Darned sexy !!!


Pics with the camper ??

 

Thanks man. Didn't get any pics with camper. Too embarrassed. Even with load distributing hitch and the spring bars jacked, it still made the rear sag a good 3". Rode like crap, too. My camper can't weigh over 5k loaded. It didnt make my old Superduty sag at all. No idea why they didn't give the Excursion real springs.

I'll get some pics post-airbags with camper in 2 weeks.

 

I just installed my Air Lift 5000 kit last weekend. Very nice kit, everything went together perfectly. In case you weren't aware, go on their website and download the rebate form. There is currently a $50 rebate on the bag kits, and another $50 rebate on their compressor kits.

 

Excellent truck, how thick or deep are your spacers and what company did you go with?

 

Which part number did you go with? I am doing the 57340 kit. I'm not sure of the difference in kits. Got mine on the way from Amazon, I wonder if I can still qualify for the rebate? If so, that would be slick.

*edit. It says right there on Amazon I would qualify. Didnt even notice that before. Looks like I get $50! Thanks!

Amazon.com: AIR LIFT 57340 LoadLifter 5000 Series Rear Air Spring Kit: Automotive




The Spacers are 2" thick. Got them from Ebay, Hub Centric ones, no name. Normally I wouldn't use spacers, but my wallet convinced me that these factory wheels were worth keeping. The wheels haven't fallen off yet, so that's good.


Thanks for the comments. Tomorrow we're headed to the beach and shuttling 8 folks around to eat. The weekend after, camping, and will have 9 in the truck. I may sleep in it if we run out of room in my camper. lol

 

Same kit I bought, same place I bought them. Far as I could tell, Ebay purchases were exempt from the rebate.... but any other retailer qualifies. Print your invoice off Amazon, print the rebate from Air Lift, then cut the UPC tag out of the box and send it all in. I had my rebate check in under 4 weeks.


I took my time and had the bags installed in my truck in about three hours. For lack of a better solution, I put my fill valves in the trailer plug bracket.


Would like to see before and after pics with the camper if you have a chance. My wife claims we are buying a 24 - 25ish foot bunkhouse before camping season this year, so i'll be in the same boat.

 

Why two schrader valves? Does the kit not have a tee for single inlet and an air line between bags? I guess ya had to pull the factory bump stops?

I hope the kit is as easy to install and works as good as the Air-Lift spring bags I put on my wifes old 3rd Generation 4Runner. Last year I decided to use it to pull my 21' Pro-Line Walkaround to the Florida Keys for a week, with both of our boys AND the mother in law in the back with all luggage. LOL. That little Toyota was pushing it's towing limit on the 10 hour drive. The bags were more than enough to level it out, and then some. Also fixed the sag those trucks develop over time, even with only 2-3 psi in the bags.

My Excursion doesnt sag right now unladen, it's perfectly level. But those springs are weak! The wife likes the cushy ride though, so I'm hopeful the airbags will be the best of both worlds.

 

I would strongly urge you to either upgrade the springs like you're considering, or swap out the stacked blocks for a single SuperDuty block like Tom suggested months back before spending money on anything else.

Stacked blocks on mushy crap stock springs AND towing is just asking for a world of hurt. The stock rears are prone to axle wrap just unladen and on one block. You've added even more leverage via two separate blocks and will be exerting even more force (and in turn axle wrap) when accelerating with the camper in tow. Having experienced firsthand the chaos that happens when the rear spits out a block when towing... Fix it soon.

 

spitting a block out does not sound like fun at all. Got a link to the carnage it created?

I have been hunting a set of springs. But hoping to find a set of takeoffs cheap. I still would like to use the airbags. They worked great for my last application.

I want this truck to ride like a cadillac, but pull like a superduty should.

 

Had to punch it going up an overpass towing a Samurai on a little 12' trailer to avoid a runaway semi. We had gone wheeling the weekend before and I was in a hurry to get out of the garage before we left, so I skipped the leafpack swap and just added two blocks from AutoZone. Soft stock springs, lots of diff gear, and the axle wrapped and spat out a block. The fender dropped down hard on the rear wheel and locked it, and the momentum of the trailer (despite going UPhill) kicked it sideways and we went flying across the lane into the left hand ditch. Both my XJ and the Sammy were totalled and I enjoyed a cast up to my armpit for several months.

For springs, try shooting a PM to Junior from ATS on here, he's our vendor for them. Lots of members have gone through him and have been very happy with both results and prices paid. Nothing wrong with adding bag on top of it, but having a good foundation is a smart idea. It also won't require you to run so much pressure in the bags if the springs are more up to the task.

That last bit may be a bit hard to achieve considering the leafspring design of our rigs. However, if your have the coin to spend there's always Kelderman susoension which gives the best of both worlds.

 

I just ordered my springs from Junior @ ATS this afternoon. I was blown away with their customer service (I asked a ton of questions over 3 phone calls) and the price paid including shipping to my remote location was incredibly reasonable. Front X Codes for $99ea (brand new). Won't come close to touching that in a salvage yard.

 

so, probably a newb question, but how exactly does a stacked block get spit out, if the U-Bolts are torqued? I understand the additional 3" of leverage working against the spring, I just dont get how a block can escape, since they're pinned and held in place pretty good with the Ubolts. I had stacked blocks on my Superduty and never knew I was tempting fate, but never had a problem. The springs were firmer though.

Should I weld them, until I get some new springs?

thanks

 

I think with your SD truck the stiffer rear springs helped the stacked block situation. Even with the U bolts being tight having the extra dynamics of the stock EX rear springs (noodles) wrapping up would increase the odds of spitting a block, just way more movement in these springs and the extra block really adds to the leverage making some sort of Matt related carnage possible. Many factors have influence on such festivities, such as deeper gears leading to higher initial torque input at the axle, taller or stacked blocks adding leverage, U bolt length and thickness as well as their toque levels, vehicle weight in relation to all of the above and so on.....

 

One valve for each bag. It would be easy to add a tee but it isn't recommended. The theory be hind it is..... when cornering, the bag toward the outside of the curve will compress and send air through the line into the bag on the inside. This will amplify the body roll in something as heavy as an Excursion.


Yes, the factory bump stops come off, as that is where the air spring ends up.

 

Here is a great option, though a little spendy. I may end up going this route if I end up needing a taller than stock block in the rear. If you look at the options, you will see PMF will add the bracket for the air spring to mount to.... you just have to drill the two mounting holes in the correct location. As an added benefit, the u-bolts go right through the block so there is no way to spit one out.


Ford Fabricated Lift Blocks