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

quote:

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Originally posted by Escape POV
I currently have all the parts to do the lift.

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Where did you get the parts? Is it a kit or?????
I need to get my mariner up in the air. it will be a start till I rip it apart for my major build. Need to pay on it some more.

tim

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1st Gear

Registered: May 2008
Location: West Michigan
Posts: 147

In a way yes. I finished up the Geo Tracker with Toyota axles with Jeep Wrangler leaf springs trail rig project that was in my garage. It headed out for Colorado today. That opened up my free time and garage for getting started on this next chance I get. A recent trip to the sand dunes in the escape also inspired me to get the lift on it. It did great up there so it earned the right to sport a lift and some 31x10.50s.

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1st Gear

Registered: May 2008
Location: West Michigan
Posts: 147

quote:

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Originally posted by projectescape35
Where did you get the parts? Is it a kit or?????
I need to get my mariner up in the air. it will be a start till I rip it apart for my major build. Need to pay on it some more.

tim

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Platinum Overdrive

Registered: Mar 2002
Location: Pittsburgh, PA/Greenwood, SC
Posts: 2418

So is the lift for the Escape a complete re-axle or just a spring lift?

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1st Gear

Registered: May 2008
Location: West Michigan
Posts: 147

The lift for the escape is just a 3" suspension kit that provides increased wheel travel and articulation.

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Platinum Member

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

that would be sick if you for an axle swap! It would be like a super escape. I thought you were going to get 4" out of this lift though

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1st Gear

Registered: May 2008
Location: West Michigan
Posts: 147

No. Just a 3" which is 50% more than the 2" BDS and 100% more than the 1.5" kits. IMHO 4" would be too much for the CV joints and create alignment issues.

I keep trinking about a SAS for the Escape but it would be a major undertaking. It would involve building new subframes or a full frame. Another option would be to get an early Ford Ranger frame and shorten it up in the rear until the wheelbase matched. You could then build body mounts on the frame that matched the Escape's subframe mounts. Depending on how this was designed you may or may not need to create a tunnel for the drivetrain. You could use a Ranger tranny and T-case so you could keep the Escape engine and its electronics. I think I would start with a manual Escape so the autotranny electronics are out of the picture. It would be a neat and original project but it wouldn't be a weekend one. I can see a lot of measurments and head scratching on it. Not to mention the fabrication time. Hmmm???Maybe next summer. Anybody want to donate an Escape for the project?

I think this 3" (also a 2" version) kit will be nice set up. I'll take some pictures of the kit so you can see the parts it will use. I'll try to post it later today. Right now I have to finish cleaning out the garage. It is full of metal dust from cutting and welding.

BTW this is what the Tracker looked like in my garage just before the F/R SAS.

This was the kit I designed for the swap...

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1st Gear

Registered: May 2008
Location: West Michigan
Posts: 147

The Escape 3" kit

I forgot I was going to post a picture of the kit. So here is a shot of the 3" kit. I actually had some time this afternoon and got started on the the Escape. The front end was quick and easy. I think I had it finished in about 1.5 hours. Then I started on the back. Getting the rear springs out and in is a pain. I got one side about 75% and it got tooo dark to work outside. I knew I should have put it in the garage. Oh well I'll finish it up tomorrow.

BTW the front showed almost a 3" increase in height after the install. I'll see what the full kit yeilds when finished.

Last edited by Escape POV on 09-25-2008 at 06:15 PM

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Platinum Member

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

im so excited to see what it looks like...POST PICTURES WHEN ITS DONE!!! A LOOOT OF PICTURES!! *jumps in the air and spins*

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Registered: Feb 2008
Location: Munford, TN
Posts: 18

quote:

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Originally posted by Doubledee90
im so excited to see what it looks like...POST PICTURES WHEN ITS DONE!!! A LOOOT OF PICTURES!! *jumps in the air and spins*

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Yeah, what he said!

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1st Gear

Registered: May 2008
Location: West Michigan
Posts: 147

Ran into a slight issue with the rear brake lines. The ones I had so carefully chosen didn't work. Seams the end of the Escape's hard lines had the bubble instead of the flare. So I ordered some other brake lines based on info in a catalog and they were wrong too.

My wife was not happy and wanted her car back so I had to pull my rear springs and shocks and drop in some BDS ones so I could run stock brake lines. The BDS springs only give a little over 1" of lift. I thought they were supposed to be 2". ???

Observations-

My springs provided about 4" of rear lift but I hope they will settle in at 3. The rate is almost stock feeling

The shocks I used provided alot more travel than stock and allowed the Escape to keep it's tires on the ground when "twisting".

The strut spacers provided more front articulation than stock as well as over 2" of lift, however, they do allow more down travel than I think the stock CV joints should deal with. I have redesigned the front to use a shorter spacer along with a lift spring. I think the combination of the two will work out good.

The brake lines I used didn't work. I am still searching for the best ones. I am hoping to find some "off the shelf" OEM type with the right length and fittings so I can keep the cost down.

Here is a shot of it twisting a little and the amount of flex the kit provided. It has 245/75R16 (31") street tires on it right now. Need some Jeep 15" rims so I can mount up my 31x10.50 MTs.


Front end ...

Stock extension vs new on rear ...

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Registered: Feb 2008
Location: Munford, TN
Posts: 18

That thing is really flexing for an Escape! What do you expect the price range for the kit to be when it's all said and done?

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Platinum Member

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

damn that looks good, never thought I would see an escape do that!

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Platinum Overdrive

Registered: Mar 2002
Location: Pittsburgh, PA/Greenwood, SC
Posts: 2418

How do you keep the CV joints from self-destructing?

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