Ford Transit AWD Lift Install

In this video, we will be showing you how we installed a lift kit on our AWG Ford Transit Camper Van Conversion.
The suspension upgrade package that we went with is the Van Compass STAGE 4 TOPO 2.0 SYSTEM - TRANSIT AWD which includes adjustable rear Falcon 3.3 SP2 shocks, with 2.0" of lift for improved ground clearance. The Topo Front Lift kit combines a precision engineered 0.75" lift camber correction plate, with a tuned coil spring while the rear lift is accomplished by a 5 leaf mini spring pack: vancompass.com/products/copy-...
We also show how to install bigger tires and wheels on the camper van after we installed our lift kit. The video has been broken up into chapters for easy navigation.
Thank you again to Van Compass for sending us this kit! Now our van is ready for off-road adventures with the ground clearance we have gained from adding this lift kit to the van.
00:00 Introduction
00:10 Pre-Install Measurements
00:31 Jack Up Rear of Van
01:16 Disconnect Shock
01:48 Disconnect Axle Housing from Leaf Springs
02:29 Install New Leaf Pack
04:44 Shock Mount Modification and Bracket Install
06:41 Falcon SP2 Rear Shock Explanation
09:14 Rear Shock Install
10:33 Add Spacer to Bump Stop
11:09 Rear Suspension Wrap Up
11:59 Install New Wheels and Tires
12:14 Jack up Front of Van
12:41 Disassembly - Remove Tie Rod End from Steering Knuckle
13:03 Remove Brake Caliper
13:40 Disconnect Sway Bar End Link
14:07 Disconnect Sensor Wires
14:56 Remove Axle Nut
16:03 Detach Steering Knuckle from Strut and Lower Control Arm
17:48 Disconnect Steering Knuckle and Lower Control Arm
19:02 Remove Strut Assembly
21:18 Replace Coil Spring
22:37 Reassemble Strut
24:58 Cut Down Studs with Angle Grinder
25:34 Install Strut Spacer
26:40 Connect Strut to Steering Knuckle
28:27 Reinstall Strut and Steering Knuckle on Van
30:08 Reassemble Steering Knuckle to Lower Control Arm
30:44 Sway Bar End Link Relocation Bracket Install
32:27 Reconnect Sensor Wires
33:20 Reconnect Brake Caliper to Steering Knuckle
34:23 Reattach Tie Rod End to Steering Knuckle
34:52 Reinstall Axle Nut
35:16 Front Suspension Wrap Up
35:56 Attach New Tires and Wheels
38:01 Post-Install Measurements
38:38 Tips for Success
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[@johndumke3494]

Nate, great job on the video, Really appreciate your time spend documenting this.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!

[@michaelmanphotography5013]

Thank you for the videos. They are very enjoyable. I appreciate your good nature and your skills. I learned a ton about van builds. After watching your team (!) and all 36 (?!) videos, I chiefly learned that there is no way I that I would try a van build.

[@johnplyler7054]

Great video, Thanks

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Thanks John!

[@reloadnorth7722]

Right on, nice build.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Thanks!

[@timf6916]

Nice, good job

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@mausie1967]

Wowww, loved your video again

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Thank you so much 😀

[@nbc902]

terrific job and terrific video, thank you

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Thanks! 🙂🙌

[@markkeith5980]

Excellent video greatly appreciate this. Clear with detailed steps. Cheers

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Glad you liked it! Cheers!

[@RobertSmith-os2zj]

Great video . I went crazy every time you called a nut a bolt . Went crazy about 30 times .

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Well, I guess if that's the biggest frustration you've got going on in life, I'm happy for ya. 🤷😂😁

[@RobertSmith-os2zj]

I need to replace the front struts on my 2020 Transit . Your video is the best one out there, by a mile . It didn’t pop up 2 weeks ago when I searched . Maybe you can add a keyword for the search engine . Thanks for the video , sans the nuts .

[@shesails3313]

Fantastic video. Thank you!!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Glad you liked it! Cheers!

[@landrover827]

Awesome video! Now we need to see an Airbag Man install.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Thanks! The leaf packs are done in place of airbags. Airbags are good for vehicles where you may have it empty sometimes, or loaded up to max capacity sometimes (think of a truck driving empty; and then hooking up a 5th wheel RV to it). Since our van is always roughly the same weight; leaf packs over airbags is the better solution here.

[@landrover827]

@@EXPLORISTlife I was thinking it would smooth out the ride on washboard roads and allow for easy leveling of the van at camp. 🤭🤔

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Lowering the tire pressure & setting the shocks to the soft setting will make the most difference for washboard roads. As for leveling... Maybe? If you had airbags for all 4x corners that were independently controllable, I suppose. During our 4 years of living in our old van we never really had an issue getting the van 'level enough' just by repositioning and/or the strategically placed flat rock.

[@rcniss]

What a great video! Did you post a link for the tire and wheel combo from Tire Rack? I'm not finding it. HELP!

[@RedBatteryHead]

It is a nice instruction video. Still can't get the idea to go that rugged off road with a fully kitted out camper 😅.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Yeah; we aren't RV park kind of people. 😂

[@ttirrell]

This video is awesome. I got the vancompass left kit for my van, but had it installed by a shop. Curious how long you estimate this took for a DIY install?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

I'd budget for a full weekend for the average shade tree mechanic if you're doing it by yourself and aren't having to worry about videoing. 🤣

[@rcniss]

I'm wondering if you were able to get the new tire size to fit in the spare tire well?

[@jonsmail8082]

You need new gloves...haha Great video for suspension. I watch every weekend..

[@EXPLORISTlife]

🤣😂 No doubt! 🤣👍 I got some after this video. Thanks for tuning in!

[@jonsmail8082]

@@EXPLORISTlife Another note, when tighing the strut nut to 41 foot pounds, many times just letting the spring pressure go against the plate will hold the rod tight enough for torching.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Ahh; yeah; that makes sense!

[@BrianLee-nz3vm]

Hi Nate, are the method wheels MR703 van? Do the Tire rack lug nuts have the washer on to tighten to the wheel, like the OEM lug nuts? and lastly are they 90mm off set. That was Discount tires recommendation when I got the Falkens fitted to my OEM steel wheels which were the same as your originals. Sorry for 3 questions in one shot.

[@user-vf7pf4ik9s]

What color is that on your Transit? Love it.

[@stephanemarchand8750]

Thank you for this terrific instruction video! Maybe I missed it, but were you able to fit the bigger tires in the spare tire well? And if so, did you have to do any modification? Thanks again!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

We kept the factory spare in there. Should be good enough to limp us to the next tire repair place in a full blowout situation. We carry plugs/compressor for everything else.

[@JohnEllis-wt1ij]

I like those wheels, what are the specifications?

[@wildwoodovensbbqs]

❤🙌

[@oodlesofnoodles83]

What lug nuts did you go with? I was told that currently no aftermarket lugs are made for the Transit.

[@enriquedelcastillo6204]

Man this is an awesome job. How much does it cost this lift. And where can i order it.

[@jarrodsmith3059]

Thanks for the video. I’ve been toying with the idea of this upgrade for a while now and I always balk at the cost vs value proposition. It seems the biggest benefit from everything installed is the bigger/grippier tires. With the 245/75/16 do you still need the lift?

[@jr.6199]

The Transit Trail is mounting 245s with a 3.5" lift but it still has a low clearance of 8" so the cost justification is challenge. Watch Brendan at Gone Mobile to hear of his paying Van Compass to install upgrades, trimming wheel well pinch weld areas for clearance of tires. And research Agile Offroad to hear what happens to Sprinters, etc.' components when subjected to off road abuse....expensive proposition either way.

[@lombardshardwoodsupply3286]

How do you like the falken 245/75 /16's? You have had them for several months. I have the same van, same suspension upgrade running max gvw looking for new tires.

[@justtravelthings129]

Nate Another Great Job Witch One did you use ? Shock Tune Light / Mid 8500 OR Mid / Heavy Over 8500 Again thanks very much for all your Hard Work !!!!!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Heavy. Light/Mid is more for vans that may sometimes run empty (delivery trucks).

[@justtravelthings129]

Thanks so much !!!!!!!

[@iamonealtwo]

Great video, as always thanks for sharing. Did the shop have any problems with the alignment? I have been considering this lift and the transit OffRoad one as that one has adjustment in the arm? Did you look at that one? Love to hear your thoughts. Hope I am ok to mention another brand😊.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Thanks for watching! We are scheduled to get our alignment tomorrow; so I'll check back in. We live in a small town where we don't have a bunch of access to drop-in alignment shops. We did indeed look at the Transit Offroad kit; but it was (and is) backordered and we couldn't wait for it to come back in stock when the VanCompass lift was in stock and ready to ship. The Transit Offroad kit also just uses lift blocks instead of a full leaf pack addition, so it doesn't actually add any kind of suspension help in the back; just lifts it up. These blocks can also contribute to 'axle wrap' when on snow/sand/mud. Plus... people were asking about the VanCompass lift; so we have to make videos about what people are asking about. 🤣👍

[@iamonealtwo]

@@EXPLORISTlife yes that is a good point about the back leaf springs. Thanks for your thoughts. Look forward to hearing your experience on the alignment.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Alignment went well. Nothing notable there. Cost $170ish at a local performance truck shop @1-offperformancellc933 Only thing on the alignment is to call ahead and make sure that the shop can do it (height and length of vehicle being the limitations).

[@iamonealtwo]

@@EXPLORISTlife thanks for the update… good information.

[@user-gj8bz2qk9i]

hey, what size wheels are those? are they factory size or bigger? would like to do the same set up as you

[@jonmustang]

I've done a good bit of off-roading and rock crawling and am now considering a Transit... BUT I'm just looking to hit up some dusty roads, loose rocks, a bit of snow, but not actual "crawl." Do you think an un-lifted AWD Transit with all-season tires and maybe an e-locker would be good enough for most mild-to-moderate trails?

[@jr.6199]

Id say so, but start looking under the chassis, lay down under it measuring the lowest points in the undercarriage like the rear differential-rear shock mounts-exhast pipes and muffler. What will hit first and in which areas in the drive line must you avoid as you pass over a bump on the roads. If your Transit is like the few I've measured, it will ave a 7" or 8" clearance. This is lower than other chassis'. So watch out what you run over.

[@vaa7446]

Very nice. Like your videos. I may have missed it, but what was the torque set?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

All of the torque values are listed in the instructions that come with the lift kit.

[@vaa7446]

@@EXPLORISTlife sweet. Thanks.

[@joycejoyce6165]

Did you change the factory tire already? Maybe I missed that video? But I wonder which tires (or oversized tires) did you go with? Thank you!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Indeed! We did that in this video if you watch until the end.

[@markj10]

Now that you lifted your Transit, keep a close eye on the passenger side CV axle and check the boot from time to time. I only speak with experience because pinched the boot twice causing it to tear, love my local Ford dealer because they replaced the whole CV axle under warranty.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Yeah; we check CV joints, brakes, and all other suspension components in all of our vehicles when we rotate our tires in the spring and fall.

[@jr.6199]

If you could mention which Ford dealer, i heard this would void warranties.

[@juanvazquez9447]

Excellent video, a question on this model (Ford Transit AWD) even Air Sprig (Air Lift brand) is placed on the Bumper stop, here comes my question, if we install this kit or another Vans compass topo 2.0, is an air spring compatible? I say it because of the height gained

[@EXPLORISTlife]

That's probably a better question for Van Compass directly, but I can't imagine why you'd want to do that after installing a high-end suspension system like this. Air bags are a bit of a quick fix that the adjustable shocks & bigger leaf pack handles. Even when we are pulling our heavy horse trailer, it still doesn't sag any more than it should.

[@juanvazquez9447]

Thanks! and with this rear gear from 5 leaf spring the van doesn't get harder in the back, I mean hard as in more rigid? I have the same Camper and I want to install a Van Compass system but I'm not sure whether to install the 2" dowel or the Mini springs.@@EXPLORISTlife

[@user-rz6ze1nu6b]

Hey Nate and Steph. Good video. I have a question. What are your thoughts on RVIA certification and how you get around to campgrounds that require them? I have been rejected in my campervan because I don’t have this sticker even though my campervan has been built to these codes. Specifically Tiger Run in Dillon.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

I've never come across any RV parks that require any kind of certification. I have stayed at Tiger Run for a night back in, probably, 2018ish; but they didn't ask for anything like that. Out of all of the campgrounds we've stayed at, though, that is definitely one of the ones that I could see coming up with some kind of dumbass rule like that. Super pretentious place. You aren't going to run into that much on your travels.

[@user-rz6ze1nu6b]

@@EXPLORISTlife Thanks for the info. It really is a dumbass rule that caught me by surprise. I was feeling really discouraged wondering if I would face this issue again and again. As a CO native do ya’ll have any recommended rv parks around that area open during the winter? Really having trouble finding something that’s not tiger run.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

KOA in Steamboat stays open over the winter. Red mountain rv park in Kremling does too. Pretty much nothing in summit does.

[@jr.6199]

RVIA certs are a reality in campgrounds and have been for at least 20 years. I was denied entry around 2004ish in a county park CG for that reason. Ask campground representatives and certified upfitters. Insurance companies also like to deny coverage and claims without RVIA certs. My insurance company had plenty to say on this subject about qualified upfitters and who they trust. Reasons to be excluded like uninspected rigs causing electrical power outages for the whole campground due to shorts, etc. We all know of some sus builds and sus electrical work in life. RVIA prevents a lot if that just as house consruction codes do. I too complain about regulation but the best countries in the world result from it.

[@mc-zy7ju]

Would love to know the mileage before and after, would need to run the original tires though.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Headwind vs tailwind and how hard i press the gas is going to matter much more for mileage than tires. 🤣😂

[@mc-zy7ju]

@@EXPLORISTlife the extra lift doesn't count for much?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Some, for sure, but that's just the trade-off for more ground clearance & bigger/more aggressive tires.

[@nickh8370]

How many hours would you say you spent on this list install? 10-14hrs? I ask because their website says 8hrs.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

So, the 8hrs is a bit misleading. The full kit comes with about 4 different sets of directions; each for it's own individual time-estimate; and the 8hrs was only for the rear lift. In total; for everything shown in this video (rear spring pack install, rear shock install, high clearance shock bracket install, front lift install), budget for it to take a full weekend for the average shade-tree mechanic.

[@mmcg5043]

What is the total height of the van now? Gotta make sure the van can clear the garage door after the install... is that in the instructions?😟

[@EXPLORISTlife]

To the top of our weboost antenna is 10' 2 1/4" and to the top of the air conditioner 9' 10 1/2"

[@miroslavjecminek3225]

I've got 2" lift kit from Van Compass installed by ford dealership and unfortunately I experience bad slams in the front shock when going through any small pot hole. It's no pleasure on the forest roads as it happens constantly. I called Van Compass regarding the issue and they told me they are aware of that but can't help. Pretty upsetting news. Anyways I was wondering if you have any hack how to solve this issue, maybe another brand lift? Would you be able to help? Thank you so much in advance. Mira

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hmm; I haven't heard of or experienced that.

[@jr.6199]

Any news on the lift fix or how its performing today?

[@noahstoeckel7851]

Could it be worthwhile to replace the front struts while having it all apart?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

If it needs it, sure! Our van had less than 10k miles on it when we tackled this project; so they were still good to go.

[@wildwoodovensbbqs]

According to the Ford Factory Manual... Most all the fasteners you have worked on are not to be re used... Why are some bolts one-time use? Most OEMs have at least one example of a one-time-use fastener/part. The reason it is only good for one use can vary. For example, torque-to-yield bolts are designed to stretch during the torquing process. These fasteners cannot be reused because of the excess amount of stress that was caused during installation.Jun 4, 2021

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Yeah, vehicle manufacturers also doesn’t want people installing aftermarket lift kits either, but here I am never having had a non-lifted vehicle. 😆

[@ads8831]

why does the shock mount have to be cut?maybe later change the suspension. how will he enter?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

I guess it doesn't 'have' to be cut; but it hangs down a long way so the high-clearance shock mount fixes this problem and results in higher ground clearance. I guess if increased ground clearance isn't a desired feature, you could leave it as-is; but I don't know why you'd spend the money on a lift kit if you didn't want more ground clearance.

[@ads8831]

@@EXPLORISTlife ok I understand. with this kit can it be combined with air suspension or is it unnecessary? thanks for great video details

[@EXPLORISTlife]

This is a high end suspension upgrade, which makes air suspension unnecessary.

[@ads8831]

@@EXPLORISTlife I understand. thank you and sorry for my not so good english. warm greetings from Greece. I hope you have wonderful travels. 🙏👍💙😎

[@m.b.6113]

Why a Falcon and nor the BFG KO2?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

For the Tire Choice; We've had K02's in the past and haven't gotten the life out of them that we wanted; especially with how expensive they are. We have Toyo A/T tires on our daily driver and love them and the Falken tires are comparible.

[@KenLeonard]

Seems like a pretty flimsy frame member holding that shock at the top. These vans can go to 11,000 gvw. How does that not flex/bend?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

That'll be a question to call Ford Motor Company about. I'm sure their head engineers are available to chat about stuff like that. While you've got em, ask them if they have a fix for my power sliding door still not working. 😂🤷

[@lylestavast7652]

Not a complaint, but this is the first video of yours that I really had no interest in at all. BUT... I do think it's GREAT that you managed to save 2 lbs by removing those thingybobber dealeos. :)

[@timdunmyer4549]

Or you could order/buy a Transit Trail and let the factory do all that for you.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Yeah, and wait 2-3 years before it comes available... or you could hire an upfitter to build your whole van for you. 😂🤣 Perhaps you are new here, but this is a DIY channel. If you don't like diy projects, this isn't the channel for you.

[@johnlastname2895]

Not to mention the crazy price of the trail package.

[@beaumont9072]

I don’t really understand why you would put a lift kit on a street van I know it’s all wheel drive but they’re junk. You can’t get them off camber at all. If you’re taking it off anything more than a logging road you’re just asking for a world of problems.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

I mean... if you only use yours on the street, that's your deal. 🤣😂🫣

[@beaumont9072]

@@EXPLORISTlife i guess I’m smarter then the average 🐻 Don’t forget to put a winch on you will need it 😀

[@EXPLORISTlife]

We've done more off Road travel in a fait 500 than most lifted trucks will see in their lifetime. I'm not worried about getting stuck, that's just part of having fun. I will literally off-road anything.

[@XxTheLostChaosxX]

I've taken my mustang off road so...