This is the UJOR testimonial page, where you can see how others have completed their conversions. I encourage everyone to send pics, and write whatever they feel. I don't edit anything, just copy & paste!
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David in SoCal has been building this van into quite the masterpiece! This 7.3 van has a stage 2 UJOR Dana 60 with RSC, an Atlas t-case, and custom springs by Deaver. It's got a Sterling out back, and the van is currently at SMB getting a full interior build. I'm sure we'll have more pics & details once it's finished!!
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| Dave in OR needed an attitude/altitude adjustment on his 01 E350 5.4, so he gave us a call! We set him up with a stage 1 front axle, complete UJOR 4" conversion kit and Aluminess front bumper side steps & rear tire carrier. Looks great!
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Another ambulance!!! This is a big boy too, 8" lift! Mike @ Langers Elk Valley Auto has been working on this rig for some time, and I have a feeling he's not done!
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| Here's Armen's 02 E350 7.3! It's running a 6" UJOR lift on 35's. Here's his testimonial:
I’ve known Chris since he was in California working for 4 wheel parts. I’ve always been in to Jeeps so I have been working with 4 wheel parts since 1993. Chris was one of the guys I would look for if I needed parts or had questions about something I didn’t know about and I always got a straight and knowledgeable answer from him. If there was something he didn’t know he made sure he found an answer and he let me know. Around 2001 I decided to buy a Chevy Tahoe and do the ORU straight axel conversion. At that time Chris was working at ORU and once again with the help Chris and Glen (RIP) I was able to the conversion and was probably one of the first guys in California to have a Chevy Tahoe with a Dana 60 in the front on a 14” lift running on 5.13 gears and 42” tires. I hadn’t seen Chris for a very long time and then one day he visited us from North Carolina and that’s when I first saw VANACONDA. It was like love at first sight. The first thing I said to Chris was that I needed to have one of these and that’s when I found out about UJOINT Offroads Ford van kits. Being in this field for almost 20 years, one of the things I noticed was the quality of the hangers Chris had on VANACONDA and in his kit. When I received the kit from Chris I saw that everything he had in the packages were high quality and durable. Nothing in his kit was made of cheap materials or needed to be upgraded. I really liked that because I didn’t have to go around looking for parts to replace the parts that are provided in the kit. You just open the packages and go straight to the install. I also found the two installation videos on UJOR website to be very helpful.
Before I even started, Chris gave me advice as to what kind of van I was going to need, what parts I was going to need other then the lift kit itself and what would be the best option for my needs.
Once again with the knowledgeable help of Chris I now own this 2003 E350 7.3L with a 6” lift and 35” tires. I’m not done with it yet, as we all know you are never done with vehicles of this type because there is always something new that you want to do. My idea right now is to install a sink, a fridge, a gas burner and a comfortable sofa bed, custom make cabinets and then move on to custom building front and rear baja style bumpers. I want to put a 15Klbs winch in the front, and a hidden 10K lbs winch in the rear. I will take pictures of it when I am done.
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Rodel wanted his 97 E350 7.3 up in the air quick, so we sent him the goods to make it happen. He ordered up a Stage1 front axle, full 6" lift, rear skid system and front dual shocks and we shipped it all to 4WP in Temecula CA. He also had them build up a Sterling for the rear, so this van is ready for some action! Looks good and everyone did a great job on the install!
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| Andre wanted to make a statement with his van, and I think he did! This beast is running a UJOR Stage 2 front axle w/RSC & 10" of lift to clear the 41" tires. More details soon!
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Eric in Alaska has just finished his build, and it looks like he's put the van to work right away! His 2000 E350 7.3 is running the UJOR 4" complete conversion with stage 1 front axle. We shipped everything to AK, including the NV271 t-case. Here's his testimonial:
I have built my dream vehicle thanks to Chris and Ujoint. 2000 E350 diesel with the 4" Ujoint lift. He shipped the kit to Alaska. The install went well. I had lots of questions and Chris was super helpful through the whole thing. I used the van to pull big snow machine trail all over Alaska this past winter. In the summer I fish and it has been great for pulling our 15,000 pound seine net. Been super for all the thing I'm into. Look forward to more adventurers. Thanks Chris for the awesome VAN!!!
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| Jeff @ Built 2 Last in Durango CO has cranked out another awesome van! We put together a complete package on this build. This 94 E350 is equipped with all of the UJOR 8" lift goodies, stage 1 front axle with 4.88 gears, and Aluminess rear bumper. The 37's look great, and I'm sure Jeff's customer is happy with the rig!
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Will's 02 E350 7.3 was already running a 2wd lift & Aluminess bumper when he decided he needed a front axle to get where he needs to go! So we put together a total package that would get him rolling. This van has a 6" lift, UJOR front axle with the RSC upgrade, 4.56 gears & Eaton E-Locker, front dual shocks with Bilstein 5160 series shocks, Dynatrac Diff Covers, NV271 t-case, and the UJOR rear skid system.
He had everything installed by Rob @ 4 Wheel Drive & Fabrication in Goleta CA. Rob did a great job, and I recommend him for future installs!
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| You may not recognize this van, but it's the 09 that I picked up the same time as StanVan. My friend Mikey has been building custom trucks for many years, and he finally decided to put his touches on a 4wd van. The parts collection process for this van has actually been going on for over 2.5 years! He had most of the parts collected before he had the van! So when he found his donor the same week as I was headed to DC to pick up StanVan, everything came together.
This van is running the UJOR 10" lift on 38/13.50/20 Toyo MT's. The wheels used to be on Vanaconda (Axis Warlock 20x10) and Mikey had them powder coated black. The front axle is an 04 Dana 60, with a pinion rotation from Dynatrac, F550 knuckles & brakes, crossover steering, custom tie rod, and a UJOR spec'd power lock differential. Out back is a Sterling 10.5 stuffed with a Detroit locker & 4.56 gears. Mikey fabricated some dual shock hoops for the Bilstein 5150 series shocks, and made some u bolt plates so he could flip the u-bolts for more ground clearance.
The van recently made it's maiden voyage up & down the eastern sierras, and I'm sure it turned some heads along the way!
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If you don't think this is the coolest motor home EVER, you have issues! Marcus found this rare 6.0 diesel class c, and started planning the build right away. He teamed up with Inland Rovers in CA to install the 4" lift, and they just put the final touches on this unique build. Here's his testimonial:
For many years I have wanted a 4x4 motorhome to bring me to remote, off the beaten path camping spots and travel through heavy snow. I think of snow storms as ideal travel time so I can hit the ski slopes when the snow is fresh! After research online and reading lots of top notch reviews and remarks of U-Joint’s product I decided that’s who I would call when the time came. I looked for about 1 year all over the internet to find the newest diesel powered class C motorhome on an e450 chassis possible. I finally found one that met my criteria about 750 miles away from my home in Southern California. After about 1 week of over the phone negotiations I was on my way to pick up my new rig. The day after I got home, I was locating parts and ordering from Chris at U-Joint. Chris was extremely helpful with all of my questions and guided me through the entire process. I have been very happy with how professional and experienced Chris’ advice has been since the first phone call I placed to him. Since I am not local to U-Joint Off Road’s facilities, I made a decision to have a professional shop highly experienced with off road, fabrication and plain “forging new ground” help me with the project. I wanted to get the entire 4x4 conversion installed very quickly and professionally. One place came to mind, Inland Rovers. They have done lots of work for my Land Rovers in the past and have always impressed me with their honesty, integrity and “will not give up” attitude. As soon as I told Gordon at Inland Rovers about what I wanted to do, he was almost jumping through the phone to grab me and get me down there to start on this epic build. I came through on my end and sourced all the components in record time. Soon enough my rig was down there torn to pieces. The installation process went extremely smooth thanks to Chris’ expert guidance and Gordon’s well stocked shop and extremely knowledgeable staff.
From order to completion I managed to finish the project in 3 weeks! It was a LOT of work and it paid off in a big way. Driving my motorhome around and seeing all the thumbs up, jaw dropping and positive comments every place I travel makes it worth the investment alone! From July 2011 until now March 2012, I have driven it over 12,000 miles and not a single hiccup! I have gone through soft sand, mud, snow and everything in between with confidence.
4XHome Specs:
2005 Forest River Class C 29’
6.0L PowerStroke Diesel
Free flowing exhaust
19.5” Vision Heavy Hauler alloy wheels powder coated black
225/70/19.5 Cooper RM190 Tires
UJOR 4” lift
UJOR trac bar
UJOR Extended brake lines
UJOR Real wheel adapter/spacers
UJOR Steering kit
UJOR Front frame support
UJOR Shock mounts
UJOR Tcase kit
NV271 Transfer Case mated to the 5R110
Custom drive shafts by Reel Driveline
Custom driveline disc parking brake
4.11 Gearing
7.5” Net lift with tires
Re-arched and rebuilt rear springs by Atlas
Billet grille, rear ladder, bumper & misc. parts powder coated black
All windows tinted
All factory stickers/graphics removed and buffed out
Bilstein 5100 series shocks all around
Dual steering stabilizer with Bilstein 5100 shocks
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| Greg @ G&M Auto here in NC needed to get a motor home up in the air, so he made a call to the right place! The guys at G&M did a great job, and the motor home is taking it's maiden voyage this weekend!
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Mike has been building his van since he bought one of my original conversion kits. This 06 E350 6.0 is running a 6" lift, looking good! More info & pics coming soon----
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| The ambulance revolution is still going strong! Randy's 96 E350 7.3 is another 6" lift, and he's got a killer interior build up going.
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Bart's 03 7.3 is representing BC Canada very well!!! There are a few BC builds taking place this summer, so Bart is setting the standard with his UJOR 6" kit.
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| Shane's TX family machine is running the 4" UJOR conversion with everything I have to offer. Turned out really nice, and now this van is ready for another 200K!!!!
Hello Chris,
Well the suspension is on and the van is in the air!!!!
Your components are designed very well. The instructions and video on your site are a great help as well as your personal assistance over the phone. I had no issues installing it other than the 14 years of grime and 213K miles of use in getting the old parts to submit. The van now rides like new. I went with stock '05 F350 18" wheels and stock size tires 275-70-18 for that year. We think it looks great. The Wife and kids love it. I'll drop the tranny and install the 1356 case and drive shafts later this summer.
Thanks again for all your help. Your customer service is absolutely the best!!!!!
Regards,
Shane Lowrance
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| It all started when I was a kid and I really wanted a 4X4 Van. Sound familiar ? With my 40’s encroaching, I felt it was time to find THE VAN. It was a score that I needed to settle so the suitable name for my van should be “VANDETTA”
After searching for months for a SMB I figured out that it wasn't going to happen and I needed to start building it myself, it would be more gratifying and it would be the way I want it. I didn’t own a van however, I was looking at the time when I first called UJOR. Chris answered my questions and got me motivated to find a van. I really wanted to take it to him to do the conversion but he was in NC, and I’m in CA.. So after a couple of calls we figured out that I would be able to do this conversion in my driveway with the help from a couple of friends.
Remember I didn’t own a van at the time .... Even if I didn’t find a van I wanted to see UJOR grow and succeed..
Before I go any further, I will say that I am not blessed with patience, which brings me to this, Chris is by far the most helpful, professional person I have ever had the pleasure of doing business with, so much that I bought my Aluminess front bumper, rear bumper / tire carrier and nerf bars through him, instead of going to Aluminess directly. Chris wasn’t selling me a lift kit or parts for my van, Chris sold me Chris and the forgotten craft “CUSTOMER SERVICE”. Every time I had a question through the build process he made himself available to answer my calls. The installation took place in the rain in my driveway, I couldn’t wait for the rain to go away (patience). The kit is very well designed and straight forward to install. I got to choose the wheels, tires, axles, gear ratio, lockers, transfer case and lift height. Another company I spoke with said it would be $16,000 installed and I had to use their wheels, tires, ride height and so on, it felt like I was bothering him. I didn’t spend ¢.01 with him, and I never will.
So here we are 5 months after I found my Black E350 V10 EB passenger van. I am very pleased with how it looks, rides and more importantly I am proud to be a part of the exclusive UJOR family.
Chris has added at least 5 products to his line in the last 5 months and I feel that he is growing his business the right way.
VANDETTA specs are:
6” UJOR lift kit
Bilstein 5150 shocks
35” Toyo Open Country mounted on 17 X 9 Mickey Thompson Sidebiters
Dana 60 front axle with a dynatrac free spin kit
ARB lockers front and rear
NV271 transfer case
410 Gear ratio
Aluminess Front Bumper, Rear Bumper / Tire Carrier and nerf bars.
I’m in the process of converting the interior to fit my needs and it’s coming along nicely.
Thanks Chris for your hard work, and professional attitude keep up the good work and I’ll always be a customer.
Sincerely,
Mike McMullen aka toolman
snapontoolman@gmail.com
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Ricky is my local tire dealer, and he couldn't sleep until he had a 4x4 van! So here it is, 2005 E350 6.0 with 10" of lift & 38/15.50/20 tires! He's running all of the usual UJOR goodies with the DS001 front dual shock mounts & a Sterling rear axle.
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| Mark in PA wanted a little more attitude for his 05 Quigley van. I'd say that he accomplished that! Mark is no stranger to lifted trucks, and he had EMS Off Road in Danville PA complete the swap. Mark's new setup includes the UJOR conversion kit with 8" of lift, crossover steering, Bilstein 5100 series shocks, Sterling rear axle, 37" tires, and the new UJOR rear skid system. Here's his testimonial:
Chris, Here's some better pics, and don't forget BIG BLUE has ARB's front & rear w/ 4:88 gears, on board air (warn vtc) w/ 2.5 gallon auxillary tank. Warn 9000# winch on the cradle multimount system, only for the rear right now, till I decide what bumper to go with for the front, & I'm sure there will be more custom add-ons as I can never leave anything "normal" or so I'm told! As for driveability, this van rides better than any other modified lifted truck I have owned, so a BIG THANK-YOU goes out to Chris for your skill in putting together a solid ,yet simple kit with many different options for whatever your needs or wants might be. Another BIG THANK-YOU to Eric & the guys at EMS OFF-ROAD for the quality installation & fabrication.
Thanks, Mark
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Tim's 2010 E350 V10 was modified as soon as he brought it home. He had a 2wd suspension lift installed, but soon realized that he needed some more traction, so he gave me a shout.
This van has a stage 1 UJOR Dana 60, 4" lift, Bilstein 5100 series shocks, 285/70/17 tires, and all of the other UJOR goodies. I recently got him setup with some Aluminess f&r bumpers, and he just finished stuffing them with some winches! Here's Tim's testimonial:
Our 2010 V10 15 passenger van is the ultimate family wagon. We bought it to haul our family, friends, our endless gear as well as tow our heavy wakeboard boat. While it is perfect for this, we very quickly found it to be seriously lacking on slippery boat ramps. After a summer of struggling to safely get the boat in and out of the water something had to give. I wasn't willing to give up the hauling and towing capacity the van provides, so instead of selling it we decided to complete a four wheel drive conversion.
I tend to over research and this was no exception. I am a perfectionist to a fault. Every conversion kit I saw came with a set of compromises until I found Ujointoffroad's conversion. I really liked the way the kit looked and the reviews from people who had done the conversion. I also read nothing but good things about Chris and the customer service he provides.
Completing the conversion myself was daunting, so when Chris told me he was going to be in California soon after, I thought "Hmmmmm." When he offered to help complete the install at a very reasonable price, I jumped at the opportunity and ordered his kit. It wasn't long before the kit was installed.
Now that the kit is done I can say unlike other conversions I have seen, I cannot find anything cheesy about this conversion. In my opinion there is nothing that could be changed to make it better in any way. Chris was even able to come up with a remedy for the Advancetrrac/RSC system. The quality of this conversion and the customer service is second to none. Chris is a class act!
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Gary had a nice 2wd Sportsmobile that he wanted 4wd, so he commissioned Jeff @ Built 2 Last Auto to make it happen! Jeff's shop is located in Durango CO, and he did an excellent job with the swap. I sent Jeff the conversion kit, front & rear springs, steering kit, brake lines, rear wheel spacers, front frame support, front upper shock mounts, u-bolts & some Bilstein 5100's. This van has a 6" lift, and looks great! Here are a few words from Gary----
Chris,
Just wanted to send you a note to say thanks and show the before and after pics. Jeff, from Built To Last did an AWESOME job on this thing and I can't be happier! He mentioned you were great to work with on any questions that came up. Since getting the van back, I had 2 people with Quigleys ask me where I got the conversion done and they mentioned how much better mine looks.
I love the fact that I got a 4x4 sportsmobile that looks better / beefier then a quigley AND its done locally.
Thanks again!
Gary
Jeff can be reached @ 970-259-8777
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| Jeff's van has been hard at work transporting him to the slopes! This 01 E350 not only has an awesome interior, it has the UJOR 6" lift on 35" tires. Along with the conversion kit, he got brake lines, steering kit, sway bar links, shock mounts & Bilstein 5150 series shocks.
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This van is located in CA and has the UJOR 4" suspension lift with 285/75/16 BFG All Terrain tires. This van has a Dynatrac Pro 60 front axle & Bilstein 5100 series shocks.
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| Dan's 2000 E350 was done in his driveway! Another 4" conversion, here's his testimonial:
A couple years ago I purchased a diesel E350 van with 186,000 miles on it. I was very happy with it, but I really wanted a 4x4 van. When I checked into converting it I found that nobody was willing to touch such an old van. I thought that I was out of luck until I saw Chris' kit on the Thunders Garage site. Even though I had NO experience working on cars I decided that it was a project I wanted to undertake. It made sense because my tires and transmission were already showing signs of wear and I would have to replace them anyways. Over the past year I've had over 200 emails to Chris asking for help and he responded quickly and nicely to each email. I also ended up buying the brake lines, shock mounts, rims, and springs from him (he always ended up getting me a good deal on them). I finally got around to replacing the transmission last week (which was 9 months and 15000 miles after I did the axle swap), and Chris was just as helpful as he was in the beginning even though he wasn't making any money off it. The dealer where I got the transmission from was so impressed with the kit that they are looking into offering it to their customers who want van conversions."
Thanks again for all your help -- Dan
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| Here isf Luke's van in CA. Luke has been hard at work getting it ready, and his crew got it done quick! This van is an 03 7.3 diesel, and running the UJOR 6" lift on 35/12.50/17 Nitto Terra Grapplers. The American Eagle 100's look great too. Luke bought the whole UJOR setup, maybe that's why he got it done so quick!
This van is also a great example of how to spread the conversion cost out over time. He completed the front suspension install, and will make the transmission mods & add a t-case when he can. Here's his testimonial:
I happen to live in Fresno, CA home of the highly coveted off-road adventure vans that cost as much as a house and see them often on the freeway. While worth the price I am not in any position to fork out the $80k+ entry fee , at least not while staying out of debt. So in July of 2009 I decided I was going to build my own 4x4 camper van on my schedule, paying cash. It took all of 30 minutes searching for 4x4 van conversions to discover Chris on some of the well known 4x4 forums and see the kit that he offers on his website. It was exactly what I had hoped to find, a place that had product I wanted, designed exactly for what I wanted to do, at a price I could actually afford.
In October of 2009 I purchased my 2003 E350 7.3L Diesel passenger van and shortly thereafter purchased everything I needed to start the 4x4 conversion on my van. The plan has always been to do the conversion in stages with the axle installation first and a few months later the transmission, t-case and fuel tank shortening. Now I know my way around a vehicle but I am by no means a mechanic or fabricator, in fact I work in an I.T. department, so buying all the parts from Chris made more sense then trying to save a few bucks cutting corners.
June 3rd, 2010, we started 8am Thursday morning and had the van on the ground by 4:30pm that day. Friday morning we had the steering in, double checked everything, cleaned up and I was driving down the road by noon, stage one completed. We had a couple very small snags along the way but phone calls to Chris resolved them.
I feel as if I am getting a more capable and bomb proof product for about half the cost of other 4x4 conversions and since I am doing the work I know how it goes together so I can maintain it myself. I’ve netted 10” of lift with the 35x12.50x17E Nitto Trail Grapplers and the van rides wonderfully.
From my first e-mail and phone call in October 2009, all the way to the day I installed the kit, Chris has been one of the best people I have every worked with. I wish other businesses gave the attention to detail to their products and valued their customers the way Chris does. I have never been this excited about one of my projects like I am with this van and Chris is responsible for it. Thank you Chris for helping transform my van into something unique and that I can enjoy with my family for years to come. I hope to see you on some random mountain top or sandy beach that a 2 wheel drive van could never go.
Luke Draper
Fresno, CA
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Abe's van is running the same lift as mine, 8" springs front & rear. The van was already 4wd, with a Salem Kroger 4x4 conversion. His conversion had the shackles at the front of the spring, which causes a harsher ride. My kit enabled him to lift the van, and get the shackle where it should be. Here's his testimonial:
My first 4x4 vehicle I ever owned was a chevy 4x4 van. After years of use and abuse I had to let go to van heavan. All my vehicles after that was all 4x4's specificly cj5's and old military jeeps but knew I was wanted get another 4x4 van. I couldn't afford a new van so I found a second hand 4x4 van converted by Salem kroger. Just like with the chevy it has the sliding door and When you open the sliding door it would hit the wider offroad tires. So just like with the chevy, I wanted to lift this ford van high enough to clear the tires when you open the sliding door. But this time around, I couldn't find any shop willing to make my lift springs. That's when I started looking for other options and found chris's web site. I learned from building jeeps from the ground up, that it took alot of my time fabricating parts, chasing and ordering parts from the mainland. So when I found chris's site he had everything I needed. It was a one stop shop for me. He had every thing I needed to do conversion. So it was a no brainer, I ended up buying his hanger kit, brake line kit and front and rear spring kit. The nice guy chris is, even hustled for a cheaper shipping cost to Hawaii. A couple if weeks later, I got all parts and installed everything in one weekend. Chris, thanks for all your help and quick response to all my questions again.
Aloha, Abe
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| Tory lives in OR, and his van has a 6" lift with 35" tires. Really makes me want an EB van! Here's his testimonial:
I am a contractor and need a 4x4 for my work, but I also needed a van. This presented a problem as I was not interested in the Quigley factory option. After alot of research, I decided to go with Chris' 4x4 conversion. Through the entire process of deciding to buy Chris' kit, then the actual purchase of the correct version of the kit for my needs, and finally into the fab/ install of the kit, Chris has been incredibly helpful. He is always quick to answer phone calls or emails.
I just completed the straight axle swap portion of the conversion and was very impressed with how the kit went together- no surprises! While installing the rear springs, I decided to swap the rear axle too so that the lug patterns would match and that went smoothly too. The springs all fit very well and the brake line extension kit went on perfectly.
I am looking forward to installing the 4x4 tranny and t-case in the coming weeks to complete my conversion.
I have had tons of compliments on my van and two of my friends are interested in converting theirs too.
Thanks for all your help Chris!
Tory
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| Nate's rig has a 6" lift with 33" tires. (305/70/16E) I set him up with the conversion kit, brake lines, front & rear springs, Bilstein 5150 series shocks, some custom rear wheel spacers, and a wheel/tire package. Here's his testimonial -----
"Cheers Chris and THANK YOU for all the support! Arranging everything from Europe for my tiny 2 week conversion window was madness at it's finest and I literally could not have overcome that logistical nightmare without your unwavering support. THANK YOU SIR! Thinking back, it was ~30 phone calls from overseas, all my stupid questions, and I remember that you literally answered the phone for all of them but 3 or 4?!? Wow, good fricken work. I appreciate it, and you'll be hearing from me again.
Best-
Nate"
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| Marcus has an 05 E350 V10, and he's running the UJOR 4" conversion. I also set him up with a Sterling rear axle kit, fender flares, floor mats, brake lines, and a set of Warn hubs. If you're near Carson City, be sure to check out his shop, and they can even tackle a conversion for you if you'd like!
Dear Chris,
Thank you so much for your support during this project. I really appreciate
how fast you answered all of my questions. Even as the owner of an auto
repair facility, we have never taken done such a massive undertaking where
were going into unchartered territory! Your kit and your support made it
easy. After spending months looking at vans and researching what I really
wanted, your kit was the only way to go. I looked at what Quigley had to
offer and I really needed something more heavy duty. Something I could use
to shuttle customers on the weekdays, pull a 3 horse trailer on the
weekends, and 4WD where ever I want! Although my best times are spent off
road, the vehicle spends 90% of its time on pavement. Your leaf spring
design has made this one ton van have an incredibly smooth ride. Just as we
were completing the project a vendor came buy to fix the glass on a vehicle
I had at the shop. They had a 4x4 Quigley van of the same year. As he was
working on the car we quickly descended on his van to check out how it was
done. It was nice, but looked so much more of a light duty use. On the way
home the night I got the van conversion finished, I had the kids in the car,
I surprised them by making an early right turn into the big dirt field by
our house. Breaking through a foot of snow we climbed up a steep embankment
and the van almost made it, the back wheels digging into the dirt. I looked
at the kids( ages 9 and 10) and they looked panicked... I jumped out of the
van and locked the hubs. Put it in 4wd and we eased out of there. Then took
it through a massive frozen puddle. After that the kids wanted me to keep
doing it over and over again.. It was a school night so we had to knock it
off after 5 times. The van looks great and handles even better. Thanks for
helping me make my dreams come true!!
Marcus
Marcus Marchegger
Owner
Capitol Automotive
1000 North Plaza St.
Carson City, NV
89701
775 882 9000
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| Rich is putting the final touches on his 03 7.3 E350, and it's looking good! This EB van is running the UJOR 6" lift, and Rich made his life a little easier by ordering all of the UJOR goodies! Here's his testimonial:
I purchased my 2003 E350 Extended Cargo Crew Van 7.3L when it was new. I have used it as a dirt bike hauler, ski trip cruiser, camper, heavy tow vehicle, and recently added a baby seat in the back.
I moved to a place in the country a couple years ago. Battling the snow drifts drove me to the internet, where I found the help of U-joint Offroad and Chris Steuber.
I committed to the project by purchasing a couple of used axles, a welder upgrade and lots of parts from UJOR. This was definitely more of a project than I would typically do myself, but due to the almighty $ I decided to dive in. As this is my daily driver, I had to complete. I did all of the work with only a few exceptions. I had professionals replace the pinion seals in the axles, a transmission guy change out the tail shaft to accept the transfer case, and a pro shorten the tank. This was a big project for me, and I learned a lot.
Whether you intend to do the work yourself or have a professional do the work, Chris Steuber and UJOR will help you through the process. Chris does what he says. He is there for support if you need to consult, and his kits have lots of options.
I have been driving my completed van for about 3 months now, and I am very happy with it. It rides and handles great. I am looking forward to putting another 145,000 miles on it.
Thank you Chris for your enabling me to build not an SUV, but a BAUV!
Rich
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| How's this for a before & after? Brandon decided to play with the big dogs and throw a 12" lift & 40" tires under his van. He had the conversion professionally installed by John Hughbanks @ One Ton off Road in Palmdale CA. He also installed a Sterling rear axle, UJOR crossover steering, and some UJOR brake lines. I have a feeling that this van may be growing again soon! Here's his testimonial:
You're company couldn't be ran any better, You answered every question I asked and my van looks and rides great, Everywhere I go people are taking pictures and asking if I want it in magazines. Soon!!!
I will keep you updated it will be going three more inches up. More pics to come.
Thanks for everything.....Brandon.
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| Geno has been having too much fun in the snow to send me some pics, so I had to harass him!!!! This van started as a Quigley 4x4, and Geno started looking for a little more lift & performance. I set him up with a UJOR 6" conversion kit, front & rear springs, brake lines, Warn premium hubs, Bilstein 5150 series shocks, rear wheel spacers, front & rear fender flares, Pro Comp wheels & Mickey Thompson ATZ tires. Here's his testimonial:
In 2004 i puchased a new quigley 4x4 van . After encountering several issues a friend of mine suggested that i checkout UJOINT OFFROAD. After hemming and hawing for a year ,i started putting all the parts together for chris 's kit. I bought a used f350 2004 front axle assembly ,rebuilt it ,and after all the conversion parts were shipped to me from UJOINT ,i began the conversion. It was very daunting at first ,but after i got hold of myself and dove in it turned out to be a piece of cake!!!! The front end was purchased with a 4.10 gear set, to help with the gearing for the 35 inch tires. After telling chris what i was interested in ,he picked out the perfect tire and wheel set! The leaf sping install was easy and alot of fun,than i bolted up the front end ,it came out great! After finishing up the front end my attention turned to the rear. The gear change in the rear turned out to be more expensive than i thought ,so i went to the salvage yard and found a e350 2006 with 4.10 gears for half the cost! I bolted it up, installed the rear wheel spacers from chris, and slapped on the tires. I cannot stress how good the truck drives ,on or off road !! It is simply brilliant. The quality of components, the design and above all chris's unwavering commitment to his product and more so to his customers is first rate!! Every question no matter how silly was allways answered ,chris was there for me the entire build. I am allready planning a diesel van conversion.I highly recommend his company to anyone interested in converting a van to 4x4,it is simply the best conversion on the market. thanks again,geno
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| Ryan wanted to lift his Sportsmobile to clear some 37's, and get a better ride at the same time! So I sent him a set of my spring hangers, brake lines, and some custom springs to get this beast up a little higher. I'm jealous, this van is awesome!
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| Kevin lives in WA, and his van is running the UJOR 4" lift. He also has the UJOR steering kit, rear Sterling mounts, brake lines, and some 2" rear blocks. The van is lookin good!! Here's his testimonial:
Where we live in the Washington State, four wheel drive is almost not an option. When my wife approached me with the “minivan” idea due to our growing family, I knew there had to be an alternative (please!). I wanted room, 4wd, decent mileage and the ability to tow my RV trailer. I eventually found a Diesel ’05 E350 and a short time later began looking at some of the 4wd conversion companies. Since I did not have $11k floating around I was really excited when I found Chris’ site. The kit and other components that Chris sells gave me the flexibility to find the parts I needed and purchase items as my budget and time allowed. I was able to find an ’01 F350 rolling frame that I used the front axle and tie rod off of, the Sterling limited slip rear with the brake tubing, front sway bar, front shock brackets, and emergency brake cables. I did not really have the luxury of finding parts in a salvage yard, so I used Ebay for some of the other needed parts. As far as cost goes, I’m into the conversion for less than half of the cost of paying a conversion company. It’s all quality as I know every nut and bolt, because I did it myself! Special thanks to my brother Korey for his help in the conversion.
Rebuilt Dana 50 front with Yukon Gear limited slip, 3.73 gears.
285/75/16 Hankook A/T's on factory Excursion wheels with black center caps.
Bilstein 5150’s. Bushwhacker flares.
Rancho steering stabilizer.
Thanks!
Kevin McGaffey
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| Tommy had the Eastern Sierras in mind when building his van, just as I did. This van is running the UJOR 6" lift, 35" Tires, along with some other UJOR goodies. He did a great job listing what he has below!
2005 Ford E-350
6.0 Powerstroke
6” U-joint 4x4 van conversion
~4000K on U-joint kit to date installed by McCool Motorsports, Santa Clarita, CA
Dana 50 front
Sterling 10.5” rear
Atlas springs from U-joint
Bilstein 5150 2/side in front from U-joint
NV 271 transfer case mounted by Trans Magic, Santa Clarita, CA
35” x 12.5” Goodyear M/T Kevlar
16” x 10” Mickey Thompson Classic lock powder coated black (Chris has good taste)
Much more to come – custom fabricated front bumper for winch, dual steering stabilizer on the way.
I have approximately 4000K miles on the conversion since it was installed. I use my van for trailhead access along the 395 to get up into some rugged territory for backcountry snowboarding/snowmobiling and other off-road activities. I’m very happy I came across U-joint Off-road as Chris has a quality product at an affordable price! I had looked into other options and basically pushed off my idea of having a 4 x 4 van, let alone one w/ a little more off-road savvy then what is available. I live in a canyon with several 20 mph turns and the van handles the curves great. I was a bit worried as this has been the highest lifted vehicle I’ve owned. I did not know what to expect. Chris did a great job speaking with me and finding out my intended use of the van, then set me up with great custom springs front and back along with the proper valve shocks for my application. 6 months later Chris is still following up and making sure I’m happy. He has provided excellent service to both myself and the builder I had help install the kit. I still can’t get over the ATTENTION it draws.
Thanks!
Tommy
Ps I’ll get a camera one of these days…van purchases trump for now though!!!! Lol
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| Bruce has another van representing Washington state, and it looks like he's putting the 4x4 conversion to good use! Here are his conversion details & testimonial:
Chris,
I have finished our van (if there is such thing). We love it! I only wish is that it was a diesel! Chris I really appreciate the after sale support that we got with your kit. When I didn't quite know if I was going in the right direction you were always willing to help. I highly recommend the UJOR 4x4 kit if you want a van that can do anything. After seeing some of the other "conversion companies" work up close I am so glad that I went with this kit.
Our van has: 4" lift UJOR kit, Dana 60 front end out of a 2003 SD, add a leaf rear leaf and 2" lift block, 4x4 truck Transmission, 5150 bilsteins, bushwacker flares, Tom Woods custom driveshafts and 285/75/R16 TOYO MT.
I would be happy to personally recommend the UJOR kit and/or answer questions about our own conversion at curnuck2@msn.com
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| Doug's 06 V10 van is a great example of an EB van with 35" tires. Not a basic cargo van anymore! Doug installed the entire UJOR 6" system with 5100 series shocks & BFG 35" AT's. Here's his testimonial----
Hey Chris, I wanted to thank you for all the help with the Van. You were incredible, answering all the many questions that I had, whether I called or sent you an email, providing pictures with details, what an incredible experience.
You probably don't remember how this went down but I purchase my Van on 7/10/10, put my order in with you July 15th, and by July 20th I had started installing the front spring hangers. July 29th was when I took the big step, I installed the rear Springs and shocks, the next day I started pulling everything off the front to put the Dana 60 in place by that night. All along I was calling and emailing and you guided me along the way so that by the end of that weekend I had completed the first stage.
Next came Stage 2, towards the end of August, shortening of the gas tank and getting the Transfercase installed. This next part took me approximately a week of working with a welder and a Transmission Mechanic and by the end of August I had my 4X4 Van. It took me a total of 6 weeks from beginning to end and I think I was unable to drive it maybe 5 days. It was important that I not loose my transportation, and there is no way that would have been possible without you guiding me through it. Thank You for being such a professional!
It was great to finally meet up with you this past weekend in Gorman. That was the first time I really had the chance to test out the 4wheel drive system, and I think the van worked perfectly. I trust you got home safely after we parted and I hope you have a great trip back to NC. Your pictures turned out pretty good of my van, better than what I gave you!
Thanks,
Doug
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| Chris' van is running the UJOR 4" kit, and I think he's just getting warmed up on this build!!
Chris,
Finally got my camera going again, so here are a couple of pics of the van. The mechanical work is done except for a 2” block for the rear leaf and the rear brake line you sent over the other day. Here is a breakdown:
1999 E-350 7.3 Diesel
NOS Dana 60
Rebuilt 4R100 Transmission, Shift Kit, Torque Converter
BW1356 Transfer Case, Rebuilt. Shifter from 1994 F-150
Transfer Case, Fuel Tank and Transmission Skid Plates from 1990 F-150 4x4
3:73 Gears
4” exhaust, TS Performance chip, Gauges
Pro Comp Wheels and Tires (on the way)
I am just about to give it a fresh paint job, and some minor body work. Then on to the interior.
I have many cool things to add including a 13’ roof rack, front and rear bumpers, diesel Hydronic heating system, fridge, propane stove, fresh water system, rear bench seat / bed, cabinets, auxiliary aft fuel tank (1990 bronco will fit with custom brackets), rooftop ac, auxiliary batt system w/ inverter.
I will try and get you some pictures of the skid plates, they came out really nice.
Thanks for all the help and the many phone calls!
Chris Grissom
Nashville, TN
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Here's Garretts mean CA machine. This 01 7.3 E350 is running the UJOR 8" lift, crossover steering, and he even swapped the rear axle to a Sterling 10.5. I think those are 38's, and this van is lookin GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!
Here's his testimonial:
Good job on the design of your kit, one of the easiest lifts I have ever done. My van is one of the best driving and handling lifted vehicles I have ever had. The directions are clear and the support was great. Thanks for the help.
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Doug's 01 van started life as a Quigley 4x4, and tool it to the next level by installing a UJOR conversion with 8" of lift. Not only did he lift it enough for the 37's, he added a complete F550 front axle with UJOR crossover steering, a Sterling 10.5 rear axle, UJOR shock mounts, Bilstein 5150 series shocks, and some electric side steps.
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Steve just put the wraps on his 2006 V10. He went all out on the UJOR parts page, installing a 6" lift, Sterling rear axle, front frame support, Bilstein 5100's, Warn Hubs, front & rear gears, steering kit, brake lines, sway bar links, even the floor mats to keep his carpet clean.
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| Darrel at Crossfield Automotive just finished this 02 E350 ambulance up in Alberta Canada. He installed the UJOR 4" lift with all the goodies needed to make this van an offroad machine!
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