Maxx Lift Leveling Kit
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Maxx Lift Leveling Kit
Hello everyone, Im new to this forum as a member but have referenced you guys many times in a tough situation and found answers! I recently installed the Maxx Lift Leveling kit for my 2013 E 250 Van, and had many concerns and questions that hopefully somebody on here can answer. I've tried getting answers from Maxx Lift but they stopped responding to my emails....im very frustrated with the company, and hopefully am not alone with my problems....oh well here it is:
After removing the wheels the instructions called to 'remove the lower shock bolt'...well on my 2013 the lower shock bolt is pressed into the control arm. The only way to remove it would be to drill it out....instead I loosened the top shock bolt and it gave me the wiggle room i needed to slide the shock off the lower mount (it was still a huge pain.....the driver shock has very little room to move, so it was really hard to get the geometry to let us slide the shock off). With the shock off and the sway bar disconnected the instructions call to remove the large bolt which bolts the lower spring retainer on, as well to remove the upper coil spring retainer....This is where the real issues start coming to play:
The bolt they provide is a Grade 5 bolt, and they say to bolt it in upside down and to use the extension studs IF NEEDED...not required for all lifts to my understanding.....well my Grade 5 bolt that Maxx Lift sent in the kit was too short...so I added the stud extenders...still to short to even thread on a nut....let alone the entire lower spring retainer as well! Luckily I went to a local nut and bolt shop where they had 10" Grade 8 bolts which i was able to use.
Heres something weird...the instructions call for you to install the new bolt upside down from the OEM direction of the bolt....WHY INVERT IT?...its less safe if the nut were to fail, then the bolt could potentially fall out...there is no reason to do it upside down....so i didnt!! I put my new bolt in the OEM way, through the new spacer and lower coil spring retainer and it worked fine. So it seems stupid to change this.....
Next issue....the stock suspension has about 4 or 5 inches of drop in it...after adding the 2" spacer, there is now 2 or 3 inches of drop....I noticed the sway bar gets tight quickly...and I thought...DUH you added two inches of drop so the geometry is off!! I was thinking if I could find drop arms for the sway bar that are 2 inches longer that would solve the problem....relocating the sway bar 2 inches lower seems like PITA....anyone know where to find/fabricate some sway bar linkages???
Next issue...the kit adds 2 inches of travel to you suspension but doesnt recommend new shocks? Upon releasing the front driver side from the support (I held the assembly up with a 4"x4" while it was on the lift to support it) The driver shock blew out....i was hoping this wouldnt happen, but seems to make sense since the new suspension travel is 2" longer than the stock shock...so this is the big question...WHAT SHOCKS WILL FIT MY NEW SETUP?? I need shocks with the same OEM compressed length, but a 2" longer extended length....where do i find this shock? has anyone dealt with this before??
Next issue...the camber alignment is totally off....i need to buy a camber adjustment kit or take it to a shop to get the angles fixed. After the lift the tires sit at an angle because of the lift....anyone know the correct kit i need to fix the camber angle??
In the end, the 'cheap quick lift' ended up being not so cheap....I broke a Snapon 1/2" breaker bar...bought new bolts, nuts and washers...I still need to buy new shocks. I need to buy new sway bar linkages...I need to buy a camber adjustment kit....so im thinking instead of the $100 i thought i was going to spend, its going to be more like $500....anyone else have issues like me??
After removing the wheels the instructions called to 'remove the lower shock bolt'...well on my 2013 the lower shock bolt is pressed into the control arm. The only way to remove it would be to drill it out....instead I loosened the top shock bolt and it gave me the wiggle room i needed to slide the shock off the lower mount (it was still a huge pain.....the driver shock has very little room to move, so it was really hard to get the geometry to let us slide the shock off). With the shock off and the sway bar disconnected the instructions call to remove the large bolt which bolts the lower spring retainer on, as well to remove the upper coil spring retainer....This is where the real issues start coming to play:
The bolt they provide is a Grade 5 bolt, and they say to bolt it in upside down and to use the extension studs IF NEEDED...not required for all lifts to my understanding.....well my Grade 5 bolt that Maxx Lift sent in the kit was too short...so I added the stud extenders...still to short to even thread on a nut....let alone the entire lower spring retainer as well! Luckily I went to a local nut and bolt shop where they had 10" Grade 8 bolts which i was able to use.
Heres something weird...the instructions call for you to install the new bolt upside down from the OEM direction of the bolt....WHY INVERT IT?...its less safe if the nut were to fail, then the bolt could potentially fall out...there is no reason to do it upside down....so i didnt!! I put my new bolt in the OEM way, through the new spacer and lower coil spring retainer and it worked fine. So it seems stupid to change this.....
Next issue....the stock suspension has about 4 or 5 inches of drop in it...after adding the 2" spacer, there is now 2 or 3 inches of drop....I noticed the sway bar gets tight quickly...and I thought...DUH you added two inches of drop so the geometry is off!! I was thinking if I could find drop arms for the sway bar that are 2 inches longer that would solve the problem....relocating the sway bar 2 inches lower seems like PITA....anyone know where to find/fabricate some sway bar linkages???
Next issue...the kit adds 2 inches of travel to you suspension but doesnt recommend new shocks? Upon releasing the front driver side from the support (I held the assembly up with a 4"x4" while it was on the lift to support it) The driver shock blew out....i was hoping this wouldnt happen, but seems to make sense since the new suspension travel is 2" longer than the stock shock...so this is the big question...WHAT SHOCKS WILL FIT MY NEW SETUP?? I need shocks with the same OEM compressed length, but a 2" longer extended length....where do i find this shock? has anyone dealt with this before??
Next issue...the camber alignment is totally off....i need to buy a camber adjustment kit or take it to a shop to get the angles fixed. After the lift the tires sit at an angle because of the lift....anyone know the correct kit i need to fix the camber angle??
In the end, the 'cheap quick lift' ended up being not so cheap....I broke a Snapon 1/2" breaker bar...bought new bolts, nuts and washers...I still need to buy new shocks. I need to buy new sway bar linkages...I need to buy a camber adjustment kit....so im thinking instead of the $100 i thought i was going to spend, its going to be more like $500....anyone else have issues like me??
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,512
Likes: 18
From: Detroit
Not many of us vanners are into aftermarket suspension mods except for extra load purposes; the rear end of my E150 sits lower than the rear end visually. Even with a lift, you can't put a huge tire on the front unless you cut the wheel wells and the center of gravity is high enough for me. Are you planning on offroading your van? I have had fantasies of lifting my van or doing a 4WD conversion but I have a Subaru for the degree of off-roading I need, and have actually done very well with my big vans with a posi rear end on snow, fire roads, and muddy campground trails.
The twin I-beams do not lend themselves well to lifting; the proper van lift kits cost $2000-3000 for parts only. Sorry, but it sounds like you got what you paid for, or less, which is usually the case. If I were you I'd take the cheap stuff off now before you hurt yourself and call it a lesson (I've had many of those over the years).
Camburg and Action Van do some "real" lift kits and might be able to help you with shocks:
Camburg Ford E-Series Van 2wd 97-14 Baja Performance Kit
Action Van Suspension - System Details - Ford Van Lift Kits
Good luck for a safe and aligned van in the end,
George
The twin I-beams do not lend themselves well to lifting; the proper van lift kits cost $2000-3000 for parts only. Sorry, but it sounds like you got what you paid for, or less, which is usually the case. If I were you I'd take the cheap stuff off now before you hurt yourself and call it a lesson (I've had many of those over the years).
Camburg and Action Van do some "real" lift kits and might be able to help you with shocks:
Camburg Ford E-Series Van 2wd 97-14 Baja Performance Kit
Action Van Suspension - System Details - Ford Van Lift Kits
Good luck for a safe and aligned van in the end,
George
Freshman User
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
Hello everyone, Im new to this forum as a member but have referenced you guys many times in a tough situation and found answers! I recently installed the MaxxLift Leveling kit for my 2013 E 250 Van, and had many concerns and questions that hopefully somebody on here can answer. I've tried getting answers from MaxxLift but they stopped responding to my emails....im very frustrated with the company, and hopefully am not alone with my problems....oh well here it is:
After removing the wheels the instructions called to 'remove the lower shock bolt'...well on my 2013 the lower shock bolt is pressed into the control arm. The only way to remove it would be to drill it out....instead I loosened the top shock bolt and it gave me the wiggle room i needed to slide the shock off the lower mount (it was still a huge pain.....the driver shock has very little room to move, so it was really hard to get the geometry to let us slide the shock off). With the shock off and the sway bar disconnected the instructions call to remove the large bolt which bolts the lower spring retainer on, as well to remove the upper coil spring retainer....This is where the real issues start coming to play:
The bolt they provide is a Grade 5 bolt, and they say to bolt it in upside down and to use the extension studs IF NEEDED...not required for all lifts to my understanding.....well my Grade 5 bolt that MaxxLift sent in the kit was too short...so I added the stud extenders...still to short to even thread on a nut....let alone the entire lower spring retainer as well! Luckily I went to a local nut and bolt shop where they had 10" Grade 8 bolts which i was able to use.
Heres something weird...the instructions call for you to install the new bolt upside down from the OEM direction of the bolt....WHY INVERT IT?...its less safe if the nut were to fail, then the bolt could potentially fall out...there is no reason to do it upside down....so i didnt!! I put my new bolt in the OEM way, through the new spacer and lower coil spring retainer and it worked fine. So it seems stupid to change this.....
Next issue....the stock suspension has about 4 or 5 inches of drop in it...after adding the 2" spacer, there is now 2 or 3 inches of drop....I noticed the sway bar gets tight quickly...and I thought...DUH you added two inches of drop so the geometry is off!! I was thinking if I could find drop arms for the sway bar that are 2 inches longer that would solve the problem....relocating the sway bar 2 inches lower seems like PITA....anyone know where to find/fabricate some sway bar linkages???
Next issue...the kit adds 2 inches of travel to you suspension but doesnt recommend new shocks? Upon releasing the front driver side from the support (I held the assembly up with a 4"x4" while it was on the lift to support it) The driver shock blew out....i was hoping this wouldnt happen, but seems to make sense since the new suspension travel is 2" longer than the stock shock...so this is the big question...WHAT SHOCKS WILL FIT MY NEW SETUP?? I need shocks with the same OEM compressed length, but a 2" longer extended length....where do i find this shock? has anyone dealt with this before??
Next issue...the camber alignment is totally off....i need to buy a camber adjustment kit or take it to a shop to get the angles fixed. After the lift the tires sit at an angle because of the lift....anyone know the correct kit i need to fix the camber angle??
In the end, the 'cheap quick lift' ended up being not so cheap....I broke a Snapon 1/2" breaker bar...bought new bolts, nuts and washers...I still need to buy new shocks. I need to buy new sway bar linkages...I need to buy a camber adjustment kit....so im thinking instead of the $100 i thought i was going to spend, its going to be more like $500....anyone else have issues like me??<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
fficeffice" /><o
></o>
<o> </o>
Here’s the deal. I just did this with a custom kit for my 2002 E350 V10 using a leveling kit intended for a 99-04 F250/350 2wd truck. The spacer design and dimensions are exactly the same and they cost about 1/3 that of the Maxx Lift pieces when you count the ridiculous shipping costs. I do not recommend using the poly spacers as they tend to settle over time and lose their form. The use a of a grade 5 bolt for the radius arm to I-beam junction is risky. There is a great deal of load from braking forces and square edged road bumps that will compromise the integrity of a grade 5 bolt. I used a ¾-10 x 8” long grade 8 bolt installed from the bottom of the beam for my application as well as the supplied (junk) stud extender with the leveling kit. The stud extender can be junk when used as intended since it does nothing more than locate the position of the coil spacer and lower coil retainer ID. Before the extender is installed I placed a ¾” washer and a ¾-10 nylock grade 8 nut to secure the beam and radius arm together. After the junction is solid, the extender can be installed with Loctite and torqued to a moderate level since it isn’t a quality fastener.
Shock selection is very important with the kit and one that took me a decent amount of time to work out. I ended up using Explorer Pro Comp 1000 series shocks (EXP118510) that are $32 each from 4 Wheel Parts. These are the appropriate length and allow for the needed droop travel increase to prevent topping out the stock shocks. The stock ones don’t work, regardless of what the companies say so plan on spending money here as well.
The sway bar is another consideration Maxx Lift ignores. The stock unit on my van mounts conventionally to the chassis but has no end link connection at the beam. Instead, the bar passes through an eye bushing in the beam. This works great for a stock height vehicle, but once lifted it binds and limits free stroke travel in a hurry. My bushings are worn out in the beams so this isn’t a big deal for me in my application, but one I am sourcing parts to permanently repair. The fix for older vans like mine includes either making drop mounts for the chassis brackets or updating the bar to the newer style with custom end links that can account for the lift increase. Newer Ford vans use a conventional end link design. This is the most common and easy to deal with in the aftermarket. For an example of how to lengthen the end links, use Google and search for a heim joint end link with eye adapter. These are common for Jeep and Dodge 4x4 vehicles and easy to manipulate for use on the vans.
Once the lift is complete, the camber and caster will be several degrees off and will need an adjustable bushing in the I-beam to replace the fixed location stock unit. I used a Moog K80109 unit for my van and they worked great allowing me to set the caster and camber without issues. The install was easy with these units as well. Be sure to tighten the pinch bolt on the I-beam good as there have been reports of this type of cam working their way out over time. Mine have not presented any issues after a couple thousand miles of hard use.
I am very pleased with the outcome of the van and it allowed me to install a set of 265/75R16 Nexen Roadian MT tires (thanks again Nexen for the hookup). From stock, my van picked up about 3" total lift and is quite noticable compared to a stock one side by side.
<o></o>
<o>Scott </o>
After removing the wheels the instructions called to 'remove the lower shock bolt'...well on my 2013 the lower shock bolt is pressed into the control arm. The only way to remove it would be to drill it out....instead I loosened the top shock bolt and it gave me the wiggle room i needed to slide the shock off the lower mount (it was still a huge pain.....the driver shock has very little room to move, so it was really hard to get the geometry to let us slide the shock off). With the shock off and the sway bar disconnected the instructions call to remove the large bolt which bolts the lower spring retainer on, as well to remove the upper coil spring retainer....This is where the real issues start coming to play:
The bolt they provide is a Grade 5 bolt, and they say to bolt it in upside down and to use the extension studs IF NEEDED...not required for all lifts to my understanding.....well my Grade 5 bolt that MaxxLift sent in the kit was too short...so I added the stud extenders...still to short to even thread on a nut....let alone the entire lower spring retainer as well! Luckily I went to a local nut and bolt shop where they had 10" Grade 8 bolts which i was able to use.
Heres something weird...the instructions call for you to install the new bolt upside down from the OEM direction of the bolt....WHY INVERT IT?...its less safe if the nut were to fail, then the bolt could potentially fall out...there is no reason to do it upside down....so i didnt!! I put my new bolt in the OEM way, through the new spacer and lower coil spring retainer and it worked fine. So it seems stupid to change this.....
Next issue....the stock suspension has about 4 or 5 inches of drop in it...after adding the 2" spacer, there is now 2 or 3 inches of drop....I noticed the sway bar gets tight quickly...and I thought...DUH you added two inches of drop so the geometry is off!! I was thinking if I could find drop arms for the sway bar that are 2 inches longer that would solve the problem....relocating the sway bar 2 inches lower seems like PITA....anyone know where to find/fabricate some sway bar linkages???
Next issue...the kit adds 2 inches of travel to you suspension but doesnt recommend new shocks? Upon releasing the front driver side from the support (I held the assembly up with a 4"x4" while it was on the lift to support it) The driver shock blew out....i was hoping this wouldnt happen, but seems to make sense since the new suspension travel is 2" longer than the stock shock...so this is the big question...WHAT SHOCKS WILL FIT MY NEW SETUP?? I need shocks with the same OEM compressed length, but a 2" longer extended length....where do i find this shock? has anyone dealt with this before??
Next issue...the camber alignment is totally off....i need to buy a camber adjustment kit or take it to a shop to get the angles fixed. After the lift the tires sit at an angle because of the lift....anyone know the correct kit i need to fix the camber angle??
In the end, the 'cheap quick lift' ended up being not so cheap....I broke a Snapon 1/2" breaker bar...bought new bolts, nuts and washers...I still need to buy new shocks. I need to buy new sway bar linkages...I need to buy a camber adjustment kit....so im thinking instead of the $100 i thought i was going to spend, its going to be more like $500....anyone else have issues like me??<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
fficeffice" /><o></o><o
> </o>Here’s the deal. I just did this with a custom kit for my 2002 E350 V10 using a leveling kit intended for a 99-04 F250/350 2wd truck. The spacer design and dimensions are exactly the same and they cost about 1/3 that of the Maxx Lift pieces when you count the ridiculous shipping costs. I do not recommend using the poly spacers as they tend to settle over time and lose their form. The use a of a grade 5 bolt for the radius arm to I-beam junction is risky. There is a great deal of load from braking forces and square edged road bumps that will compromise the integrity of a grade 5 bolt. I used a ¾-10 x 8” long grade 8 bolt installed from the bottom of the beam for my application as well as the supplied (junk) stud extender with the leveling kit. The stud extender can be junk when used as intended since it does nothing more than locate the position of the coil spacer and lower coil retainer ID. Before the extender is installed I placed a ¾” washer and a ¾-10 nylock grade 8 nut to secure the beam and radius arm together. After the junction is solid, the extender can be installed with Loctite and torqued to a moderate level since it isn’t a quality fastener.
Shock selection is very important with the kit and one that took me a decent amount of time to work out. I ended up using Explorer Pro Comp 1000 series shocks (EXP118510) that are $32 each from 4 Wheel Parts. These are the appropriate length and allow for the needed droop travel increase to prevent topping out the stock shocks. The stock ones don’t work, regardless of what the companies say so plan on spending money here as well.
The sway bar is another consideration Maxx Lift ignores. The stock unit on my van mounts conventionally to the chassis but has no end link connection at the beam. Instead, the bar passes through an eye bushing in the beam. This works great for a stock height vehicle, but once lifted it binds and limits free stroke travel in a hurry. My bushings are worn out in the beams so this isn’t a big deal for me in my application, but one I am sourcing parts to permanently repair. The fix for older vans like mine includes either making drop mounts for the chassis brackets or updating the bar to the newer style with custom end links that can account for the lift increase. Newer Ford vans use a conventional end link design. This is the most common and easy to deal with in the aftermarket. For an example of how to lengthen the end links, use Google and search for a heim joint end link with eye adapter. These are common for Jeep and Dodge 4x4 vehicles and easy to manipulate for use on the vans.
Once the lift is complete, the camber and caster will be several degrees off and will need an adjustable bushing in the I-beam to replace the fixed location stock unit. I used a Moog K80109 unit for my van and they worked great allowing me to set the caster and camber without issues. The install was easy with these units as well. Be sure to tighten the pinch bolt on the I-beam good as there have been reports of this type of cam working their way out over time. Mine have not presented any issues after a couple thousand miles of hard use.
I am very pleased with the outcome of the van and it allowed me to install a set of 265/75R16 Nexen Roadian MT tires (thanks again Nexen for the hookup). From stock, my van picked up about 3" total lift and is quite noticable compared to a stock one side by side.
<o
></o><o
>Scott </o>
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
e250
Hello everyone, Im new to this forum as a member but have referenced you guys many times in a tough situation and found answers! I recently installed the MaxxLift Leveling kit for my 2013 E 250 Van, and had many concerns and questions that hopefully somebody on here can answer. I've tried getting answers from MaxxLift but they stopped responding to my emails....im very frustrated with the company, and hopefully am not alone with my problems....oh well here it is:
After removing the wheels the instructions called to 'remove the lower shock bolt'...well on my 2013 the lower shock bolt is pressed into the control arm. The only way to remove it would be to drill it out....instead I loosened the top shock bolt and it gave me the wiggle room i needed to slide the shock off the lower mount (it was still a huge pain.....the driver shock has very little room to move, so it was really hard to get the geometry to let us slide the shock off). With the shock off and the sway bar disconnected the instructions call to remove the large bolt which bolts the lower spring retainer on, as well to remove the upper coil spring retainer....This is where the real issues start coming to play:
The bolt they provide is a Grade 5 bolt, and they say to bolt it in upside down and to use the extension studs IF NEEDED...not required for all lifts to my understanding.....well my Grade 5 bolt that MaxxLift sent in the kit was too short...so I added the stud extenders...still to short to even thread on a nut....let alone the entire lower spring retainer as well! Luckily I went to a local nut and bolt shop where they had 10" Grade 8 bolts which i was able to use.
Heres something weird...the instructions call for you to install the new bolt upside down from the OEM direction of the bolt....WHY INVERT IT?...its less safe if the nut were to fail, then the bolt could potentially fall out...there is no reason to do it upside down....so i didnt!! I put my new bolt in the OEM way, through the new spacer and lower coil spring retainer and it worked fine. So it seems stupid to change this.....
Next issue....the stock suspension has about 4 or 5 inches of drop in it...after adding the 2" spacer, there is now 2 or 3 inches of drop....I noticed the sway bar gets tight quickly...and I thought...DUH you added two inches of drop so the geometry is off!! I was thinking if I could find drop arms for the sway bar that are 2 inches longer that would solve the problem....relocating the sway bar 2 inches lower seems like PITA....anyone know where to find/fabricate some sway bar linkages???
Next issue...the kit adds 2 inches of travel to you suspension but doesnt recommend new shocks? Upon releasing the front driver side from the support (I held the assembly up with a 4"x4" while it was on the lift to support it) The driver shock blew out....i was hoping this wouldnt happen, but seems to make sense since the new suspension travel is 2" longer than the stock shock...so this is the big question...WHAT SHOCKS WILL FIT MY NEW SETUP?? I need shocks with the same OEM compressed length, but a 2" longer extended length....where do i find this shock? has anyone dealt with this before??
Next issue...the camber alignment is totally off....i need to buy a camber adjustment kit or take it to a shop to get the angles fixed. After the lift the tires sit at an angle because of the lift....anyone know the correct kit i need to fix the camber angle??
In the end, the 'cheap quick lift' ended up being not so cheap....I broke a Snapon 1/2" breaker bar...bought new bolts, nuts and washers...I still need to buy new shocks. I need to buy new sway bar linkages...I need to buy a camber adjustment kit....so im thinking instead of the $100 i thought i was going to spend, its going to be more like $500....anyone else have issues like me??<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
<o> </o>
Here’s the deal. I just did this with a custom kit for my 2002 E350 V10 using a leveling kit intended for a 99-04 F250/350 2wd truck. The spacer design and dimensions are exactly the same and they cost about 1/3 that of the Maxx Lift pieces when you count the ridiculous shipping costs. I do not recommend using the poly spacers as they tend to settle over time and lose their form. The use a of a grade 5 bolt for the radius arm to I-beam junction is risky. There is a great deal of load from braking forces and square edged road bumps that will compromise the integrity of a grade 5 bolt. I used a ¾-10 x 8” long grade 8 bolt installed from the bottom of the beam for my application as well as the supplied (junk) stud extender with the leveling kit. The stud extender can be junk when used as intended since it does nothing more than locate the position of the coil spacer and lower coil retainer ID. Before the extender is installed I placed a ¾” washer and a ¾-10 nylock grade 8 nut to secure the beam and radius arm together. After the junction is solid, the extender can be installed with Loctite and torqued to a moderate level since it isn’t a quality fastener.
Shock selection is very important with the kit and one that took me a decent amount of time to work out. I ended up using Explorer Pro Comp 1000 series shocks (EXP118510) that are $32 each from 4 Wheel Parts. These are the appropriate length and allow for the needed droop travel increase to prevent topping out the stock shocks. The stock ones don’t work, regardless of what the companies say so plan on spending money here as well.
The sway bar is another consideration Maxx Lift ignores. The stock unit on my van mounts conventionally to the chassis but has no end link connection at the beam. Instead, the bar passes through an eye bushing in the beam. This works great for a stock height vehicle, but once lifted it binds and limits free stroke travel in a hurry. My bushings are worn out in the beams so this isn’t a big deal for me in my application, but one I am sourcing parts to permanently repair. The fix for older vans like mine includes either making drop mounts for the chassis brackets or updating the bar to the newer style with custom end links that can account for the lift increase. Newer Ford vans use a conventional end link design. This is the most common and easy to deal with in the aftermarket. For an example of how to lengthen the end links, use Google and search for a heim joint end link with eye adapter. These are common for Jeep and Dodge 4x4 vehicles and easy to manipulate for use on the vans.
Once the lift is complete, the camber and caster will be several degrees off and will need an adjustable bushing in the I-beam to replace the fixed location stock unit. I used a Moog K80109 unit for my van and they worked great allowing me to set the caster and camber without issues. The install was easy with these units as well. Be sure to tighten the pinch bolt on the I-beam good as there have been reports of this type of cam working their way out over time. Mine have not presented any issues after a couple thousand miles of hard use.
I am very pleased with the outcome of the van and it allowed me to install a set of 265/75R16 Nexen Roadian MT tires (thanks again Nexen for the hookup). From stock, my van picked up about 3" total lift and is quite noticable compared to a stock one side by side.
<o></o>
<o>Scott </o>
After removing the wheels the instructions called to 'remove the lower shock bolt'...well on my 2013 the lower shock bolt is pressed into the control arm. The only way to remove it would be to drill it out....instead I loosened the top shock bolt and it gave me the wiggle room i needed to slide the shock off the lower mount (it was still a huge pain.....the driver shock has very little room to move, so it was really hard to get the geometry to let us slide the shock off). With the shock off and the sway bar disconnected the instructions call to remove the large bolt which bolts the lower spring retainer on, as well to remove the upper coil spring retainer....This is where the real issues start coming to play:
The bolt they provide is a Grade 5 bolt, and they say to bolt it in upside down and to use the extension studs IF NEEDED...not required for all lifts to my understanding.....well my Grade 5 bolt that MaxxLift sent in the kit was too short...so I added the stud extenders...still to short to even thread on a nut....let alone the entire lower spring retainer as well! Luckily I went to a local nut and bolt shop where they had 10" Grade 8 bolts which i was able to use.
Heres something weird...the instructions call for you to install the new bolt upside down from the OEM direction of the bolt....WHY INVERT IT?...its less safe if the nut were to fail, then the bolt could potentially fall out...there is no reason to do it upside down....so i didnt!! I put my new bolt in the OEM way, through the new spacer and lower coil spring retainer and it worked fine. So it seems stupid to change this.....
Next issue....the stock suspension has about 4 or 5 inches of drop in it...after adding the 2" spacer, there is now 2 or 3 inches of drop....I noticed the sway bar gets tight quickly...and I thought...DUH you added two inches of drop so the geometry is off!! I was thinking if I could find drop arms for the sway bar that are 2 inches longer that would solve the problem....relocating the sway bar 2 inches lower seems like PITA....anyone know where to find/fabricate some sway bar linkages???
Next issue...the kit adds 2 inches of travel to you suspension but doesnt recommend new shocks? Upon releasing the front driver side from the support (I held the assembly up with a 4"x4" while it was on the lift to support it) The driver shock blew out....i was hoping this wouldnt happen, but seems to make sense since the new suspension travel is 2" longer than the stock shock...so this is the big question...WHAT SHOCKS WILL FIT MY NEW SETUP?? I need shocks with the same OEM compressed length, but a 2" longer extended length....where do i find this shock? has anyone dealt with this before??
Next issue...the camber alignment is totally off....i need to buy a camber adjustment kit or take it to a shop to get the angles fixed. After the lift the tires sit at an angle because of the lift....anyone know the correct kit i need to fix the camber angle??
In the end, the 'cheap quick lift' ended up being not so cheap....I broke a Snapon 1/2" breaker bar...bought new bolts, nuts and washers...I still need to buy new shocks. I need to buy new sway bar linkages...I need to buy a camber adjustment kit....so im thinking instead of the $100 i thought i was going to spend, its going to be more like $500....anyone else have issues like me??<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
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> </o>Here’s the deal. I just did this with a custom kit for my 2002 E350 V10 using a leveling kit intended for a 99-04 F250/350 2wd truck. The spacer design and dimensions are exactly the same and they cost about 1/3 that of the Maxx Lift pieces when you count the ridiculous shipping costs. I do not recommend using the poly spacers as they tend to settle over time and lose their form. The use a of a grade 5 bolt for the radius arm to I-beam junction is risky. There is a great deal of load from braking forces and square edged road bumps that will compromise the integrity of a grade 5 bolt. I used a ¾-10 x 8” long grade 8 bolt installed from the bottom of the beam for my application as well as the supplied (junk) stud extender with the leveling kit. The stud extender can be junk when used as intended since it does nothing more than locate the position of the coil spacer and lower coil retainer ID. Before the extender is installed I placed a ¾” washer and a ¾-10 nylock grade 8 nut to secure the beam and radius arm together. After the junction is solid, the extender can be installed with Loctite and torqued to a moderate level since it isn’t a quality fastener.
Shock selection is very important with the kit and one that took me a decent amount of time to work out. I ended up using Explorer Pro Comp 1000 series shocks (EXP118510) that are $32 each from 4 Wheel Parts. These are the appropriate length and allow for the needed droop travel increase to prevent topping out the stock shocks. The stock ones don’t work, regardless of what the companies say so plan on spending money here as well.
The sway bar is another consideration Maxx Lift ignores. The stock unit on my van mounts conventionally to the chassis but has no end link connection at the beam. Instead, the bar passes through an eye bushing in the beam. This works great for a stock height vehicle, but once lifted it binds and limits free stroke travel in a hurry. My bushings are worn out in the beams so this isn’t a big deal for me in my application, but one I am sourcing parts to permanently repair. The fix for older vans like mine includes either making drop mounts for the chassis brackets or updating the bar to the newer style with custom end links that can account for the lift increase. Newer Ford vans use a conventional end link design. This is the most common and easy to deal with in the aftermarket. For an example of how to lengthen the end links, use Google and search for a heim joint end link with eye adapter. These are common for Jeep and Dodge 4x4 vehicles and easy to manipulate for use on the vans.
Once the lift is complete, the camber and caster will be several degrees off and will need an adjustable bushing in the I-beam to replace the fixed location stock unit. I used a Moog K80109 unit for my van and they worked great allowing me to set the caster and camber without issues. The install was easy with these units as well. Be sure to tighten the pinch bolt on the I-beam good as there have been reports of this type of cam working their way out over time. Mine have not presented any issues after a couple thousand miles of hard use.
I am very pleased with the outcome of the van and it allowed me to install a set of 265/75R16 Nexen Roadian MT tires (thanks again Nexen for the hookup). From stock, my van picked up about 3" total lift and is quite noticable compared to a stock one side by side.
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>Scott </o>What about the upper ball joint? I just did the camber adjustment on the tires, and the forged metal holding in the upper ball joint is RUBBING against the I-Beam...the loweer bushing looks fine, but the angle correction on the top is causing it to rub....which is causing binding issues in the steering. Did you run into any issues regarding the ball joint or steering??
I did the whole lift myself, and took it to an alignment shop for the chamber bushing...after they fixed the tire angle, the steering began to bind....thoughts?
any help is appreciated.....
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We are going to have to see photos of this setup. Did you use the 2" leveling kit or something that added more lift. The only way the spindle can rub on the I-beam is when too much negative camber is needed to counteract the lift gained. Typical spacer lift kits like this get in trouble just after 2" lift without adding drop brackets or bending the I-beams. Photos of the rub area, lift setup and wheel alignment from the front of the van will go a long way in figuring this out.
Scott
Scott
What about the upper ball joint? I just did the camber adjustment on the tires, and the forged metal holding in the upper ball joint is RUBBING against the I-Beam...the loweer bushing looks fine, but the angle correction on the top is causing it to rub....which is causing binding issues in the steering. Did you run into any issues regarding the ball joint or steering??
I did the whole lift myself, and took it to an alignment shop for the chamber bushing...after they fixed the tire angle, the steering began to bind....thoughts?
any help is appreciated.....
I did the whole lift myself, and took it to an alignment shop for the chamber bushing...after they fixed the tire angle, the steering began to bind....thoughts?
any help is appreciated.....
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ee
We are going to have to see photos of this setup. Did you use the 2" leveling kit or something that added more lift. The only way the spindle can rub on the I-beam is when too much negative camber is needed to counteract the lift gained. Typical spacer lift kits like this get in trouble just after 2" lift without adding drop brackets or bending the I-beams. Photos of the rub area, lift setup and wheel alignment from the front of the van will go a long way in figuring this out.
Scott
Scott
here is the link to the website where i bought it....its a 2" spacer i beleive....im going outide to take pics now
http://maxx-lift.com/products/E250-E...IT-2-INCH.html
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It looks to me like the alignment shop used a fixed position camber/caster cam. On my van I used the Moog K80109 units that are two piece and allow exact alignment between -4 and 4 degrees. Mine has a noticable air gap in that same spot. The rub isn't a terrible problem unless it is noisy or provides notchy steering. It appears there may be a casting parting line that is making the contact. You mentioned the steering binding....is the actual linkage binding or is this contact the source of the bind?
Scott
Scott
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While it a long shot I wonder if the ball joints are correct for this application?
Have to agree rubbing in that area is a new one on me----looks like the spindle wasn't make for that I-Beam.
Have to agree rubbing in that area is a new one on me----looks like the spindle wasn't make for that I-Beam.
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It looks to me like the alignment shop used a fixed position camber/caster cam. On my van I used the Moog K80109 units that are two piece and allow exact alignment between -4 and 4 degrees. Mine has a noticable air gap in that same spot. The rub isn't a terrible problem unless it is noisy or provides notchy steering. It appears there may be a casting parting line that is making the contact. You mentioned the steering binding....is the actual linkage binding or is this contact the source of the bind?
Scott
Scott
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That's probaly a smart move. Those items can be shaved smoothed a bit to clear as well, but that seems far more work than the partial sacrifice in alignment is worth. Many of the alignment shops dont like using the two piece cams since they are finicky and take a fair amount of time to get right since they are adjustable. See what the shop says about it and report back. I doubt they would let that leave the shop knowing it may be a source of an "event" waiting to happen.
Scott
Scott
The contact seems to be the source of the notchy steering and binding....im going back to the shop with that part number you gave me to have a word with the mechanic...it seems unsafe the way its rubbing...maybe we can bring the camber back a little to relieve the rubbing?
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That's probaly a smart move. Those items can be shaved smoothed a bit to clear as well, but that seems far more work than the partial sacrifice in alignment is worth. Many of the alignment shops dont like using the two piece cams since they are finicky and take a fair amount of time to get right since they are adjustable. See what the shop says about it and report back. I doubt they would let that leave the shop knowing it may be a source of an "event" waiting to happen.
Scott
Scott
its definitely an event waiting to happen...im scheduling a time to get it adjusted...will post updates as soon as possible.
Thank you for all your help Scott, its been a seriously huge help having somebody with a little experience in the same problem helping out...i appreciate it...
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went back to the shop and told the mechanic where the rubbing was occuring. He hadnt noticed that it was rubbing there?!? He thought the binding was coming from something else...I told him to back the chamber off a little so there could be some space there...Sure enough, he backed it off with a smaller bushing...and now there is a nice gap...apperently the tire is not completely vertical...but its pretty damn close...to the naked eye, looks straight....good enough for now. still needing drop arm linkages for the sway bar and new shocks!