You have done your part to try to fix this problem. If'n it was mine i would drop it off at the conversion people's facility. Tell them they have two weeks to fix it or you want ALL your money back. They can negotiate with Ford if need be. This is not a problem connected with all new Ford vans. If it isn't fixed in 2 weeks, then you can consider other actions (or just live with it). Good luck.,...jack

 

If you or someone you know has a go-pro or similar camera with a suction cup base you might record the roof while driving. I know these vans have a lot of flex in the roof, and if something isn't connected correctly turbulence over the roof may be causing the buffeting.

 

I'm not sure what the next step is. As I said, it is better, but by no means, for the money paid, is it acceptable. I can't see having to drive with a warning light on for tire pressure in a new van because of a sound the rear end/tires are making. Just makes no sense. Going to contact the dealer again tomorrow and see what can be done.

I like the camera idea and mounting it on the top of the van. Will see what i can find.

 

Update :

Back to the dealer last week to try a new set of tires. BUT, they decided that they were not strong enough for the van. To top it off, they put the pressure back to 80, I was told running it low was unsafe.

So, as my 8 year old said last night...."you spent all that money and we can't use the van."

I guess at this point, it looks like a lawyer. Any other suggestions.

 

What van is this (E250, E350 ? ) It sounds to me like you were onto something by reducing the tire pressures to improve the ride quality, thereby reducing the tendency of the window seals to vent internal pressure when a bump is hit.. The 80 psi is the max pressure, for maximum loads, not running empty. Choose new tires with a lower weight rating, but not below what your fully loaded weight would be. The Gross weight rating is just that, the maximum your vehicle will weigh fully loaded. tx 2sturgis had an excellent idea here in venting the internal pressure, your problem sounds like what I suggested it was initially, the internal pressure builds to the point where the window seals let loose when you hit a bump. The factory builds them to where there's zero road and wind noise, but this also creates the problem you're having. In the several newer Kenworth trucks I've driven lately, you cannot often get the doors to shut fully unless you roll one window down as the door seals. seal too well to allow the internal pressure created when shutting the door to vent when the door shuts.

 

Have you taken it through a car wash to see if it's leaking anywhere? Also, do you have any pictures of it? I'd like to see the interior especially if possible.

 

A loaded One ton Truck, 8-10 ply 80psi Tires, Rough roads, sounds about right to me!

 

Yes, I will put some on here this weekend when I get a chance.

 

Yeah, I liked that idea too, its just I don't want to hurt the warranty by doing that. Shoot, you wouldn't think I'd need to drill holes on a new van. That is one of those things that you can't take back....know what I mean?

The road noise with this van is about the same as our last van. All I can compare it with is a 12 passenger 2010 E Van that we owned just before this one. (and wish we had back btw) BUT, I took a design engineer for a ride in it a few days ago, and he was shocked at the road noise. It isn't much difference that our other van, but he felt it was excessive. I guess considering it is a conversion van it should be less.

I will say this, it does not bother every person who rides in it. It drives 4 out of the 6 of us MAD. The engineer can hear it, but doesn't experience quite the way others have. My mother in law, immediately experienced it and could describe it and the feeling.

I guess maybe to an independent tire shop for some advice might be the next step. Dealer offered to buy it back for a bit over half price. Needless to say, I'm not all that happy with the dealership.

 

BTW, I truly appreciate everyone's help and advice in this thread. That is the reason I joined this forum and posted. I read a lot of the threads here and am amazed at the level of expertise you folks have concerning vehicles. I'm not a car guy at all, so I'm stuck in some ways since I don't have a knowledge base to work with like a lot of the experts on here.

What I do know is I've owned well over a dozen of cars, trucks and vans, ridden in hundreds more, and I have NEVER experienced ANYTHING like this.

So again, thank you !

 

Let me step back in to the conversation.

You wont hurt any vehicle warranties by drilling a few holes in a removable piece, but I wasnt suggesting that YOU should do that. And you actually CAN reverse this one.

My solution fixed a different problem, but it is related, since these vans seem to be pretty well sealed.

I was hoping you would make a few suggestions to the conversion company...And I assumed you could take my idea for a test in your van.

They could order a new insert, (Ford calls it a license pocket) then drill a few holes or cut out a rectangular opening, and then pull the existing one out, and install the new one with the vents. Loosen the interior door panel to let in some air. (In fact, you could simply remove the insert fully and take a test ride with it removed, be sure to hang or tape the license plate on the bumper for the short ride)

Take the van for a test ride, see if the problem goes away. (I doubt that 12 small holes drilled in the pocket could make much difference, but you never know.)

If not, re-install the original insert and screw the interior panel back down. Move on to expensive (non)solutions like new tires or a trade-in loss.

If it DOES partially solve the issue, then the conversion company SHOULD be able to figure something out for permanent ventilation...and they would now know what is happening. I dont think the conversion company has a good feel for what is happening...and this might sway the jury one way or the other. Of course, the roof may be flexing more than it should and could be damaging something up there with all the movement. Who knows.

Either way, a new insert is about $125...cheap enough if it fixes the problem, or leads them to a more effective solution.

Tomorrow I will take some pictures of my modification so you will have a better idea of my solution.

By the way...that van has a warranty, make them FIX the problem.

 

Making them fix the problem hasn't been that easy.

But I understand now and will try it. I think the total remove first is a good idea.

 

I am new to this thread but am an old timer on the forum. I have had 5 vans since 1986, all conversions, but all have been 1/2 or 3/4 ton type vans with car tires. My experience with conversions is that the assembly quality is not nearly as good as OEM and can be downright shoddy in some areas despite the good reputation of a conversion company.

My first 2 vans were Turtle Top conversions which had the roof centers cut out, and a fiberglass pop top that would raise up a couple feet with fabric sides; when the pop tops were down, they were held down with 4 straps and latches, and those did tend to make noise as the van body flexed. They were pretty crummy fiberglass that went concave and cracked over years sitting in the sun, and the van roofs were pretty badly compromised. Glad I never rolled one of those vans over.

I am pretty baffled at all of the variables in your noise based on tire pressures, etc, and my gut feeling is that it is not so much the factory roof, but the conversion headliner that might be bouncing around when you hit bumps and causing the pressure and noise issues. I don't think conversion companies reinforce van roofs, but I am wondering if the headliner is possibly not secured well enough, allowing it to act like a big "speaker cone" or pump diaphragm. This theory seems to be reinforced by the reduction in your noise with people pushing up on the headliner.

I wonder if you should ask the conversion company to drop the headliner and confirm that it is properly secured to the roof...I am guessing that it is randomly screwed in to the roof braces. While the headliner is dropped, you could check to make sure the roof braces are properly welded and/or sealed onto the roof and if they are not, use some automotive seam caulking material to reduce any movement or drumming caused by the braces. But again, I would be most suspicious of the headliner, given that it is a large panel that would might tend to bounce up and down when you hit bumps. I assume there are also AC and heat ducts between the headliner and roof and that could be another source of noise.

Another questions might be what kind of subfloor the conversion company uses. If it's a big plywood floor that is not properly secured, I could see that drumming against the floor. My current d'Elegant GT conversion (2002 E150) uses a molded foam rubber subfloor instead of the traditional plywood and that seems to be much quieter than my older conversions with plywood. Can you make any kind of noise either jumping up and down on the floor in any area, or pushing up on the headliner in any area?

Interesting problem; I sure hope you can solve it. The pressure changes make me suspect the headliner most of all.

George

 

Excellent ideas George!



My idea is just to determine if this high-dollar conversion just needs some ventilation, and if it does, that may signal a roof or headliner that is moving like a speaker cone, as you pointed out.

Thanks for the input!

 

Interesting. I've opened a complaint with Ford today on the advice of my lawyer. I figured it is time to at least open those avenues. I HATE to do that, I'm more of a "lets get it fixed" guy, which considering that I've given all parties about 4 months to fix it should show everyone.

But you know what I'm going to do, I'm going to copy and paste all of these ideas and take them with me to the dealer tomorrow morning. As one poster on here said.....it is under warranty, they should fix it.

George, to address your insights, which are great, I did take the van back to the conversion company for them to check the roof. ( 600 mile round trip btw ) They claimed that is was properly attached. Still, I'm taking your ideas with me tomorrow to the dealer. If need be, they can check it themselves, OR they can slap that van on a truck and haul it back to the conversion company. NO MORE MILES driving to get it fixed. ( well......no more long miles).

The issue facing us, most of the family and a couple cousins are taking a family trip in a few weeks for Thanksgiving. I can't go, but there is no way that van is going on a ten hour, one way drive. So, if it isn't fixed soon, I guess I may have to rent a darn vehicle.

IF that happens, I'm billing somebody.