on my 02 ex the rear leaf springs show R 020 2 and the next line is 2C60 BA. Are those the stock springs? I just picked up a used procomp lift kit and it came with some extra oem rear leaf springs. The part # on those are R 286 3 and the next line is 3C60 BA. Are they the same spring? Could I take out some of the leafs and install them into the leaf springs already on the ex? Thanks

 

I have done a lot of research on rear springs and I've never seen a part number for a rear spring that starts 2C60 or 3C60, can you take a picture of them? We might be able to ID them that way.

 

Pardon me for piggy backing here ... an Excursion newbie here. I just acquired a 2005 Limited and I am researching the ins and out of the suspension. I have read most of the posts in the forum but I can't find what are the specs on these leaf springs. My good guess is that they are the stock set up. First photo is of the rear springs, second is of the front. Thanks in advance for any insights.


Rear

Front

 

i have posted the specs in literally dozens of threads,

what spec would you like to know ?

 

as Rob suggested, post a pic. likely one of us can identify them by sight

 

That photo looks very much like a stock rear spring, you can see the back end of the traction bar just behind the block. And congrats on your new to you very clean EX, those springs look like new!

 

Thank you for responding. I have read a significant number of threads where you and RobRoss have posted very helpful information on the EX suspension and tapping your knowledge would be very helpful for this EX newbie.

My question on the type of springs is just one of the many suspension system questions I have ... but more on that later. What I am trying to decipher is what code these stock springs are so that if I choose to replace them (say w/X, V or others) what difference it might make in the ride and hub-to-fender distance.

As stated above, the question on the code/specs for my current springs is just a piece of information to see where I go to improve my suspension (and it needs improving). I was going to make a reply post on the thread at https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ift-kit-2.html or at https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...absorbers.html where you provided a lot of information and advice. But since we are here, let me lay out what I am facing in this post (and if off topic, I am glad to move it to one of those two).

A month ago I acquired a 2005 EX Limited 4X4 6.0L Turbo Diesel with 152,000 miles. Tires are Nitto Terra Grabber LT285/65R20 (no tire rub on wheel well). Measurement from center of the hub to the top of the fender well is 25" on all four corners. I have been spending time under it trying to understand what may have been done to the suspension by prior owners (getting in and out from under it with this 70 year old body is no easy task, but I do it!). The first suspected finding is that the suspension has a 1.5 to 2" lift (see rear and front photos below). You might not say "Wow, what a Sherlock", given that the 25" hub-to-fender measurement is about 1.5" more than stock. The rear seems to have a 1.5"+ block added and in the front it looks like it was achieved by adding extra (short) leaf springs. I am guessing this is how it was done by comparing the photos I took to a Ford 2005 Excursion manual that has the suspension graphic drawings.

OK, so far so good for the background. But here comes the problem. A couple weeks ago while slowly going over a speed bump when the front end came down from the speed bump I felt a hard 'thump'. I suspected right away that it had bottomed out (duh!). After getting home I went under the front end to investigate and at first noticed that the bump stops were missing. Aha, need to replace them. But on second look I noticed that the travel distance for the suspension to hit the chassis where the bump stops had been was about 5 inches BUT that the Bilstein shock absorber next to it could only compress about 2.5" before it would bottom out. So, the obvious conclusion being that the shock absorber was bottoming and the hard thump was not caused by the missing bump stops.

So from there I went to investigate the shocks. Turns out the front shocks are Bilstein 5100 Series BE5-6245-H5 which I believe are the same as their 33-185545 (newer part number). But these are for a 4 to 6" lift, I barely have a 2" lift! No wonder they are bottoming out. So today I crawled under the EX again but this time to look at the rear shocks. While I could not find the stamped Bilstein number I did measure the travel distance for the shock to bottom out ... it was similar to the front, 2.5" in their case. So I am assuming these Bilstein are their 33-236964 (or whatever the old par number was) for a 3-5" lift. I read somewhere in this forum that a 4 to 5" is an ideal figure.

I am assuming at this point that this EX was lifted 4"+ at some point before I bought it and then was lowered prior to my purchase without changing out the shocks or whoever replaced the stock shocks when the current <2" lift was done just slapped these on not knowing what they were doing.

So in thinking about a fix my first constraint is that I do not want to lift the EX any further. That is, the 25" measure from hub center-to-fender is as high as I like. My intended use of this EX is for family transport and occasional boat towing (6,500 pounds) to the dock, a 5 mile round trip. So the easy thing to do is to change the shocks. Like to stay with Bilstein so their 4600 series 24-185462 for the front and 24-185645 seem to fit the bill. But please comment on this. The other alternative I can think of is somehow to remove the current lift, replace the springs with some that will not raise it about the same as the current lift, and replace the shocks.

Clearly the latter would be more expensive but worth considering. I am sure there may be other approaches and that is why I am here with this post. You feedback is important, so thanks in advance.

Photos follow ...

...


Rear lift. Bit out of focus but 1.5" block can be seen. Looking forward.

Rear lift. Looking aft.

Front lift, wheels on the ground showing shock absorber.

Front lift, another view. Notice missing bumper.

Front shock showing partial(6245 H5) number.

Front shock with another number (102841) - Seems like old numbering system

 

Thanks. It is an extremely clean EX (above, inside and below) and except for some suspension issues it is a great EX. It came from South Texas, so no Winter salt corrosion, and only 152,000 miles. So far I have made some engine improvements (EGR, oil cooler, flushed all fluids, programmed CPM, etc.) but surely more to come in the future. That is why I joined this site.

I made a longer post about the suspension issues/questions and added photos last night ... just waiting for Mod approval before it shows up (I think, assuming I did it right).

 

Holy crap your X is CLEAN!!! Pirate should get you straight, but I suspect that the previous owner was either fed a line of crap on the shocks from whoever put all that on, or didn't know what they were doing themselves. You're for sure going to want to get new, properly sized shocks at a minimum. If the overall travel and ride height of the X suits your needs, then I don't see a real reason to make any changes aside from the shocks. I don't particularly like the stacked blocks or the short lift springs up front, but that's just me.

 

if it was mine I would :

1. remove the front blocks, rear remove the aftermarket block.

2. add OEM front bump stops

3. install KYB monomax shocks.

4. enjoy Ex

 

Had not considered the KYB Monomax shocks ... will definitively check them out.

When you say "Remove the front blocks", Are the "front blocks" all four of the short leafs shown in my photo or just some of them? The only thing I will need to check whether by removing any or all will cause the tires to rub when turning. Right now they do not rub but it is close. Removing the rear aftermarket block should not be an issue with the tires. Thanks.

 

all 4 would be the stock configuration.

you will need new ubolts,
pmfsuspension.com has the good ones

if your tires do rub it will likely be against the rear inner fender liner which is easily pulled back with a zip tie. no more rub,

 

Great, I will head as suggested. My EX now sits at an overall height of 6' 10". Most indoor parking garages (including the airport) in this area have a 7' 0" clearance limit. Lowering the EX another inch or two is going in the right direction for my use.

It will take me a month or so to get all this suspension work done, I will then post results and photos here. Thanks for the suggestions. After this project is done I will tackle the steering gear box

 

Watching this thread, Just acquired an 04 Eddie Bauer and my front is 27 inches center hub to fender in the front and 26 inches in the back. The X has a noticeable squat in the rear. Right now I have 325 65 R18 tires and It just touches in the front on turns with bumps. My plans for use mirror yours so I will follow what you do and see what you like and don’t with your changes. Love the pictures and write up. Keep em coming.

 

i suggest a new thread and post pic of the front and rear leafs, lets see how those measurements were achieved which will dictate what corrections need to be made. how the ride height is obtained is far more important then the actual measurements.