One annoying thing is I have to remove the right rear wheel to check the oil now because I can't reach in around the tire and pull the stick out. And I can't get to it from the top with the cover removed because of the AC plumbing being in the way. I think I need smaller hands LOL.
I posted this in the WDYDTYV thread earlier. I used plastidip to paint the top white and the bumpers black to hide the pealing clearcoat on the top and dressup the bumpers to hide all the scuffs.
Next big ticket item is fixing the loose steering and resulting death wobble that can happen. Also on the look out for stock springs, the ones in here are like riding a jack hammer.
Have you tried MegaZip.net? I was point to them for parts. Drop your vin in and magic. Warehouses mostly in japan but some in the US. They have a good many stock parts for our van. I just picked up new front and rear turn signals. Mine are all spider cracked up. Also picked up new seals all around, a few plastic clips, and screws for the interior. They don't have many of the interior trim pieces, but they do have alot of the consumables and easily broken pieces. I have a local place here that has stock springs and shocks I believe. I picked up a break kit as well. I need to pick up a clutch kit, belts, and new hoses. I wont change springs or shocks until I know what rims and tires I want to get.
I know of them for sure. How long to get parts from them? Whats the local place with stock springs and shocks?
Some in 10 days, some in 2 weeks. Depends where it comes from. Ill grab the local place card tomorrow and dm it to ya.
So I just checked and the vans have unique part numbers for the springs. So a truck front spring may not be the same as a van front spring.
So got under the van today to see what I need to replace that causes the death wobble. Definitely the big bushing on the center link as I can see it twisting up and down on grabbing the sides of the wheel and shaking it around. Also the tie rods are freely moving around, so its time for those as well. Checking the ball joints and they seemed ok, so won't do the control arms yet. Probably order up the bushing and tierods and see how that works out.
I need to check mine as well. How loose is your steering? I dont death wobble but there is play in the wheel...
When jacked up I could grab the wheel at 9 0clock and 3 oclock and see significant movement (like more than 1/4 inch). The new tires helped because they were new and well balanced but it still happens over 50 kmh, especially on wash board like surfaces where the wheels can get into sympathetic resonance with each other and the loose steering bushing.
Got the steering bushing and the tierods on the way, by this time next week I should have the death wobble under control.
Just got another shipment in. Part delivery from megazip was about 10 days from Japan. From Russia.. 7 days. Not bad at all.
Still waiting on the steering bushing, Harley said it shipped USPS from TX last Friday, so I'll give it a few more days.
The tierods were for a carry truck and not for a van unfortunately. Just to show the difference heres a pic with both side by side:
Got the steering yolk bushing changed out without using a press. Used heat, big hammer, the right size heavy duty socket (about 20.5 mm in diameter) to get it out. Then I froze the new bushing, cleaned up the yoke and heated it to a few hundred degrees and pounded it back in. My right arm has gained about an inch diameter at the forearm. If this ever needs changed again, I'm doing the 5 bearings solution I read about in earlier post. While the van is in the air I'm going to pop off a strut to measure the front springs. I think I can get softer springs from JEGS for about $60 a piece, front and rear.
Found some great references for determining the spring rate of any steel spring. This will come in handy once I know what length springs to get. For the van the stock spring rates are: 2.9 kg/mm front == 162 lbs/in 2.7 kg/mm rear == 151 lbs/in Based on this link https://www.blackhawkjapan.com/products/greddy-14091323-1 Determining spring rates is a simple equation described in both these articles: https://www.eatondetroitspring.com/cutting-coil-springs-calculations/ https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/articles/how-calculate-spring-rateand-how-understand-cuttin/ So the plan is to get the existing lengths then use the formula to determine the length I need to get that will allow me to trim them down to the right length and rate. Sounds complex but I think it will be something like get a 2.5 diameter 12 in spring rated at 125 lbs/in and cut it down to 10 in (assuming thats the target length) and arrive at a spring rate of 151 lbs/in.
So I just measured my front springs on my van. I used this formula to calculate the spring rate from my details Detailed measurements: d - wire diameter G - constant for steel springs D - inside diameter of spring N - Number of active coils when mounted Also the free length of the spring (no load) is 8.5 inches. d 10mm = .39 in G 11,250,000 D 70mm = 2.75 in N 6.5 (.39*.39*.39*.39)*115000000/(8*(2.75*2.75*2.75)*6.5) 266,045/1081= 246 lbs/in spring rate. So my conclusion is I have 250 lb springs. Also note these are metric springs and the stock mounts would not work with the generic coil over 2.5in I.D. springs that are out there. Now the hunt is one for OEM springs. Not sure I want 20+ year old OEM springs though but I will have to get metric springs which makes the search harder.
I took the van for a test drive and the death wobble seems to be gone or very minor. Had it up to 100 kph on some rough roads that normally produced the wobble and it didn't come back. The supension is still a bit loose but tierod ends and new bushings on the front stabilizers should fix that. The struts seem ok but worn a bit. They definitely can't handle 250 lb springs.
Next I need to see what size springs are in the rear. Crossing my fingers they are the same or slightly longer, probably longer but the same dimensions otherwise. The OEM rear springs are a little less spring rate that the fronts, so they might just be a few coils longer using the same spring stock.
Went out and fiddled with the radio to see how to get it out and how big a unit it can take. This a 96 Every so it may different for earlier years or later ones. All I had to do was remove the screw at the back of the cubby hole and then use a plastic trim tool to pry up the surround from near the bottom. Its held in on top by some tabs. Didn't have to loosen any other screws. The surround popped out and I could easily see how to get the radio out and how deep a unit can be. I measured the current unit and its about 7 inches deep by the standard 1 DIN dimensions. So I can get a CD player in there which is what I was wanting. Surround loosened and almost out when I tool this pic: Surround removed: Now to go shopping! I already have some 4in speakers in the doors so we'll see how a new radio works with them.
Awesome project and wonderful writeup. Thanks for taking all the time to document your adventure! By the way, that magnetic sign from your second post is actually the beginning driver's sign. Your van had a student driver at some point! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoshinsha_mark
Yeah and theres was 2 cause I could see the outline on the passenger b pillar where it was stuck most of the time. I'm thinking this van was a rental vehicle maybe.
By late 80s, or early 90s most of the kei trucks could handle a double DIN unit, but the might not have enough depth for a mechanical unit. A CD player takes quite a bit of depth, and a cassette tape deck takes just a little less depth.. Most non-mechanical units are only three to four inches deep. While the factory didn’t offer higher end systems in the trucks, they did have them in the van versions, and the truck and vans typically share front end metal, and frequently the dash and front interior panels. The Higher end sound system might have a mini-CD player or the head unit, for a multi head CD changer which was mounted remotely, in the bottom of the space where the cubby is. If you read early threads on installing an upgraded sound system, the folks who had trouble mounting up the new units were typically trying to get something mechanical in the space. You can get some old stock, mechless units off of Amazon and eBay for very reasonable prices. https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Systems-612UA-Multimedia-Stereo/dp/B004S50WPG/ref=sr_1_4?crid=FNM97TTWTKR&keywords=mechless+single+din&qid=1640273006&sprefix=Mechless+,aps,194&sr=8-4 this is the radio in my Hijet, with the cubby out so I could add a voltmeter/thermometer, and a couple of USB charger ports.
I measured the current stereo, its the standard 7 inches deep and theres some room to spare back there. The vans in many ways are different from the trucks, the springs are different, window cranks are different, the tierod ends are different. Lots of small weird differences all over the place. I've started to get ultra conservative and measuring everything twice just to make sure the parts are right and will fit. Now the antenna I have no clue about yet but I may or may not need a converter to plug in the factory antenna. We'll see.
Ordered a new stereo for the van, at $20.00 can't beat it. Has a CD too. https://www.crutchfield.com/p_070XDM270/Dual-XDM270.html
Pulled the radios to check the antenna plug and the other connections. Looks like its almost plug n play for the new radio. I think the antenna plug is right for the new radio and the combo plug looks like it will plug right into the new radio. Will have to review the wiring diagrams for both the van and the new radio to make sure the right wires are in the right places. Otherwise I'll be depinning and moving wires around, still not to hard. The old speakers are Suzuki brand and look like original 1996 vintage. Those are getting replaced as well. One nice thing about the speakers, they have a small pigtail that is soldered to the speaks and ends in a standard 2 prong plug. So I'll be able to desolder and reuse the same pigtails on the new speakers. Speakers with grills to cover them (hopefully they will fit ok) https://www.crutchfield.com/p_777P40B/Sound-Ordnance-P-40B.html https://www.crutchfield.com/p_068S42G/RetroSound-S-42G-Single-grille.html
Stereo is in and works as expected. I'll write up the pinout details on the original factory OEM installed Suzuki radio. Don't know who made the stereo for them but suspect Clarion. My old gen 4 ipod can play through the aux input while charging plugged into the USB port. Win win! No fancy phone or BT connectivity, I think thats why Crutchfield was selling these units for $20.00. I may pick up another just in case this one has issues. Also plays cds as well. There was plenty of room to install it too. Not sure on trucks if that would be the case or not. It was a bout an inch deeper that the OEM head unit. Anyway pic bomb. Installed head unit: Both speakers (no grills yet, they come Thursday) also the speakers were spaced out a bit so the magnet didn't hit the windows when its fully rolled down.
Hey man, have almost the identical van but a 93. Question on the diff led's you tried. The two links you left one for the red brake lights and the other for the interior. Haven't pulled mine apart yet. Are the red brake lights the same as the white headlight led's? Thank you!
@Darthsader Theres 2 lights in the headlights, the city lights (just 194 size) that come on with the first click on the light stalk and then the H4 that are the night time headlights. I used the same LED 194 lights everywhere for any 194s that existed. I used the red 1157 LEDs because I they work better than putting the white 1157 LEDs for the brake lights. For all the 1156 I used the same LEDs for the backup and signals. I did not mess with the H4 headlights, I'm not confident anyone makes a good replacement yet. I also converted the 2 interior domes to use LED lights there as well. They would be these festoon lights: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZKTXJA4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Haha, I used 175/70x13 tires on mine and I have to remove the rear wheels to check the oil now.
