Chevy & GMC Vans

I cleaned up this thread because we were way off topic.

zombie...can you post up some pics of your rear lift setup and your van?

Heres some pics
I dont have the load springs in right now but they do give an extra 2-3" of lift and stability.
33" tires on rear




I want to notch out the yellow section. it is a bumpstop built into the upper control arm. I believe taking it out will give an extra 1 1/2" of lift with coils. Will cutting JUST the yellow area out and welding in a flat piece of steel in place destroy the integrity of the arm?

anybody?

I guess it would depend on your welding skills.

I thought you had 10" of lift in the rear. Do you have more to do yet?

i actually was guessing on 10" so i went and measured for facts sake and its more like 7"

It doesn't look like you plan on using any ball joint spacers? I would definitely try spacers before cutting the control arm. They allow you to use stiffer springs without pulling that arm down to a funky angle, which will probably make a wheel alignment afterward challenging. Dan sells the spacers. If you use them be sure to buy the ball joints he specifies.

Also, I like the "open air driving" system you have going there. I suggest removing the rear doors to cut down on drag. And a pair of googles.

97CargoCrawler wrote:It doesn't look like you plan on using any ball joint spacers? I would definitely try spacers before cutting the control arm. They allow you to use stiffer springs without pulling that arm down to a funky angle, which will probably make a wheel alignment afterward challenging. Dan sells the spacers. If you use them be sure to buy the ball joints he specifies.

Also, I like the "open air driving" system you have going there. I suggest removing the rear doors to cut down on drag. And a pair of googles.

FYI-Dan is from Overland vans.

thanks for the feedback guys.
Yea i haven't had a windshield for about 3 months now. she just stays at my shop and gets worked on a little bit each day.

oh. I got my HID kit installed. They look killer behind the phantom grill
If anyone is interested I sell the HID kits for $125 + shipping. they have a 2 year warranty

Ill post some pictures tonight

GEJ wrote:Here is one that Dan of Overland did which is 9".

http://www.overlandvans.com/0104_AEllender.html

I do remember a pic of someone who mounted a Astro body I think on a blazer full frame for a .a.k.a monster truck look.Can't find that pic,but maybe somebody will chime in with it.Just another way to maybe getting you that high.

FYI-Dan is from Overland vans. Though there may be a place called Overland with someone named Dan living there.

FYI - GEJ is MASTER of the OBVIOUS!

Anyway, here's a photo of Dan's BJ spacer:


The top plate is supposed to be welded to the control arm for added strength. I say purchase the ball joints (from CarQuest) that Dan specifies when you order because they have 5/16" holes in them to fit his larger beefier bolts, as opposed to other BJ's that have only 1/4" sized holes in them. My heavy duty Moog BJ's had 1/4" holes so I couldn't get the bolts through it, and consequently the BJ's (at least mine were) are made of super hardened steel that is all but impossible to drill through. These spacers are highly recommended if you're gonna stuff 3" lift springs in your van.

Here's a link to them on Dans website:
http://www.overlandvans.com/0104_suspension.html

They're $125, but believe me they are very heavy duty.

thanks buddy!!! Ill check that out and order em up

Would that HID conversion kit work for off-road type lighting. For example: I want to buy a set of KC 6"x9" lights, but I can't afford the $900 HID ones. Have to settle for the $150 halogen ones. With the right bulb and this kit, is it possible to convert them? I assume the halogen bulb is removable. I guess the only issue would be the length of the wires coming from the HID power box. Is there a limit to how long those leads can be?

Yea the lines are specially insulated because they operate between 23,000 - 25,000 volts
The boxes themselves are weatherproof so you would be fine mounting them on the light housing

PS...my buddy had a HOT radiator overflow bottle crack and it dumped all over the ballast. ballast is still working and hasnt had any problems

97CargoCrawler wrote:

GEJ wrote:Here is one that Dan of Overland did which is 9".

http://www.overlandvans.com/0104_AEllender.html

I do remember a pic of someone who mounted a Astro body I think on a blazer full frame for a .a.k.a monster truck look.Can't find that pic,but maybe somebody will chime in with it.Just another way to maybe getting you that high.

FYI-Dan is from Overland vans. Though there may be a place called Overland with someone named Dan living there.

FYI - GEJ is MASTER of the OBVIOUS!

Zombie-Sorry to have to reply to this.


Having talked to Dan and traded emails I am well aware of who Dan is and I wasn't sure this thread's author was let alone what Dan has done.

Surely you have a nice lifted van in part to the pages and pages of help you recently recieved here.

But moreover what is important is who owns these vans and the type of person that owns them.With you comments,truely that is what is clearly OBVIOUS.