I have not looked at my springs I'm assuming I have V springs and should go to f250 B's correct?

 

V's are F350 Front springs, U's are F250 Fronts, and X's are snowplow prep pkg fronts. B's are rear for F250/350. 250's and Ex's got a "2 in" block, and F350's got a "4 in" block, and a top overload spring.

I don't remember the Ex factory codes, because they are junk...

There is another rear code for the 05 and later F250/350's, but don't remember it..
Garry

 

05-07 has F codes

I have those installed/modded since I couldn't find B codes locally. Luckily is same weight rating

 

Hello and welcome to FTE! Nice looking EX. We bought ours to tow also, at first with a simple Draw-Tite 1200lb WD hitch with a single friction bar it didn't do so well, it was horrible when it was behaving and scary when it wasn't!
I started my upgrades with a Hensley Arrow hitch with 1400lb spring bars, this made a huge improvement. No more porpoising and not even a hint of trailer sway. Next up was the addition of a Hellwig rear sway bar (our EX did not have a factory rear sway bar) prior to the bar the trailer (9500lb 31" ToyHauler with 1450lb tongue weight) would push the rear of the EX around in corners and downhill curves pretty bad, after the bar was added the rear pushing all but ended. After that I upgraded the EX's weak factory springs (70,000 miles) with a set of X/B codes from a coworker's F-350 that he lifted. I modded the front X codes by adding the top overload leaf from the rear B codes to the bottom of the spring pack. The rear B codes were modded by adding the two bottom leaves from the EX's factory spring pack, the thicker between the leaf spacers from the EX's pack, the taller 3.75" tapered blocks from an F-350 and two cut off sections of the EX's "slapper" factory traction bar. This upgrade made the EX a different vehicle, both running solo and towing. Solo the truck now rides like a truck, I'm OK with that, I like it, some wouldn't. I also added Rancho RS9000XL adjustable shocks, I'm still playing with the adjustments for running solo but they have helped to smooth the ride for sure. While towing all bad habits are gone, totally, really! With my current setup this EX is a pure joy to tow with, no wander, no sway, no push, no (excessive) squat, no bad manners. 65 MPH with big rigs passing is a one finger on the wheel rock steady non-event. This Wednesday will be the last time I tow that trailer , it's being traded in on a new 39' Jayco Eagle so I'll be doing a little tuning to get the new combo just right, should be failrly easy with all the proper goodies onboard.
Around here everyone talks about various spring "codes" so here's the skinny on them. The codes are from Ford and it's how they ID the different springs put on trucks at the factory based on all the various options and motors.
The following only applies to 4X4 EXs, the 2X4 rigs have coil springs up front. All EXs came from Ford with G code rear springs, the V-8 EXs all came with B (front B code is much different than rear B code, confused yet?) 4100lb, all V-10 EXs came with C code fronts at 4300lb and all PSD EXs had D codes at 4700lbs.
All the other codes discussed come from SuperDuty trucks (they came with springs that don't suck from Ford.)
Spring........Capacity.....Rate lbs/".....Max travel.....V-10 change.....PSD change
B (V-8)......4100lbs.......330 lb/".........5.02"...........-0.25".............-0.66"
C (V-10)....4300lbs.......350 lb/".........5.01".............0.00"............-0.37"
D (PSD).....4700lbs.......380 lb/".........5.14"...........+0.33".............0 .00"
S codes.....4000lbs.......370 lb/".........4.34"...........+1.22"............+0 .88"
T codes.....4400lbs.......390 lb/".........4.63"...........+1.42"............+1 .11"
U codes.....4800lbs.......410 lb/".........4.89"...........+1.60"............+1 .32"
V codes.....5200lbs.......430 lb/".........5.13"...........+1.77'............+1 .50"
W codes....5600lbs.......450 lb/".........5.34"...........+2.77'............+2 .52"
X codes.....6000lbs.......470 lb/".........5.54"...........+2.90"...........+2. 68"
W codes are from F-450s and X codes are from F-550s and other SD trucks with snow plow prep. The above spring info has been gathered from posts here on FTE by "monsta" and "bruce1954".

Make sure your EX has load range E tires on it before towing that large (nice) trailer and be sure to run the trailer tires (if type "ST") at max pressure as listed on their sidewalls.

 

Just another "thanks" for all the info. I will respond properly when I can get to my computer. I am getting pretty excited about towing again with all this new info and being able to get my Ex under control.

 

I think this is my game plan based on reading and all of your generous contributions on this thread...

Wander/towing

Start....
Rear sway bar
New bushings on front sway bar
New rancho shocks


Then....

V/b or x/b swap
Airbags
New tow hitch(probably Reese dual cam)(prefer Hensly but a little pricy)



Thoughts?

 

Looks like a good plan. Don't be too quick to rule out the Hensley or it's cousin Pro-Pride, search around on Craigslist for used units. I bought mine off CL for $650 and then I did a little refurb work to make it look and work like new. You may not need the airbags with the correct size WD spring bars and the rear B codes. My modded B codes handle my 1450lb tongue weight fine with about 2" of squat. I built extra ride height into my spring swap to allow for the squat, I wanted it to ride nearly level while towing.

 

Thanks....I've been searching the web for them and haven't ruled them out. Just not a new one. Too pricey. For my budget anyway.

 

Any thoughts?

Talked to a suspension shop in town and instead of a v/b swap they are suggesting just adding a leaf and new shocks.

 

I did a V/Modded B swap and added air lift bags...couldn't be happier! 7500lbs and it's rock steady!

 

I have only done a spring swap with modded X/modded Bs so that's the only suspension mod I have a solid opinion on, I love them and they transformed my EX into a solid towing platform as opposed to the towing platypus it was in stock trim.
Only you can make the call on how your EX feels pulling your trailer, and if I remember correctly your TT is fairly large. Have you pulled it yet, how was it?

 

It 36' nose to bumper and 9000lb. Just like you described...a towing platypus. Was convinced by the forum here that a modded v/b swap was the was the way to go. Went to what I was told was a reputable shop to start talking about it and he is telling me adding a leaf will improve towing at a fraction of the cost. I am wanting a good tow platform so I'm not afraid to fork out the extra bucks but I don't want to do it if adding a leaf and new shocks are just as good..

 

Yep, thats a lot of trailer and if your Ex is a towing platypus then I'm sure that new shocks and an add-a-leaf will improve things........some. I really don't know by how much. But I can attest to the fact that my new (modded used) springs, shocks and my high end hitch have completly transformed my Ex into a super comfortable towing platform, my trailers both exceed the EX's hitch rating and rear axle weight ratings. I inspect my hitch regularly (and the blacksmith will soon be adding to it) and my rear axle weights are under what the same exact axle is rated for under a SuperDuty and I run beefed up SD springs.

 

That's adding A leaf, where the Modded B adds two leaves...so not really sure if you'll be as happy with the add a leaf option than you'd be with the Modded B option.

For me only towing 7500 or so, I opted for the Modded B AND air bags.