does the bottom most plate need to be reinstalled under the flat spring? does it actually serve a purpose? the small rectangle piece

 

Robert....and also Stewart and others...

This is one post that surely has become a holy-grail post on the issue of Modified B code springs.

I'm almost there. Have read the meat of this post dozens of times. Was feeling pretty good....and then I read further down into some other comments that began to sort of throw shade at the Mod B....pointing to newer options.

My interest here is Tow capacity, Handlings, and a little lift...in that priority order.

what is your experience with your truck since you did this? Do you regularly tow...if so how heavy?

I tow a 34 TT at about 9500 lbs....and want a more solid...less squatty rear when towing....I'm not looking for huge lift here...but better towing, better handling.

anyway..not even sure if you'll pick this up....the OP was so long ago but it is a wealth of info and so I hope you will see this.

Thanks
David

 

ANOTHER GREAT post...ton of help here...thanks for this.

I have read through all of this dozens of times. I am almost ready to do the MOD B....but saw further down a few people suggesting something alternate....even some suggesting this isn't an upgrade over the stock G springs (which I still can't really understand....even after reading through many times over.)

I see the spring ratings. wondering if it played out well for you for tow capacity and tow handling?

I have a v10 2005....and tow a 32' tt at 9500lb. want to get rid of the rear squat from towing...and improve the tow handling.

Seeing so much out here...B...modified B.....all new Pro comp....there is a new better mousetrap...and everything in between

Any summary on where you fell on all this?

thanks again for your post....I know its a little old but still really helpful.

David

 

Stewart....Im not even sure if youll see this this thread is so old...but it was super helpful and I have followed your commentary on this and other threads related to the excursion springs.

B, modified B, "get new stuff....they make better mousetraps now"...theres a lot of versions of this.

I was 90% there on the Mod B....but ran into some posts from a member suggesting theres a better mousetrap now.

Anyway...Im not focused on lift....I am focused on Tow cap and towing/dry handling. A 1-2" lift would be fine.

I have V code springs for front...there appears to be little argument there.

Whats your current position on Modified B vs. New better mousetraps?

Hope youll see this...your commentary and others in this thread has been invaluable.

Any of you please feel free to opine....its all really helpful.

thanks all

David

 

I love my modified F codes (off an 07 F250). They are the newer version of the B code...same rates and such. I can only talk about the rears now, but I did like my V codes before my axle/suspension swap.

The F codes tow great, and have GREATLY reduced the squat when I am pulling various trailers. Is there a better mousetrap? Yeah, probably stuff you can buy out of the box that is easier to assemble and install. I know the ProComp option is viable and legit, but I had already done my Mod F codes...so they are staying till this thing dies on me.

 

Thanks for this! F codes I THINK I saw have a bigger lift (4” vs 2” for B code)…..pretty sure I read removing the stock blocks when using f will mitigate this.

 

I got 2" of lift from mod F codes.

 

David,

I can't speak to tow capacity other than to say I towed often pre swap and post swap, and the difference for me was night and day.

I noticed slightly less sag after the swap, but the sag was still there a little bit. The biggest thing I noticed on the rear was that the "bounce" I'd get as I drove almost went away completely...almost like driving with crap shocks then getting new ones.

Handling...see above, but the front was the real win for me. The steering wander in my case was cured with the V/modded B swap. Night..And...Day difference. I - feel - like body roll may also be better but I have nothing scientific to base that on.

The lift I love...wife doesn't complain and I like the look (less grocery getter, more truck). I have an ever so slight rake.

I will say this...I did the spring swap and added air bags with the bump stops in the rear. I only did this to keep the truck level when loaded. I ride unloaded w 15psi. When I go to hook up the trailer I hit the remote and go up to 60psi. The ball lifts up about 1.5 inches...drop the trailer and it goes down about 2 inches, taking away the rake I had unloaded and getting level.

I tow weekly, anywhere from 7500 to 9500 depending on the trailer.

Side note...I tow a lot in cities. Added an SCT tuner with a tow tune... LOVE how cool the trans runs in stop and go or city conditions and the little bit of HP you pick up (in my case from the V20) is awesome.

Hope this helps.

 

Hope this helps.[/QUOTE]

Yeah that helps a lot. I follow and appreciate all the technical detail here…it’s important to understand it all I think…and I can manage the work….but a lay-assessment of what it produced is really what the end game here is so thanks.

I don’t tow that often…however each year we push a little further to me places and and so I’m wanting to get this Ex to tow its best…even if it’s only 4x a year.

I have the sct tuner too…helps with shifting for sure.

only other thing for me as 4.30 gears from 3.73….the v10 needs help on the hills.

thanks for rhe response.

 

did you modify the F via same process as the widely discussed modified B?

did you leave in…or remove the 2” stock blocks?

thx again

 

Yeah that helps a lot. I follow and appreciate all the technical detail here…it’s important to understand it all I think…and I can manage the work….but a lay-assessment of what it produced is really what the end game here is so thanks.

I don’t tow that often…however each year we push a little further to me places and and so I’m wanting to get this Ex to tow its best…even if it’s only 4x a year.

I have the sct tuner too…helps with shifting for sure.

only other thing for me as 4.30 gears from 3.73….the v10 needs help on the hills.

thanks for rhe response.[/QUOTE]


Howdy David!
I too am riding on modded B codes, mine are also modded with a set of F-350 4"-ish blocks and 2 sections of my cut up factory traction bars along with the traditional B code mod of adding the bottom two factory short leaves. My goal was to have the "heavier" springs, gain some decent lift to fit 35"s and have the EX sit level when towing. When I did the spring swap we were towing a 31' 9,500lb TH that had 1400lbs of tongue weight and with the 1400lb spring bars on my Hensley Arrow WD hitch fully cranked up it did ride level when loaded and towing. And it gained 5.5" of ride height in the rear to go along with my modded X codes up front that give 4" of lift which all make the true 35"s fit well. That TH is long gone and we now tow a 41' 12K TT with 1860lbs of tongue weight and the 1400lb bars are the largest the Hensley can run, so I can’t get all of the weight transfer from the WD that I'd like and as a result the rear axle sees about 6300lbs when towing and it squats about 2". I know my setup isn't an apples to apples comparison to what you have described for yours but it does work well and we have logged over 49K towing miles so far (leaving on a 1200 mile trip Friday!). I'm pretty happy with how it handles our load and it is a comfortable highway tow rig, but the unloaded ride is less than perfect. Our EX is a dedicated tow rig and doesn't see any daily use, only towing and traveling around unloaded at our various destinations, so the mileage mix and suspension favors the towing setup. I run the adjustable Rancho 9000 shocks and keep my rear shocks and tire pressure set for the heavy tow load, I could air down and adjust the shocks to a softer setting for our sightseeing miles but I'm too lazy.
Since you have already upgraded your gears from 3.73 to 4.30 I would advise against going to a larger tire size unless you want to regear it again to maintain the better gear advantage the 6.8 likes so much, I have 4.88s to match my 35"s for an effective 4.39 ratio. With stock-ish sized tire's any additional lift will look a little "off" (like my signature picture here with 32"s) so I wouldn't be looking for much if any lift from your planned suspension changes. I would think adding a set airbags would get you the increased spring rate to handle the TT's tongue weight and make towing a more comfortable and squat free experience that can be easily aired down to make for a more civilized daily use ride.
If I were to build my EX again starting today I would most likely go with the ProComp 4" lift springs and add airbags to handle the towing weight on the rear. I just retired 2 weeks ago and we are planning to start more extended travels next Spring with the EX and TT and I'm thinking that a new set of bags may get added along with taking the addition spacers out of my rear spring packs to have less unloaded rake and better rear spring capacity to get to level when loaded.
There is a lot to consider when diving into this pool, take your time and try to evaluate the options thoroughly. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

Howdy David!
I too am riding on modded B codes, mine are also modded with a set of F-350 4"-ish blocks and 2 sections of my cut up factory traction bars along with the traditional B code mod of adding the bottom two factory short leaves. My goal was to have the "heavier" springs, gain some decent lift to fit 35"s and have the EX sit level when towing. When I did the spring swap we were towing a 31' 9,500lb TH that had 1400lbs of tongue weight and with the 1400lb spring bars on my Hensley Arrow WD hitch fully cranked up it did ride level when loaded and towing. And it gained 5.5" of ride height in the rear to go along with my modded X codes up front that give 4" of lift which all make the true 35"s fit well. That TH is long gone and we now tow a 41' 12K TT with 1860lbs of tongue weight and the 1400lb bars are the largest the Hensley can run, so I can’t get all of the weight transfer from the WD that I'd like and as a result the rear axle sees about 6300lbs when towing and it squats about 2". I know my setup isn't an apples to apples comparison to what you have described for yours but it does work well and we have logged over 49K towing miles so far (leaving on a 1200 mile trip Friday!). I'm pretty happy with how it handles our load and it is a comfortable highway tow rig, but the unloaded ride is less than perfect. Our EX is a dedicated tow rig and doesn't see any daily use, only towing and traveling around unloaded at our various destinations, so the mileage mix and suspension favors the towing setup. I run the adjustable Rancho 9000 shocks and keep my rear shocks and tire pressure set for the heavy tow load, I could air down and adjust the shocks to a softer setting for our sightseeing miles but I'm too lazy.
Since you have already upgraded your gears from 3.73 to 4.30 I would advise against going to a larger tire size unless you want to regear it again to maintain the better gear advantage the 6.8 likes so much, I have 4.88s to match my 35"s for an effective 4.39 ratio. With stock-ish sized tire's any additional lift will look a little "off" (like my signature picture here with 32"s) so I wouldn't be looking for much if any lift from your planned suspension changes. I would think adding a set airbags would get you the increased spring rate to handle the TT's tongue weight and make towing a more comfortable and squat free experience that can be easily aired down to make for a more civilized daily use ride.
If I were to build my EX again starting today I would most likely go with the ProComp 4" lift springs and add airbags to handle the towing weight on the rear. I just retired 2 weeks ago and we are planning to start more extended travels next Spring with the EX and TT and I'm thinking that a new set of bags may get added along with taking the addition spacers out of my rear spring packs to have less unloaded rake and better rear spring capacity to get to level when loaded.
There is a lot to consider when diving into this pool, take your time and try to evaluate the options thoroughly. Good luck and keep us posted.[/QUOTE]


HUGE help...thanks for this...and I am just realizing I just replied to another helpful post from you regarding air bags on another thread so thanks for that too.

My intention was to do V/Mod B ( or F) ....with factory blocks.

I have NOT yet done the gears...and so I may opt to what you are suggesting at 4.88...because I do intend to go to a 34" tire. I wonder what you think the running speed/RPM effective ratio is with 4.88's and 34" tires. Is the truck SCREAMING at 70?

I tow a 9500 lb TT. I have the rancho 9000 shocks x4 as well. I have the equalizer hitch which works great. As I said...I am looking to go a little further each year and want the EX to carry the load with ease....more in the middle of the springs capacity as opposed to nearly at capacity.

As I mentioned in that other thread...I may also add airbags for greater levelling and handling.

Also I have the hellwig rear sway bar at max.....which I just read on another thread may be too much? Have an opinion there?

Of greatest help is what you said about doing it again...you'd do pro comps instead of the mods. I have spent a tremendous amount of time reading and learning here..and there are some divergent opinions on Mod B/F or pro comps or ATS etc.

Would you expand on your sense of the Mods...the process of doing the mod (which seems entirely in my wheelhouse)....and the benefits drawbacks of that Vs. the pro comps. If I went pro comp I'd probably do a different model...to achieve 2" of lift instead of 4" as you describe,,,,,(or remove the factory blocks with the 4"?)

anyway...thanks for reading and your reply.

...and thanks to all for this forum.

 

Modifying F codes is exact same process as B codes.