E350 appocalypse

The Saskatchewan job is killing me.
First we bought a locker rear end, because the 2 wheel drive van was really just one wheel drive, and if just one chain fell off, we were stuck.  Turned out the truck rear axle is 8 inches shorter than the van.  In a panic, not wanting to deal for hours in the middle of nowhere getting the van unstuck, I welded the rear diff in a temporary fashon.  This was done lite so it could be removed easily for the addition of a locker rear end.  Also it was done quickly, because we had to leave for Saskatchewan   It was welded outside, -25c, no preheat, and just one pass on each gear.

The Lincoln locker was brilliant.  It got us through Saskatchewan twice, we kept up with the big new 4x4 trucks.  Second trip we knew we broke a weld, changing a tire the axle was no longer solid, had some play. It was still working, we didn't do anything about it.  We got stuck briefly in Sask, hammered the throttle, spun us out of the deep snow, got us on the road, and clunk, broke the spider gear in the diff.

I had purchased this cube van because business is getting to that point, I need a shop, or storage locker, or hey cube van can park rite outside my house.  Insurance costs less than a storage locker.  This one had the 7.3 diesel which really sold me on it.  The cube had some issues, I never intended to drive it, until I blew the rear diff in my work van.  I am so impressed with the pulling power of the 7.3L, I have to put that engine in my work van now.

Anyway, I drove to Sask w the cube and car dolly, wouldn't you know the van didn't fit the car dolly, so I put dually rims on the front to make it narrow enough, and it just blew both car dolly tires rite away.  Back to AB I go, and purchase a tow bar.  I plasma cut neat plates to bolt to the bumper mounts, and  off I go to Sask again.  That 7.3L and those duallys on the cube did amazing.  One hair pin turn in deep snow we couldnt make, and the 7.3 hauled the van rite through the ditch.  Then we spun out on some ice, and hauled the van out of the ditch again.  That last ditch was the end of the transmission.  I believe it died of overheating, blew the front pump seal.  Hence my hate for Automatics.

This left me now with 2 E350s stuck in apx Bonnyville AB.  Rite away I got my poor pregnant wife coming out with a case of transmission fluid, and I called a tow truck.  Well it was the hollidays and I couldnt get a tow truck.  This was because the only tow company open, had the police contract essentially, and I would bring them too far out of town for their in town call.  Even though I expect the police would eventually hire them to get rid of my two vans where they sat.  So new plan, rent a one ton to tow the work van, and get a guy from Andrew to come out and tow the cube.  12 hours later I got both vans in my driveway in Andrew.  Now the dually conversion begins.