Alpine's 1995 AWD Safari Adventurevan Build Thread
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Haha that was a fun day. Everyone else at the lake was launching from the shore, but since we got there late, the only spots left were muddy.
We knew we were gonna get stuck, 100%. So we figured we'd go in one at a time. We have two rigs towing 4 skis, so the plan was to leave one rig out of the water to recover the other that'll get stuck unavoidably, and swap. That stuff was so sticky, 4lo and lockers on the 4runner was even a lost hope. But it turned out all good.
![Wheel Tire Car Vehicle Motor vehicle]()
![Water Sky Vehicle Tire Car]()
![Tire Wheel Water Sky Vehicle]()
We knew we were gonna get stuck, 100%. So we figured we'd go in one at a time. We have two rigs towing 4 skis, so the plan was to leave one rig out of the water to recover the other that'll get stuck unavoidably, and swap. That stuff was so sticky, 4lo and lockers on the 4runner was even a lost hope. But it turned out all good.
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106 Posts
Its been a while since I've updated this build, and to be honest I haven't done anything exciting to my van as far as changes. Just been driving it all over the place, as one should!
The transfer case swap has been performing great. I still need to get around to welding a patch to the floor brace that I had to cut out. However, I feel I have a ratio-gap between 4lo and 4hi. Where hi range isnt low enough, but lo range is too low. So I will be on the hunt for 3.73 axles to swap them in to fill that need.
I know I never talked about adding my Journeys Offroad Skid plate, though:
Unfortunately I don't have any install photos, as I was in a rush to get it in for an upcoming trip. Now .. Obviously I'm not paid to talk about products, but for $500 this was really good value for me. I don't think I could fabricate my own for equivalent cost (including my time). Some downsides are that it reduces the bellypan clearance kind of a lot, and so I'm looking into suspension lifts to compensate .. lol. I had to hammer my exhaust Y-pipe to clear the skid plate tube frame. But in the several months I've had it, it has paid off, just check out that gash!
![Hood Motor vehicle Automotive lighting Road surface Wood]()
Immediately when I bought the van, the AC didn't work. I had the budget to pay a shop to diagnose and recharge it, but then it went out again. Waste of money, should have just done it myself. After digging in, it was clear the compressor was leaking. So I went ahead and did that for likely a fraction of the cost of a shop. Still blows cold.
![Vehicle Hood Light Motor vehicle Car]()
Lastly, I'll leave this thread with a couple nice photos of the van. Still going strong, and we make regular (about monthly) 800+ mile road trips with it.
![Tire Wheel Car Sky Cloud]()
![Cloud Sky Tire Car Vehicle]()
![Tire Plant Wheel Land vehicle Vehicle]()
I recently bought a house, and moved all my junk with this van! Because F&^%&* a u-haul lol
![Wheel Tire Land vehicle Car Sky]()
![Wheel Tire Automotive parking light Vehicle Car]()
My catalytic converter has been going out, and because I live in California, I am about to be dumping a ton of money into this thing. Not just for the cat, but all the engine sensors and parts to ensure I dont blow up a new cat, as they're stuuupid expensive.
The transfer case swap has been performing great. I still need to get around to welding a patch to the floor brace that I had to cut out. However, I feel I have a ratio-gap between 4lo and 4hi. Where hi range isnt low enough, but lo range is too low. So I will be on the hunt for 3.73 axles to swap them in to fill that need.
I know I never talked about adding my Journeys Offroad Skid plate, though:
Astro / Safari Skid Plate
2 WEEK LEAD TIME - Will ship on 8/8/2022Shipping included in the United States!Only fits AWD models Journeys Off RoadAstro / Safari Skid PlateThis skid plate is built to tuck up under your radiator to the transmission cross member. This protects your oil pan and other important components that...
www.journeysoffroad.com
Unfortunately I don't have any install photos, as I was in a rush to get it in for an upcoming trip. Now .. Obviously I'm not paid to talk about products, but for $500 this was really good value for me. I don't think I could fabricate my own for equivalent cost (including my time). Some downsides are that it reduces the bellypan clearance kind of a lot, and so I'm looking into suspension lifts to compensate .. lol. I had to hammer my exhaust Y-pipe to clear the skid plate tube frame. But in the several months I've had it, it has paid off, just check out that gash!
Immediately when I bought the van, the AC didn't work. I had the budget to pay a shop to diagnose and recharge it, but then it went out again. Waste of money, should have just done it myself. After digging in, it was clear the compressor was leaking. So I went ahead and did that for likely a fraction of the cost of a shop. Still blows cold.
Lastly, I'll leave this thread with a couple nice photos of the van. Still going strong, and we make regular (about monthly) 800+ mile road trips with it.
I recently bought a house, and moved all my junk with this van! Because F&^%&* a u-haul lol
My catalytic converter has been going out, and because I live in California, I am about to be dumping a ton of money into this thing. Not just for the cat, but all the engine sensors and parts to ensure I dont blow up a new cat, as they're stuuupid expensive.
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106 Posts
I just keep the winch in gear and I have a wireless remote for it.
Joined
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106 Posts
Recently, the catalytic converter went out! Which really sucks as a california resident because our cats cost 2x as much.
![Hand Finger Wood Glove Nail]()
So this was about a $1,500 exhaust job, even though I welded it myself (no i didnt use that welder lol).
![Motor vehicle Automotive design Office equipment Typewriter Automotive exterior]()
Muffler was rusted anyway, so it was a perfect time to replace that. I added in a dismantling coupling, since I found it was a colossal pain to remove the exhaust as one piece. Hoping to improve serviceability.
![Automotive exhaust Automotive tire Motor vehicle Automotive lighting Automotive design]()
![Tent Grass Plant Wood Tool]()
Nice candid shot of it on the driveway.
![Tire Wheel Car Land vehicle Vehicle]()
So this was about a $1,500 exhaust job, even though I welded it myself (no i didnt use that welder lol).
Muffler was rusted anyway, so it was a perfect time to replace that. I added in a dismantling coupling, since I found it was a colossal pain to remove the exhaust as one piece. Hoping to improve serviceability.
Nice candid shot of it on the driveway.
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106 Posts
The other weekend, I was browsing junkyard inventory and found an AWD panel Safari with 3.73 gears! I swear, we went from PJs to at the yard in like 15 minutes. My van has 3.42 gears which make it anemic at best with 30" all-terrains, so I've been looking for a cheap set of gears for ages..
![Automotive parking light Car Land vehicle Tire Wheel]()
Being used to working on S10's and Blazers, these van diffs are super easy to remove in comparison. I guided my girlfriend through it while I removed the rear diff, and we had both ends out before the afternoon heat closed in.
![Bottle Automotive tire Motor vehicle Automotive exterior Auto part]()
![Hood Motor vehicle Automotive exterior Bumper Gas]()
Don't forgot the CV stub shaft! Since my 1995 CV's are flanged, I don't have this part.
![Automotive parking light Tire Automotive side marker light Land vehicle Car]()
Got some new CV's since the 2002+ use a splined connection at the diff. Also got a bunch of cooling goodies. Very excited about putting this together.
![Wheel Tire Car Land vehicle Vehicle]()
Being used to working on S10's and Blazers, these van diffs are super easy to remove in comparison. I guided my girlfriend through it while I removed the rear diff, and we had both ends out before the afternoon heat closed in.
Don't forgot the CV stub shaft! Since my 1995 CV's are flanged, I don't have this part.
Got some new CV's since the 2002+ use a splined connection at the diff. Also got a bunch of cooling goodies. Very excited about putting this together.
Joined
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106 Posts
Since the last post, my cooling system upgrades only took about a weekend. Still in the midst of the 3.73 swap which turned into a disaster. But I'll post up the cooling stuff anyway!
To start, let's compare sizes and remind ourselves why I'm doing this! Towing my trailer into the Sierras with all my gear in 95 degrees ambient has pushed engine temps into the 230's. Not what I like to call fun.
![Wheel Tire Motor vehicle Automotive tire Tread]()
I knew that I was going to bypass the oil cooler that built into the aftermarket radiator. I don't trust this design even from the factory, let alone in the aftermarket. So I will be fitting an auxiliary oil cooler run with AN lines. First step is to lay out positioning and trim the fan shroud to work. I'm being conservative with shroud trimming, since after all, the more holes I put into the shroud, the more paths air can escape around the radiator where I don't want it. (I want air to pass through the radiator not around it)
![Hood Automotive lighting Grille Automotive tail & brake light Motor vehicle]()
Unfortunately I don't have any pics of the trans cooler, but that will be set up in the same way as the oil cooler. Instead of AN lines, they will be soft hoses with barb/clamp fittings.
The next step is to adapt the OEM hard oil cooler lines to AN. OEM hard oil cooler lines are 1/2" OD, which adapt to -8 AN. These adapter pieces are all standard off the shelf on Summit Racing or your local speed shop.
![Gas Bicycle part Auto part Metal Asphalt]()
![Hand tool Automotive tire Metalworking hand tool Tool Automotive exterior]()
![Automotive tire Bumper Bicycle part Electrical wiring Automotive exterior]()
Last step was to mount the radiator, which uses the same mounting locations as OEM. The new oil cooler mounts to the radiator with E-fan ties. Then, the braided AN lines can be routed to the OEM hard lines, which tie into the oil filter plate per factory. Take great care to route lines clear of the fan and pulleys!
Apologies for blurry photos.
![Shoe Outerwear Automotive lighting Hood Luggage and bags]()
![Automotive tire Hood Motor vehicle Automotive lighting Automotive design]()
My only worry is how close my AN lines come to the main crank pulley. They're firmly positioned, so they won't vibrate or otherwise find their way to contacting the pulley. But if I have a belt failure, it will likely take out the oil lines. However, belt maintenance is a pretty standard thing, so that kind of failure should be avoided anyways.
And finally, test drive! Took the rig out to an old campsite in the Sierras that I used to hit that got burned out in a recent wildfire. Even in a barren landscape, there is beauty.
![Wheel Tire Cloud Land vehicle Car]()
Towing in 95 ambient, engine temps struggled to reach 210 degrees. I think it's running too cold now, I would like to see 210 regularly. So I may change up to a hotter thermostat.
![Sky Car Plant Vehicle Automotive lighting]()
To start, let's compare sizes and remind ourselves why I'm doing this! Towing my trailer into the Sierras with all my gear in 95 degrees ambient has pushed engine temps into the 230's. Not what I like to call fun.
I knew that I was going to bypass the oil cooler that built into the aftermarket radiator. I don't trust this design even from the factory, let alone in the aftermarket. So I will be fitting an auxiliary oil cooler run with AN lines. First step is to lay out positioning and trim the fan shroud to work. I'm being conservative with shroud trimming, since after all, the more holes I put into the shroud, the more paths air can escape around the radiator where I don't want it. (I want air to pass through the radiator not around it)
Unfortunately I don't have any pics of the trans cooler, but that will be set up in the same way as the oil cooler. Instead of AN lines, they will be soft hoses with barb/clamp fittings.
The next step is to adapt the OEM hard oil cooler lines to AN. OEM hard oil cooler lines are 1/2" OD, which adapt to -8 AN. These adapter pieces are all standard off the shelf on Summit Racing or your local speed shop.
Last step was to mount the radiator, which uses the same mounting locations as OEM. The new oil cooler mounts to the radiator with E-fan ties. Then, the braided AN lines can be routed to the OEM hard lines, which tie into the oil filter plate per factory. Take great care to route lines clear of the fan and pulleys!
Apologies for blurry photos.
My only worry is how close my AN lines come to the main crank pulley. They're firmly positioned, so they won't vibrate or otherwise find their way to contacting the pulley. But if I have a belt failure, it will likely take out the oil lines. However, belt maintenance is a pretty standard thing, so that kind of failure should be avoided anyways.
And finally, test drive! Took the rig out to an old campsite in the Sierras that I used to hit that got burned out in a recent wildfire. Even in a barren landscape, there is beauty.
Towing in 95 ambient, engine temps struggled to reach 210 degrees. I think it's running too cold now, I would like to see 210 regularly. So I may change up to a hotter thermostat.
Joined
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106 Posts
PS I just noticed I can change image sizes in posts, so I'm going through and reducing the sizes of my photos. Scrolling my own thread with pictures larger than my screen is .... X_X so I'm sure its less than enjoyable for yall too!
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106 Posts
At last. I've figured out the 3.73 gear swap.
Rear axle flew right in, although it needed pinion and wheel seals. It was behaving a bit rumbly so I put some redline shock proof 75w90 oil in it, which helped quiet it down a lot. But its got many more miles than my van, and the real fix is just a whole new ring & pinion, which costs more money than I have for this van!
![Musical instrument Plant Gas Wood Machine]()
Painted gold, because why not?
![Tire Wheel Automotive tire Vehicle Tread]()
The front axle itself also flew in with ease (or as much ease as it can for an IFS unit), also needing outer seals. However the CV axles reeeally gave me a lot of trouble. Basically, the inside CV connection to the differential changes from 1995 (flanged, my van) to 2002 (splined, the donor van). I figured I'd just get new CV's and it would work just fine. However, nobody makes CV's with cup splines that seal properly to the differential, now-a-days. The best option is to rebuild original CV's.
![Automotive tire Motor vehicle Automotive design Groupset Auto part]()
Unfortunately by the time I discovered this, there were no AWD vans in my junkyards for me to acquire OEM CV's. My workaround was to use Chevy S10 inners with astroshafts and outers, to make my own custom CV axles. They're working great!
![Composite material Auto part Engineering Metal Nickel]()
Rear axle flew right in, although it needed pinion and wheel seals. It was behaving a bit rumbly so I put some redline shock proof 75w90 oil in it, which helped quiet it down a lot. But its got many more miles than my van, and the real fix is just a whole new ring & pinion, which costs more money than I have for this van!
Painted gold, because why not?
The front axle itself also flew in with ease (or as much ease as it can for an IFS unit), also needing outer seals. However the CV axles reeeally gave me a lot of trouble. Basically, the inside CV connection to the differential changes from 1995 (flanged, my van) to 2002 (splined, the donor van). I figured I'd just get new CV's and it would work just fine. However, nobody makes CV's with cup splines that seal properly to the differential, now-a-days. The best option is to rebuild original CV's.
Unfortunately by the time I discovered this, there were no AWD vans in my junkyards for me to acquire OEM CV's. My workaround was to use Chevy S10 inners with astroshafts and outers, to make my own custom CV axles. They're working great!
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106 Posts
So with all these improvements, I had to take a trip to the mountains. Had a fantastic trip with a friend and our motorcycles, and the van performed brilliantly. In 100 degrees ambient while hauling my motorcycle to the top of the Sierras, engine temps never breached 210 degrees. And with the 3.73 gears, I was able to accelerate past trucks and RV's while climbing.
![Automotive parking light Car Wheel Sky Vehicle]()
![Tire Plant Plant community Wheel Automotive tire]()
Unfortunately at the end of the trip, disaster struck and the fuel pump went out. Leaving me stranded in an area without cell signal, I took the motorcycle to the nearest town to call a tow truck, which towed the van with my motorcycle back home. All things considered it was a very lucky outcome, and everything was okay.
![Tire Land vehicle Wheel Car Vehicle]()
Fuel pump replacements are pretty standard headaches, but it was replaced in a weekend.
![Wheel Tire Car Vehicle Automotive tire]()
My TW200 cargo rack worked great for draining fuel! My tank had some big dents in it from prior offroading trips, so I drained the fuel to pull out the dents.
![Tire Wheel Land vehicle Vehicle Car]()
The van lives to battle another day!
![Sky Tire Car Vehicle Automotive tire]()
Unfortunately at the end of the trip, disaster struck and the fuel pump went out. Leaving me stranded in an area without cell signal, I took the motorcycle to the nearest town to call a tow truck, which towed the van with my motorcycle back home. All things considered it was a very lucky outcome, and everything was okay.
Fuel pump replacements are pretty standard headaches, but it was replaced in a weekend.
My TW200 cargo rack worked great for draining fuel! My tank had some big dents in it from prior offroading trips, so I drained the fuel to pull out the dents.
The van lives to battle another day!
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