Over the course of the next few weeks I will be lifting my 2003 2WD Astro Van.
Trying to go from this (Mine):
To this (NOT Mine):
I am not purchasing the all-inclusive kit for Overlandvans.com, I will be making my own kit. Instead of their $300 kit, I will be doing this for less then $50.
I have just purchase the body spacers to lift the front from Amazon, $20:
And I will be purchasing these shackles from Autozone, for about $28 (Package says they're for a 2" drop, but can be used to lift as well):
The consequence of raising the body in the front is a 2" gap between the top of the bumper and the bottom of the grill, this can be remedied by purchasing new raised bumper brackets (@ $160 for the pair, an additional cost NOT included in the $160 lift kit), however, the upper and lower mounting holes for the brackets are 2" apart, so you can also put the bottom hole of the bracket into the top hole of the mount, and it raises the bumper 2", for free.
This is the first time I've attempted anything like this, so I'm sure there's going to be some mistakes and some cursing. Also for the record, I do not intend to do any off-roading with this van, this is strictly for clearance for larger tires and to ditch the soccer-mom look of the mini-van. If I were intending to off-road I would probably stick with the Overlanvans.com parts, as they are built with off-roading in mind.
Stay tuned. As soon as the pucks arrive I will proceed.
------------------ Read my Earthship thread in Totally O/T si vis pacem, para bellum
"The said constitution shall never be construed to authorize Congress to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms." - Samuel Adams
What part of "SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED" is so hard to understand?!
[This message has been edited by OKflyboy (edited 03-25-2014).]
Those vans were available in a 4 wheel drive version so they came lifted. I think it should work fine and you will save a lot of money doing it your way. My only concern is the rear shackles. The front end is a standard control arm type and you already will be raising the body evenly. The shackles may give you the drag race look where the rear end is higher than the front.
That's a shame that yours is only the 2WD. But either way it will look a lot better. Don't take corners too fast, my stock Astro felt like it was gonna tip over when I owned it, I'm not sure some extra height would inspire much confidence in me.
Okay, I am a little "slow." Since the Astro is a full-frame van, and all the body mounting points are related to one another, how can you do a body lift on the front and not on the back? Would that not create a "wedge" shape between the frame and body (space in the front and no space at the rear)? If so, that would mean that you would need progressively shorter spacers. OR, are you using the body lift evenly around the frame AND shackles in the rear for more lift in the rear?
I am NOT trying to flame by any means, just trying to understand how that would work...
......how can you do a body lift on the front and not on the back?
Hmmm, I didn't catch that at first. I had to re-read his post. Now that you mentioned it I wonder how you use spacers on ONLY the front and shackles on the rear? I thought you were lifting the entire body AND using the shackles which is why I made the statement in my previous post about the rear end looking like a drag car. I thought you would have to replace all of the body mounts with the spacers.
It is not a full frame. It has a front sub-frame and the rear body is a boxed sheetmetal unibody/frame. Astros have always been unibody.
I am by NO means any level of expert on Astros, but I thought the AWD Astro shared a frame with the GMC Typhoon (and I assume Syclone); though, it may be just that I recall them sharing transfer cases or cross members or something.... Hmmmm.... Can you help me with that? For the record, I am pretty sure I have never bent down to look under an Astro.
EDIT: Okay, so I have searched Astros (and found some AMAZING vans!!!) ! It seems that it is a front sub-frame, but the GMC SyTy transfer case is shared. So, that said, you would be able to raise the front with spacers and the rear with shackles as the OP stated. Now, does anyone know if the Astro shares spindles with the S-10 (2WD)?
[This message has been edited by psychosurfer (edited 01-22-2011).]
Originally posted by Xerces_Blackthorne: Interesting idea, although I never fully understood why anyone would want to lift/offroad a van.
Same reason I painted my wrecked '97 Malibu camouflage - for the hell of it. Well, mainly because I am still a little bummed about having to surrender my 02 Z28 for a minivan and I want to ditch the soccer-mom-ness as quickly as possible. Also because I want to put larger, more aggressive tires to handle the OK snow and mud, and 235/75/15s don't fit well without rubbing, without a lift.
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Originally posted by IMSA GT:
Those vans were available in a 4 wheel drive version so they came lifted. I think it should work fine and you will save a lot of money doing it your way.
There was never a 4x4 version of the Astro, there was AWD versions, but never 4x4. Also, there was never a factory-lifted option. Overlandvans, while not the first to lift an Astro, was the first company to sell a lift-kit for the Astro, and they've only been around since 2004.
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Originally posted by twofatguys:
Two items have you within 2 dollars of 50 bucks. Cheaper may not be better in all cases.
True, but $50 is not $320. the OLV kit is $320, and includes body spacers, shackles, and raised bumper brackets. I've purchased my own body spacers, my own shackles and have no need for the bumper brackets. I'm not doing anything different from the kit, other then sourcing my own parts. (I work in a Parts store, so I'm getting a discount on the shackles, BTW)
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Originally posted by 1988holleyformula:
That's a shame that yours is only the 2WD. But either way it will look a lot better. Don't take corners too fast, my stock Astro felt like it was gonna tip over when I owned it, I'm not sure some extra height would inspire much confidence in me.
Yeah, I wanted an AWD, but none were available at the time I was looking. I don't take corners fast in this already, as I know it is NOT my Z28, I'll be careful, I promise.
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Originally posted by Fosgatecavy98: I am actually looking at purchasing one, are the 2wd ones FWD or RWD? I believe they are fwd but not really sure.
The 2WD Astros are RWD.
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Originally posted by IMSA GT: My only concern is the rear shackles. The front end is a standard control arm type and you already will be raising the body evenly. The shackles may give you the drag race look where the rear end is higher than the front.
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Originally posted by psychosurfer: Okay, I am a little "slow." Since the Astro is a full-frame van, and all the body mounting points are related to one another, how can you do a body lift on the front and not on the back? Would that not create a "wedge" shape between the frame and body (space in the front and no space at the rear)? If so, that would mean that you would need progressively shorter spacers. OR, are you using the body lift evenly around the frame AND shackles in the rear for more lift in the rear?
No, as you've already discovered, the Astro has a subframe up front, so you can lift the front easily with spacers. The rear must be lifted by means of the suspension. The "easiest" would probably be leaf-spring "blocks", but the Astro leaf springs put those blocks in a position to fail rather quickly. The next best thing is to install shackles to lower the spring, thereby raising the ride height.
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Originally posted by psychosurfer: Okay, so I have searched Astros (and found some AMAZING vans!!!) ! It seems that it is a front sub-frame, but the GMC SyTy transfer case is shared. So, that said, you would be able to raise the front with spacers and the rear with shackles as the OP stated. Now, does anyone know if the Astro shares spindles with the S-10 (2WD)?
Yes, the already existing AWD Astro's transfer-case was "borrowed" for the SyTys but as to the 2WDs sharing spindles with the S-10s, I have no idea on that one...
[This message has been edited by OKflyboy (edited 01-23-2011).]
So your doing a body lift......there is a lot more to it then just the spacers.......
I'm not doing a full body lift, technically, since this is a subframe, I'm just lowering the subframe. I will also need longer hardware. On that, since I am unsure of the size, I'm just going to take the bolts out, take them to Fastenall and say "I need these 2 inches longer, in grade 10"
If you want an idea of what I am duplicating, read here:
The A-Team Van is not an Astro. It's a G20. And they didn't lift the van. They put larger wheels in the rear and lower profile ones in the front, to give it an aggressive stance. I'm not sure the one pictured is what was used in the show. In fact, due to the lack of side exhaust I would say it's not. Though to be fair, they did have many vans that they shot with, including stunt vans that weren't even GMC's. I remember this Ford that they ran through a billboard, that had no gunmetal color on top, had painted red hubcaps, and was obviously an econoline. lol.
The A-Team Van is not an Astro. It's a G20. And they didn't lift the van. They put larger wheels in the rear and lower profile ones in the front, to give it an aggressive stance. I'm not sure the one pictured is what was used in the show. In fact, due to the lack of side exhaust I would say it's not. Though to be fair, they did have many vans that they shot with, including stunt vans that weren't even GMC's. I remember this Ford that they ran through a billboard, that had no gunmetal color on top, had painted red hubcaps, and was obviously an econoline. lol.
Let me know when the stick is out of your rear, and maybe this can be a fun conversation. I know good and well the A-Team van was not an Astro. Relax a little.
Jim
[This message has been edited by jimbolaya (edited 01-23-2011).]
Let me know when the stick is out of your rear, and maybe this can be a fun conversation. I know good and well the A-Team van was not an Astro. Relax a little.
Jim
That was meant to be informative, not a dick post. I failed at that. Sorry.
It took me a long time to find anything informative on the A-team van back in the day. Lots of replicas have been made, even from things like the VW bus. I absolutely love the Ateam. I own all the seasons. I didn't mean for that to come across as being prickish, but I guess it did. so i'll let my involvement die with the following:
That was meant to be informative, not a dick post. I failed at that. Sorry.
It took me a long time to find anything informative on the A-team van back in the day. Lots of replicas have been made, even from things like the VW bus. I absolutely love the Ateam. I own all the seasons. I didn't mean for that to come across as being prickish, but I guess it did. so i'll let my involvement die with the following:
If you need more space, you can try this:
It's all good. Sometimes things come across different than we intend them. I have failed in this respect several times. It's why I don't write for a living. Don't let your involvement die. You are passionate, nothing wrong with that. That is a sweet trailor, but I smell a photoshop.
Jim
[This message has been edited by jimbolaya (edited 01-24-2011).]
It's all good. Sometimes things come across different than we intend them. I have failed in this respect several times. It's why I don't write for a living. Don't let your involvement die. You are passionate, nothing wrong with that. That is a sweet trailor, but I smell a photoshop.
Jim
Oh its definately a photoshop. The site I got it from also turned it into an accordion style bus. Lol.
I have an Astro. Its a conversion with a high top. Pretty sure the AWD version sits the same as a 2 WD version. I can already crawl clear thru and under mine without using a jack. I wouldnt want it any higher, but thats just me. If anything id want to lower it. Its already more top heavy than a CJ Jeep. I know a local guy that shortened a full size Chevy van like that and another one that chopped only the front half of the roof on a Ford by a foot.
Originally posted by blackrams: Wow, I really like this one. Don't need the van in the bed but, that's be really cool.
I agree. Put some low profile ramps in the back for a Fiero Stretch the frame, longer drive shaft, longer brake lines, find a way to get some stronger springs...*continues on mumbling as he goes to do research*
I agree. Put some low profile ramps in the back for a Fiero Stretch the frame, longer drive shaft, longer brake lines, find a way to get some stronger springs...*continues on mumbling as he goes to do research*
No progress since my initial posts. I bought the Volvo shortly after creating this post, and I've been putting all my time into it and school. I do have all the parts collected for the lift, I've just been trying to get the Volvo reliable enough that I'm not afraid to give it to the wife for a few days while I take her van out of commission.
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Originally posted by Niterrorz:
ok my first thught was that a lifted van was gonna look dumb but i gotta say with those tires on, it looks bad ass... are those vans 4x4?
Well, some Astro vans are AWD, sadly mine is not. I'm really just lifting it for a little more ground clearance in the snow, and for the look.
[This message has been edited by OKflyboy (edited 09-29-2011).]
Just a quick bump to post that after many years in the making I finally lifted the rear thus finishing the lift project.
In the end the shackles just seemed like a little too much suspension work for a suspension noob like me so I went with leaf spring helpers instead.
I didn't keep a running total but I believe i spent about $100-$150 on this project so it came in at about half of the Overland kit. Looking back I really would rather have spent the money and bought the kit from Overland but live and learn.
I think it looks pretty good, but definitely needs new tires now.
[This message has been edited by OKflyboy (edited 03-24-2014).]
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It's all good. Sometimes things come across different than we intend them. I have failed in this respect several times. It's why I don't write for a living. 
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Stretch the frame, longer drive shaft, longer brake lines, find a way to get some stronger springs...*continues on mumbling as he goes to do research*
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