20,000 views and climbing, across over a 1,000,000 units, Big E fixed this, (when no updates from Ford were forthcoming) spread the word. This may also extend to the F series in legacy.

I got lucky in finding this, I will take luck over skill any day.

My question to Ford is, why don't you sell both Big E & Transit? Nike sells any sneaker ever made,produce /profit sell everything, and let demand decide the future.

Because 9.0ft /ht is the limit of any drive through, and not many Ford transit's are depositing checks or getting lunch at the drive through at Chick fil a.

 

Steve the question or lament about E-Series vans being replaced has gone on here ever since I first joined some 5 years or so ago. While the venerable E-Series has served many of us very well over the years I'm almost loath to admit Transit's are the better mouse trap---at least in many aspects.

Cargo containing space is downright cavernous with monstrously huge door openings---by comparison naturally. Available optional roof height options add greatly to their appeal especially for us tradesmen who want or need such things. Relatively low deck height adds so much more to the end value as a service oriented vehicle.

Cargo area's (mostly) straight vertical side walls increases usable inside room while making insulating and paneling infinitely easier than on the E-Series. Having already upfitted three different '97 and later E250's this is a huge appeal to me---far less tedious custom cutting of sheet materials to fit too many curved surfaces.

The downsides are greatly reduced towing capacities but as I don't tow anything that's not one bit important to me. The lack of a frame bothers a traditionalist like myself but the trade off of improved interior space has me seriously considering a Transit even though I'm just a few years from leaving my current big truck glass business.

So the E-Series are to be retired, they will be missed but only as long as most American's attention spans last----30 minutes or less?

 

Well to each their own, that suits their needs best, I understand why Ford did it to appeal to a wider segment of customers.

Myself I am trying to get smaller more compact, the rear is filled with 2 pac-rats and tool box on top secured together with a ratchet strap the back seat and both back seat seat belts. With 20 volt Dewalt hard cases in front of the tool box. Then the entire 36 volt Dewalt line lays bare on the left side,11 - 36 volt batts, 12 - 20 volt batts of energy (ditching cases to save weight). Right side containing miscellaneous and dead batteries in need of charge. From the side doors up is my personal use and construction overflow at times.

Twin AC & twin heat, front /back for toastiness/coolness, tip,,Ford wants $1700 for rear AC lines, doing them in hydraulic lines costs $400.

Hard points of improvement, ditch the 373 rear for 411, new 3750 lb rear springs (8 pac). Class 5 hitch @ 10,000 lb towing, new brakes/drums/brake lines/rear shocks.

The power to stop 4 tons, disable ABS, (almost bought the farm on beltway from ABS). Step up tire size from 225 to 245 in same tire, rolls better, more rubber on road to lock up.Transit's smaller tire may bode well for walk in, (do appreciate that) but physics does say a smaller tire will take longer to stop even at full lock no matter the hydraulic pressure.

Up fitting, let Ford do it in the 350 people mover, all trimmed out, quiet, twin AC/Heat, tint glass, openable windows, keyless entry. The people mover is much safer too with extra supports for crash protection of people risk VS only protection to seat belt post in cargos. It cuts body twist down too, first seat back is taken out and tossed along with mounts.

Full sway bars front and back with Neoprene bushings, a billygoat of a van that is quiet,cool,warm stable, and stops when you want it to. I just don't believe a Transit could perform that well @ 4 tons. Transit is sheet metal physics, frankly I don't see the math of stress, stress over time squared by safty worked out yet. No 5 star safety rating advertised,,, because they haven't gotten there yet.

Drive safe.

Also spray foam in the hole in the rear wheel well (front) sheet metal that lets road salt get into inter body panels, clogging drains, and rusting the 3rd one of these out. Garrr.

 

Sorry to disagree but ABS was developed in the aircraft industry and if its good enough for a 747 full of people its good enough for me too.....HOWEVER most who experience trouble with ABS tend to not understand its function or how easily the driver can/does accidentally disable it during panic stops.

Where are these additional crash protections located exactly---I've never seen them on any van body whether a people mover or plain cargo only van.

That last comment pretty much says it all----no vehicle of any description that's typically and legally licensed to operate on public highways can overcome operator stupidity. Perhaps the Transit's configuration doesn't inspire crash worthiness mental comfort I don't think its a death trap either. If we load or overload any vehicle we've created our own danger so the "drive safe" comment could be slightly modified to say "load safe" too?

Rust issues in 4 season climates can be a problem if simple steps are taken although spray foam if not specifically formulated for automotive use has been shown to cause corrosion at the points it contacts sheet metal used in vehicles. There are a few good or better methods to adopt if living in an area where this might be an issue.

 

Has anyone ever actually gotten this fixed? 30k miles and it's driving me crazy. Even using Google I can't find anyone that provides a resolution. Many just posted that they gave up....

Definitely not the tires or rims, have switched both out.

 

Road Force balance the tires/wheels resolved the issues on my 97. It was awful at prime freeway speeds 65-75 even after multiple sets of tires and regular balances.

 

Like I said waaayyyup there^^^^, check your center driveshaft bearing, or "steady bearing" as it's sometimes called...fixed my vibration.

 

Thanks, and yes... that's my next attempt. There's a shop about 30 minutes from me that does Road Force balancing and I just need to get the van over to them...

 

That may be next, but this issue is definitely in the front end as it comes as feedback through the steering wheel. If there's still a body vibration after I get this fixed the driveshaft bearing will be on the checklist! Thanks!

 

Has anyone else been able to verify this. I have a 2005 e350 and they apparently discontinued using this shroud thing. I have tried everything to get rid of this vibration at 70+ mph. It is as if the entire van starts lifting

 

Idk about the exhaust clamp thing. I’ve learned to buy good tires, usually Michelin . And have a good shop mount and balance them. A mechanic friend suggested a local tire shop. Used them for 15yrs. What I’ve found is I still drive old trucks and vans. And some shops don’t give older vehicles the attention they need. I think the tolerances aren’t followed as closely at a lot of shops.

 

I'm certainly going to check my exhaust first chance, I need to do the shocks anyway. I've run Firestone Transforce, and have battled this vibration thing for all eternity, though I just stumbled onto this thread and am going to try road force balancing next. Going through this thread I had no idea of the amount of variance in tire balancing, but lesson learned. I've just about given up on Firestone service, and will find a good local tire shop I can get a good relationship with.

My van is pretty smooth about up to 60, then it starts, 70mph is pretty much unbearable. I've dialed it back to 65 so I don't lose my dang mind. Over the years of dealing with this problem I've done it all- balance and rebalance, ball joints, shocks. Nothing ever made a dent in it and I had given up just thinking that this is a box on top of a 1 ton chassis and not every going to be smooth. But Road Force Balancing might do the trick, I'm going to try it.

Thanks to you all,

Ben

 

Old thread but I did alignments for 25 years and only run Michelins on my daily drivers
They stay round
You can balance an egg shaped out of round tire, but you still have eggs
Fords radial runout spec was / is .060" that is sure not much and the cheaper brands have a hard time hitting that spec

 

how did you fix the problem? I have the same problem.
scott

 

Yep, 10ply tires tend to do that, it's due to the sidewall belts shifting or coming loose, add that most tires are off a shelf, not brand new, a load E tire will not lat 10 years without separation. Look for the date on your tires, bet they are 3 years old, I had a set of Milestar tires Crack up, looked ready to explode on me. If it's not in the steering wheel, the tire is on the back of the van, get them on a spin balancer to figure out which one it is, check the back of the tire, look for a bulge.