Weldtec Vs Action Van Suspension | honest review off-road capability the truth | 2wd Econoline lift

Weldtec Vs Action Van Suspension
A cheaper alternative to a 4wd/4x4 conversion
My thought on on road and offroad capability

[@JohnDrivesAnything]

I have no sponsors, none of these companies pay me so I get to tell the truth and give an honest opinion on both. Spoiler Alert they are both great choices if you don't have the budget for a 4x4 conversion and want to give your van more off road capability and the Sportsmobile look. Both trade off pros and cons.

[@sebastianslife91]

Totally agree. I now like action van. With fox shocks and leaf springs from weldtec. 😮

[@JohnDrivesAnything]

@@sebastianslife91 Our talk inspired me to do this video. If you go Action Van upgrade to the radius arms with the pivot point. The good thing is you can combine kits. You can get the WTD rear springs later. You might be so impressed with the ride you might not even feel the need to get the rear leaf pack.

[@sebastianslife91]

​@JohnDrivesAnything I will now do that. Thank you bro!!

[@JohnDrivesAnything]

@@sebastianslife91 How does U-Joint and Timberland lift the back? I'm sure there are more ways to lift the back with leaf packs then Weldtec

[@holdfast4588]

@@JohnDrivesAnything Ive heard Deaver out of Santa Anna Ca is the best for rear leaf springs…

[@randybeltrame2906]

I love that you mentioned the guy from weld Tech is a raw raw. He cracks me up. I don’t like talking to him at all on the phone. I’m forgetting the guys name from ACTION VAN but I talked with him about 12 years ago. He had the same exact I had 06E 356 inch lift or five with the bigger tires. I forget how they work the numbers, but anyway, interesting on what you said Van over WT I can’t stand that well tech bends the highbeams and it says right on the I-beam do not bend look at that. What kind of disclaimer do I have to sign knowing you bent the beams I’m curious if insurance companies will fully cover that Anyway thank you for this comparison. I actually typed this exactly like your video says and here we are thank you so much. I’m looking forward to getting my next van and definitely lifting it. I was gonna do a 4 x 4 conversion but I decided the DIY on that was gonna be a little, time-consuming, not out of my wheelhouse but time-consuming

[@JohnDrivesAnything]

Im doing another lifted van meet in November. A friend of mine was sitting on a DIY 4x4 conversion for 3 years. We became friends from my lifted van videos. He decided to get an Action Van lift and stop sitting on the sidelines and have fun now. I will interview him at the November meet and show his van build. Weldtec is all hype. They say they have the best articulation. Fox 2.0 shocks can only compress 5.5 inches. They don't want to bring that up. I think it's a little sneaky. I will do a video about that. All my friends who went with AV are impressed. I think the biggest liability with Weldtec is the remove the sway bar. If you get into an accident a good lawyer can blame your lack of sway bar for the accident.

[@danawadeandramboadventures2657]

Like all this info about the kits ,great job !

[@JohnDrivesAnything]

Lots of people wanting to lift their van lately! The Meet is up to 15 interested and half of them want a lift kit for the meet. I understand lol that's why I planned the next one 5 months out.

[@danawadeandramboadventures2657]

@John Drives Anything yes we are still thinking about it lol! A lift kit from weldtec is about 8k 🤣 half the cost of a 4 x4 conversion

[@JohnDrivesAnything]

@@danawadeandramboadventures2657 You are car enthusiasts. You are going to do it! You will like the video I'm uploading now. Desert Season is over so I wont be off roading again until October. It's back to MallVerlanding!

[@dennymichael9518]

Great Info!

[@JohnDrivesAnything]

I just did a lifted van meet last week. Check out this collection of vans! kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYTRd4Kmhtxri6M

[@holdfast4588]

Awesome video! I didn’t know Camburg discontinued my Baja kit? That’s not good..

[@JohnDrivesAnything]

I was going to talk about Camburg in this video but yeah they no longer sell their bent beam kits. Only the Action Van Style and it's priced way too high. I'm guessing Camburg has a few left in stock and maybe someone rich with an Econoline will want their van lifted today and don't mind paying that price. I don't think it's a big deal for you that it's discontinued. The main stuff like ball joints and tie rods are always going to be available to keep your suspension in tip top shape. They did discontinue the Front Bumper you have too. One of my favorite fronts for these vans.

[@holdfast4588]

@Adventure Ready NEVER! I’m gonna now embrace my Camburg relic! Since they discontinued my bumper too I gotta get my metal fab buddy to straighten that taco shell back and put a bunch of off road lighting!

[@holdfast4588]

@Adventure Ready this Is awsome news for Jeremy!

[@JohnDrivesAnything]

@@holdfast4588 This is all Camburg has for the Econolines now. You need a Camburg decal man. You and 1 other guy is all I know who has one. Definitely a relic. Check out my last video spotted a mystery lift! camburg.com/vehicles/97-14-e-series-van/

[@katrinaassoumou1531]

Great Advice!

[@JohnDrivesAnything]

Lots of people wanting to lift their van lately!

[@alexk6444]

Welp you sold me on Action Van! Been planning on WTD but I'm installing myself and I didn't realize the action van kit doesn't require welding new radius arm brackets. Great video.

[@JohnDrivesAnything]

Glad my video helped you out. Are you going to do a Install video? I'm sure lots of people would love to see that. Half of my friends have an Action Van lift, half have a Weldtec. Both Kits are great. I think the Action Van is the way to go for the price difference. I really do like how the Sway bar is retained too. Let me know how it goes man! I'm a van fanatic that loves this hobby lol.

[@alexk6444]

@@JohnDrivesAnything I'm planning to start a youtube channel for it. I've got an instagram that documented my last van build so I'll be using that too. I just got a 97 e350 v10 and so far just doing a ton of maintenance on it before I start building it out.

[@JohnDrivesAnything]

Hell yeah V10! What's your IG account?

[@alexk6444]

@@JohnDrivesAnything candy_the_van I just gave you a follow!

[@coolchange1970]

I got a Tech to Spring into Action and Weld up a Shocking kit. We were so high we couldn’t Stabilize 😮

[@JohnDrivesAnything]

I see what you did there........

[@212caboose]

Alcan Springs does custom springs, and I'm pretty sure that's cheaper than Weld-Tec, and it's better than blocks. Another option (but REALLY expensive) is to get a Sky's Offroad rear '08+ leaf spring kit- MUCH more comfortable, and it uses factory (or factory-type) springs.

[@JohnDrivesAnything]

Action Van Suspension Does Custom Rear Springs they just dont advertise it. Weldtec charges $1500 + $750 labor. My friend is going with a Custom rear leaf I told him to make a video about it. I might eventually go that route. Next step for my van is a rear locker and re-gear. Appreciate the heads up I will look that company up

[@212caboose]

@@JohnDrivesAnything I'm excited to see your vids on the locker and re-gear! I'm currently building my van very similarly to yours- and I only found Action Van because of your vids! So I appreciate the work you do on these vids!

[@Greenandsonsweldandrepair]

I ran a shackle flip kit from sky's Off road on the rear of my van. The 78'to 92' shackles fit the van frame rails, you just need to open the holes up a bit. $230 and the rear was done! Thought I'd share another option.

[@TerryManitoba]

What tires are you running? Do you like them for the terrain you run? (Ansa Berrago etc) If you needed a new set - Which tire would you choose? (I ask as my K02's are almost done & need to make a decision soon...) I'm thinking between the K03 or Falken AT4W!!!

[@JohnDrivesAnything]

I'm running cheapy Patagonia ATRs! $800 installed. Check out what we did last weekend. Anza Borrego! kzbin.info/www/bejne/jYWvdXegqbqXpK8

[@TerryManitoba]

@@JohnDrivesAnything So - would you buy them again?

[@JohnDrivesAnything]

Yeah. Air down to 20 psi I have a rear locker now I was doing every bit as good as people with K02s and K03s. Theybjust don't look as cool.

[@hedlcm]

Planning to get the weld tech 3 inch just because I like how it looks ( the bent I beams ) I think you can keep the sway bar with extensions or shims between chassis and sway bar bushing

[@JohnDrivesAnything]

If you can keep the sway bar. I really miss it on really windy days. My van is all over the place. I want to get some Sumo Springs with the adaptor for lift kits. Hopefully that keeps it more stable in really bad winds. Let me know how it goes. This channel and the people who stop by in the comment section are lifted van fanatics!

[@vanvisualmedia2821]

Where did you get that baja light bar bumper add on? Looks nice!

[@vanvisualmedia2821]

Shoot nevermind I just found it in a different video of yours! Love your content!

[@JohnDrivesAnything]

Yeah unfortunately ORW discontinued it. Maybe they will make it again? BOught it 10 years ago when lifted van hype wasn't as big. I appreciate the feedback buddy.

[@vanvisualmedia2821]

@@JohnDrivesAnything I've been searching to try and find how you mounted your Awning to that drip rail, I cant figure it out. How'd you do it?

[@JohnDrivesAnything]

Here you go. I think Smitty Built might have some universal gutter mounts. kzbin.info/www/bejne/f4K4npyngJeXZ9E

[@cfh4201969]

Fox shocks are not worth the almost $300 per shock. The bent I-beams actually shorten the track width. But you can make up for that with wheels. But id go with Action Van especially with their upgrade pivot radius arms and no welding. That's also why I like swc4x4vans, they have the only completely bolt on 4wd system, that I've seen anyway.

[@JohnDrivesAnything]

I recommend Action Van over Weldtec. I don't think the extra suspension Articulation is worth ditching the sway bar. On a really windy day I miss the sway bar. I work a manual labor job too so every penny is earned the hardway and a $2000 price difference install vs install is a lot of pennies Do you have a van build going? I have a Epic Off Roading van meet coming up in October and 5 people showing up have a Weldtec lift and another 5 have an Action Van lift and a couple of guys with 4x4s are going to show up so it will be cool seeing a convoy off roading and I'll do a video on all the different lifts.

[@manthony1601]

Where did you get the fender flares??

[@JohnDrivesAnything]

Here you go buddy kzbin.info/www/bejne/oImac5h_qpZpm9E

[@GlenArterburn]

I bought my 2014 e350 with the Action Van lift kit already installed. It has been in there probably since 2014, and parts are showing corrosion and rust, and shocks and springs need to be replaced. I'm thinking about just getting a whole new Action Van kit. But, I have a few questions... 1. How do these lift kits affect the tie rod bushings? I put some beefy 35 inch tires on it with 17" wheels. Just wondering why my tie rod bushings keep seeming to wear out so quickly, giving me a knocking sensation in the steering wheel, mainly at slow speeds while turning. 2. What size wheels and tires do you all recommend on these lifts? I want bigger, meatier tires, but balanced with a smooth ride on the highway. Currently I get some steering wheel wobble between 60-80 mph. I replaced the steering shaft, which helped, and I have replaced all of the tie rods twice, had wheels balanced, alignments, etc. Just wondering how much to expect out of the highway ride out of these setups. 3. Some harsh bumps on the highway, especially when hitting both front wheels on the bredge transition things, or rough patches on the highway... seems like suspension should absorb these bumps better, but man they can be hard and loud. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[@JohnDrivesAnything]

How many miles is on the van? Any clue how many miles on the van with the lift on it? 35s are Massive! Sometimes I wish I went with 265s (31.5s) instead of 285s (33s) I still need to get a re-gear and I hope I regain 1 mpg back. I ran 245s (stock) for almost 2 years even with a lift. Looked a little funny but for a V10 I was getting 12-14 MPG stop ang go Taffic and 15-19 MPG freeway/roadtrips (driving 60 MPH cruise Control and depending on how much traffic there is) Is the wobble all gone? How new are the tires? I had a wobble and it was the tires cupping so I finally got bigger tires. My lift was out of alignment for a few months it pulled to the left slightly and I ignored it until I I got wobble. It's not glamourous but I think 265s is the right size. It's a size up it only weights about 5-10 pounds more then 245s 285s are 15-25 pounds heavier then 245s. Of course bigger tires on a lifted van is going to wear things out quicker then stock. Does yours have a steering stabilizer? If the kit has been on since 2014 and your van has a lot of miles New shocks is a good idea. Here's a video on a meet I did a few weeks ago hitting some trails kzbin.info/www/bejne/e6etfp-njaeLjdU

[@GlenArterburn]

@@JohnDrivesAnything the van has 107,000 miles on it and my guess is the original owner had the lift put on very early. Yes, I need new shocks for sure. But, this van was in Chicago, and has a small amount of rust and corrosion, nothing structural though, just surface rust. I could probably wire brush and repaint things, but I like my stuff clean and nice. So, I'm considering just getting a whole new kit from Action Van, and maybe some new leaf springs for the rear. I'm thinking that these 305 tires are just too big and heavy and grippy for the tie rod pivot bushings and that's why they are wearing out so quickly, and it probably has nothing to do with the lift kit itself... just the huge aftermarket tires and wheels. Ironically , the tires don't even look that big on it to me now. 😂 Yes, I have the Bilstein steering stabilizer on it. Also, mine is a V8 5.4L, and I get about 11.7 mpg on the highway. I have a RhinoRack roof rack with 270 awning, Yakima Rocketbox on top, and 3 solar panels. I'm sure all of that doesn't help the mpg's. I need to look into the gearing relative to wheel/tire size and learn more about that. Looking at u-joint, they replace all of that front end linkage and I'm sure they probably ride like a dream and everything is heavy duty and designed for the big tires and off road. But man, $25,000 just doesn't sound good to me. So, I'm trying to find that sweet spot on tire size, etc. to fall within a more reasonable budget. Another thing I've thought about, is all of the stuff going to electric vehicles. How much money do I want to invest in my gas guzzling machine??? It's fun, and I love it, but it's costing money, and not sure how much it will hold its value in the long run.

[@JohnDrivesAnything]

@@GlenArterburn Now many people with 2wd lifted vans running 35s or bigger. You should post a video of your van. Do you have an Instagram? My biddy sebastianslife91 on here really wants to fint 37s. Im trying to convince him to stay with 33s lol. I'm going to get my van rear lockered and re-geared soon. IF you want to continue running 35s or bigger you need 4:56 gers. 4:10s with 265s or 285s 33s.. Whats your RPM at 65 mph?

[@GlenArterburn]

@@JohnDrivesAnything I'll check on my RPM and let you know. Yeah, what does "rear lockered" mean exactly? I'm gonna review the spec sheet on my van and see if anything was done on the gearing and differential. Thanks for all the info and your responses, and for posting videos. I don't have any videos, but I do have pics I could send you. I love my van... I've done a lot of work on it and it's a blast to have.

[@JohnDrivesAnything]

@@GlenArterburn Basically 2wd means 1wd. 1 legger. So the tire that gets the least amount of traction is the one recieving power and the other is just spinning freely. Good Road manners on the street. Sucks off road. A rear locker will allow both tires to receive power and enhance your off road capability. So most 4wds are actually 1wd up front and in the rear and most 2wds are 1wd. Rear locker will bridge the gap a little bit with a 4wd. So a rear locker makes you truly 2 wheel drive and a front and rear locker in a 4 wheel drive makes you truly 4wd

[@Desertvanlife]

😎👍🏜