Removing the body kit for better clearance to off-road

[lumps]

In the future I'd like to modify my van to go off-road / overlanding. There were slim pickings at the time, and I chose a model with a body kit which I think will interfere with larger tires and overall ground clearance. There are very few resources on this project so I am curious if anyone can enlighten me on the removal of the kit; what to expect once they are removed; and tips on lift kits, required suspension alterations that come with it, and rim/tire options for such a project. Even off road bumper options.

 

Or, maybe removing the kit is not even necessary to lift and put larger tires etc on? 

 

Thank you!

 

 

 

 

Edited April 10 by lumps

[Rojie]

9 hours ago, lumps said:

In the future I'd like to modify my van to go off-road / overlanding. There were slim pickings at the time, and I chose a model with a body kit which I think will interfere with larger tires and overall ground clearance. There are very few resources on this project so I am curious if anyone can enlighten me on the removal of the kit; what to expect once they are removed; and tips on lift kits, required suspension alterations that come with it, and rim/tire options for such a project. Even off road bumper options.

 

Or, maybe removing the kit is not even necessary to lift and put larger tires etc on? 

 

Thank you!

 

 

 

 

 

Hello Chris,

 

I am sorry to have to inform you that you have purchased a limousine; not an off-roader.

 

I would not even begin to think of true off-roading, even with a 4WD Alphie. Good dirt tracks maybe, nothing more severe.

 

Wholesale modification of wheels, tyres, shockers, etc is very expensive.

 

On standard wheel / tyre combinations you have only about 160mm ground clearance.

 

By how much do you plan to heighten the van ?

[Picasso]

looking at your photo this Alphard has not been lowered so its standard suspension lot of owners in uk regret buying lowered Alphard's as we got lots of speed bumps and pot holes on our roads and to put a Alphard back to standard Hight your looking at £1200 British pounds 

[Picasso]

the kit on yours is a standard kit as with all Alphard's your Alphard has not been modified in any way its as it came out of the factory I personally leave as it is 

[dezufo]

A person in russia has done it by removing the standard trim/bumpers, see pics. You can get lift kits on eBay, but the maximum is 40mm without putting undue strain on the driveshafts.

[lumps]

9 hours ago, Rojie said:

 

Hello Chris,

 

I am sorry to have to inform you that you have purchased a limousine; not an off-roader.

 

I would not even begin to think of true off-roading, even with a 4WD Alphie. Good dirt tracks maybe, nothing more severe.

 

Wholesale modification of wheels, tyres, shockers, etc is very expensive.

 

On standard wheel / tyre combinations you have only about 160mm ground clearance.

 

By how much do you plan to heighten the van ?

 

 

Rojie,

 

You are truly a wealth of useful information and thank you for your insight. And upon learning that it's a limousine, I'm not even upset! 

 

Now that I re-read my post I realize that I wasn't as clear as I could have been.

 

I am not interested in true off-roading but, instead, I'm interested in driving it on "good dirt tracks" like you describe. The outcome I'm looking for is that, because I live around the mountains and enjoy camping, I would prefer that this is able to go off road without breaking the trim. 

 

I see this crazy Russian modification posted above and, while it's certainly pretty kick-ass, I wouldn't have anywhere to park that thing. There is a video I found on Youtube that reflects something a little more modest (attached), and better aligned with what I have in mind (an AH20 I believe, but nonetheless gives an idea of what I'm aiming for).

Edited Thursday at 04:42 PM by lumps

[dezufo]

40 minutes ago, lumps said:

 

 

Rojie,

 

You are truly a wealth of useful information and thank you for your insight. And upon learning that it's a limousine, I'm not even upset! 

 

Now that I re-read my post I realize that I wasn't as clear as I could have been.

 

I am not interested in true off-roading but, instead, and interested in taking on "good dirt tracks" like you describe. The outcome I'm looking for is that because I live around the mountains and enjoy camping, I would prefer that this is able to go off the road "dirt tracks" without breaking the trim. 

 

I see this crazy Russian modification posted below and, while it's certainly pretty kick-ass, I wouldn't have anywhere to park that thing. There is a video I found on Youtube that reflects something a little more modest, and better aligned with what I have in mind (an AH20 I believe, but nonetheless gives an idea of what I'm aiming for).

That looks like a standard body trim but seems to have been lifted slightly