I use to work for a company in New Jersey that installed the bucket lifts in the E350 vans. One of the interlocks that we installed was a switch that you had to prop the hood open before the bucket would operate. The hood open keeps the engine cool when idling since it idles soo much. Good 🤞
I purchase a 2011 ford f450 bucket truck last year & I never knew this... Whole 2021 season my workers would leave the a/c on while operating the bucket, hood closed... This caused the a/c compressor to go out as well as the truck interior to get hot & it makes the bucket move slower as it gets hotter. What I learned is keep hood proper & turn a/c off during bucket operation.
I retired from AT&T so I spent a lot of time in bucket vehicles. BE CAREFUL IN THE VAN, the vans are narrow and don't have much stability compared to the wider track width and weight of a 3500 and 4500/F550 diesel. Be very careful how high you go up and how high and how far you extend off either side. Also ALWAYS be mindful of what's overhead and get comfortable with how the hydraulics respond on the bucket. If you have any other questions like I said, I'm familiar.
I had one of these old bucket vans back in high school. I cant emphasize enough that if you let one of your buddies ride in the bucket, then make sure you lock it out so it can't be operated from the control panel in the bucket. Also, if you have other buddies riding in the back of the van, make sure that control panel is also locked out.
Great minds think alike.... First make sure It is on stable flat dry surface.... And then only extend the arm fully when it's mostly in a vertical position....
The gray terminal on the ignition cylinder is for the "door dinger" to chime when the driver door is open and the keys are in the ignition. Most Fords only have an oil pressure switch that just grounds to swing the gauge, so if it moves off the bottom of the scale, you've achieved minimum oil pressure. Check the fuses for the gauges, there should be a circuit that is red/yellow for gauge cluster power. I've used a lift van nearly identical to yours, you'll want to avoid being off to the side and being close to horizontal with a lot of boom out, best stability is having the boom front to back.
I worked for a private pay phone company in the late 90's. We had vans with man buckets on them. We changed the bumpers to an after market off road bumper. Then welded on the round side mount trailer jacks.. that gave them a lot more of a stable feeling
*No doubt, my stepson only bleeds me of fifties.* *Not that I don't love the little rapscallion, it's just that a mere twenty will furrow his little brow into a knotted mess of fighting caterpillars!.*
@@1nvisible1Your a good stepdad. I myself have a great one since I was 1yo, and am one as well. Fifties keep them at bay, I think that’s just a sad thing honestly. $20’s just don’t have the same spark they did 10 years ago! Lol
Hey Waldo from the UK Great Video. Looks like you got a bargain. A couple of tips. 1. When you looked at the drum brake, the wheel cylinder was wet, meaning the seals are starting to leak by. Best change both sides as only going to get worse. You may wish to change the brake fluid too since its hydroscopic and will over time absorb water. 2. Coolant system. Reverse flush with a garden hose placed into the Rad top hose and be amazed at the gunk that will come out of the rad bottom hose. Then reverse flush rad with water put into the bottom. 3. Dash cluster. You appear to be on the right track with a bad ground - since temp gauge showed hot. A basic test to see if the gauge or sensor is bad, is to ground the gauge wire, and if gauge goes to hot then the sensor is bad. because the gauge is showing hot all the time I would certainly be looking at something shorted to ground. Finally - I'd check and change the hydraulic filter for the bucket maybe even change the fluid depending on how bad it is? Wishing you and your family all the best for the Holiday season
2:25. Oil pressure gauge? All the gauges are out of whack. Temp is at red hot, battery/alternator is dead and the fuel is about to spill out of the tank.
Remember for PTOs, the pump is self cooling based on oil flow. So only operate it at high idle so you don't crater the pump. We work with Elliott crane trucks here at my shop and see it all the time
Waldo, it sounds silly but it’s important to wear a safety harness while in the bucket. It’s common to lean out and if you go too far there’s no place to hook your feet, and over you go.
It's an OSHA requirement to wear fall arrest while working aloft, which a bucket truck definitely is. In this case you'd also want a self recovery solution so you can get down after you fall out.
That thing doesn't look like it'll get you high enough off the ground for an EAL to deploy properly. Maybe an SRL if you go straight up, but still pretty pointless. Especially if he's alone anyway.
get a fall arrest system if you're going to wear one, i started at the cable company when i was 17 in 1999 and I still don't use the system when up in the bucket and unless Osha around probably won't lol, at least doing cable work not cable construction while in the bucket i doubt a node sweep is going to throw me from the bucket and if something so bad happened that i would be thrown from the bucket than i don't think the vest be of much use lol
Those instrument clusters are like $80 at a salvage yard. I’d just grab a new one. Usually I just match the year and transmission because the PSOM behind the speedometer does help control the transmission
Whenever using a cutting wheel please make sure to put the label facing you, that way if it explodes it’s more likely to explode away from you. Had this happen the other day in the shop
He isn't worrie about the wheel exploding , if he was he wouldn't have removed the gard from the grinder, that would greatly reduce the chance of the wheel exploding in his face
I really wasn't interested in a box truck but i gave it a go since your videos are so well put together. Turns out it was good, interested to see it finished up and out on the road. Vans keep nice things dry when you are transporting them, always useful if you like to buy stuff...Nice to borrow too.
Impressive you learnt your lesson on the oil drop😂, great revival, I pretty much live in a bucket truck, I highly highly recommend you get a harness before you go up again, those open sided tubs are death traps. Also you should be be able to level the bucket out so it’s not leaned over so much. Great vid!
Love your channel Waldo! A bucket truck that is awesome! Thanks for showing the details of what you are fixing and the thought process along the way. There are lots of us that dream of finding the "steal of a deal" work truck, fixing and using it. Very cool. Please consider wearing a safety harness while riding in the bucket!
They're relatively cheap mods to factory vehicles, way cheaper than a proper boom lift, so they often get bought by small-medium sized companies that just need to use it to throw around and do some light work. That also means they often don't get serviced very well, though.
Hello 🙋♂️from the Netherlands 🇳🇱. a good trick to protect your hydraulic hoses is to put a piece of old fire hose over it, this protects against UV light and against rubbing against it. I would replace those flashing lights with LED models that give more light and require less power . thanks for the video Waldo . Sincerely, Hollandduck 🇳🇱🦆
what is UA-cam doing again 🤦♂️. I get a notification that someone has responded to my message, there is 1 message, I look and then I don't see 🙍♂️ . sorry to the person who replied to it i can't see anything. only that there is 1 message
I love your videos bc of the editing and some humor and interesting presentation. I gave up working on cars almost 58 years ago and haven't regrated a day of it. Glad you seem to be able to do so with panache. I never say disc brakes til I was 30 years old, so times have changed.
An easy fix for the flexing springs? Some inexpensive trailer jacks-- the kind you use to level a small camping trailer/motor home. You'd bolt or weld a pair, I'd put them just below the pivot point of the lift (possibly through the floor, inside the van), or alternatively, at the back platform. Just two will take up suspension slack quite nicely and remove that bouncing feeling. :)
I have that same van and engine and when i first brought it i thought i could never work on it because everything looked so crammed when I opened the hood.. Now that I've had it and have made lots of repairs since 2017 I've learned that its quite easy to work on with the air filter housing removed and the dog house removed inside. The van is alot more easier to work on than other cars I've owned.
My dad got a bucket truck for not much more than this when he started replacing all of the windows on an old house that he was restoring. (I think there were 22 in the second floor and attic?) He figured that it would be cheaper than paying someone to install them and he'd have a bucket truck at the end. Worked out great! Only problem was that, once word got out, *everyone* started asking to borrow it and he couldn't say no. Friends, acquaintances, a nearby town, road crews, the school district, the Sportsman's Club, family.... Sometimes he and my mom would take pleasant Sunday afternoon drives around the area, just to see if they could find their bucket truck. Eventually, a lawyer friend of his found out about this liability nightmare and got my mom to convince him to radically shrink the circle of people he'd lend it to. He still gets great use out of it on his farm, trimming trees and repairing gutters.
Waldo, I bought an E350 almost 3 years ago and loved it so much that I moved into it. No I'm serious. And I LOVE IT! Disclaimer: I'm single, faintly employed and not a drug addict lol You'll love the van, get it bro!
@@WaldosWorld Heck yeah! Rent in NYC is ridiculous so I figured why not try it. In the meantime, I'm debt free and saving $$$$. Money which I can spend on more mountain bikes, snowboards, scuba and of course... helping others. You're an inspiration man!
15:45 Great wrench ! Have that one too. works also faster than a chain whip since you can hold the arms together (Like you would hold the socket on a ratchet so it has more resistance to nullify the backwards rotation).
Earlier this year I bought a 1996 E250 regular cargo van for my mobile mechanic business for $1,000. It had the same 5.8 and that thing was plenty powerful. Also stopped on a dime with the rear drum brakes. I put brand new tires on it, windshield, brakes all around, full tune up and I put thousands of trouble free miles on it. I recently bought 2000 same E250 for $800 from the original owner that needed an engine but everything else was in great shape. But it has the 4.2 V6. I've been using that for the business for a month now with no problems. Idk if this van is a step higher or lower haha
My first truck cost me $1500 about 2 years ago. So far I've done new rear brake lines, new u-bolts on the leafsprings (they were completely gone, only 1 side of 1 bolt was left), new front fenders, a few oil changes, and tons of electrical or small things like thermostats. Still need to do some of this stuff tho, this video reminded me of a few things I still forgot to do
@m.ttt.6911 yeah, one of them fell off while I was driving it home the day I bought it and it was an experience to drive for until we replaced them, you could practically move the whole rear end side to side
Waldo is back ! Missed the videos. 1.5k was a killer deal on the van and bucket. I would just replace the radiator from one of the parts store. Merry Christmas to the happy married couple and the fur babies.
Waldo you and I seem cut of the same cloth. I am very particular about haveing ALL the fluids and filters in my vehicle very clean and high quality, great attention to detail! I wish you would post more often way too much time between videos that's a good way to start loosing subs. That truck was one hell of a good deal at $1500.00
Top instructional. I'm a home mechanic and in 1990 my F.I.L. had problems with his Toyota Cressida. He bought it brand new in 1985 and was regularly serviced by the dealership. On trying to drive or idle I knew it was fuel starvation or bad fuel. The under-the-bonnet fuel filter was OK. I traced the fuel line from that and found a rear steel filter. I opened it and the thimble mesh was clogged. My F.I.L. always praised me. I'd say "never trust dealerships"
I can’t say that I’ve seen mini cherry picker vans before, seems like it could be very useful depending on the capacity, usually it’s only enough to lift a person but that range you can do all sorts of stuff easier, pressure washing, painting as he said all kinds of different stuff, but I would replace or reinforce the bucket for sure do you know how plastic it’s brittle, it would suck to just fall right through it
@@TheRoadhammer379 yep, many telecommunication company’s do. So do sign and light company’s. Now Waldo could make this a mobile sign repair business with a welder in the back.
@@ramboi9498 From what I know he still has a normal day job. Those that make there income off youtube tend to upload more regularly like a tv show to hold onto current subscribers and to gain more.
I'm glad you did the one thing I NEVER see others do for a Ford. Adding Trans fluid and Running the vehicle to agitate the fluids. Followed by removing all the fluids. Good on ya for treating that transmission right.
It most likely has a stabilization system, at least on the back axle, possibly both like a level ride. Depending on the manufacturer, as long as the bushings and torsion bars are OK, it won't need outriggers.
25:00 I have a Ford F450 with the Altec A200A bucket boom and YES it is has a lot of FLEX especially when the arm is 90 deg from the truck AND the arm is fully extended OUT (25:16), the truck will flex like 2 deg. So a 2 deg flex AT the truck or van will be like 4 deg at the bucket. It really makes your butt tighten especially when moving at High speed vs low speed.
Holy crap that’s a steal! Awesome project, highly recommend taking a look at the suspension, looking for play in the wheels. It could probably use a set of shocks as well lol. That and maybe a set of helper springs may add some more stability to the vehicle? Other than that I’d be a little sketched out by the old hydraulics, maybe take a deeper dive into that. I would say tune up and all that fancy shmiz but, it’s a work van, no need unless it’s giving you trouble. Have fun!
I honestly would have written it off when you showed it at the start, but damn did that clean up nicely and surprisingly easily. But the real question is.. can it tow a gooseneck trailer?
I would not tow anything heavy with it further than a parking lot. The boom lift is adding a weight to the van. I would rather get a bucket truck if I considered towing. And I would not use it for tree trimming because of reach gaps.
@@yaroslavkobezskyi It was more a comment on the unfinished trailer that we're still waiting on Waldo to wrap up than a serious question, but I definitely agree. The suspension on that van would not be happy about towing a fifth wheel trailer on top of the bucket weight.
Unless you're looking to add a material handler package, outriggers aren't needed on a unit this size. However, they would reduce that wobble while operating and not make you pucker as much lol
Was waiting for someone to make a video like that for a while. I am a telecom contractor. Bought almost the same van with same engine and mileage, but with Telsta electric boom in much worse condition. Love that thing. Made it coast to coast. If you make it nice and shiny those things can sell for up to 20k.
In terms of the switches and buttons giving you trouble, buy some contact spray and try to disassemble the switches as far as possible to get this spray into the contact housing of the switch. I‘m sure it will solve some of these intermittent issues, having sat outside in the elements for this time.
You know just when to drop a new episode to keep us watching...just this morning I was wondering if you were sick/dead... even checked Instagram to see what was up lol
@@WaldosWorld gotta pump out those videos to appease the algorithm! Van reminds me of Mustie1's bucket van but much better shape than his. I'm curious if you could weld up some outriggers to help stabilize the van.
He’s probably been filming like crazy and keeps in the video files then goes on vacation for 4 months and just uploads old videos. That’s the right plan!
I completely understand the fear of heights, even though I happen to be a 7' 4" tall giant, and I also have a van like that. It is a 1992 ford e150 crew van, it's my old family van that needs some work because of my mother and a deer. So have some good luck on your endeavors to repair your van.
I have had great luck using crystal drain cleaner to clean gas tanks and radiators. I mix it at a half cup crystals to 5 gallons of water. For an installed radiator, I don't put the cap all the way down tight with the mixture in. I let it work for about ten to 15 minutes and then drain and rinse. You can use baking soda and water to rinse to adjust the pH before you fill with antifreeze. Oh, if you need to repeat the treatment to get it cleaned, do it before the pH adjust and refill, obviously. Just thought I'd pass it along.
Farmcraft101 has some excellent videos on fixing up a much larger JLG lift. He demonstrates why you should always wear a harness and take a rope with you in the bucket so you can get down when it breaks. I'm also surprised the van doesn't have stabilisers.
A lot of smaller lifts will have torsion bars underneath the truck to help with stabilizing. I’m a technician for a company called Altec which makes all sorts of aerial equipment. Our 37 and 41 ft booms have the option to have no outriggers and just torsion bars. Also if the van is a 94 then the lift itself is most likely a 94 or 95 too and back then the laws were a little looser about outriggers and whatnot.
@@WaldosWorld Ah that makes sense. I had the transmission dipstick break in my 02 silverado as well but lucky for me they still carried the part. Looking forward to part 2!
I've owned a couple of old bucket trucks over the years, one that used the motor of the truck to power the hydraulics, one had a Onan generator that powered the hydraulics and gave you 120V power for electric power tools in the bucket. Both had lower and bucket controls, and the bucket controls had a safety button, that you pushed to lower the bucket if for some reason the motor quit running. The button activated a 12 volt motor to power the hydraulics in the emergency of the main motor quitting! There should be a switch in the van that changes from lower controls to bucket controls. The bucket controls should work without holding in that emergency button! Look up online to get the operators manual for your brand of lift. Mine were both Pelican lifts. I know this is a older video, so if you have figured this out already, good!
Get one of the Form a Funnel...thing is an awesomely simple solution to minimize or eliminate oil all over your frame. After the first trans fluid and filter change you can use a vacuum pump and a stiff tube stuck down in the dipstick tube, suck out old and refill. 7-8 qts is fairly typical for a drain and refill.
You really should add extra cement or wooden blocks in addition to the 4 jack stands. It only takes about 175 to 225 pounds of side push to push the van off the jack stands. Anyway it's great to see you helping your step-dad. Mine was absolutely awesome. Great video.
I would recommend a set of helper springs. My ford van used to swing and sway if I loaded it unbalanced, I installed a set of Hellwig helper springs and it holds rock steady no matter how I load it. Springs are leaf spring and are affordable.
If I may offer some advice. When making a new dipstick of any kind when the original not complete (as yours), check the manufacturer's specs for the amount of oil/fluid to be used. Fill with recommended amount, start the vehicle to circulate the fluids, let rest, then insert your dipstick material for the correct fill mark. One way to be sure it's good. When changing the rear fluid, after removing the cover install one or more studs in the housing in place of bolts. Makes alignment a cinch. No slip and smear of your sealant. Figured that one out the hard way.
Dude I relate to your video on so many levels it's scary. First of all I own a 96 Ford E-150 Club Wagon with the same engine exactly. Secondly I am a retired lineman/cable splicer up here in Canada and used many of the same bucket lifts along with many others. This video took me back to the old days. Anyway my van has 160,000 miles and is running well. But it took much work and $$ to get it so. Had some brutal hours working underneath it. Front end steering work, new steering box, shocks, muffler work, brakes all around, wheel bearings etc.Fixed the A/C, cruise control, broken fuel gauge and new fuel pump ( had to cut a hole in the floor ) and many more things. Cleaned the EGR valve and Idle air control valve, took out the distributor and replaced the old ignition pickup coil, the ignition module on the firewall was replaced and of course coil, plugs, wires and cap. I've probably forgotten a few things but you get the drift. Can't buy one of these old vans unless you can do most of the work yourself or you'll go broke at the auto mechanics.
I bought an 1999 E250 a few months ago for $800!! Apart from the aesthetics, it’s a GREAT van the only problem was a persistent transmission slip that got fixed with a fluid change. New tires too!
This was a really cool and informative video. That bucket being fully extended scares the crap out of me too and I'm sitting here just watching it. Maybe a cool Future mod would be to install four stabilizing arms on the van undercarriage to extend out when you need to do some serious bucket work
You should see about adding some form of a drop leg or a jack system to help stabilize the van. Maybe some receiver tubes attached to the frame then run a piece of tubing out to a jack on each corner. Something easy to attach but also will make you feel way more comfortable and safe when up in the air.
Great deal on what seems to be a solid van, once you did the 100k maintenance. I'd say that since the column cover was gone, somebody was starting to check on the signal and dash issues and gave up. That truck should give you many years of service yet!
Owns welders and many other things I’m jealous of yet doesn’t put a drain plug in a transmission pan. I am surprised that the van doesn’t have outriggers. I would be getting some scaffolding feet and making some attachments off the corners to fit them.
With the radiator flush I had the same thing. I took the rad out and ran a garden hose through it then put it back and ran coolant for a few days of use then flushed and replaced
Cutting the transmission tube and making your own style was some real OG stuff! Also Amazon rubber gloves for dishwashing in a set of 3 are awesome for mechanic work Peace!
Hey Waldo you should take the thermostat out and disconnect whichever radiator hose will let you pour fresh water into the top of the radiator, have it circulate through the engine and dump out after doing so. This is the only remedy I've ever found to work on severely rusted or victims of sealant in a can radiators
Ahhh this is why we’re still waiting for the gooseneck fifth wheel trailer to be finished.
😬
Dayum....right between the eyes...
@@WaldosWorld you know
It will be a pile of rust before he gets back to it
@@FishFind3000 we all need to protest
I use to work for a company in New Jersey that installed the bucket lifts in the E350 vans. One of the interlocks that we installed was a switch that you had to prop the hood open before the bucket would operate. The hood open keeps the engine cool when idling since it idles soo much. Good 🤞
So your saying you cant use the bucket unless you open the hood?
@@trader025 That's what he said, yep.
@@slimjim1125
He said open the hood to keep the engine from overheating while the bucket is in use on a hot day.
I purchase a 2011 ford f450 bucket truck last year & I never knew this... Whole 2021 season my workers would leave the a/c on while operating the bucket, hood closed... This caused the a/c compressor to go out as well as the truck interior to get hot & it makes the bucket move slower as it gets hotter. What I learned is keep hood proper & turn a/c off during bucket operation.
And keeps u from drive by-ing upper levels
I retired from AT&T so I spent a lot of time in bucket vehicles. BE CAREFUL IN THE VAN, the vans are narrow and don't have much stability compared to the wider track width and weight of a 3500 and 4500/F550 diesel. Be very careful how high you go up and how high and how far you extend off either side. Also ALWAYS be mindful of what's overhead and get comfortable with how the hydraulics respond on the bucket. If you have any other questions like I said, I'm familiar.
I appreciate the tips!
@@WaldosWorld they very handy but also very dangerous
I had one of these old bucket vans back in high school. I cant emphasize enough that if you let one of your buddies ride in the bucket, then make sure you lock it out so it can't be operated from the control panel in the bucket. Also, if you have other buddies riding in the back of the van, make sure that control panel is also locked out.
Exactly my first thought when i saw the thumbnail. That thing would be extremely unstable fully extended
Great minds think alike.... First make sure It is on stable flat dry surface.... And then only extend the arm fully when it's mostly in a vertical position....
I think you got the bucket assembly at a great price of $1500, and the van for free. Excellent pick. I'd love to have one too.
The gray terminal on the ignition cylinder is for the "door dinger" to chime when the driver door is open and the keys are in the ignition. Most Fords only have an oil pressure switch that just grounds to swing the gauge, so if it moves off the bottom of the scale, you've achieved minimum oil pressure. Check the fuses for the gauges, there should be a circuit that is red/yellow for gauge cluster power. I've used a lift van nearly identical to yours, you'll want to avoid being off to the side and being close to horizontal with a lot of boom out, best stability is having the boom front to back.
Thanks for the info! Sounds like I'll be leaving that ignition wire disconnected 😂
Youre an idiot.
@@ThunderAppeal What's the problem?
@@abpsd73 I already stated it.
@@WaldosWorld yup did the same on my 98 f150 and it’s very peaceful
I worked for a private pay phone company in the late 90's. We had vans with man buckets on them. We changed the bumpers to an after market off road bumper. Then welded on the round side mount trailer jacks.. that gave them a lot more of a stable feeling
I'll do that with mine.
You're a good step-son Waldo. Your step-dad is lucky to have your services and knowhow.
*No doubt, my stepson only bleeds me of fifties.*
*Not that I don't love the little rapscallion, it's just that a mere twenty will furrow his little brow into a knotted mess of fighting caterpillars!.*
@@1nvisible1Your a good stepdad. I myself have a great one since I was 1yo, and am one as well. Fifties keep them at bay, I think that’s just a sad thing honestly. $20’s just don’t have the same spark they did 10 years ago! Lol
Hey Waldo from the UK
Great Video. Looks like you got a bargain.
A couple of tips.
1. When you looked at the drum brake, the wheel cylinder was wet, meaning the seals are starting to leak by. Best change both sides as only going to get worse. You may wish to change the brake fluid too since its hydroscopic and will over time absorb water.
2. Coolant system. Reverse flush with a garden hose placed into the Rad top hose and be amazed at the gunk that will come out of the rad bottom hose. Then reverse flush rad with water put into the bottom.
3. Dash cluster. You appear to be on the right track with a bad ground - since temp gauge showed hot. A basic test to see if the gauge or sensor is bad, is to ground the gauge wire, and if gauge goes to hot then the sensor is bad. because the gauge is showing hot all the time I would certainly be looking at something shorted to ground.
Finally - I'd check and change the hydraulic filter for the bucket maybe even change the fluid depending on how bad it is?
Wishing you and your family all the best for the Holiday season
Thank you for the tips!
2:25. Oil pressure gauge? All the gauges are out of whack. Temp is at red hot, battery/alternator is dead and the fuel is about to spill out of the tank.
Remember for PTOs, the pump is self cooling based on oil flow. So only operate it at high idle so you don't crater the pump. We work with Elliott crane trucks here at my shop and see it all the time
I believe that system is electric over hydraulic & it's not PTO driven , I don't see any lines around the trans when he's working on it
Waldo, it sounds silly but it’s important to wear a safety harness while in the bucket. It’s common to lean out and if you go too far there’s no place to hook your feet, and over you go.
It's an OSHA requirement to wear fall arrest while working aloft, which a bucket truck definitely is. In this case you'd also want a self recovery solution so you can get down after you fall out.
@@wyattroncin941 if used for commercial/industrial purposes Osha doesn't regulate what a person does with equipment for personal use
That thing doesn't look like it'll get you high enough off the ground for an EAL to deploy properly. Maybe an SRL if you go straight up, but still pretty pointless. Especially if he's alone anyway.
get a fall arrest system if you're going to wear one, i started at the cable company when i was 17 in 1999 and I still don't use the system when up in the bucket and unless Osha around probably won't lol, at least doing cable work not cable construction while in the bucket i doubt a node sweep is going to throw me from the bucket and if something so bad happened that i would be thrown from the bucket than i don't think the vest be of much use lol
Those instrument clusters are like $80 at a salvage yard. I’d just grab a new one. Usually I just match the year and transmission because the PSOM behind the speedometer does help control the transmission
Whenever using a cutting wheel please make sure to put the label facing you, that way if it explodes it’s more likely to explode away from you. Had this happen the other day in the shop
Damn, didn’t know they could do that. Thank you.
They should just make an entire circle label to protect you. Kind of like a windshield where the glass wont shatter at you.
Good to know. I didn't know that and i was always afraid of that . God bless you sir
He isn't worrie about the wheel exploding , if he was he wouldn't have removed the gard from the grinder, that would greatly reduce the chance of the wheel exploding in his face
Use name brand disconly.
I really wasn't interested in a box truck but i gave it a go since your videos are so well put together. Turns out it was good, interested to see it finished up and out on the road. Vans keep nice things dry when you are transporting them, always useful if you like to buy stuff...Nice to borrow too.
Impressive you learnt your lesson on the oil drop😂, great revival, I pretty much live in a bucket truck, I highly highly recommend you get a harness before you go up again, those open sided tubs are death traps. Also you should be be able to level the bucket out so it’s not leaned over so much. Great vid!
Keep up the great work! Would love to see the rest of the trailer build series sometime
Thank you! I do plan to finish the trailer, hopefully by this summer 😂
Love your channel Waldo! A bucket truck that is awesome! Thanks for showing the details of what you are fixing and the thought process along the way. There are lots of us that dream of finding the "steal of a deal" work truck, fixing and using it. Very cool. Please consider wearing a safety harness while riding in the bucket!
Can’t wait! These bucket trucks always seem to be reasonably priced, hopefully you can get it going, guess will find out!
Not always
Youre a moron.
They're relatively cheap mods to factory vehicles, way cheaper than a proper boom lift, so they often get bought by small-medium sized companies that just need to use it to throw around and do some light work. That also means they often don't get serviced very well, though.
@@ThunderAppeal in what way?
@@DylanO0505 An easier question to answer is in what way are you not a moron.
Hello 🙋♂️from the Netherlands 🇳🇱.
a good trick to protect your hydraulic hoses is to put a piece of old fire hose over it,
this protects against UV light and against rubbing against it.
I would replace those flashing lights with LED models that give more light and require less power .
thanks for the video Waldo .
Sincerely, Hollandduck 🇳🇱🦆
what is UA-cam doing again 🤦♂️.
I get a notification that someone has responded to my message, there is 1 message, I look and then I don't see 🙍♂️ .
sorry to the person who replied to it i can't see anything.
only that there is 1 message
@hollandduck79 might be a scam bot comment that got deleted
I recommend using jack stands under key points on both side to stabilize the van when using the lift. This will assist in keeping it from bouncing.
I’m excited to enjoy this wonderful episode with my salmon and rice pilaf dinner tonight! Thanks Waldo!
Thanks for watching!
I love your videos bc of the editing and some humor and interesting presentation. I gave up working on cars almost 58 years ago and haven't regrated a day of it. Glad you seem to be able to do so with panache. I never say disc brakes til I was 30 years old, so times have changed.
An easy fix for the flexing springs? Some inexpensive trailer jacks-- the kind you use to level a small camping trailer/motor home. You'd bolt or weld a pair, I'd put them just below the pivot point of the lift (possibly through the floor, inside the van), or alternatively, at the back platform. Just two will take up suspension slack quite nicely and remove that bouncing feeling. :)
Great to see you adding to the utility of the fleet! Thanks Waldo!
I have that same van and engine and when i first brought it i thought i could never work on it because everything looked so crammed when I opened the hood.. Now that I've had it and have made lots of repairs since 2017 I've learned that its quite easy to work on with the air filter housing removed and the dog house removed inside. The van is alot more easier to work on than other cars I've owned.
My dad got a bucket truck for not much more than this when he started replacing all of the windows on an old house that he was restoring. (I think there were 22 in the second floor and attic?) He figured that it would be cheaper than paying someone to install them and he'd have a bucket truck at the end. Worked out great! Only problem was that, once word got out, *everyone* started asking to borrow it and he couldn't say no. Friends, acquaintances, a nearby town, road crews, the school district, the Sportsman's Club, family.... Sometimes he and my mom would take pleasant Sunday afternoon drives around the area, just to see if they could find their bucket truck.
Eventually, a lawyer friend of his found out about this liability nightmare and got my mom to convince him to radically shrink the circle of people he'd lend it to. He still gets great use out of it on his farm, trimming trees and repairing gutters.
I mean...I'd be happy to rent it out if someone signs a liability waiver and pays me.
Waldo, I bought an E350 almost 3 years ago and loved it so much that I moved into it. No I'm serious. And I LOVE IT!
Disclaimer: I'm single, faintly employed and not a drug addict lol
You'll love the van, get it bro!
That's awesome! hashtag van life 😬
@@WaldosWorld Heck yeah! Rent in NYC is ridiculous so I figured why not try it. In the meantime, I'm debt free and saving $$$$.
Money which I can spend on more mountain bikes, snowboards, scuba and of course... helping others.
You're an inspiration man!
15:45 Great wrench ! Have that one too. works also faster than a chain whip since you can hold the arms together (Like you would hold the socket on a ratchet so it has more resistance to nullify the backwards rotation).
Glad your back, missed your content look forward to seeing more videos in the future
What about his back?
@@mwilliamshs I’m glad he is back. He hasn’t posted in a while
You're not your
@@mwilliamshs Are you a Cop?
Your step dad got a great find. Bucket trucks can be so handy. Enjoy your trip and Merry Christmas to you and your family!!!
Earlier this year I bought a 1996 E250 regular cargo van for my mobile mechanic business for $1,000. It had the same 5.8 and that thing was plenty powerful. Also stopped on a dime with the rear drum brakes. I put brand new tires on it, windshield, brakes all around, full tune up and I put thousands of trouble free miles on it. I recently bought 2000 same E250 for $800 from the original owner that needed an engine but everything else was in great shape. But it has the 4.2 V6. I've been using that for the business for a month now with no problems. Idk if this van is a step higher or lower haha
Those are some good deals!
Waldo your mechanical explanations are excellent for a layman to understand.
My first truck cost me $1500 about 2 years ago. So far I've done new rear brake lines, new u-bolts on the leafsprings (they were completely gone, only 1 side of 1 bolt was left), new front fenders, a few oil changes, and tons of electrical or small things like thermostats. Still need to do some of this stuff tho, this video reminded me of a few things I still forgot to do
omg the u-bolts being gone sounds pretty scary lol
@m.ttt.6911 yeah, one of them fell off while I was driving it home the day I bought it and it was an experience to drive for until we replaced them, you could practically move the whole rear end side to side
@@M.TTT. one of my main leafs is broke rn lol
Waldo is back ! Missed the videos. 1.5k was a killer deal on the van and bucket. I would just replace the radiator from one of the parts store. Merry Christmas to the happy married couple and the fur babies.
You are just doing fine work. So entertaining and full of things to learn. Bravo ❤
I remember my grandmothers 2001 ford E250 van. Nice to
Ride for long drives spacious and comfortable. I loved it! Great review!
That dangling wire by the ignition switch is for the door dinger for when you leave the key in.
Some people remove that because that door dinger can be annoying AF
Couldn't you just buy a new dip stick for cheaper
Chilton manuals make good fire starting material !!!
Waldo you and I seem cut of the same cloth. I am very particular about haveing ALL the fluids and filters in my vehicle very clean and high quality, great attention to detail! I wish you would post more often way too much time between videos that's a good way to start loosing subs. That truck was one hell of a good deal at $1500.00
Thank you! Yeah, I really don't like going this long without posting a video 😬
That lift would be handy! On my work truck I have a crane which is also handy. I just used it to set trusses for my pole barn that I'm building.
Would love to see those beacon lights restored to their original operation!
Top instructional. I'm a home mechanic and in 1990 my F.I.L. had problems with his Toyota Cressida. He bought it brand new in 1985 and was regularly serviced by the dealership. On trying to drive or idle I knew it was fuel starvation or bad fuel. The under-the-bonnet fuel filter was OK. I traced the fuel line from that and found a rear steel filter. I opened it and the thimble mesh was clogged. My F.I.L. always praised me. I'd say "never trust dealerships"
I can’t say that I’ve seen mini cherry picker vans before, seems like it could be very useful depending on the capacity, usually it’s only enough to lift a person but that range you can do all sorts of stuff easier, pressure washing, painting as he said all kinds of different stuff, but I would replace or reinforce the bucket for sure do you know how plastic it’s brittle, it would suck to just fall right through it
Phone companies like AT&T used these vans since the 1970s
*Or have a side tear out while you're leaning out chainsawing something.*
@@TheRoadhammer379 yep, many telecommunication company’s do. So do sign and light company’s. Now Waldo could make this a mobile sign repair business with a welder in the back.
@@FishFind3000 doesn't he make more with yt
@@ramboi9498 From what I know he still has a normal day job. Those that make there income off youtube tend to upload more regularly like a tv show to hold onto current subscribers and to gain more.
I'm glad you did the one thing I NEVER see others do for a Ford. Adding Trans fluid and Running the vehicle to agitate the fluids. Followed by removing all the fluids. Good on ya for treating that transmission right.
You should add Some stability support on the 4 corners, like how some telehandlers have outriggers. maybe hydraulic powered?
It most likely has a stabilization system, at least on the back axle, possibly both like a level ride. Depending on the manufacturer, as long as the bushings and torsion bars are OK, it won't need outriggers.
@@bachtomin213 Unless he shows us the system it has we won't know.
25:00
I have a Ford F450 with the Altec A200A bucket boom and YES it is has a lot of FLEX especially when the arm is 90 deg from the truck AND the arm is fully extended OUT (25:16), the truck will flex like 2 deg. So a 2 deg flex AT the truck or van will be like 4 deg at the bucket. It really makes your butt tighten especially when moving at High speed vs low speed.
Hello from Las Vegas Nevada
Thank you for the video
GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
Thanks
You make the fixing look too easy :) thanks for sharing your knowledge.
That sludge in the radiator looks like oil mixed in over time, assuming the oil cooler is leaking and mixing.
Holy crap that’s a steal! Awesome project, highly recommend taking a look at the suspension, looking for play in the wheels. It could probably use a set of shocks as well lol. That and maybe a set of helper springs may add some more stability to the vehicle? Other than that I’d be a little sketched out by the old hydraulics, maybe take a deeper dive into that. I would say tune up and all that fancy shmiz but, it’s a work van, no need unless it’s giving you trouble. Have fun!
I honestly would have written it off when you showed it at the start, but damn did that clean up nicely and surprisingly easily.
But the real question is.. can it tow a gooseneck trailer?
I would not tow anything heavy with it further than a parking lot. The boom lift is adding a weight to the van. I would rather get a bucket truck if I considered towing. And I would not use it for tree trimming because of reach gaps.
@@yaroslavkobezskyi It was more a comment on the unfinished trailer that we're still waiting on Waldo to wrap up than a serious question, but I definitely agree. The suspension on that van would not be happy about towing a fifth wheel trailer on top of the bucket weight.
There are junkyards to get parts like dipsticks etc.
Love all the videos would definitely suggest to add outriggers but sure you will make it great. Can’t wait to see what’s next
Unless you're looking to add a material handler package, outriggers aren't needed on a unit this size. However, they would reduce that wobble while operating and not make you pucker as much lol
Was waiting for someone to make a video like that for a while. I am a telecom contractor. Bought almost the same van with same engine and mileage, but with Telsta electric boom in much worse condition. Love that thing. Made it coast to coast. If you make it nice and shiny those things can sell for up to 20k.
I don't understand why just getting a new or used trans dipstick wasn't an option...
Thank you for another video always curious what you're up to and what shenanigans you're doing and also please bring back the gooseneck build
For a moment there I thought this was Musti1's bucket van. xD Different year, but very similar vehicle.
Your tools and machineries are so complete for a hobby garage like yours.
This guy spend hours making a $12 dip stick.
In terms of the switches and buttons giving you trouble, buy some contact spray and try to disassemble the switches as far as possible to get this spray into the contact housing of the switch. I‘m sure it will solve some of these intermittent issues, having sat outside in the elements for this time.
You know just when to drop a new episode to keep us watching...just this morning I was wondering if you were sick/dead... even checked Instagram to see what was up lol
Yeah, it's been a while. I appreciate the concern!
@@WaldosWorld gotta pump out those videos to appease the algorithm! Van reminds me of Mustie1's bucket van but much better shape than his. I'm curious if you could weld up some outriggers to help stabilize the van.
Also...does the bucket have a release to let it swing level as the angle changes?
tip: jack stands under the frame, front and back = less bounce when in the bucket.
Since you enjoy creating things, make access door on the side of the engine dog house. Transmission dipstick solved!
Dont leave to many problems for future Waldo to fix, glad you stuck with it and got the tensioner out
Waldo has like 8 open projects right now, at least finish one 💀
He is trying to become the next tavarish. Dont hate
@@kevincris0615 try Vice grip garage or Junkyard Digs lol
Yep, waiting on finishing of back-hoe project and trailer
Ngl I’d only worry about it once he gets to about 20 projects
He’s probably been filming like crazy and keeps in the video files then goes on vacation for 4 months and just uploads old videos. That’s the right plan!
Love the channel, really great content!
Thank you!
I completely understand the fear of heights, even though I happen to be a 7' 4" tall giant, and I also have a van like that. It is a 1992 ford e150 crew van, it's my old family van that needs some work because of my mother and a deer. So have some good luck on your endeavors to repair your van.
My f150 has the same engine. They are dependable.
I've always had good luck with dishwasher tabs in radiator flushes, just make sure to rinse it out thoroughly
It’s got bags!
I have had great luck using crystal drain cleaner to clean gas tanks and radiators. I mix it at a half cup crystals to 5 gallons of water. For an installed radiator, I don't put the cap all the way down tight with the mixture in. I let it work for about ten to 15 minutes and then drain and rinse. You can use baking soda and water to rinse to adjust the pH before you fill with antifreeze. Oh, if you need to repeat the treatment to get it cleaned, do it before the pH adjust and refill, obviously. Just thought I'd pass it along.
Farmcraft101 has some excellent videos on fixing up a much larger JLG lift. He demonstrates why you should always wear a harness and take a rope with you in the bucket so you can get down when it breaks. I'm also surprised the van doesn't have stabilisers.
I couldn’t stop thinking about his boom lift videos when Waldo was working on the bucket as well
A lot of smaller lifts will have torsion bars underneath the truck to help with stabilizing. I’m a technician for a company called Altec which makes all sorts of aerial equipment. Our 37 and 41 ft booms have the option to have no outriggers and just torsion bars. Also if the van is a 94 then the lift itself is most likely a 94 or 95 too and back then the laws were a little looser about outriggers and whatnot.
FarmCraft101 is the man. He would’ve needed to replace the hydraulic oil and do a cylinder refurb this far into the video tho 😅
Thanks Waldo. Nice video. Please post more often.
Why not just order a new dipstick from Ford for $50? I usually agree with everything you do but that just seemed crazy to me.
They're no longer available unfortunately
@@WaldosWorld how about long oil dip stick, swap cap and cut length?
@@WaldosWorld Ah that makes sense. I had the transmission dipstick break in my 02 silverado as well but lucky for me they still carried the part. Looking forward to part 2!
That was an absolute steal at 1500 bucks. I hope the transmission hangs in there. That dark fluid kinda scares me.
E4OD can be had from a junkyard for a couple hundred. That’s not a bad transmission
I had to subscribe. Watching him go over every detail and seeing how you fix these things to make the van come back to life is very cool to watch.
I've owned a couple of old bucket trucks over the years, one that used the motor of the truck to power the hydraulics, one had a Onan generator that powered the hydraulics and gave you 120V power for electric power tools in the bucket. Both had lower and bucket controls, and the bucket controls had a safety button, that you pushed to lower the bucket if for some reason the motor quit running. The button activated a 12 volt motor to power the hydraulics in the emergency of the main motor quitting! There should be a switch in the van that changes from lower controls to bucket controls. The bucket controls should work without holding in that emergency button! Look up online to get the operators manual for your brand of lift. Mine were both Pelican lifts.
I know this is a older video, so if you have figured this out already, good!
Waldo’s Wacky Vehicle Emporium new channel name? 😂
I like it 😂
Get one of the Form a Funnel...thing is an awesomely simple solution to minimize or eliminate oil all over your frame. After the first trans fluid and filter change you can use a vacuum pump and a stiff tube stuck down in the dipstick tube, suck out old and refill. 7-8 qts is fairly typical for a drain and refill.
It's a Ford. Anything could be wrong with it
True, but at least I can change the spark plugs on this one without ruining the cylinder head 😬
You really should add extra cement or wooden blocks in addition to the 4 jack stands. It only takes about 175 to 225 pounds of side push to push the van off the jack stands. Anyway it's great to see you helping your step-dad. Mine was absolutely awesome. Great video.
He had wood under each Jack stand to spread the load
And one.jack stand was crooked while he was under the rear-end 🙄
Truly a bargain ! With your knowledge I sure your step dad will be proud ! Thanks for sharing waldo !
I would recommend a set of helper springs. My ford van used to swing and sway if I loaded it unbalanced, I installed a set of Hellwig helper springs and it holds rock steady no matter how I load it. Springs are leaf spring and are affordable.
I absolutely love how that van looks, incredible find!!
If I may offer some advice. When making a new dipstick of any kind when the original not complete (as yours), check the manufacturer's specs for the amount of oil/fluid to be used. Fill with recommended amount, start the vehicle to circulate the fluids, let rest, then insert your dipstick material for the correct fill mark. One way to be sure it's good.
When changing the rear fluid, after removing the cover install one or more studs in the housing in place of bolts. Makes alignment a cinch. No slip and smear of your sealant. Figured that one out the hard way.
Dude I relate to your video on so many levels it's scary. First of all I own a 96 Ford E-150 Club Wagon with the same engine exactly. Secondly I am a retired lineman/cable splicer up here in Canada and used many of the same bucket lifts along with many others. This video took me back to the old days. Anyway my van has 160,000 miles and is running well. But it took much work and $$ to get it so. Had some brutal hours working underneath it. Front end steering work, new steering box, shocks, muffler work, brakes all around, wheel bearings etc.Fixed the A/C, cruise control, broken fuel gauge and new fuel pump ( had to cut a hole in the floor ) and many more things. Cleaned the EGR valve and Idle air control valve, took out the distributor and replaced the old ignition pickup coil, the ignition module on the firewall was replaced and of course coil, plugs, wires and cap. I've probably forgotten a few things but you get the drift. Can't buy one of these old vans unless you can do most of the work yourself or you'll go broke at the auto mechanics.
I bought an 1999 E250 a few months ago for $800!! Apart from the aesthetics, it’s a GREAT van the only problem was a persistent transmission slip that got fixed with a fluid change. New tires too!
how are you doing ? hey brother where did you bough the van please let me know thanks.
I've got a 1980 chevy 3x3 bucket truck. It has done me well
Nice work - very competent!
11:50 is that a craftsman mini lathe? That’s cool as hell! Looks so handy for little projects.
This was a really cool and informative video.
That bucket being fully extended scares the crap out of me too and I'm sitting here just watching it. Maybe a cool Future mod would be to install four stabilizing arms on the van undercarriage to extend out when you need to do some serious bucket work
You should see about adding some form of a drop leg or a jack system to help stabilize the van. Maybe some receiver tubes attached to the frame then run a piece of tubing out to a jack on each corner. Something easy to attach but also will make you feel way more comfortable and safe when up in the air.
Waste of time. They are safe.
Great deal on what seems to be a solid van, once you did the 100k maintenance. I'd say that since the column cover was gone, somebody was starting to check on the signal and dash issues and gave up. That truck should give you many years of service yet!
I admire you Waldo, you have so many skills!
Owns welders and many other things I’m jealous of yet doesn’t put a drain plug in a transmission pan.
I am surprised that the van doesn’t have outriggers.
I would be getting some scaffolding feet and making some attachments off the corners to fit them.
With the radiator flush I had the same thing. I took the rad out and ran a garden hose through it then put it back and ran coolant for a few days of use then flushed and replaced
Cutting the transmission tube and making your own style was some real OG stuff!
Also Amazon rubber gloves for dishwashing in a set of 3 are awesome for mechanic work
Peace!
19:00 that stand is stressing me out
Hey Waldo you should take the thermostat out and disconnect whichever radiator hose will let you pour fresh water into the top of the radiator, have it circulate through the engine and dump out after doing so. This is the only remedy I've ever found to work on severely rusted or victims of sealant in a can radiators