According to their website, the Weldtec kit includes a rear block kit. It looks like they will sell you a bent I beam kit for you to install at home or elsewhere which is cool. If you want the Camburg bent I beam kit, you have to take it into their shop and have them install it. I recently got the Camburg kit installed, but had I known that the Weldtec kit could have been sold without installation, I would have seriously considered this kit to save a good chunk of change.
Weldtec Design 2WD Bent I-Beam Lift for E350 (E series vans)
- Thread starter radorsch
- Start date
Vannibal Smith
New member
How do you like your camburg? Are you running 285's, and do your tires rub also?
I think the blocks were an option when I did my lift, but I opted to do re-arch the springs instead. I've heard that national spring actually went out of business since then, which is a bummer.
I may need to call Jeremy about some of those Fox shocks! I'm gonna need some rear shocks in the not too distance future and maybe I'll upgrade the front, too.
I may need to call Jeremy about some of those Fox shocks! I'm gonna need some rear shocks in the not too distance future and maybe I'll upgrade the front, too.
I like it. I run 285/75/16's and I think it might have a slight rub on the sway bar at full crank, but very minor. I've only put about 1000 miles on it but so far, so good. I really think this Weldtec kit would have been a viable option for me if they had packaged their kit a little sooner. Before radorsch bought their kit, it was pretty much unknown (at least on the forums) and I'm not adventurous enough to be the guinea pig.
Vannibal Smith
New member
Great info, thanks! Did you guys see a big change in mpg after doing these lifts? If you're running a 5.4L, is your engine still happy in stock gearing?
I've got the 5.4. I did the lift, 285's and added a roof rack pretty much all at once... and I didn't do anything to adjust the speedo/odo - I stayed with stock 3.73 gears. My "mileage" dropped from 15mpg fully loaded highway to 10-11 fully loaded highway. I'm sure a couple of these mpgs are due to the inaccuracy of the odo (and someone smarter than me could calculate it, I bet), but I definitely lost 1-2 mpg I'd bet. I just got the van back from the shop this afternoon after switching to 4.10, so I should have better numbers in the future. I have not noticed a significant problem with 3.73s, other than the speedo/odo, but there was a bit of a dip in performance (minor) - it could be the tires or the gears. Again, I'll see how it changes with the new R&P.
Addendum:
There is a very noticeable improvement in performance with the new gears. Feels smoother and is particularly noticeable going up steeper hills. I expected some improvement, but it is much more than I thought - at least at the lower speeds/street driving. Note, this is not a huge performance increase, like upgrading to V10/5R110, but a nice noticeable improvement. I'm still breaking in the gears, so I'm still babying it and nothing over 60mph yet. I'll update once I get a few hundred more miles on it... and I'll get a better mpg avg.
2nd Addendum:
2500 mile road trip last month. Fuel economy averaged about 12mpg - best was 13.5, worst was 9 (85mph on I70 into a head wind). All fully loaded with gear, people and a pile of bikes on the rear rack.
The new gears were a small, but clearly noticeable improvement in lower speed performance and shifting. It was less notable at moderate highway speeds (70) and slightly decreased top end as I approached 80mph (I don't get up there very often, though). Overall, a good investment.
Handling was still great on the trip.. very comfortable one hand driving at 80mph.
Addendum:
There is a very noticeable improvement in performance with the new gears. Feels smoother and is particularly noticeable going up steeper hills. I expected some improvement, but it is much more than I thought - at least at the lower speeds/street driving. Note, this is not a huge performance increase, like upgrading to V10/5R110, but a nice noticeable improvement. I'm still breaking in the gears, so I'm still babying it and nothing over 60mph yet. I'll update once I get a few hundred more miles on it... and I'll get a better mpg avg.
2nd Addendum:
2500 mile road trip last month. Fuel economy averaged about 12mpg - best was 13.5, worst was 9 (85mph on I70 into a head wind). All fully loaded with gear, people and a pile of bikes on the rear rack.
The new gears were a small, but clearly noticeable improvement in lower speed performance and shifting. It was less notable at moderate highway speeds (70) and slightly decreased top end as I approached 80mph (I don't get up there very often, though). Overall, a good investment.
Handling was still great on the trip.. very comfortable one hand driving at 80mph.
Last edited:
Vannibal Smith
New member
Good news! Thanks for the info...keep me posted since I'm sure we'll be in the same boat.
drobb
Adventurer
Thanks for all the info. Your rig is right along the lines I will probably go if my Sequoia ever dies
I took the van into my mechanic to diagnose the Service RSC Now error. It was caused by a bad front left ABS sensor. I'm getting it replaced, but the error code was definitely not caused by the lift.
Interestingly, he said they had done at least 20 or so ABS sensors on ford vans/trucks with RCS over the last month or so and almost all were front left. Wonder if thats a known problem or just coincidence? Its kinda weird.
Interestingly, he said they had done at least 20 or so ABS sensors on ford vans/trucks with RCS over the last month or so and almost all were front left. Wonder if thats a known problem or just coincidence? Its kinda weird.
Weldtec Designs
Active member
Yes, our suspension kits work with any E series vans or F series trucks. We will be adding more pics and how to install video to help you guys who would like to install the stage 2 kit yourself. The stage two kit does require you to weld the radius arm brackets to the frame.
Please let us know if you have any additional questions or check out our site for info and pricing.
Thanks.
Please let us know if you have any additional questions or check out our site for info and pricing.
Thanks.
WUzombies
Adventurer
Stupid question: what's the crossover between years of the f-150 and e-150? I thought they were similar but split paths at some point from being nearly the same, or did I just make that up?
Weldtec Designs
Active member
Ford stopped using I beams in 1996 on the F150, none of which are really the same as the van. I was just mentioning f150 as to emails about lifting older I beam models.
Petrolburner
Explorer
In regards to the gearing change, I'm thinking of doing the same thing for my E350 with 5.4l. My main motivation is to keep the van from downshifting out of OD so often. It seems like at cruise my van is below the power band, and a change in axle ratio would help out the big girl. Did you notice the same problem and was there an improvement with the gear change?