ujoint
Supporting Sponsor
Do you plan to build it yourself or have some do it for you?
Weldtec Design 2WD Bent I-Beam Lift for E350 (E series vans)
- Thread starter radorsch
- Start date
Do you plan to build it yourself or have some do it for you?
I would probably need to have someone else do the majority. I'd love to try it myself, but the van is in almost daily use now and I don't thinks its realistic that I could get the job done in a reasonable amount of time. I thought about waiting until I have more time, or until the van could be out of commission for a prolonged period, but I was talked out of it... I'd rather use my free time to do stuff with the family in the van, since no one seems interested in working on the van with me 
It's tough not having money or time
It's tough not having money or time
Sooper Camper
Adventurer
extended arms are mainly to lessen caster change as the wheel travels, since caster is dictated by the arc the radius arm swings in. if you're bending the beams you can correct caster at the same time (although the arms help get it back into spec).
tire wear, in my experience, is more in relation to how diligent you are about rotating your tires, and how hard you drive. if you push something this big and heavy to the point of understeer constantly, you're going to get bad wear patterns, same if you only rotate once a year. I've owned several beamed rigs, all had more than 10" wheel travel, all saw LOTs of street miles; and the truck I've owned that had the worst tire wear issues was a stock 89 GMC with IFS.
tire wear, in my experience, is more in relation to how diligent you are about rotating your tires, and how hard you drive. if you push something this big and heavy to the point of understeer constantly, you're going to get bad wear patterns, same if you only rotate once a year. I've owned several beamed rigs, all had more than 10" wheel travel, all saw LOTs of street miles; and the truck I've owned that had the worst tire wear issues was a stock 89 GMC with IFS.
BajaSportsmobile
Baja Ironman
The tire wear myth is right up there with the alignment myth.
Skinny
Active member
So given a TTB/TIB is going to be comparable to a beam (whether driven or not) as far as maintenance, durability, and road feel? I would certainly advocate that the I-beam suspension is just about up there in terms of sheer awesomeness with any modern IFS system when it comes to something being mainly driven on pavement. I really got a kick from a woman next to me the other day driving an older F150. She had that classic 20 degree steering wander in order to go straight dialed right in. Brings me back to the good old days of driving Ford products. In this application, I'm trying to think of a reason why you would want to retain the I-beam setup for 2wd operation?
Mwilliamshs
Explorer
What alternative is there to a Twin-I-Beam front-end on a 2wd Ford full-size truck or van before 1997? If for no other reason I'd advocate retaining it to avoid some ridiculous custom contraption to solve a problem that doesn't exist.
As for other reasons there's the easy big wheel travel numbers, durability of components, good ride characteristics...you know, good things people say about good suspensions. Wheel travel over 10" is very common with small mods. If you consider steering and suspension as a system the TIB setup is very durable in its own right, but compared to something like the GM IFS, it's amazing. After the Ford's switched from kingpins to balljoints (around 1992 but depends on models) they gave up a little bit of outright durability (properly maintained kingpins are a 100k+ mile part) but even then the balljoints last WAY longer than on a stock GM, much less one with comparable wheel travel. Add to that the GM idler arm/center link setup vs the much more robust Ford tie-rod ends (and fewer of them) and this GM vs Ford comparison gets laughable. I'm not saying the TIB/TTB is the best setup out there but to compare it to the GM stuff after 87 is joke.
As for the older F150, the newest truck relevant to this discussion is 19 years old and we're left to assume you're not familiar with the woman or truck in question so the exhibited behaviors giving you a kick may have been those of a crazy woman driver, one under the influence, juggling a cell phone and standard transmission in traffic, or of a poorly maintained vehicle with half a million miles on it.
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Bronco bobby
Observer
Twin traction beam and twin I beam offer great wheel travel and a smooth ride at a fraction of the cost of other independent suspension systems. I have a camburg system giving 10" of travel and a nice highway ride as well. It will ride better than a straight axle, but won't get as far up the hill as a locked straight axle will. It all.depends what you want your van to do.
Skinny
Active member
That statement was on the OP's idea of installing larger tires on an Econoline van. Lifting it with a SuperDuty axle or having a beam axle fab'd up without the centersection would probably net good results over spending big money on a custom I-beam set up. You would gain reliability, strength, and driveability. SuperDuty axle minus the transfercase install if he is on a budget and didn't want to commit to the entire 4wd conversion just yet.
Realistically if the OP doesn't need larger tires or more ground clearance, like I already stated, a locker would be money well spent along with a winch. An I-beam radius arm'd axle is not a "ridiculous custom contraption", that is a rather dramatic overstatement. This is a conversation, suggestions to the OP open to interpretation...no one is holding a gun to anyone's head here. Nor are you required to back or oppose any statement made by me. Don't be such a ************ about it. You can politely say, "I disagree, here are some examples to back my opinion" and be done with it.
Realistically if the OP doesn't need larger tires or more ground clearance, like I already stated, a locker would be money well spent along with a winch. An I-beam radius arm'd axle is not a "ridiculous custom contraption", that is a rather dramatic overstatement. This is a conversation, suggestions to the OP open to interpretation...no one is holding a gun to anyone's head here. Nor are you required to back or oppose any statement made by me. Don't be such a ************ about it. You can politely say, "I disagree, here are some examples to back my opinion" and be done with it.
Mwilliamshs
Explorer
"Hey Pot, it's me, Kettle." Not the first time that attitude has popped out of your keyboard. Check it bro. We're here to have fun and help one another.
Or should I delete my post for reasons of you know everything about overpriced suspensions?
= "ridiculous custom contraption" especially when you consider that you still need a trackbar which = more custom work for what will be a worse riding (solid vs independent) set up with less travel (trackbar and solid axle need room below the crossmember) unless you cut and fab the crossmember, which = more custom work
VS
So $1940 (top $ kit but not including installation) vs $3,700 without the axle, tires, or wheels...hmm which one of those would I consider big money?
I'm not knocking you (or Ujoint's excellent kits) but if what is wanted is to fit bigger tires and not more traction I really don't think an un-driven solid axle is the way to go.
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ujoint
Supporting Sponsor
Ride quality is always subjective, we've had more than one guy go from a lifted 2wd van to our suspension and say it drives better.
I agree that a partial 4x4 swap is a better route than a 2wd lift but it really depends on what the owner wants in the long run and how it will be used. Whatever the decision, there are some good options available!
I agree that a partial 4x4 swap is a better route than a 2wd lift but it really depends on what the owner wants in the long run and how it will be used. Whatever the decision, there are some good options available!
So what would be the cost of having a "driveable " ujoint equipped van if you found decent prices on a front diff and then lift parts, building one step at a time. Of course I know it would be more than the Weldtec kit of course but also knowing it would be better in the long run if you are going to do your kit anyways . Say 4 inch / budget minded.
ujoint
Supporting Sponsor
$3700 without wheels, tires, axle or freight. This would be for a non RSC equipped van, standard 4" suspension. We have a breakdown on this page if you want an exact parts list
http://www.ujointoffroad.com/4wdparts.html
So in reality, sure a couple of thousand more BUT in the long run way better set up ( IMO ) than the Weldtech Design setup
Have your axle costs but could search around for a good price on it, wouldn't have to worry about regearing it right away etc
Wheels and tires you're buying anyways
Keep the discussion going
Have your axle costs but could search around for a good price on it, wouldn't have to worry about regearing it right away etc
Wheels and tires you're buying anyways
Keep the discussion going