fan but not touching fan connected to back of radiator. If not there get one from junk yard. They are engine/model specific.
Finally, Tranny Cooler (can be found at junk yard too!), Tranny Filter, pan seal, new tranny fluid. (I usually have my tranny serviced at a local tranny shop for $100 and then they install the tranny cooler for me with hard steel lines and fittings instead of the rubber hoses provided with cooler kit. Hard lines won't blow out under pressure. Usually runs me another $100 + the cooler if the shop does it for me)
This is the normal "Dialing In" I do on any newly acquired vehicle we get before we start driving them daily or long trips. All the above will help that 360 run cooler. Don't forget to get that new drive shaft you mentioned and the u joints replaced when installing the new drive shaft.
I would wait till you had $$ for any other improvements. That van is going to be like driving a brick wall down the highway fuel wise anyway. For cooler running 360, it would all have to be dialed in first and running at proper timing etc. first before heading to the junk yard for ambulance louvered hood or vented fenders next. More air cooler engine. If you have a big hot rod show in the area, take your hood there to get it louvered if it's steel. But still cheaper finding one in junk yard.
Back in the day, us guys were so poor, we would use coils from the back of an old fridge for tranny coolers or oil coolers on cars and Harleys!
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Post by bigbill on Oct 16, 2013 15:41:51 GMT -8
If buying a new cooler they come in different sizes buy the largest one you can afford, for towing the bigger the better.
I have used all sorts of things for coolers also, some successful some not, but if you get a used cooler make sure you flush it out VERY WELL you don't want to introduce a bunch of debris into your automatic transmission. Same for an engine oil cooler. Soup is giving you good advice listen to him, most of what he is telling you he has learned the hard way you can profit from his experience.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2013 4:14:40 GMT -8
I believe it said Ranger on the title and on the side of the truck. Ford F150 ranger I believe. db.tt/bTC5KyoPWill get to this list in the morning. Thanks again for all your help! |
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