Lowering my van...

93gsxturbo wrote: Is there a rear lift block on the rear axle? 2WD Ford trucks of the same era have a lift block in back. You could just pitch the rear block if you have one.

Ironically I was just under there today changing the diff fluid and I didn't even look.

For the front you are going to be stuck with the TTB front end and custom beams or a very mild drop. There is a bit of camber adjustment in the front beams but not for a serious drop.

Yeah, I figured. I thought someone made offset kingpins but I can't find it. That would just let me swap springs and reset camber much easier than two whole new I-beams.

Are you going to be putting lower profile tires on it? Lowered on stock profile tires just screams HOOPTY to me. A visor, while looking awesome, kills MPG and makes a lot of wind noise at freeway speed.

Lower profile, yes. Smaller diameter, that's a tough one. As soon as I drop any smaller than these I'm instantly into D-range tires. D would be fine for most things except when towing, say, north of 7000 lbs. I thought about doing big truck tires with adapters on like 19.5" wheels, but that just screams ghetto to me... plus nobody that I know of makes 19.5" truck wheels in anything but dually. But, F and G range medium duty truck tires are a good way to get low profile with high load capacity.

Do visors really kill MPG that much? Most of the ones I've seen have multiple slots in the back where it meets the roof. They don't look like they'd kill MPG, but maybe you're right.

I really want to lower my Dad's Caravan turbo now. :)

I don't know but I've heard about bending the I beams on a lifted truck. Maybe it can be done on lowered trucks???

turboswede wrote: I really want to lower my Dad's Caravan turbo now. :)

That one is easy... Use Shelby Daytona Springs... On van struts.. Or use van springs on Daytona struts.. Or a couple different combos in there for the front... even more if you are not afraid to cut springs and or spend money

Then make some plates to make drop spindles... Or re-arch the springs.. (you can do this yourself with a small press or big hammer).. And this really works great if done properly.... Chalk lines on the floor tracing where you started are handy.. Or just pay somebody to beat on them for you... It is cheap enough to have done.. and typically it will buy you new bushings ect...

Then add air shocks to help make sure you can still load it down.. Monroe MA803's work great..

You could also just remove leafs.. then add air bags..

I don't know what the rear suspension on the E-250 looks like, but I used a kit from Beltech to lower the rear of my 97 F150. The kit consisted of some new hangers that raised the front of spring up beside the frame instead of below it. The kit included shackles for the rear of the spring.

The kit was very easy to install, just grind off the rivets holding the old hangers in place and bolt the new ones on using the same holes.

ronholm wrote:

turboswede wrote: I really want to lower my Dad's Caravan turbo now. :)

That one is easy... Use Shelby Daytona Springs... On van struts.. Or use van springs on Daytona struts.. Or a couple different combos in there for the front... even more if you are not afraid to cut springs and or spend money Then make some plates to make drop spindles... Or re-arch the springs.. (you can do this yourself with a small press or big hammer).. And this really works great if done properly.... Chalk lines on the floor tracing where you started are handy.. Or just pay somebody to beat on them for you... It is cheap enough to have done.. and typically it will buy you new bushings ect... Then add air shocks to help make sure you can still load it down.. Monroe MA803's work great.. You could also just remove leafs.. then add air bags..

Yep, got the springs and struts already and the steel for the rear plates (raise the spindles and leave the suspension alone to work as designed) Will probably add air shocks for running to the hardware store duties.

Gotta fix the headgasket first!

curtis73 wrote: Yeah, I figured. I thought someone made offset kingpins but I can't find it. That would just let me swap springs and reset camber much easier than two whole new I-beams.

If you were really clever, you could source some balljoints with the correct length and taper and a smaller diameter body that goes into the torsion beam and make up some eccentric bushings for the upper and lower balljoints that would let you clock them to get desired camber and caster. If you were super duper clever, you could change the taper on the knuckles to use any balljoint that would fit. Of course by that time you would probably be money (and definitely time) to just get the proper drop torsion beams.

curtis73 wrote: Lower profile, yes. Smaller diameter, that's a tough one. As soon as I drop any smaller than these I'm instantly into D-range tires. D would be fine for most things except when towing, say, north of 7000 lbs. I thought about doing big truck tires with adapters on like 19.5" wheels, but that just screams ghetto to me... plus nobody that I know of makes 19.5" truck wheels in anything but dually. But, F and G range medium duty truck tires are a good way to get low profile with high load capacity. Do visors really kill MPG that much? Most of the ones I've seen have multiple slots in the back where it meets the roof. They don't *look* like they'd kill MPG, but maybe you're right.

I don't know if you would have to go a smaller diameter. I think the stock diameter would fill out the wheelwells decent. Just gotta get rid of some of the sidewall.

Rickson used to be the premier supplier of 19.5s that fit a standard light duty 8 lug pattern, but I see by their website that most of their good stuff has been discontinued. You may be able to find a set of Alcoa wheels that would work, but to run 19.5s that look decent you are looking at some serious money and probably some 8 hole to 10 hole adapters. Not a lot of 8 lug 19.5s in the Ford Superduty pattern, which brings up another topic. Do vans of the superduty era share the same metric bolt pattern that the superduty trucks had, or do they use the more tradition 8 on 6.5 bolt pattern? I don't know, but I would look into it before buying wheels. I would look into late-model 18 and 20 inch 8 lug take-offs since you can get heavy load range tires in those sizes, and a set of take-offs is a good way to update the look of a vehicle on the cheap.

My experience with visors is as follows: I had two work trucks, one was a 95 Chevy 2500 with a Vortec 350 with a visor, and one identical truck that didnt have a visor. I loved the way the visored truck looked, it had a narrow bush pusher, not a wrap around, was all black, and had a black visor with the marker lights on it. Looked great, but routinely did 1-2 MPG less than the other truck and was noisier on the highway. My 96 Dodge Ram CTD also had a visor when i bought it. I had it taken off when I had the truck repainted and I never regretted it. It did look awesome though.

turboswede wrote: I really want to overboost and drag race my Dad's Caravan turbo now. :)

edited for truth

93gsxturbo wrote: I don't know if you would have to go a smaller diameter. I think the stock diameter would fill out the wheelwells decent. Just gotta get rid of some of the sidewall. Do vans of the superduty era share the same metric bolt pattern that the superduty trucks had, or do they use the more tradition 8 on 6.5 bolt pattern? I don't know, but I would look into it before buying wheels. I would look into late-model 18 and 20 inch 8 lug take-offs since you can get heavy load range tires in those sizes, and a set of take-offs is a good way to update the look of a vehicle on the cheap.

SD trucks got the new 8x170mm pattern in 99. Vans got it in 2001 I think. My van is a 99, so it has the 8x6.5. That opens up a ton of aftermarket options, but most of the larger wheels that came from the factory were late enough to be 170mm.

Dodge kept the 8x6.5 pattern much later. I know there are 17" options and maybe a 20" if I look hard enough.

Ironically I have a set of 16" super duty alloys from a 99 F250... but they're the 170mm pattern and I can't use them.

I just had to share this with you. I had said:

I love you guys. I also posted this on an Econoline forum and they are bashing me saying that its unsafe and I'm going to hell basically.

Here is the thread... http://www.thedieselstop.com/forums/f14/lowering-my-van-thoughts-295413/

Maybe try this forum: FTE site, with banner ads from hell

93gsxturbo said: If you were really clever, you could source some balljoints with the correct length and taper and a smaller diameter body that goes into the torsion beam and make up some eccentric bushings for the upper and lower balljoints that would let you clock them to get desired camber and caster. If you were super duper clever, you could change the taper on the knuckles to use any balljoint that would fit. Of course by that time you would probably be money (and definitely time) to just get the proper drop torsion beams.

I don't think you've ever looked at how a Twin I Beam setup is made.

It's almost like those guys believe if ford or an aftermarket company didn't design something for it, it can't be done. I have no doubt that you can lower the van keeping the load rating and keeping it safe. I mean were not dealing with some new sophisticated suspension design here, it's a freaking truck. These are the same type of people who would jump on someone for even mentioning cutting a spring. Some people believe that a vehicle should never be modified in any way because an individual doesn't have Fords engineering department behind them. The fact is when a company designs and builds a vehicle they have to make compromises. The end user should have the right to modify a vehicle to fit there needs.

Since you have the classic 8 lug pattern, I have a set of these I had for my Dodge Ram that I would go $250+ship on. 20k miles, great shape and clean.

OEM 2006 Dodge Ram 17s, no center caps, tires, or lugs.

DdavidV, care to tell me whats up with my idea? When I redid the balljoints on my 95 F150 with the TTB front end, there was an eccentric on the top balljoint that adjusted camber and caster. I would propose doing that on a grander scale by moving the non-tapered end of the balljoints on both the top and bottom of the TTB knuckle. I know its impractical and probably dangerous, but most of the ideas on this forum are!

17's better. 19.5's = pimp as all getout, and someone makes low profile heavy range tires, because I see them on the top kicks and tow trucks around here, looking all pimp.

Pinion angle - there are angle shims that go between the spring and axle, so you can dial it in. I wouldn't sweat this detail.

http://www.amazon.com/Eagle-Alloys-Polished-Wheel-19-5x6/dp/B004FN2RA4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1326038509&sr=8-2

In reply to curtis73:

Oh my... For what used to be a good site, I see the lemmings rule now.

93gsxturbo wrote: DdavidV, care to tell me whats up with my idea? When I redid the balljoints on my 95 F150 with the TTB front end, there was an eccentric on the top balljoint that adjusted camber and caster. I would propose doing that on a grander scale by moving the non-tapered end of the balljoints on both the top and bottom of the TTB knuckle. I know its impractical and probably dangerous, but most of the ideas on this forum are!

I'm not going to try to answer this for him, but IF the Econoline beam looks like the one previously listed, good luck on that idea. The 83-88 Rangers used the same setup and the offset balljoints to fix issues with camber where way overpriced plus the labor to install them. There is a reason in 89 Ford changed to what you experienced on your 95. Caster can only be adjusted by changing the "length" of the radius arm with shims.

DILYSI Dave wrote: http://www.amazon.com/Eagle-Alloys-Polished-Wheel-19-5x6/dp/B004FN2RA4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1326038509&sr=8-2

Oh E36 M3.... My F250 needs a set of those....

Ranger50 wrote: In reply to curtis73: Oh my... For what used to be a good site, I see the lemmings rule now.

I got a kick out of the guy who suggested I just trade it for an E150. Hmmm... let's see, diesel 1-ton.... or gas 1/2 ton with a 12k lb trailer behind it. That sounds safe!

DILYSI Dave wrote: http://www.amazon.com/Eagle-Alloys-Polished-Wheel-19-5x6/dp/B004FN2RA4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1326038509&sr=8-2

Those rock, but if you read the fine print they're dually wheels with a stock generic picture. 19.5" x 6" with 8" of backspacing

93gsxturbo wrote: Since you have the classic 8 lug pattern, I have a set of these I had for my Dodge Ram that I would go $250+ship on. 20k miles, great shape and clean.

I appreciate the offer. I can't do 17s yet since I just bought $600 worth of new 16" tires last week

curtis73 wrote:

DILYSI Dave wrote: http://www.amazon.com/Eagle-Alloys-Polished-Wheel-19-5x6/dp/B004FN2RA4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1326038509&sr=8-2

Those rock, but if you read the fine print they're dually wheels with a stock generic picture. 19.5" x 6" with 8" of backspacing

Doh!

curtis73 wrote: I got a kick out of the guy who suggested I just trade it for an E150. Hmmm... let's see, diesel 1-ton.... or gas 1/2 ton with a 12k lb trailer behind it. That sounds safe!

Yeah, that was a funny one. However, I gotta say the guy in FL has my dream van: 2000 extended length, raised roof conversion... those are like hen's teeth.

i love the guy who said lowering does nothing for towing.

lower CG does nothing for stability, i forgot about that rule

i still regret selling the 19.5's i bought for my dually, i found the holy grail(19.5 from a step van with the 8 lug pattern) with beautiful tires, some guy offered me 2 times what i paid for them. i should have at least test fit them, but i never would have taken them off.

lowered diesel van.

That phrase has so much potential.

Chip it, some basic bolt ons and your pretty quick, lowered so it looks cool and all that jazz and you can still have the ability to pull the weight of the earth.

Wow