Newbie seeking wisdom

Campfiremafia · 08-18-2021, 04:57 PM

Hey ya’ll! Newbie here coming from the great PNW! I have a 1987 E350 super duty short bus! So excited for the adventures and challenges to come! Our bus sits relatively low, and I’m assuming when I start building it out completely will add more weight. I’m curious as to how and if you went to a shop/how to find them for lift kits! I just would like a tiny bit more clearance, nothing crazy! Thanks!!

Rucker · 08-18-2021, 05:36 PM

My shuttle bus has high clearance except for the door, which is purposefully a step above ground. What is your current clearance?

LargeMargeInBaja · 08-18-2021, 05:41 PM

2003, we converted a 1997 Ford CF8000 commercial truck to our concept of an ExpeditionVehicle.
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About eight years later, we needed new tires... not because of wear, but because they 'timed out'.
According to the manufacturer build-date molded into the side-wall, our tires were approaching ten, and conventional tire 'rule-of-thumb' says replace them at six years old.
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Discussing this with one of the walking encyclopedias at Wyatt Tires in Eugene, Oregon, we realized we could gain just over two inches ground-clearance by going from 22.5 low-profile to 24.5 high-profile tires.
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Our new ground-clearance is right at 16" (sixteen inches).
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The toy-hauler I built on another commercial chassis would gain about an inch going from light-duty 16" tires/wheels to commercial-rated 19.5" tires/wheels.
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A big benefit for us is the increase in the safety factor.
Our stock trailer tires/wheels are rated around 3,600#.
19.5 tires/wheels approach double that.
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I hope this helps!

magnakansas · 08-18-2021, 06:30 PM

I have seen many busses with suspension put on the bus by the bus company.

first step --- know what is there right now then

you can figure out where you want to go with it.

william

o1marc · 08-18-2021, 06:41 PM

Do you think your build out will weigh more than full capacity of passengers?

Kentucky Dreaming · 08-18-2021, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LargeMargeInBaja

Discussing this with one of the walking encyclopedias at Wyatt Tires in Eugene, Oregon, we realized we could gain just over two inches ground-clearance by going from 22.5 low-profile to 24.5 high-profile tires.

Increasing tire DIAMETER by 2 inches only raises the axle (which is located at the center of the diameter) by 1 inch.

o1marc · 08-18-2021, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kentucky Dreaming

Increasing tire DIAMETER by 2 inches only raises the axle (which is located at the center of the diameter) by 1 inch.

That's wheel only. If going from a low profile to a taller profile makes a difference also.

Kentucky Dreaming · 08-18-2021, 07:17 PM

Good point! I stand corrected, and hopefully wiser.

Campfiremafia · 08-18-2021, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rucker

My shuttle bus has high clearance except for the door, which is purposefully a step above ground. What is your current clearance?

My clearance is currently sitting at a whopping 8 inches. Here is the beauty we're talking about.

Mr_Geenie · 08-19-2021, 01:47 AM

I had a hightop E350.
Swap out your shocks for the heaviest duty shocks you can find and it will give you additional ride height. I gained just under 3" from replacing my old worn out shocks for heavy duty Gabriel shocks.
Plus, you use standard van machanical parts.
RockAuto regularly has shocks on sale stupid cheap. I got 4 super heavy duty shocks for a grand total of $120 shipped to my door. The difference between the 2017 shocks I got and the 2018 shocks that were over $125 each?
My shocks were 90% yellow.
The 2018 were about 60% yellow and 40% blue. And the logo was in a different location.

Danjo · 08-19-2021, 08:39 AM

The first thing you should do before you spend money on suspension or anything else is to take it to a truck scale and confirm your unladen weight is same or close to to what it says on the sticker. Compare that to the GVWR to determine how much weight you can add, keeping in mind that you will still need to account for passengers and stuff.

I have a Chevy Express-based Thomas Minotour and I can confirm a little sag after adding the bulk of the heavy stuff, but I don’t think it’s so bad as to need to add additional suspension

Campfiremafia · 08-19-2021, 10:43 AM

I don’t plan on having it weigh more than passenger weight... but we do plan to go on regular trips on paths less traveled. Not talking rock crawler status, just NF roads. We recently took it out, and there were a couple spots on the gravel road where the pothole was so bad I was 1/2 away from scrapping.
I appreciate all the input received!

Rucker · 08-19-2021, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Campfiremafia

My clearance is currently sitting at a whopping 8 inches. Here is the beauty we're talking about.

That's about what I have. I'm also concerned about ripping out the stairwell if I'm not careful.

I doubt I'll ever try and do a lift. It's still a two wheel drive vehicle and I'll just get myself into trouble if I think I can clear something. I have contemplated removing the first step and swapping out the entry door if it became a true issue once I get out there boondocking. I don't know of anyone who has done that yet, but it seems like a logical alternative to a lift.

HamSkoolie · 08-19-2021, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kentucky Dreaming

Good point! I stand corrected, and hopefully wiser.

I believe yo were correct the first time. Whether the wheel or the tire, increasing diameter by 2" only increases ground clearance by 1". The 22.5 to 24.5 change is 2" in diameter and thus only 1" larger radius.

R * 2 = Diameter

o1marc · 08-19-2021, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HamSkoolie

I believe yo were correct the first time. Whether the wheel or the tire, increasing diameter by 2" only increases ground clearance by 1". The 22.5 to 24.5 change is 2" in diameter and thus only 1" larger radius.

R * 2 = Diameter

Incorrect, not all same diameter tires are the same height.
If you read the post, the diameter change included a profile change on the tire. An 11 x22.5 is 41.4" tall, an 11 x 24.5 is 43.4" tall. So if going from a "low" profile 22.5, to a high profile 24.5 would yield more than a 2" difference

HamSkoolie · 08-19-2021, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by o1marc

Incorrect, not all same diameter tires are the same height.
If you read the post, the diameter change included a profile change on the tire. An 11 x22.5 is 41.4" tall, an 11 x 24.5 is 43.4" tall. So if going from a "low" profile 22.5, to a high profile 24.5 would yield more than a 2" difference

Still not seeing it. As I understand it the profile change IS the shift from a 41.4" tall tire to a 43.4" tall tire. The RIM isn't changed so a larger diameter results in a higher profile.

Either way, if the ACTUAL diameter increases by 2" then the radius (which equals the distance from the center of axle to outside of tire) only increases 1".

I don't see any other way it could be.

Mountain Gnome · 08-19-2021, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by o1marc

Incorrect, not all same diameter tires are the same height.
If you read the post, the diameter change included a profile change on the tire. An 11 x22.5 is 41.4" tall, an 11 x 24.5 is 43.4" tall. So if going from a "low" profile 22.5, to a high profile 24.5 would yield more than a 2" difference

Please explain your definition of "diameter".
Mine is the distance from one side of a circle to the other through the center point.

o1marc · 08-20-2021, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HamSkoolie

Still not seeing it. As I understand it the profile change IS the shift from a 41.4" tall tire to a 43.4" tall tire. The RIM isn't changed so a larger diameter results in a higher profile.

Either way, if the ACTUAL diameter increases by 2" then the radius (which equals the distance from the center of axle to outside of tire) only increases 1".

I don't see any other way it could be.

The 41.3 was a high profile 22.5, a low profile would yield more than 1" difference in overall height.

o1marc · 08-20-2021, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mountain Gnome

Please explain your definition of "diameter".
Mine is the distance from one side of a circle to the other through the center point.

What is the outside diameter of a 15" tire?

A tire has 2 diameters.

Kentucky Dreaming · 08-20-2021, 12:54 PM

Marc is correct, y'all. Forgive me for overlooking the fact that tires have different aspect ratios. You could have 2 different tires that fit the same rim diameter but have quite different OUTSIDE diameters.

To attempt to un-hijack the thread and steer it back to the OP's original point, taller tires would be one way to gain extra ground clearance, if you have fender clearance, gearing is low enough to not bog the engine, and it fits your budget.

I have a 2 wheel drive pickup with not very much ground clearance, and I drive forest service roads quite a bit. Just gotta think before plunging into unknown territory and remember that a recovery vehicle ain't gonna be there anytime soon.

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