1st Gear

Registered: May 2008
Location: West Michigan
Posts: 147

3" Suspension Lift

What would you be willing to spend for a complete 3" kit? It would include...

Front coil springs
Rear coil springs
New front struts (longer)
New rear shocks (longer)
New rear adjustable control arms
Front Camber adjustment kit

I have been on the phone with spring suppliers, etc. and they tell me that quantity would make things a whole lot cheaper. I will probably do a prototype set up on my Escape but if others want to copy it a group buy is much better. So back to my demographic question.

I am just wondering what Escape owners would pay for such a kit and if it existed would you buy it?

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Registered: Nov 2007
Location: Western Washington
Posts: 79

Oh man, if you start selling a 3" lift for the escape, I will be so jealous because I already have a 2" lift. But hypothetically if I were interested, with all of the extras that come with your proposed kit, it should bring in at least $1000 per kit. The 2" lift was priced much lower than that because the only thing that is absolutely required is the coil springs -- everythng else was optional

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Ooh La La! 1000 Posts !!
The Humpin' Hula Award

Registered: Jan 2008
Location: Laguna Hills, CA
Posts: 1016

A 3" lift would be a bad idea. Even with the 2" you are making the CV joints extend to far as it is.

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1st Gear

Registered: May 2008
Location: West Michigan
Posts: 147

I have been observing the cv joints during manipulation of the suspension. During unloaded droop is when they are at the worst angles. Still they appear to be at no worse off than the cv joints on the IFS end of my Tracker. It wheels with a 4.5" suspension lift and I have yet to destroy a cv joint although I would suspect decreased longevity over being left stock. Still I would rather decrease the cv joint life some for the added clearence and travel gained.

I'm still trying to determine the maximum usable lift. I have been trying to contact the team that rally races Escapes in the Asia XC Rally to see how much lift they run on their cars. They appear to sit pretty tall. Check this out...

http://2007asiarally.medialand.com.tw/asia_car.htm

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Platinum Member

Registered: Dec 2005
Location: Barrie Ontario Canada
Posts: 1363

Re: 3" Suspension Lift

quote:

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Originally posted by Escape POV
What would you be willing to spend for a complete 3" kit? It would include...

Front coil springs
Rear coil springs
New front struts (longer)
New rear shocks (longer)
New rear adjustable control arms
Front Camber adjustment kit

I have been on the phone with spring suppliers, etc. and they tell me that quantity would make things a whole lot cheaper. I will probably do a prototype set up on my Escape but if others want to copy it a group buy is much better. So back to my demographic question.

I am just wondering what Escape owners would pay for such a kit and if it existed would you buy it?

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Ya i say $1000 or $1200 wouldn,t be out of line for such a kit..I.d love to do it..Just not gonna happen,,,with a 4 month old baby..But great idea..You might set the Escape world on its feet with such a kit..2 thumbs way up to ya...

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Registered: Apr 2007
Location: Laramie,WY
Posts: 31

I would be game as long as it fits the Mariner. I believe 02Escape's concern is valid as the escape is front wheel drive unless slipping then the rear engages. on your tracker you only have the fronts turning when in 4wd. It could chew up CVs fast being used 100% of the time. Now if the kit includes hi angle CVs then alright.

Then again I am planning on putting solid axles under my Mariner and run 35s.

Tim

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1st Gear

Registered: May 2008
Location: West Michigan
Posts: 147

quote:

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Originally posted by projectescape35
...
Then again I am planning on putting solid axles under my Mariner and run 35s. Tim

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Registered: Apr 2006
Location: Oxnard, Ca
Posts: 43

If you start going at those angles, I am not so worried about CV angles as I am with on road dynamics. With the front lifted 3", the front suspension is going to roll bad and get scary in cornering due to the raised roll center, mostly from the extreme angle of the lower control arms. It would seem to me the only way to get over 2" lift is to body lift the subframes, but I would be wary of that due to safety concerns.

Also, I have had 2 cv axles go bad over the last 3 1/2 years, and no lift. From my experience, the CV's are made from butter in this vehicle.

BTW: Don't get me wrong, if the lift works, I would be on board.

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1st Gear

Registered: May 2008
Location: West Michigan
Posts: 147

Mattyhawk - I understand your concern with vehicle stability but being a driver of "tall" vehicles I'm not worried about it. Everything I drive is lifted at least 3" and all have IFS. I even remove the front and rear stabilizers for more articulation. I use these vehicles as emergency response POVs in a township full of winding roads. I have never experienced any noticeable instability or unpredictable handling characteristics. The Escape has a track almost 6" wider than my Tracker and only 4" narrower than my Astro. A 3" lift doesn't make me nervous. I've watched the videos of the Asia Rally Escape and they appear to have no trouble with stability and that rig has to be lifted at least 3".

The only time I ever had any concern is when I blew out a front tire (sidewall) on the 8" lifted Astro van at about 65 mph. It hooked to the right, down into the ditch, back up onto the road and back into the ditch. When I got it stopped it had one back tire about 8" off the ground and the blown out one was sunk almost to the hub in soft ground. That was a scary ride.

As far as bodylifts go I really don't care for them on most vehicles. By using one you gain nothing but height. If it is used to allow the vehicle to fit taller tires you can at least gain ground clearance there. If I wanted to run tires taller than 31" I might consider it in addition to the suspension lift. To run 31" on my Geo I had to also use a bodylift. The Geo has small wheel wells compared to an Escape.

Disclaimer (note to self)- The laws of physics imply that a lifted vehicle is going to be more unstable than an unlifted one. So don't try a bootlegger 180 at 70 MPH.

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Registered: Apr 2006
Location: Oxnard, Ca
Posts: 43

I have contemplated exactly what you are working. I find your endeavour an exciting one. What do you think of the front lower control arm, rear donut bushing articulation? By design, it is inherently limiting to travel, and seems to me to be another issue when raising the vehicle.

Concerning the subframe lift, I was thinking an extra 1" could be added safely. I think body lifts in the traditional sense on frame rail trucks are unattractive and problematic for frame stiffness. The interesting thing about the escape is that the look would not be a problem, you would still gain center ground clearance, and there would be room for a mild suspension lift. My thought has been to do 1 inch to the front only to level the vehicle (can't stand the nose down look). That assumes in a safe manner, because it looks to me that if done incorrectly, a bolt shearing effect could occur in extreme situations.

Anyways, can't wait to hear how it goes for you. Please keep us updated as I am living vicariously through you.

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Registered: May 2008
Location:
Posts: 22

quote:

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Originally posted by projectescape35


Then again I am planning on putting solid axles under my Mariner and run 35s.

Tim

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Registered: May 2008
Location:
Posts: 22

now i understand you may love your escape and would like to see it 3" higher in the air, but really with all the work its going to take and all the money you are going to put into it, you could go out, buy an explorer, and throw a 6" lift on it with no problems for the same price and have a more stable platform to work off of. not to mention, you couldnt really step up to a bigger tire size between a 3 " and 2" lift because of the shape of the wheel wells without modifying them.

im not trying to knock the escape but the reason i bought one was because of the front wheel drive and the gas mileage difference it had over the explorer..... granted i put a lift on it because it was affordable and i drive around construction sites all day and also go snowboarding and wanted to fit a bigger all terrain tire on it for those reasons, but if i really wanted something to go offroading in and put a lift bigger than what i have on, i would step up to a bigger, more stable platform that was built for going off road on.

its really just not worth the hassle in my opinion.

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Platinum Member

Registered: Dec 2007
Location: New England, USA
Posts: 972

I would love a suspension lift. But what i would want more than this is a real 4wd system. I want some 4wd Love gear for some mud. Anyone think is is possible to add to the escape?

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1st Gear

Registered: May 2008
Location: West Michigan
Posts: 147

quote:

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Originally posted by SnowScape
but really with all the work its going to take and all the money you are going to put into it, you could go out, buy an explorer, ...
granted i put a lift on it because it was affordable and i drive around construction sites all day and also go snowboarding and wanted to fit a bigger all terrain tire on it for those reasons...
its really just not worth the hassle in my opinion.

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