Why is twin I-beam the worst of independent suspensions?

[Josh B]

That 73 wasn't bad at all to maintain and work on. The nose didn't stick out a long ways but it wasn;t flat. The doghouse had enough room on it for a 4 course meal for 2. I could sit in the driver seat and change the plugs or adjust the carberator, even if it was pouring down rain.

I got a spare engine off a guy who had wrecked an almost new truck and kept the motor, then decided he wasn't going to use it, wound up having to swap it. My brother and I lifted the motor into the sliding side door onto the floor and slid it up to the engine well and dropped it right in.

I was having a hard time getting the transmission to bolt up, and working by myself it was about to eat my lunch. Then I tied a rope around the passenger door post and the back part of the drivers door and pulled it tight. Then another rope down around the tranny and to the cross rope, then stuck a screwdriver into the ropes and started twisting. Got to where it could lift the tranny and set it back down in a couple minutes.

Then my brother called from lunch and said I should take a chisel in there and dig the pilot bearing out of the crank and it should pull right in and sure enough. It had been in a stick shift and I had an automatic. In about 15 minutes I had it all bolted up

 

[19Walt93]

I always thought standard procedure for van engine removal was pulling the front clip/core support and sliding it out forward

Starting in about 68 it was, before that they had to come out the door.

 

[Josh B]

I always wanted a Van, but they are just too expensive. They are so useful they hold their value too well.

Guy near me was selling an E-250, it was one of the last ones before they switched to the Transit vans. Body was in good shape, but the engine had a rod knock and they still wanted $16K.

Those prices have become plum insane. Thankfully I have long kept my vehicle for the duration whenever possible. It is an extra benefit when doing all your own maintenance, it gets to where you can do it almost blindfolded, even tho you still get a cuss word mixed in there now and then.

I believe the 93 Ranger is about as close to twin I-beam as it can get, and I like the hek out of this little truck