Here is a shot of the Custom Truck Shop by L&G Enterprises Kelderman Air Ride suspended Excursion riding on 20x10-inch Bonspeed Spider wheels and Toyo 37x13.5-20 Open Country Mud Terrain rubber. After the install was complete, a total lift of 11 inches was achieved for this 4x4 at maximum ride height. The system's lift can be adjusted between 8 and 11 inches, depending on driver comfort and ride preference.
Exceptionally lifted trucks have become a prominent staple at custom truck shows in recent years. Enthusiasts have taken the trend of putting their vehicles into the clouds to a whole new level, pulling out all the stops. If you have ever owned or ridden in a mile-high hauler, the feeling is indescribable. Looking down on all the other motorists as the hum of the radial mud terrain or Super Swamper tires gets louder is the coolest. For the show-minded enthusiast, lifting a truck or SUV to great heights provides an opportunity to spice up the vehicle's undercarriage with chrome and powdercoated pieces. But the best part is, it's all easy to clean and maintain. In our travels, we have come across rides that would get more than a few police officers running for the tape measure to double check the height against the legal limit.
We started with an '02 Ford 4x4 Excursion in completely stock trim. A Kelderman Air Ride suspension, 20-inch Bonspeed wheels, and 37-inch-tall Toyo rubber will change all that. | 
The Kelderman Air Ride Ford Excursion suspension system includes all the necessary airbag brackets, four-link mounts, Panhard bar mounts, and air springs. The owner of the Custom Truck Shop, Louie Morosan, had this kit powdercoated by RTS in Chino, California. |
The front suspension's four-link bars and Heim joints along with the system's front and rear Panhard bars were chrome-plated for visual impact. | |
Many of these vehicles have received the finest fabrication and custom engineering money can buy, but others have achieved their height with cobbled-together, unsafe brackets and components that are poorly designed and engineered. From the perspective of the Truckin' staff, a truck can be exceptionally low or exceptionally tall as long as it is safe and the suspension works. Of course, using products that both look great and perform well is a bonus. Recently we had the opportunity to witness the transformation of an '02 4x4 Ford Excursion from a stock, boring grocery getter to a lifted stunner wearing 37-inch-tall rubber using an adjustable air spring suspension system from Kelderman Air Ride. Troy and Kent from the Custom Truck Shop by L&G Enterprises in San Dimas, California, handled the install. Follow along as we take Ford's sport utility beast to new heights.
Before the installation began, the vehicle was placed on the lift and the factory front suspension was disassembled. The front differential was placed on jack stands close to the ground, easing the installation of the 'bag brackets. The frame was scraped clean and painted black before we began the assembly carnage. | 
Beginning at the front suspension, the supplied Kelderman upper air spring bracket with integrated shock mount was secured to the frame using the supplied hardware. Troy torques the bracket mildly into place and will give everything a once-over when the install is complete. |
The supplied dropped Pitman arm was bolted up to help maintain correct steering geometry. | 
The front Panhard bar bracket was secured to the frame using the supplied hardware. |
Before the front suspension's four-link setup could be installed, the supplied Kelderman four-link mounts were bolted to the frame. | 
The chrome-plated Heim joints for the front suspensions four-link bars were treated with a healthy application of antiseize on the threads before the link bars were assembled and put into position. The supplied four-link Heim joint bushings were also installed at this time. |