Ujoint Offroad Colorado van build thread!
- Thread starter UjointoffroadCO
- Start date
onemanarmy
Explorer
@Baker Garage
Great pics and thanks for the continued updates
in the 2nd pic of your first post, in your customer area (super sweet by the way), you have the Volvo/Lambo poster high up.....where did you get that? All I can find are old magazine shots of it, nothing worthy of a poster size.
thanks
Great pics and thanks for the continued updates
in the 2nd pic of your first post, in your customer area (super sweet by the way), you have the Volvo/Lambo poster high up.....where did you get that? All I can find are old magazine shots of it, nothing worthy of a poster size.
thanks
UjointoffroadCO
Well-known member
sometimes they come up for sale online, but that is a volvo dealer only piece of advertising that has been around this shop for 35+ years. Got it from a dealer that went out of business.
UjointoffroadCO
Well-known member
Next van is here and under the knife! Going to be a big project on this one. 2013 5.4 red cross van. get a 6" on 35s with method wheels, all the fixins from Ujoint, ox locker etc.
Had a van in the shop from Ujoint for a quick post build check up after being put together in NC recently
Big white van on 37s I did a while back came back through for a complete engine reseal and tune up on the old 351
Had this funky old bull nose school bus thing in for a alternator replacement
Finally got way from the shop for a long weekend down near telluride on a friends ranch. Always a good time
Had a van in the shop from Ujoint for a quick post build check up after being put together in NC recently
Big white van on 37s I did a while back came back through for a complete engine reseal and tune up on the old 351
Had this funky old bull nose school bus thing in for a alternator replacement
Finally got way from the shop for a long weekend down near telluride on a friends ranch. Always a good time
UjointoffroadCO
Well-known member
Had the grey 2021 transit back in the shop to help him rough in all the house wiring before he starts his build out
Then I had a huge shipment show up for the high top ujoint van. Time to get started!
Not bad for day 1! More to come soon
Then I had a huge shipment show up for the high top ujoint van. Time to get started!
Not bad for day 1! More to come soon
UjointoffroadCO
Well-known member
Touchdown on the high top 5.4 rig! Such a good looking van.
This big rig just completed at the mothership came by to have a big trans cooler added
Next conversion on deck! The holy grail, v10 b190! One of our own, @SchultzBurrey. Really looking forward to this one
This big rig just completed at the mothership came by to have a big trans cooler added
Next conversion on deck! The holy grail, v10 b190! One of our own, @SchultzBurrey. Really looking forward to this one
UjointoffroadCO
Well-known member
Monday morning update! Got the big high top in the shop last week and got a trans cooler with a thermo controlled fan installed down on the frame rail. had to make up a custom little bracket. The owner pulls a big trailer with this already heavy rig and was seeing some pretty high trans temps pulling our passes here in CO. This should do the trick! Will be seeing this one back soon for a AUX fuel tank.
Didn't get any finished shots of the pop top 5.4 van. It was back in for its 1000 mile re check late last week so I grabbed some
Didn't get any finished shots of the pop top 5.4 van. It was back in for its 1000 mile re check late last week so I grabbed some
UjointoffroadCO
Well-known member
Long overdue update! Lots of stuff changing for me, so it's been a little hectic! As of this last Friday I have officially parted ways with Baker Garage to do my own Van/offroad only shop! I don't have a location yet, but that should all be changing this week! Anyways this thread will just change names, and I'll keep it going!
Heres some updates on the last month around the shop! Can't thank everyone who reads here enough for all the referrals!
High top 5.4 ujoint van got all wrapped up, but it was a mad dash to finish on the customers deadline for a trip so I didn't get any cell pics, but my buddy took some pro photos I'll post when I get them! Heres the ujoint rear bumper installed.
Then started the mad dash to get my personal van ready for a 3000 mile road trip up through idaho along the BDR route with a group of friends. My front rotors were badly warped, So i swapped them out with a set of EBC green stuff pads and rotors on all 4 corners.
First night in a blm camp ground off the side of the road in wyoming
Start of the route in Jarbidge Nevada. One of the coolest most remote places I've been. Highly suggest it
Up into the hills in southern idaho
Had a 9 day old alternator go out around Idaho city. Got a hotel for the night and hitched a ride into bosie for a new one. Had some company swapping it out
Airing up my buddies obs so he could tow a dead landcruiser back to seattle
Stanley lake, overlooking the sawtooth range. Bit of smoke
Last night outside of teton.
Heres some updates on the last month around the shop! Can't thank everyone who reads here enough for all the referrals!
High top 5.4 ujoint van got all wrapped up, but it was a mad dash to finish on the customers deadline for a trip so I didn't get any cell pics, but my buddy took some pro photos I'll post when I get them! Heres the ujoint rear bumper installed.
Then started the mad dash to get my personal van ready for a 3000 mile road trip up through idaho along the BDR route with a group of friends. My front rotors were badly warped, So i swapped them out with a set of EBC green stuff pads and rotors on all 4 corners.
First night in a blm camp ground off the side of the road in wyoming
Start of the route in Jarbidge Nevada. One of the coolest most remote places I've been. Highly suggest it
Up into the hills in southern idaho
Had a 9 day old alternator go out around Idaho city. Got a hotel for the night and hitched a ride into bosie for a new one. Had some company swapping it out
Airing up my buddies obs so he could tow a dead landcruiser back to seattle
Stanley lake, overlooking the sawtooth range. Bit of smoke
Last night outside of teton.
UjointoffroadCO
Well-known member
Small post trip fix I thought Id share since its very common on the E series. If you've got a door thats hard to open, you've likely got a broken rubber release cable end. Instead of spending a bunch buying new cables, dorman offers new aluminum ends for only $11!
Now back to work! Had one major project and 2 emergency repairs to make before my last day of work!
Had a Instagram friend blow a plug out on his Ujoint van while on a road trip that I helped out with a timesert and new coil/plug. Funny enough this was the van that inspired me to find a blue van myself!
Had another Ujoint van that lives local throw a serp belt off and rip the trans cooler lines apart due to a improperly installed power steering pump pulley
Last big project at baker for me was a 6" boulder offroad kit, some 35" ko2s, 4.56 regear and rear oxlocker on a awd express
Before!
Tearing down.
Crusty front diff ready for a rebuild
As soon as I started bolting the brackets from the kit on the van, I knew I was in trouble. Nothing fit right, almost none of the holes lined up, none of the brackets for the lower control arms lined up. I had to use my hydraulic power pack to spread the brackets open so I could get the control arms in and it still wasn't enough. I wound up having to flap wheel the control arm bushings down to get them in place. Here's 2 pics to illustrate the issues I had. There were many more, but these are the only 2 I bothered to take pics of.
Anyways, Im happy with the outcome. Looks tough! The drivability leaves some to be desired, but I suppose that should be expected with a drop bracket lift kit. My main issue is that the lever arm on the new lift knuckle that the tie rod attaches to is very short and it super quickens the steering ratio to the point that it makes it kinda hard to keep in a straight line.
So thats it for me at Baker! Next update will be on the build out of the new shop!! Already have some really cool projects in the pipeline, and hopefully some other really cool stuff to announce!
Now back to work! Had one major project and 2 emergency repairs to make before my last day of work!
Had a Instagram friend blow a plug out on his Ujoint van while on a road trip that I helped out with a timesert and new coil/plug. Funny enough this was the van that inspired me to find a blue van myself!
Had another Ujoint van that lives local throw a serp belt off and rip the trans cooler lines apart due to a improperly installed power steering pump pulley
Last big project at baker for me was a 6" boulder offroad kit, some 35" ko2s, 4.56 regear and rear oxlocker on a awd express
Before!
Tearing down.
Crusty front diff ready for a rebuild
As soon as I started bolting the brackets from the kit on the van, I knew I was in trouble. Nothing fit right, almost none of the holes lined up, none of the brackets for the lower control arms lined up. I had to use my hydraulic power pack to spread the brackets open so I could get the control arms in and it still wasn't enough. I wound up having to flap wheel the control arm bushings down to get them in place. Here's 2 pics to illustrate the issues I had. There were many more, but these are the only 2 I bothered to take pics of.
Anyways, Im happy with the outcome. Looks tough! The drivability leaves some to be desired, but I suppose that should be expected with a drop bracket lift kit. My main issue is that the lever arm on the new lift knuckle that the tie rod attaches to is very short and it super quickens the steering ratio to the point that it makes it kinda hard to keep in a straight line.
So thats it for me at Baker! Next update will be on the build out of the new shop!! Already have some really cool projects in the pipeline, and hopefully some other really cool stuff to announce!
UjointoffroadCO
Well-known member
Hey there! Thanks for the kind words! Let me know how I can help. I sent you a DM on here. Will probably be the best way to stay in touch until I get the new shop setup in a few weeks!
screwball48
Explorer
Was that a lifted Volvo XC parked behind the blue van?
Last edited:
UjointoffroadCO
Well-known member
Yep! I developed a package that was a mix of aftermarket and stock xc90 parts to make a 4" lift kit for the p2 chassis xc70. Super fun car