A high-roof AWD Ford Transit camper on a Van Compass 2-inch lift with Falcon shocks rides much smoother and more stable — less of the tall-van wallow — and a little wheel-well trimming let it clear Toyo Open Country all-terrains.
This high-roof AWD Ford Transit came into Juggernaut USA in Wheat Ridge (Denver), CO as a camper build that needed to ride better and reach further than a stock van. We installed a Van Compass 2-inch lift with Falcon shocks, refinished the factory wheels, and fit a set of Toyo Open Country all-terrains.
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Vehicle | High-roof AWD Ford Transit (camper build) |
| Lift | Van Compass 2-inch system with Falcon shocks |
| Wheels | Factory wheels, powdercoated black, custom Juggernaut center cap |
| Tires | Toyo Open Country all-terrains (wheel wells trimmed to clear) |
| Result | Smoother, more stable, less wallow |
What the Van Compass 2-inch lift and Falcon shocks did
A tall camper van carries a lot of weight up high, and on the factory suspension that shows up as body roll and a wallowy, floaty ride. The Van Compass 2-inch system with Falcon shocks changes that. The lift opens up clearance and levels the stance for an all-terrain tire, but the bigger win here was the shocks — the Falcons control the mass much better than the OE dampers, so the van feels planted instead of top-heavy. Van Compass builds a real, engineered AWD Transit system, which is what you want under a van someone lives and travels out of.
The wheels: factory, refinished, with a custom cap
These are not aftermarket wheels. They are the van's own factory wheels — we powdercoated them gloss black and machined a custom Juggernaut USA center cap for them. It is a clean, subtle way to change the look of a van without buying a new set of wheels, and it keeps the factory load rating and fitment exactly where Ford intended.
Fitting the tires: we trimmed the wheel wells
The Toyo Open Country all-terrains clear on this setup, but not without a little work. To get them to run without rubbing, we trimmed the wheel wells. That is normal on a Transit stepping up to a real all-terrain — the front wells in particular are tight — and it is the difference between a tire that clears at full lock and compression and one that chews the liner on the first rough road.
The install gotcha: those Transit strut top hats
Worth knowing if you take this on: the front strut top hats on a Transit are very difficult to get to. It is the fiddly, time-consuming part of the whole job — not the lift components themselves, but simply reaching and re-torquing the top mounts in the tight space Ford left up there. It is exactly the kind of step that goes faster and cleaner with a lift and the right tools than it does in a driveway.
How it drives
Much better. The owner noticed it right away — the van drives smoother, feels more stable, and lost the wallowy, top-heavy feel it had stock. On a high-roof camper that spends long days on the highway and the occasional forest road, that composure is the whole point.
Common questions on this build
How much does the Van Compass kit lift an AWD Transit?
This one is a 2-inch system. It levels the stance, opens clearance for an all-terrain, and — paired with Falcon shocks — is mostly about ride quality and stability on a tall van.
Do you have to trim a Transit to fit bigger tires?
On this van, yes — we trimmed the wheel wells to clear the Toyo Open Country all-terrains without rubbing.
Are those aftermarket wheels?
No — they are the factory wheels, powdercoated black with a custom Juggernaut center cap. Same load rating and fitment, new look.
Book the same work
We build and lift adventure vans in-house at our Wheat Ridge shop north of Denver — Ford Transit, Ram ProMaster, and Sprinter. We serve Denver, Wheat Ridge, Golden, Arvada, Lakewood, and the Front Range. Call (970) 341-4221 to talk through your van, or see our van suspension upgrades and install services. Another from the bay: our Ram ProMaster Winnebago Travato lift.
