i86hotdogs

Thanks for the tips. I think the issue is that the bumper itself all plastic, and is simply attached to the body with plastic fasteners. So regardless how secure the lights and bar are on, that bumper has too much flexibility for it to remain solid. I wish it was a manual conversion. It's in my "to-do list if I ever come across a bunch of money". The auto in the "Sport" mode is plenty good for the course. There are a few times where it wants to stay in a high gear after a corner, but that's the compromise I made racing a cargo van. The low center of gravity, and empty rear cargo area make it very easy to rotate the vehicle with a small tap of the brakes.

For those that don't know, I take my van racing at SCCA rallycross events. Some of those events run into dusk, and even into the night. I shopped around for some extra lighting to supplement the headlights on those dark runs. I researched the pros and cons of halogen vs LED vs HID, compared prices, looked up reviews, specs, and warranties. I narrowed it down to either Hella LED or KC Hilites Apollo Pro halogens. Both the same cost, similar warranties, similar light output, but one is LED while the other is halogen. I decided to go with the KC halogens. In the end, I liked the look of the grill guards over the LED with plastic covers. Installation was not too difficult. The kit comes with all the connectors and harnesses you need to simply connect, mount, and flip the switch. But before I did that, I first needed to find a place to mount them. There are a few bull bars for the TC out there, but I could not justify dropping several hundred dollars on what I would consider a mounting bracket. I found an inexpensive bracket on Amazon that mounts where your front plate goes. $20 and some easy drilling led me to this. The only thing I dislike about this bracket is the lack of rigidness since it's mounted on the plastic bumper. But it will do for the application. The bracket came with pre-drilled slots and holes to make mounting lights, or whatever else you want to add a breeze. The most difficult part of wiring the lights was getting the wires from the engine compartment to the cabin. Luckily, there is a route in the back corners of the engine bay that runs into the cabin. There is a hole behind the plastic triangle in front of the side mirrors that feeds you right in to the a-pillar. Only issue is feeding all of that wiring through. KC gave me a lot of length, so there is about two extra feet of wiring tucked underneath the dash. I drilled a hole right above the headlight knob, and installed the switch for the lights. I had an option to wire the lights either directly to 12v power, or through an accessory source. One means the lights will stay on even when the engine is off, the other will shut the lights off when the engine is off. Final product looks great in my opinion! Took some time to adjust the beam position, tightened everything down. Like mentioned with the bracket, there is a lot of jiggle when driving. Currently figuring out a way to keep that front end a little more solid. Metal or plastic bracing between the back of the bumper and the subframe is what comes to mind. Now it's a RallyVan!

My RallyCross class trophies tell a different story

Wow, this looks like a well built piece. I wish I was a little closer to take this off your hands. Currently, when we sleep in the back, we just throw a twin mattress back there, and hang some blackout curtains behind the front seats. Does the job.

woops

Did someone say Sparco wheels?

I'll be honest with you I don't know who that is, therefore not my inspiration for the number. It was my jersey number in college; also a nice number overall.

Here's some action shots. I've got big plans for this season (whenever it begins): new wheels, new springs, intake and exhaust bits.

the 2.5 Duratec has been a well engineered engine for Ford. Derived from a partnership with Mazda, its relatives include the 2.3 Duratec as well. They are notoriously underpowered for its displacement. It's favored by fleets for its durability and cost of parts and maintenance. Like others have mentioned, if you keep the maintenance schedules punctual, it will last a long time. I bought a 2016 cargo LWB with 102,000 miles and have put over 25,000 on it since purchase. I race the van in SCCA RallyCross events, frequently drive long distances through the midwest, and use it as my daily driver. I have experienced zero issues with the vehicle itself. My only gripe for me is the lack of aftermarket parts for it. But that's a personal preference since I race the van competitively.

Meh, rally stripes are not my thing. I was going for a retro look, and found the brush strokes to fit perfectly.

I've been eyeing these wheels ever since I got the van. I was never in a place to drop the cash for them, though. I found them on sale through Tire Rack for $120/wheel. They originally run for $160/wheel. I finally pulled the trigger, and have zero regrets. Bolt pattern, diameter, and width all are matching to OEM (OEM steel wheels per say). The only difference was the offset. Factory offset is +52mm; and these have an offset of +40mm. This just means the wheels stick out 12mm further than factory (about .5 inch). Personally, I think they look awesome on the winter/race tires I mounted them on. Tires are Sumitomo Ice Edge 215/60r 16.

Perfect, so you get the task it would take to do it.

Don't need AWD to rally The transmission has little to no affect on emissions. The take rate for manual transmission vehicles is so low, that makers save money by not even having it as an option on vehicle. The Jeep Renegade is a prime example. The Renegade could be had with a 6-speed manual up until 2018. The take rate for manual Renegades was under 10%. So they dropped the option and kept the auto. Also, auto transmissions are becoming faster to drive, and more efficient than the standard manual transmission. Gone are the days where the manual option is the "fastest" and "most fuel efficient" economical option. P.S.-Focus ST is FWD, the RS trim is the AWD variant. And just because they share similar DNA, does not mean a manual swap is easy peasy. In reality, the similarities are in the suspension. That's about the extent of it. The van benefits from having a low flat floor for either great access to seats for the wagon, or plentiful flat space for cargo. To implement AWD, you will need a transmission tunnel larger than the one already underneath for the exhaust system. This means the tunnel needs to expand and potentially raise the floor, or the drive train sits low and exposed to that one speed hump that's abnormally larger than the rest. Is it possible? absolutely. There are more than a few manual swaps done to both generation of TC.

I've got a traditional bike horn on my 50cc Honda Ruckus. Always gets a laugh when I honk

I should start a separate thread on the build. There was plenty of room underneath where the stock horn is mounted. It also depends on the size of the horn and compressor you use. My kit is a small compressor teh size of a regular 8.4 oz redbull, a horn about 4-5 inches long, and another about 3 inches longer than that. I actually found a snug spot in the engine bay. No interference or clearance issues. Plenty of zip ties. The sound is a little high pitched for my taste, but it's definitely louder.

Thanks JRM, but after finally getting underneath it (and following the sound), I found it on the passenger side behind where the lower fog light would be (don't have any). It was a dual tone for sure, and one of the wires to one of the horns looked worn. I had a spare mini air horn kit laying around, wired that up and now the van has air horns!

Hey all, I looked around initially for this answer, but only yielded MK1 results. My horn in my 2016 LWB XL Cargo seems to be missing one of its dual tones. It sounds like its on the passenger side around the headlight. Just wanted to get some confirmation from you all on where it is, and how to get to it/remove it. Any tips or visuals would be great. Thanks!!

perfect! My transit connect never came with one. Probably should download one and print it out. Thanks!

Hey gang, I always thought it would be a great idea to have a list of what bulb types go into each part of the van. I tried finding one somewhere, but no luck. Anyone have a list going already for what goes where? If not, I may start one and share it with all you fine folks ? EDIT- I found one, but the model range goes from 2010-2007 https://sealight-led.com/pages/ford-transit-150-250-350-bulb-size-guide High beam headlight for 2010~2013 Ford Transit Connect: H13 ( dual high and low beam headlight share the same bulb); for 2014~2017 Ford Transit Connect: H9 Low beam headlight for 2010~2013 Ford Transit Connect: H13 ( dual high and low beam headlight share the same bulb);for 2014~2017 Ford Transit Connect: H11 Fog light: H11 Cornering light: H11 Front turn signal light for 2010~2013 Ford Transit Connect: 3457A / 3457NAK / 3157-SCK ( parking light); for 2014~2017 Ford Transit Connect inner turn signal light: 5200 ; outer turn signal light: 2825 Rear turn signal light: 7440A / 7440NA Brake Tail light: 7443 / 7443-SCK Back-up reverse light for 2010~2013 Ford Transit Connect: 921; for 2014~2017 Ford Transit Connect:7440 3rd Brake light / Center high mount stop light: LED License plate light / Tag light: 2825 / 2825L / W5W Interior Map light for 2010~2013 Ford Transit Connect: 6411;for 2014~2017 Ford Transit Connect: 2825 Interior Dome light: 2825 / 2886X / 2825L / W5W Front side marker light: 2825 / 2825L / W5W Parking / City light for 2014~2017 Ford Transit Connect: 2825 / 2825L / W5W

If only she had a rear view mirror!

Hey, a van with this much white canvas, I had to add something to it! I got sick of people asking if it was my company van.

The never-ending search for those upper reflectors for the rear taillights seem to yield very little results. Either order them from the dealer, or buy them on eBay and wait months to be shipped from Europe. I came across this website that searches junkyard inventories. You can select your specific year, make, and model, and even your specific part you are looking for. You can even narrow down the region to search. I did a nationwide search for these reflectors, and found quite a few. I inquired pricing and shipping estimates from as many as I can find. Only one responded (there are about 10 other ones I found). After some conversation, I had a set of reflectors sent to me for $70. Installation was a breeze: two torx scews and a little prying gets them popped right off. I definitely will go back to this site for any other parts inquiries as well.

Reviving a dead thread here. I did some shopping at car-part dot com. Where you can search the world (literally) for a certain part down to the make and model. I found several TC Titanium's unfortunately in a totaled state. But there were a handful with the upper reflector still intact. I reached out to one of the junkyards for a set. $70 and two business days later, BOOM I'm part of the elusive club!

I'd agree with Fifty here. I am fairly positive that 800lb trailer will have a 2" hitch attachment. Most things you attach to your hitch will have a 2" end. Not sure if you have a 1st or 2nd gen TC, but the 2nd gen TC's have pretty good rear clearance.

When I rallycross, I use a winter tire that is slightly taller than stock. 215/60r16. Those sit on stock steel wheels (painted white). The rear are clear with no interference. The front do not interfere with anything, even at high loads of turning and braking.