1992 E150 Custom with wheelchair lift, me and the wheelchair weigh about 725 lbs and when i roll on to the lift platform and hit the button to go up the van leans to the right quite a bit initially and i wondered if there is way to minimize the lean, would gas shocks help with that ?








Once the gate is folded up and the doors are shut everything is fine but when the gate is unfolded and i roll out onto it the van leans quite a bit to the right.. Probably no more than it should but i would like to make is stiffer if i can..

 

Those with lift van's might better speak to a solution but wouldn't this be considered pretty much normal? Wouldn't the lift installer have added something to compensate if it were an issue?

The biggest problem I see would be increased wear on the right side spings leading to them needing replaced a bit sooner than the left side.

Having your van unequally sprung might cause handling issues while driving----not good with the clog of morons on the roads these days.

Shocks work mostly to damp quick suspension movement---like bumps, pot holes, lane changes etc. The relative slow action of your lift while in motion might not be affected by stronger shocks.

FWIW a gas shock is intended to maintain its damping even when hot, the gas pressure helping the enclosed oil to remain a liquid even under extreme heat conditions such as a road race. Not that you're entering any competitions with your van?

 

That might be an uneasy ride, they do make regular and remote controlled 12v Trailer Tongue Jacks fairly cheap. A hole in the floor and a frame mount welded close to the lift? It would make the Van pretty hard to steal if you put the jack down.........LOL

 

That might be a great idea---increase it to 4 jacks, raise them just enough to not really lift tires up too far--watch 'em try stealing it then!

 

I bought ride-rite air bags to install in my coil springs up front, used the independent valves to air each one up instead of the T, because it would allow the air to shift to the other bag, had to get an alignment after to correct the camber, take note on the air pressure, it need remain constant to keep the camber setting. This worked for 10 years, the bags are rotten, requiring replacement, but I've been driving my 73 and neglecting the 99 E-350.

 

that's exactly what i was looking for but now that i realize it will affect the steering geometry i will just tolerate it, it only happens when i am loading or unloading so no big deal i guess..

 

Doesn't bother steering geometry, depending on the pressure, it may lift your van, changing the camber, doesn't bother steering, you don't quite understand how I-beams operate. The loading/unloading process breaks down the suspension eventually, look at any handicap converted van, they start leaning to the passenger side permanently.

 

Sounds to me like you're looking for something to serve the same function as a sway bar. A sway bar functions by transferring weight to the other side of the vehicle when a force acts to cause the van to lean. The bar is very stiff and runs transversely between the control arms or steering knuckles. When a force causes the body to lean, like when you're lifting yourself into the van, the rigid bar provides resistance and acts to compress the suspension on the other side.

I would suggest looking at a sway bar upgrade or adding a rear sway bar if your van doesn't have one.

HowStuffWorks "How do stabilizer bars work?"

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/he...-150-econoline

 

Adding to Tom's thoughts there's nothing quite as dramatic an improvement in handling as adding a rear sway bar.

Front stock sway bars up to '07 are subject to the I-Beam bushings wearing out, the result being a huge loss of effectiveness up front. Its highly recommended upgrading those to urethane--I've done three E250's so far. Best part of it is it tends to be one time thing---they last forever.

 

Forget the swaybar, I don't care how heavy duty it is it will not stand the weight and time, I'm telling you from experience, I wasn't disabled yesterday and have friends who have been in longer than me, air bag it with them independently inflated, or enjoy driving a van that sits lower on the passenger side, requiring springs every few years.

 

BTW I installed the bags in my coils on the 99 by myself, just rolled up and jacked up my jan till the coil dropped to the side, soaped it, then worked it in, didn't take the tires off, when I put 35 psi in it, let it settle, I decided to get an alignment, just keep them with the same pressure after an alignment and it's fine, it's worked for 10 years!

 

Conversation about sway bars isn't meant to mean that's the solution for a mounted lift and its action on the right side springs. We drifted slightly from the OP but your input how to deal with this is spot on Maples01. After all you're living with this situation.

Sorry if we drifted astray!

 

That's exactly what I was suggesting.

The OP asked about minimizing the lean when he hits the button. The whole purpose of a sway bar is to minimize body roll without having a serious impact on ride. It's not as comprehensive a solution as air bags, but it's one that wouldn't require as much adjustment or maintenance.

I've used air bags in the past and have really liked them. The OP should just be aware that they will stiffen the ride some.

 

Anti-sway bar is great idea, thank you for the suggestion..

 

I am going to add a sway bar to my 73 when I can spare the cash because I like hanging corners, but have to tackle the 1" drop my van suffers from due to the wear, the 40 year old van took no time to get low on the side with the lift, something the 99 was saved from with the bags, the swaybars on it made no difference BTW, same as a friends 96, it lost 2" of height, was really leaning over.
I keep my vehicles a long time, my friend has had the 96 since he got it in 97, has 360,000 miles on it, has a couple of Econolines, you can spot a wheelchair van by their stance, drop to the side.
BTW, "Once the gate is folded up and the doors are shut everything is fine but when the gate is unfolded and i roll out onto it the van leans quite a bit to the right.. Probably no more than it should but i would like to make is stiffer if i can.. ," a swaybar ain't gonna get it.