Awesome. Is it just luck that the color looks like it matches the body or can you order it to match? If I hadn't seen this, I would have gone for a chrome bumper. I like this much better. If ya had the dough, makes ya wanna go and get a matching front bumper and maybe grill, eh?

 

I'm sorry, but there doesn't seem to be any posts less than 7 years old to answer my questions about this mod.

How are most of you protecting the areas behind the wheels from taking a beating? Spraying on some extra undercoating? Stainless metal shield? Hard clear coat on painted lower?

I made a mistake not installing mud flaps on my 99 E350 XLT Club Wagon (converted for cargo). It would have kept the side much cleaner (always tar from somewhere). It may have prevented the large square hole that developed behind the right rear well. The first time I was "cash challenged" and patched it with some heavy galvanized, some silicone and stainless screws. After adding 246K to the 77K it had when I bought it, the hole is back. ((Fun side assunote: Although I couldn't confirm through title records, I suspect the van was originally used for a prisoner transport judging from the plethora of mounting holes left in the interior and the GPS or roof strobe wiring to the roof. Oddly enough, I sold the seats to a prison in downtown Chicago))

Since the van is white, I didn't think black mudflaps would look good. At one point I got a hold of a plain white semi-truck mud flap at a truck stop to fabricate my own. Looking back, I think I'd go with some black ones made frbom a large truck flap so I can make it the shape I want for both looks and to protect higher up in the well. If you don't like the black with a lighter colored van, I wonder if you can use a flex type bumper mix of paint to color-match the rear exposed surface of the flap? Found one reference in the forum which looked interesting. It was a "Ford Splash Sheild Assembly" for an F-Pickup. It had some extra protection around the rim for wide tires. Don't know if it can be used in a van.

Several mentions about the axle spacing. The front and rear tracks are different. The track for a non-dually E350 is about 69.4 inches in front and seemed to vary up AND down from 1998 thru 2011 between 66.4 to 67 inches (I only looked at 5 years). I think the my manual says max dog track (front-back diff) is 1.25"? I do remember an interesting comment in the diagnosis section that it was common for people to think it was out of alignment when looking at it from behind because of the track diff. I can only think that it is that way to accomodate the dually on some models? Should make the spacer mandatory on the 15 passenger models.

happy trucking

 

Good question RocketmAAn----any signfigance to the capitalized double A's ??

Mud flaps mounted behind the wheels are great ideas and while sometimes unsightly great reduce incidents of eventual rust. As you point out those areas constantly pelted by road debris in any climate removes much of the factory finish and rust inhibiting primers/coating.

Today there are urethane sheet masks either ready made or can be custom cut by sign or vehicle graphics outfits. If that's too expensive you can probably find the material yourself and a little DIY gives you almost invisible wheel well protection.

Another thing to always keep in mind if you live in winter climates is cleaning the wheel wells regularly. Caked mud holds moisture against the body which c can promote rust in time.

Just a bit of information-----hope its even partially helpful!

 

I went with the Bushwacker "Extend-A-Fender" flares on my E350. They keep the major crud off the body, though mud flaps would add a bit more protection at the bottom. I'm running the 2" rear wheel spacers and LT265/70R17's. Here's a photo of the front and rear.

 

John do your tires extend past the outside of the body at all?

Those flares not only look decent but have to give a lot of protection too.

 

JWA,
Yes. When I went to the aftermarket wheels and larger tires, they were beyond the body a bit. I was getting a lot of road spray the entire length of the van. The flares made a huge difference, extending just beyond the tires. I like the way they look with all the other black accents.

 

RocketmAAn,

I'll attempt to answer your questions.

Not sure I want to guess at a limit, but I would think that any lift requires correction in the front alignment and the driveline angle. I would expect to use a degree corrected lift block at the leaf springs with any rear lift.

I did make a camber adjustment when lifting the front. I found some two-piece, 4-degree camber bushings. I probably ony needed 2-1/2 degrees with the 2" lift.

I was able to correct my speedo and rear diff ratio with an SCT Tunner in the custom options section.

I had allready changed my rear diff ratio to compensate for tire size, and the shift points were improved with the performance tune in the SCT Tunner. My differential guy said that going from 3.73 to 4.10 would compensate for 3" of tire height increase.

Hope this helps.....

 

Thanks for all the information. Had no idea there was something like a "degree corrected lift block". I at least know enough, to know I don't know enough, now!

E350John, those are bad *** wheels. gotta think about going bigger than stock. Thanks for all the info.

JWA: I take it the urethane sheet masks can be applied on the rocker panel as well as the well and underneath. A vehicle graphics place would probably supply stuff that won't yellow under UV exposure. Thanks

RocketMan was a nickname given to me by an expeditor/courier dispatcher I once drove for (later they tried to elevate that to "Sputnik", but it didn't stick). Think I was in a Cutlass Ciera Wagon (one of the few cars that fit) or as my neighbor called it, "a chick magnet" ;-). When I started playing poker I used the name with the AA to rep a starting Holdem hand of a pair of Aces, aka: Bullets, American Airlines or Pocket Rockets.

 

Rocket you're 100% correct about the urethane over lays----today they're formulated for vehicles which would include weather resistant with the ability to withstand wheel well or rocker panel use. The only consideration if self-applying would be where or how the underside edges end. I'm sure any shop you contact will have full information on this.

Not being a poker player---can't afford that luxury---I'd never have thought it was a hand although the American Airlines thought did enter my mind. Thanks for sharing!

 

Killer RC where were you purchasing those wheels from? Those look pretty close to the stock Ford premium wheels. How big can you go without doing the body lift. We have a 12 passenger E-350 too and would like to soften the ride. I was hoping to find some softer tires when I change the wheels. We have four kids and don't need that heavy duty truck ride. Hopefully we can accomplish this without jeopardizing the safety of the van.

 

Where can you find the lift kit with the RCS Upgrades? I have a 2009 Ford E350 with RCS (2wd) and would like to lift it between (2" and 3").

 

Those spring spacers came from Maxx Lift Suspension.

But- you will need to source some hardware yourself. Plus shocks.

Action Vans makes a 2" lift using taller springs, for RSC vans. They don't list it on their website, but I've spoken with a guy named Larry over there and he told me about it. $800 comes with 4 shocks and all hardware.
1-949-361-6508.

They probably have a toll free # but I don't know it.

 

what brand and part or model # is that air kit ? im looking to get one for my 2005 e-150 and what compressor did you use with ?