New member

Everything about Chinooks that isn't option specific. Please check if your post is more appropriate in another category before posting here.
Baja Bilo
Posts: 48
Joined: July 29th, 2020, 8:49 pm

Re: New member

Post by Baja Bilo »

markatherton wrote: July 31st, 2020, 2:08 pm awesome rig. I was following the sale on ebay. Advice... do extensive research before you convert to 4x4


I have extensive experience. They will all tell you that theirs
is the best. I know where not to go.
Baja Bilo
Posts: 48
Joined: July 29th, 2020, 8:49 pm

Re: New member

Post by Baja Bilo »

Warthogg wrote: July 30th, 2020, 5:01 pm Weird......

I thought all Baja's were 4x4 as well???

But that is the 2nd baja bought recently that was 2wd. Jason's camo Baja was 2wd.

Couple 4wd options......

Quadvan Oregon
Advanced 4wd Utah

But if it were me and I lived where you do, I'd order a lift from ujoint and have that Colorado Van company install it. They've done a few installs with good success.

Congrats!!!!
I wouldn't take a tricycle to Utah.
markatherton
Posts: 266
Joined: December 20th, 2017, 9:09 am

Re: New member

Post by markatherton »

wow...
dougm
Senior Member
Posts: 516
Joined: June 7th, 2016, 9:25 pm

Re: New member

Post by dougm »

markatherton wrote: August 11th, 2020, 10:03 amwow...
I second that emotion.. :lol:
Manitou
Site Admin
Posts: 795
Joined: January 12th, 2014, 7:18 pm

Re: New member

Post by Manitou »

Baja Bilo wrote: August 6th, 2020, 6:19 pm
Warthogg wrote: July 30th, 2020, 5:01 pm Weird......

I thought all Baja's were 4x4 as well???

But that is the 2nd baja bought recently that was 2wd. Jason's camo Baja was 2wd.

Couple 4wd options......

Quadvan Oregon
Advanced 4wd Utah

But if it were me and I lived where you do, I'd order a lift from ujoint and have that Colorado Van company install it. They've done a few installs with good success.

Congrats!!!!
I wouldn't take a tricycle to Utah.
Advanced 4wd in Utah fixed another shop's work when I was on a trip. No appointment, no heads up phone call.. just pulled in. They pulled a couple guys off a project for an hour or 2 to sort me out. I can't comment on their 4x4 conversion, but they helped me out in a pinch.
Baja Bilo
Posts: 48
Joined: July 29th, 2020, 8:49 pm

Re: New member

Post by Baja Bilo »

Manitou wrote: August 12th, 2020, 7:34 pm
Baja Bilo wrote: August 6th, 2020, 6:19 pm
Warthogg wrote: July 30th, 2020, 5:01 pm Weird......

I thought all Baja's were 4x4 as well???

But that is the 2nd baja bought recently that was 2wd. Jason's camo Baja was 2wd.

Couple 4wd options......

Quadvan Oregon
Advanced 4wd Utah

But if it were me and I lived where you do, I'd order a lift from ujoint and have that Colorado Van company install it. They've done a few installs with good success.

Congrats!!!!
I wouldn't take a tricycle to Utah.
Advanced 4wd in Utah fixed another shop's work when I was on a trip. No appointment, no heads up phone call.. just pulled in. They pulled a couple guys off a project for an hour or 2 to sort me out. I can't comment on their 4x4 conversion, but they helped me out in a pinch.
I'm happy for you but I stand by my statement.
djmoynahan
Posts: 26
Joined: December 29th, 2019, 2:27 pm

Re: New member

Post by djmoynahan »

Check out Manchester -they were the manufacturer for your propane tank.
To convert it to 4x4, check out Ujointoffroad.com.

Enjoy your rig!
Baja Bilo
Posts: 48
Joined: July 29th, 2020, 8:49 pm

Re: New member

Post by Baja Bilo »

djmoynahan wrote: August 13th, 2020, 7:17 pm Check out Manchester -they were the manufacturer for your propane tank.
To convert it to 4x4, check out Ujointoffroad.com.

Enjoy your rig!
Thank you.
The propane tank is still available but it's special order and they don't
sell to the public. I had my new 1999 Ford E350 converted by Advanced.
Never go there again. It broke down on me 3 or 4 times in the first year.
I took it to Salem Kroger and had it redone and never had another problem
until I totaled it 5 years ago. I've been to Ujoints shop and Quad vans
shop. They both do excellent work.
Warthogg
Posts: 33
Joined: August 29th, 2017, 6:38 pm

Re: New member

Post by Warthogg »

Back when I had my my first van converted I remember a similar quote about "not even a tricycle". Maybe it was Baja Bilo? I think it was on the Sportsmobile Forum. I had just had Sportsmobile do my conversion and was happy they did after reading about all the problems customers had with the other shop. Put 40K on that conversion with no problems. I tried to have Sportsmobile do my Chinook. They gave me an absolute NO. I had two friends use Advanced 4wd and they had positive results. They've both sold their rigs, but as far as I know both are still on the road with no problems. I now have just over 15k on the Advanced conversion with maybe 800ish miles in 4wd with no problems. If I were to do it over again, I would ship it to UJoint. These Chinooks need some heavy hardware and it seems that UJoint provides the best solution short of building it yourself.

....just my opinion.......
"Warthogg"- 2001 V10 4x4
dougm
Senior Member
Posts: 516
Joined: June 7th, 2016, 9:25 pm

Re: New member

Post by dougm »

Personally i dont see Ujoint being a practical solution for anyone on this forum with a Chinook. Unless you want to remove your front bumper completely or take a chopsaw to it so your tires dont hit the bumper when you turn corners. Look at pictures of vehicles with their kit on them. You will never find an image of a Ujoint kit showing a straight on side view. Thats because their kit moves the axle so far forward under the vehicle that the tires rub on the front bumper when you turn. With a straight on side view the vehicle looks literally like a clown truck and completely disproportional. The only images you will find are all taken from an extreme angle versus a straight on side view, thats intentional so that you dont see how odd it looks. Thats certainly not to imply anything about its functionality or that it is in some way not appropriate in an offroad vehicle. Personally i spent in the area of $3000 on my front bumper and im not about to chop it up for any reason.

Just a couple of examples of what im talking about.
62210904_2497092113643335_4361963700576321536_o.jpg
I just had a conversation yesterday with an indivdual that had Ujoint do his conversion. I can tell you that he is far less than happy and said he will never go back. He had to pay someone else to correct the work that Ujoint performed, one of which included rebuilding the entire front axle he purchased rebuilt from Ujoint as part of the conversion.

Anyway i only mention any of this because although im sure its a great functional kit for dedicated offroad vehicles. I dont think there are many folks that want to chop up their Chinook just so their tires dont rub.

I suppose a person could purchase an axle pin relocation plate to stick between the axle and the springs, but that will only move the axle back maybe 1/2 an inch max. Plus you shouldnt have to do that when youre paying $5800 just for the kit not counting labor. I called them once last year to inquire if they could provide me a kit that didnt move the axle so far forward and they said no. Apparently from what i gather they have the spring manufacturer intentionally move the axle locating pin in the springs forward to move the axle froward in the truck.
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