Air Shocks All the Way Around to Achieve Mild Lift of 2-3 inches?

[warmblood58]

Not trying build a low rider van but would like lift when I need it. I am going to equip this van with an air locker vs 4x4 and thought perhaps I could get lift of 2-3 inches without going through the trouble of converting front end etc. Van profile could stay low on the highway and raise for off road. Feasible? Dumb idea? Anyone done this? Thanks!

 

[NO_SPRK]

making the shock lift the van is a bad idea. not only is there way more stress on that air shock but it also makes the suspension very stiff. you would need some time and money to plum all the air lines even if you wanted to do the rear only..

ive driven my mercedes 240d in offroad situations with only lower tire pressure and lived to tell the story.

the twin I-beam front flexes well and i would just put traction tires in back with a locker. or you could just add 4wd truck lift blocks on the rear and coil spacers in front. higher COG

 

[riotwarrior]

I honestly would not recommend the air shock trick. At the best if you must do this use Air Bags, I cannot see air shocks as worthwhile to do this.

Either keep it low, keep it stock or lift it.

Hard pill to swallow but you just can't have your cake and eat it too!

 

[Jake_IN]

I had air shocks on a truck i owned.....once

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......Once.....never again.

 

[warmblood58]

sounds like a mild lift is in order . . . .or air bags front and rear, has anyone actually done this? Thanks!

 

[SparkandFire]

I've got airbags on the front of my truck. Just so's you know, it takes ALOT of air in them to get much lift (It took about 60 lbs to get 1" on my truck) But it also screws up camber something fierce, and it makes the truck ride like a forklift on steel tires.

They are great for adjusting ride height/quality for additional load (slide in camper, etc.) And with about 15 psi in them they do increase ride quality, but only raise the truck 1/8" or so...

 

[franklin2]

You can't raise and lower the twin-I-beam suspension(or any suspension really) willy-nilly without creating tire wear problems. Front air-bags are designed to bring the ride height back to stock after a snowplow or something else throws it off.

Can you do it? Sure. Will it be right? No. The front wheels will probably be pidgeon toed in or out at the top.

 

[79jasper]

You can't raise and lower the twin-I-beam suspension(or any suspension really) willy-nilly without creating tire wear problems. Front air-bags are designed to bring the ride height back to stock after a snowplow or something else throws it off.

Can you do it? Sure. Will it be right? No. The front wheels will probably be pidgeon toed in or out at the top.

Unless solid axled, right?

 

[franklin2]

Unless solid axled, right?

You can get away with some adjustment, but the steering linkage gets longer or shorter if you move it alot, and the whole frontend moves side to side if you have a trackbar or panhard bar up front. It would be better than a independent frontend for sure though.

 

[warmblood58]

So, quick answer? Coil spacers in front OK and rear lift kit?

 

[NO_SPRK]

if your going to lift the front you should have I-beam drop brackets... now i have no idea if they're strong enough for a diesel van or even available..

its a little bit like a double A arm IFS 4wd system. you want to lift both ends so the I beam sits in its original position and can travel like normal... just taller

 

[franklin2]

So, quick answer? Coil spacers in front OK and rear lift kit?

Don't get me wrong. You can lift these vans and trucks some, as long as you get it re-aligned. There is a limit of how much they can compensate for though. So if you wanted to put a front spacer in that was 1 to 1.5 inches, they may be able to get it back in. Much more than that and it might not come back in. Some guys have wrote in that they had a good alignment with a 2 inch lift, but they said it was really close to the limit.