2000 7.3 with a tow kit. It needs new shocks for sure. When I'm towing the rear end dips down too much for my likes. I know I can put in another leaf spring but then the rear will be up way too high when not towing. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks,

Steve

 

Spring swap...Front V/Rear Modded B codes.

Nearly all Excursions have the 'soccer mom' front springs that are weak to begin with and sag over time. V codes are stiffer (but not harsh) and bring the front back up to just over stock height (when the truck was new)...but then the rear end is lower.

The Modded B codes lift the rear - they are stiffer than stock and you add three leaves from your existing spring set to the B code springs along with the thicker spacers (hence the "modded" part) and use the stock blocks...that gives you more stiffness in the rear while still having a decent ride when not towing.

If the rear still sags a bit (it will be MUCH less than on factory springs), you can add air bags or RAS to get you back to level. I chose air bags over the RAS kit since adjusting the RAS requires wrenches and spinning two nuts on a threaded rod on each side of the rear suspension vs. the air bags just pushing a button and inflating them to X psi (65 in my case).

 

The RAS is set it and forget it though, you don't ever have to re-adjust them. I have airbags in my truck and RAS on the Excursion. Good thing about the RAS is it helps with axle wrap and helps your ride when not towing as well. Airbags are good because they are easily adjustable, but if you aren't towing you have to let the air out for a decent ride.

I like 'em both!!

 

I haven't tried RAS, so can't speak to those. I can say that since the spring swap, I haven't noticed any wrap issues...the steering wander cleared up even before the air bags were added...so I'd venture the advice to go with the spring swap for sure...its cheaper than aftermarket springs and it does a great job. Then any additional help pretty much breaks down onto RAS or the bags...haven't seen many other popular fixes.

Air bags made the most sense for my application. I CAN say that if you go with the air bag setup, go with the wireless option. When I tow I need to be able to hook up and dial it in "right now" no matter the conditions...so being able to dial in the firmess on the rear end from the driver seat while moving was perfect.

My worry with RAS was that I'd dial it in for towing, then have it feel too stiff when empty...so the on-the-fly adjustability was just what the Dr ordered.

 

The extra travel RAS gives you get makes the suspension better even without load. Airbags are much better when you have over about 1000 lbs. of weight, but for every other application RAS is better.

Like I said I have air bags in the truck and I use them often for hauling loads, but for the Ex, in my case I prefer the RAS.

 

So what can I expect, price wise for the spring swap? And is this going to raise the rear end when not towing? I want to still be able to climb in the rear to get stuff without it being a pain in the ****....

Thanks for the info guys.

Steve

 

The stock rigs had a lot of complaints by owners pulling right off the lot...front end bottoming out and such. Many feel Ford put soccer mom springs on the rigs for luxury ride quality but forgot many of these are 4x4 trucks that need a little bit of wiggle room.

If you do just the rears, then the rake you end up with is crazy, so of course you end up doing the fronts. I think I spent about $300 or so all told (springs, new U bolts, paint for the mounts while I had it apart, new spring center bolts, everything).

If I remember right I gained just under 2" on the rear and right at 2" on the front (V, Modded B). Ride did get just a little stiffer on the front, but compared to the mush it was before the swap, I considered the ride up front to be about perfect...handles big bumps firmly and easily (like a 250/350 truck) but freeway bumps and street driving felt smooth like my Expedition did (like say an 2x4 F150). Hard to explain it without feeling it of course.

Now on my stock springs, my fronts were less than 1/2" clearance between my springs and bump stops, and when I towed, my rear end sagged maybe 2".

I ride with maybe 200-250lbs of gear in the rear end at all times, so I wanted a slight rake all the time (letting the 200-250 in the rear suck up some of that rake). I still had sag when towing, so I decided to add AirLift bags. At 15psi you don't even feel they are on, but at 65psi it raised the hitch ball 2" (counteracting the trailer load) so now I can ride unloaded at the stance I want, and I can run loaded+trailer at the same height.

You could do a V/B (without adding the extra rear leaves) and you'd cut the lift on the rear that you get about in half.

Maybe what you can do is get the V/B springs, do the swap (but don't throw out those stock rear springs) and see if you like the stance. If you want more on the rear, add in the bottom two leaves and swap the spring spacers from your stock springs (the "modded" part of a "modded B") to get it where you like it. If you tow heavy and you don't like the sag but you like the V/B, just add in air bags to give you a nice level ride on the rear...you might have to go higher than 65psi to take out the sag (the bags max out at 100), but I'd feel safe saying you can level it out even with un-modded B's.

 

Almost forgot to ask...what tongue weight are you pushing? You might be able to get away with air bags or RAS alone...

 

Thought I had said. The tongue weight isn't that much, I'm guessing 500 to 600. I just got this Ex and I'm pretty sure that the shocks are toast. When towing I have a decent amount of weight in the back of the truck, up to 500lbs.

Steve

 

Here is a shot of the rear only done for a spring swap

 

Shocks wouldn't change the sag really, just the way it rebounds...and I'm guessing you'd notice that more when unloaded than loaded.

RAS is a great product - I agonized over it vs. a V/Modded B spring swap, then after the swap I debated a long time over the RAS vs. air bags.

For me I wanted the ability to have a different feel when towing than when I'm not, so that was the deciding factor.

RAS adjustment is easy (two bolts along a long threaded rod), but you have to get back in to the rear springs to adjust it. Air bags I can set from inside the cab with a remote control to dial in the amount of stiffness I want. If memory serves, Roadmaster Active Suspension runs about $379...a "manual" (no on-board air compressor) Air Lift kit is running about $350, the wireless kit I had added in tot he package for I think maybe $100 on sale (since the compressors were the same, they just needed to add in the wireless receiver/manifold and the remote).

So I think it comes down to preference and convenience...you kind of have two options:
1. If you have no issues with adding a little bit more stiffness all the time, then RAS is definitely the way to go. Like the previous poster said, "set and forget".
2. If you like the current 'unloaded' ride and don't want to mess with that but still want to get rid of the sag when towing, then manual air bags come in just a bit cheaper. You can run low pressure unloaded (I run 15psi since I carry some weight in the back all the time, but I think you can go down to 5 or 10psi and you don't feel any change to the rear suspension) and then dial it in higher (I run 65psi when towing, almost 1k tongue weight) to combat the sag in the rear.

If you want to adjust air bags from the cab (on board compressor) be prepared to add another $100-$150 depending on if you want to run a hose inside the cab for a manual air pressure gauge or if you want to go wireless and not run anything inside the cab.

 

Spring swap...Front V/Rear Modded B codes.

Nearly all Excursions have the 'soccer mom' front springs that are weak to begin with and sag over time. V codes are stiffer (but not harsh) and bring the front back up to just over stock height (when the truck was new)...but then the rear end is lower.

The Modded B codes lift the rear - they are stiffer than stock and you add three leaves from your existing spring set to the B code springs along with the thicker spacers (hence the "modded" part) and use the stock blocks...that gives you more stiffness in the rear while still having a decent ride when not towing.

I understand this to a point. So the Modded B codes are a set of springs? From that part on, I am lost.

Steve

 

This would likely require a long discussion, my suggestion is that you take a peek at the tech folder and read all about the V/B mod.

 

Steve,

The stock front springs (I forget the code..."g" or something?) were intentionally 'soft' - many think they were soft so the 'soccer mom' crowd wouldn't feel intimidated by the ride. Sometimes straight from the factory - others over time seem to sag (in my case I had less than 1/2" of clearance between the axle and front bump stops...others have destroyed their bump stops).

The F250/350s had some stiffer front spring options. To cure the 'bottoming out' issue, some guys started toying with swapping the springs out to get some clearance...hance the "V" code 'spring swap' was born, trading out your 'soft' front springs for some that are a bit stiffer...still two leaves but with a higher 'rate' (they are designed to carry more weight). This also added height to the front...

That ended up making the front end too high. There are a few options out there...some guys swap the rear axle blocks for taller ones (giving you more height in the rear, but not combating any 'sag' you get when towing). Others pull the stock rear springs - swapping them for B code springs (similar idea to the fronts - roughly the same height of spring, but different in that they are designed to haul more weight).

Others (I think it was someone at CT Performance) decided to go all Franken-spring and take the bottom two leaves off of your stock rear suspension and add them to the B code springs on the bottom...and to swap out the thin spacers that go between the spring leaves...this added weight capability and added height.

A "B" code swap is just the springs and usually a taller block. A "Modded B" code swap is modifying the B code springs by adding the two leaves and spacers, but (usually) still using your stock block.

V/Modded B threads:
Mine: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post11391676
WPNAES's thread: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post10774853

...some of us wanted zero sag when towing, so we then either added RAS or Air Bags...but that's a whole other discussion.

 

Well this is not a do it yourself for me. On my F-250, it would sag when towing my big trailer. I went to my suspension guy and he put an extra spring in the back. the problem is that the rear of the truck sits pretty high when not towing but it is perfect with the trailer attached. That's what I don't want. It sounds like the B code springs might work for what I am looking for. I will have to stop by the suspension shop and see what it will cost me.

Steve