Anyone know of a vendor that's selling some kind of kit to source everything at one stop for a complete handling rebuild. It's going under a 2002, 7.3 4x4 LTD that drives like a drunk fish.

I don't really need or want a lift kit, more like a spring, sway, shock and urethane snug up so she stays in one lane. I'm gona do the link, all the ends and maybe the gear at the same time so it's a complete knuckle to knuckle rebuild.

Any suspension experts please chime in to I don't miss something on my sports car suspension plan, I hate tearing down things twice......

O ya, someone told me the front suspension is all the same as a super duty 250 truck, is that true ?

 

Front V code springs: Part #2C3Z-5310-HA
Rear B code springs: Part #3C3Z-5560-CB
Left side 3.5" tapered block: Part #F81Z-5598-FA
Right side 3.5" tapered block Part #F81Z-5598-GA

...and the Bilstein part numbers if you use the above springs:
Front: BE5-2818 (OEM length for the F250 4x4)
Rear: BE5-6209 (OEM length for the Excursion 4x4)

Basically, yes, front and rear.

Stewart

 

Consider your suspension issue solved!

 

I talked to a guy today, he says the rancho 9000 is a good choice for shocks cause there adjustable and a limited lifetime warranteeee, anyone want to say up or down with them before I drop $400 on the wrong thing

 

Lotta guys here swear by the Rancho's.

The Rancho's and the Bilsteins are the top two shocks that are recommended on this forum.

I've never used the Rancho's, but you probably can't go wrong if you choose them.

I run the Bilsteins on my Lightning, my Excursion, and F250.

Stewart

 

Sounds to me like you need to do some steering and handling maintaince moremthen you need a suspension system.

Competent alignment shops are a rare bred these days with all the national chains.

So first off I would try and find a independent tire and alignment shop that specializes in 4wd trucks. a good mechanic is worth the effort to find.

To sober up your drunk fish I would at the following components and have them carefully looked at by your new best friend mechanic.

1. Steering box
2. Steering stabilizer
3. Ball joints.
4. Tie rod and drag link ends
5. Track bar bushings
6. unit bearings
8. Wheel alignment
9. Tire pressures
10. Shocks
11. Leaf spring bushings
12. Sway bar bushings
13. Front bump stops.

Once you have confirmed all these items are within factory spec or have made the nessasary repairs or adjustments to get them back to spec you may want to consider
Adding a rear sway bar. For some dumb reason ford did not include a rear sway bar on the X

If after doing all of the above you can then look at changing out your leaf springs with either aftermarket lift springs or ford springs from the f250-350 line of trucks.

But just adding springs before addressing the list I gave you will only give you a lifted drunk fish and I doubt you will like those results.

 

fwiw, anybody lucky enuff to live within 4 or 5 hours of Sacramento If you are having handling problems that nobody else seems to be able to solve I highly reccomend you take your vehicle to Brian at Keiths alignment in diamond springs ca which is in the greater Sacramento area.

He specializes in lifted 4x4 vehicles.

I have had friends trailer their trucks from Los angles ( 8 hours away ) to have Brian fix issues nobody else could solve on big lifted trucks with custom made 4 link suspensions.

 

Great post.

The OEM springs on these 4x4 Excursion are so crappy, when someone specifically asks about replacing them, it's easy to forget to tell people to make sure the other suspension related components are within operating specs.

Reps to you, Pirate.

I will say this though, even if you have other problems that need addressing too, like ball joints or a steering box replacement (or adjustment), changing the OEM springs will still help.

Stewart

 

I agree!! (reps sent)

Since the bumpstops (what was left of them) on my 200k mile Excursion were only about 1.5" from the frame, the biggest improvement v-codes made for me was keeping my truck from bottoming out on every pebble in the road. Yeah, stock springs SUCK!

If ya search around here, you'll find swapping V and B codes (these are F250/350 springs), adding a Hellwig rear anti-sway bar and getting good shocks is a common combination for solving the stock Excursion suspension deficiencies. Some have found the RAS system adequate for the rear and have chosen not to upgrade rear springs.

I have Pro Comp MX6 adjustable shocks on my Excursion, but feel confident the non-adjustable Bilstiens would work just fine.

 

Thanks everyone, but your missing what I was really after which was a vendor who has all the stuff so I don't gota order stuff from 5 places. I will go through the entire front and rear end but not till I have everything together. I figure if I'm going to pull anything down it's going back with as much new as I can replace, the labor is the same and the results are better in the long run.
Everything your all saying is helpful though. I realize that worn rod ends and joints are going to cause align movement, just like the gear thats why it's easier and faster to just go nut to nut and be done with it unless it's just one particular thing that fails or gets whacked by a boulder.

 

The only single source vendor for every part your excursion could possibley need is going to a ford dealer.

And while there are some parts that I will only buy from the dealer for availability reasons, you would be insane to buy everything from them. Or exceedingly wealthy. Might as well hire some playboy bunny twins to walk your pet miniture giraffe if you have that sort of cash to burn.

 

Five places?

I gave you part numbers for the springs, blocks, and shocks. You order the springs and blocks from Ford, and the shocks from E-Shocks online. Two places.

If you need more maintenance done after following Pirate's advice and you check your other suspension components, then you'll have to determine what replacement parts you want and order accordingly.

For example, if you need ball joints, Moog is the most common upgrade guys go with. For something like that, you'll wanna shop around for the cheapest place.

Cary at CT Performance does sell suspension upgrade stuff specifically for the 4x4 Excursion. He's put together his own "kit" and started his business after doing the suspension mods and upgrades to his own Excursion a few years back, but I don't think he sells ball joints and stuff because I've never seen anyone mention his name as a Point-of-Sale for that product. I could be wrong though.

He does use specifically valved Bilstein shocks to go with his V code/B code springs. A lot of his customers swear by his customer service.

I'd send Ed (PartsGuyEd) a PM first. He's a supporting vendor here at FTE, and a Ford Parts manager in Washington.

Stewart

 

give me your credit card # and I will be your single point contact for all your excursion needs. just tell me what what ya want and it will be on your door step the next day.

( just don't scrutinize the visa bill to close )

 

Heh, heh, heh! So helpful!

Stewart

 

I read a while back you get get the springs for about $600 from a dealer. My dealer is quoting $200 each front and $250 each rear. Where did ppl find them for $600. I just order my sway bar and Belstiens, hoping to save the springs for last. I've had bad towing experience with my 31ft TT and I hope the shocks and sway bar will tame it enough to be safe. I have a long trip planned with the family and I told my wife, nobody will be in this truck till it's safer.