Hey, one last candid comment/perspective from this largely-happy Action-Van lift kit owner:
I'm gonna say this, and I'm gonna stick by it:
For a lot of people, the Action Van 6" lift kit (their cheapest "performance" kit, at $2089) can be a solid and cost-effective option. Especially if you are doing the install yourself. No welding required, easy bolt-in, drives great on the freeway, well-constructed, and proven over time in a ton of vans for the last 10 or 15 years to be a workable suspension for reasonable off-roading.
But If I were to do everything all over again....having a lift kit installed for me......and
knowing what options that I personally would ultimately want to have included in it......
I would go with WeldTec.
And here's my list of "becauses" to explain why:
"Because" #1: WeldTec can basically do it all.
If for no other reason...than simply because, they can do EVERYTHING all under one roof. And....because his package pricing is indeed pretty killer, should you want to be going with custom rear leafs. So yeah, convenience, get-it-all-done-at-one-place awesomeness, there ya go.
"Because" #2: Reputation for ultimate durability.
Jeremy has created an option for the most hardcore of 2WD Econoline off-roaders, should they want to go with his full-blown/fully-optioned kit.
He and his guys at WeldTec have definitely designed/built a bomber kit that has impressive-as-hell fast-running off road capability/durability. Based on in-person conversation with him (and his posts), SMB Forum member Redoval seems to positively HAMMER on his WeldTec-lifted van, basically doing pre-runner-type fast-tracking on rough roads.....and he does it regularly.....and it doesn't seem like he's broken anything yet.
"Because" #3: Rear Leaf Spring Options.
Jeremy at WeldTec can readily set up that custom rear leaf spring option, and he and his guys have a lot of experience doing so. Seriously, IMHO this is something that anyone who's serious about REALLY going off-road with their rig should consider to be an essential, 100% necessary part of the overall suspension upgrade, not just a fancy option to consider for later.
The other 2WD Econoline lift builders seem to largely sell their kits with tall lift-blocks under their rear ends, which for sure gains you height/tire clearance....
but does not a more-capable rear suspension make. You
don't get more travel with lift blocks. You
do get axle-wrap. And all those crappy undesirable dynamics that definitely
don't make a van ride better.
Pure and simple: If you are serious about how your rig actually DRIVES/PERFORMS off-road, you want custom leafs.
With ANYONE'S kit, if you decide to go cheap and just opt for rear lift blocks.....then you can't possibly get the most out of your van's new front long-travel suspension capabilities. And this goes for WeldTec kits too. End rant.
"Because" #4: Agile / FOX partnership.
Jeremy is basically next-door neighbors with Agile Off-Road, and they have a great relationship. You might be able to buy Fox shocks from other 2WD Econoline lift-kit-builders, but they won't get the specialized "Agile Tuning" that Jeremy is able to broker for you. We all know these vans are unique in their weights/chassis dynamics from your average F150, and it's only a handful of guys in the industry (like Agile and WeldTec) that have made it their professional trade to deliver
the very best available performance in this area.
SO ANYWAY.....
Does any of this help anyone with their thinking? Making a decision with respect to choosing a 2WD lift lit for these E-series vans ultimately, comes down to deciding whose **front end lift** design/implementation you prefer...which ones you can install yourself vs having to go to their shop for an install...and of course cost.
This all said,
Larry at Action van is a solid dude, and stands behind his product. I bought my Action Van kit used from a forum member --- but Larry very happily installed it for me and has provided fantastic follow-up support as well for a couple hiccups I had with it, even though I had bought the kit used. And at $2089, his "Performance Lift Kit" can be a very solid value ---- as long as you are okay with lift blocks and Bilstein shocks vs. Fox (which actually drive great on the Freeway).
But once you start to consider upgrading to better shocks, or to custom rear leafs, or realize you are likely to really want to hammer on your van and run ultimately hard/fast offroad....you better call WeldTec.