Lift...or not??? - Diesel Forum

BayAreaBoater · 07-08-2005, 12:30 AM

I just picked up my '05 Eddie Bauer which includes the Maintenance Care and 100K Premium ESP warranty.

Does anyone here have any real-life scenarios in which their lifted Ex was denied a warranty claim due to the lift?

I will be selling my '01 Ltd which did have the 4" Pro-Comp lift and did not have any issues with the truck, so I never got to "test the waters" regarding the warranty being voided out or not.

I can assume that if the power seats went out, that they would not deny the claim, but what if the tranny or drivetrain goes haywire and they try to deny the claim based on the alteration to the vehicle (the lift) even though the 4" lift does not require any modifications to the truck, only a few replacement suspension parts.

I would like to do the same with this one, but only if I can keep the warranty intact. I will be keeping this Ex until the cows come home.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

bigballrz · 07-08-2005, 12:44 AM

I don't know how they could deny you any warranty work when they sell them right of the lot with lift kits, at least in Arizona. I really think it depends on the dealer, call and ask them. I have a friend who is a distributor for Pro COmp stuff and he's always selling the Ford dealers lift kits. I know I have a 6" edge spring lift and it rides ten times better than stock. Good luck.

BayAreaBoater · 07-08-2005, 12:48 AM

Yeah, that's how it worked for my last one, BUT, I had to sign a disclaimer about the "modified vehicle", and was told that I HAD to have the vehicle repaired at their location.

I did not get my new one from the same place, and not with the kit at time of delivery, so it is different now...

Thanks for the info.

FamilyRide · 07-08-2005, 10:19 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah, that's how it worked for my last one, BUT, I had to sign a disclaimer about the "modified vehicle", and was told that I HAD to have the vehicle repaired at their location.

I did not get my new one from the same place, and not with the kit at time of delivery, so it is different now...

Thanks for the info.

[/ QUOTE ]

It was a Salesman that told you that verbally? That's an all out pile of crap but some dealers try to make people believe they have to have service done by them just to keep the money making service work. Not many are bold or uninformed (or stupid) enough to come right out and say "...you have to....".

BayAreaBoater · 07-08-2005, 02:12 PM

Sorry, I should have been a little clearer...

They told me that I had to have the lift portion of the vehicle repaired at their location (if I had any problems). Servicing, could be done anywhere (though, I bet they probably wouldn't mind if I thought that!).

That is why I am concerned about the warranty as it applies to the lift and if it would void the factory warranty due to the lift.

I guess what I am looking for is like this...

If I have a lift installed at a local lift kit dealer (now that I have just taken delivery of the new Ex without the lift) and have a problem with the tranny and take it to the Ford dealer for warranty repairs, and they tell me, "sorry, you have a lift kit and it was responsible for the tranny damage, so no more warranty".

With my '01, I could have taken it to the selling dealer and they would have (supposedly) repaired it under warranty (or at least no cost to me). But since that is not the case with this new '05, where do I stand? And should I take my chances with this 100K warranty and put a lift kit on???

Thanks again for all of your help. I do appreciate it.

**Beast** · 07-08-2005, 10:16 PM

The lift shouldn't affect the tranny unless you increase the size of the tires. Keep stock and they wouldn't have an argument. I know one servixe guy who denied a warranty on a mustang clutch because it had smaller tires on then stock. I did loose on a ball joint and brake caliper warranty on my extended warranty because of my lift. I kind of agree. I knew this going into it. My main concern is the engine so do not do anything to it.

MotionMan · 07-08-2005, 11:56 PM

Depends on the lift, if 3-4" you are just getting up to a 350 with X code springs. Same truck except the body. If you wack it out you will only loose on parts stressed by the lift like wheel bearings, and drive line wear items. No big deal, all you care about is the motor and electronics, if you are putting a lift on you can do anything needed on the suspension. I could not live without one.

clamgulch · 07-10-2005, 05:54 AM

I had a 4" pro-comp lift (which happens to be the worst quality lift available) but the truck has never been to the dealer in 107,000 miles. In practical terms, the excursion has a shorter wheel base than the pickup and therefore a shorter driveline. That means at 4" of lift, you may have to have your driveline lengthened and have a dual cardan joint installed in the forward end of it. I had to in order to get rid of the endless vibration. Tried tapered shims about 15 configurations, but until I had the cardan installed, the vibration was driving me crazy.
Lifting an excursion and keeping the stock tire height looks goofy, BTW. So bigger tires and stressing your tranny is par for the course.
Vanity, vanity, all is vanity...unless you are going off road.

BayAreaBoater · 07-12-2005, 11:06 PM

Thanks for the info guys.

I'm thinking that I might just put on a set of chrome rims and some new rubber instead of a lift...

[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif[/img]

ExcursionPSD · 07-14-2005, 05:32 AM

The Excursion has a 137" wheelbase, the same as a regular cab Super Duty F250 or F350 pickup with 8 foot bed.