How Does a Lifted Van Ride?
- Thread starter fran_swa
- Start date
Herbie
Rendezvous Conspirator
Depends entirely on the van and the lift.
Sorry that it's such a trite answer, but there are entirely too many variables.
Comparing just a single platform like the Econoline, there are excellent lifts and 4x4 conversions (which generally necessitate a lift) from a number of companies, and there are other 2WD lifts and 4x4 conversions that handle like the worst kind of buckboard-wagon you can imagine. (I've driven and ridden in both.)
My smaller Astro van has a very mild lift of ~4" using mostly OEM parts (factory-spec rear leafs with a 4" taller arch in the rear, and 2" body pucks + 2" adjustment to OEM torsion setup in the front), and it handles very close to OEM, except for being taller. It's been a long time since my van was in the ballpark of factory weight (pre-camper conversion), but my impression back when I made the change was that it felt unremarkable - i.e. no appreciable change. My van is small enough to be daily-driveable, but with taller tires, it took spending $$ for a re-gear on the axles to get the fuel mileage back into an acceptable range for anything but recreational use.
That said, comparing a 4x4 or lifted van to a Jeep is very apples and oranges - vans are taller, so the even empty they handle differently. I've never heard someone complain of a Jeep getting pushed around in the wind, and very few vans are going to make capable rock crawlers. When I daily-drove an XJ, the cargo room was "enough", but being able to stand up and move around, or throw a seriously huge volume of cargo into a van is sure nice, and nobody but Justin Pitcairn is going to sleep 3-4 people in a Jeep.
Sorry that it's such a trite answer, but there are entirely too many variables.
Comparing just a single platform like the Econoline, there are excellent lifts and 4x4 conversions (which generally necessitate a lift) from a number of companies, and there are other 2WD lifts and 4x4 conversions that handle like the worst kind of buckboard-wagon you can imagine. (I've driven and ridden in both.)
My smaller Astro van has a very mild lift of ~4" using mostly OEM parts (factory-spec rear leafs with a 4" taller arch in the rear, and 2" body pucks + 2" adjustment to OEM torsion setup in the front), and it handles very close to OEM, except for being taller. It's been a long time since my van was in the ballpark of factory weight (pre-camper conversion), but my impression back when I made the change was that it felt unremarkable - i.e. no appreciable change. My van is small enough to be daily-driveable, but with taller tires, it took spending $$ for a re-gear on the axles to get the fuel mileage back into an acceptable range for anything but recreational use.
That said, comparing a 4x4 or lifted van to a Jeep is very apples and oranges - vans are taller, so the even empty they handle differently. I've never heard someone complain of a Jeep getting pushed around in the wind, and very few vans are going to make capable rock crawlers. When I daily-drove an XJ, the cargo room was "enough", but being able to stand up and move around, or throw a seriously huge volume of cargo into a van is sure nice, and nobody but Justin Pitcairn is going to sleep 3-4 people in a Jeep.
1leglance
2007 Expedition Trophy Champion, Overland Certifie
I have a short wheelbase (130in) low roof Transit with a Quadvan 4wd that is 5in taller than factory.
It has 33's and I daily it along with all kinds of off road fun.
It drives GREAT, super comfy on the highway and trail, sure the IFS won't wheel with a Rubi but I can go far more places than most people think, and my camp setup beats any Jeep, even a Ursa pop top.
It has 33's and I daily it along with all kinds of off road fun.
It drives GREAT, super comfy on the highway and trail, sure the IFS won't wheel with a Rubi but I can go far more places than most people think, and my camp setup beats any Jeep, even a Ursa pop top.
Very interesting. I don’t do any hard wheeling so I don’t really “need” the crawling capabilities of the Jeep.
In reality I do mostly flooded city streets (up to 2-3ft of water), dirt/fire roads, and mild hill country of Texas.
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