Need some advice...
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Freshman User
Joined: Nov 2004
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Need some advice...
We have a 1990 Aerostar ext with a 4.0 litre. My bandmates and I plan on going on an across Canada tour with it in June. We would like to take a small travel trailer along with us. With us, all of our gear, plus the tongue weight of our trailer, we will be putting a considerable load on the rear coil springs. I'm thinking of selling it and getting a fullsize van because of this. I would rather not though due to the fact that I know the van is mechanically in really good shape and would stand up to those kind of miles. Does anybody have a suggestion. Can you get some really heavy duty springs for these? Thanks.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,416
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From: Mitchell, SD
You can get cargo springs from Ford, they run around $200 a piece, but it would still be cheaper than buying a different used van that you would have to dump money into.
Also you are going to want to put on a sway bar and maybe go with Air shocks or Air bags to help keep you level. Do a search and you will find many posts discussing each.
Also you are going to want to put on a sway bar and maybe go with Air shocks or Air bags to help keep you level. Do a search and you will find many posts discussing each.
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 5,242
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From: Kiev, Ukraine
I dont know why, but there was a tranny cooler on my van ('89). I removed it when I swapped a tranny, but it was installed near the stabilizer bar. About rear spring, I've replased it and I use springs of mercedes w123, but havy duty springs requires other shcoks!
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Senior User
Joined: May 2003
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Road Trip!
Have you considered that the Aero might be better on gas than the full size van? There's lots of hills across Canada! (I'm from B.C)
Also, if you know the history of the van, it's sometimes best to stay with what you know than to buy something unknown.
I'll second the Transmission Cooler vote!
John
Have you considered that the Aero might be better on gas than the full size van? There's lots of hills across Canada! (I'm from B.C)
Also, if you know the history of the van, it's sometimes best to stay with what you know than to buy something unknown.
I'll second the Transmission Cooler vote!
John
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Freshman User
Joined: Nov 2004
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The van came with a great big tranny cooler from the factory, so that is taken care of. Does anyone know the approximate price it is for air shocks and springs? Also what kind of job is it to do?
Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2006
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A cargo van wouldnt be much heavier than an aerostar full of gear. First of the gear in and of itself is pretty heavy. Also remember that cargo van's are pretty stripped down to basics, unlike our "luxurious" (options add weight, i'll remind you) people-pushers. The cost and effort of adding beefier springs, sway bars, tranmission coolers and the like would probably about equal the cost of renting a brand-new cargo van. If this is going to be a one time thing. Let's face facts though, Aerostars were built to carry people, not cargo.
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 7,016
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From: SoCal
If there are just four people, how about removing the center seats, and move the back bench to the center? That will save about 80 pounds of weight and give you a ton of space in the back for gear, so you may not need a trailer. Two guys in the back should be able to sit comfortably on a bench seat made for three.