I just replaced my front bump stops--well didn't really have any as you know how that goes.
Now I seem to only have a few inches of travel before they engage. Surely this cannot be correct? Suggestions?

 

OEM/Stock Springs?

Yes, that is accurate but not "correct."

 

Measure from the center of your hub to the bottom edge of your fender at all 4 wheels and we can get an idea of how much your springs have sagged.

Here is a list of stock heights to give you an idea if it's time to replace your springs. Post 146 is a summary of stock heights.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post16534525

 

Sagged front springs. I have similar issue. Quite common on our trucks.

 

Both front 22.5
Both rear 25.5

Stock front. The left front leaf was replaced with a brand new spring just before I got it back in March. There may be 1/16th of an inch difference but that's it. I just put my Roadmaster Active suspension on from my previous X-today so that's the extra lift in the back

BTW these are Dorman bump stops. I don't know if that makes a difference. The shocks need to be replaced for certain

 

Hint-never talk about sagged front springs in front of your wife

 

If your Ex is like mine, it will make short work of those new bump stops while simultaneously rattling your fillings out as they bottom out over everything. New springs were the fix for me!

 

Yes--I have noticed the rather sturdy ride. Maybe I can cut off a couple of inches. I wonder if the make coil over shocks for these guys--might help a llittle.

 

HAHAHAHA, that is a good one.

 

The bump stop is a critical part of your suspension, just like a steel spring it is a rubber spring and has a spring rate associated with it. Given the excursions limited suspension travel Removing it would be ill advised.

What really needs to be done is to restore the factory ride height ( or increase the factory height some if desired )

If you are serious about adding some coilovers let me know and I'll help with that project. But I'll tell you right now it isn't the cheap or easy route.

 

Would NOT suggest that.

Totally agree with this statement.

I don't know what the stock ride height was when these came off the line, but modifying the bump stops would alter how they work and could have bad ramifications later.

I'd suggest either B code rears/taller spring hangers in the front, or Modified B code rears and V code front springs.

You can do the job yourself with jacks/stands and a few hand tools on a Saturday. You may gain 1 to 1.75" of ride height, but your suspension will work properly without making the ride too harsh.

I did the V/Modded B swap and not only did it eliminate the axle-to-frame banging, my steering wander went away completely. Single best mod I've ever done to the truck.

 

I changed to V code springs on my last one. It was a first for me and quite a learning experience. I was under the mistaken impression it would cure wander.That did not change a lot on that X. Even without the V codes, the V-10 never bottomed out up front like this one...perhaps it's the weight of the Diesel. This one had the classic bump stops before--none. There have been a couple of times when this one has hit the frame, without bump stops, which got my attention. Since the left front spring is brand new and supports the weight at the same height as the old right one, I would assume the factory original spring is mostly doing what it is supposed to do--although I'm sure it flexes different than the new one due to metal fatigue.

That's fascinating to know the bump stop is designed as an active part of the suspension--didn't know that one. Anyway, my concept of coil overs was spring coils over the shocks. My other idea was--and this is just my concept not encompassing the details--why not have coil springs in place of bump stops? I'm sure there is a good reason for not adding coils there as I would think it would likly be done by someone or maybe it has.

Anyway, none of this is troubling enough to change leaf springs over nor do I want to get into a complicated project. I was foolishly hoping there was a simple way to improve the situation-especially on bouncy MT roads. Nothing is ever simple, is it?

 

Ill try to keep this short but you have covered a lot of ground here.

1. V codes don't cure wander because they are a spring,the resulting lift they provide however may change your caster enough to cure the wander.
either your caster was still inadequate or you had other issues.
here is the discussion on caster.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post16086297


2. bottoming out.

a. spring rate,
this is the "strength" of the spring and is determined by how much weight it needs to support.

B. travel,
determined by the amount of arch built into the spring.

C. Shocks
shocks determine the ride characteristics by controlling the speed at which the suspension move.

Excursion stock front springs have less Travel then the Superduty springs in order to give the Ex a lower ride height. Add in the fact that all leaf springs sag a little bit and now you have a bit less travel and ride height. Now if you have stock-ish shocks with light valving for a smooth ride the suspension is going to compress and bottom out easily because the shock allows the suspension to cycle quickly. Put on a heavier valved shock and the ride becomes firmer because the suspension does not move as freely, this in turn requires more force to "bottom" out the suspension.

3. spring sag and "metal fatigue".
and interesting this about springs is that even as they loose their elasticity they retain their spring rate. this simply means they take the same force to move the spring but that it doesn't not return to the original shape it was in when it was made. how it affects your excursion is as they sag you obviously lose suspension travel. But to the point, for the purpose of this conversation, accurately measure BOTH sides from the center of the hub to the edge of the fender. if the measurements are similar then they are "doing what they are designed to do"

4. coil springs over the shock. yes that is a "coilover" but if you just added added a coil spring in addition to your leaf springs your spring rate would be drastically off and the ride and handling would suffer.

5. coil springs in place of rubber for bump stops.
it would work but the challenge would be packaging and trying to fit it in the space needed. to get the same spring rate and travel from the coil spring would require considerable more space. cost is also a issue. a coil spring bump stop would cost several hundred dollars. ( my hydraulic bump stops run about $1000 for the pair) however, for a normal street driven vehicle their is nothing to be gained by changing the tried and true rubber bump. its small, cheap and efficient.

The simple way to improve your situation
now that you suffered through that drivel, the easy way to improve your bottoming out situation is to switch to a shock that has heavier or stiffer valving.

 

Thanks for the info Pirate--you always teach me something. It seems most people use Ranchos or Bilsteins. I don't offroad save a few dirt roads now and then. I do not tow-at least not these town homes some people call TT's(I'm just envious) I'm looking for something to knock down the bounce over these mounds out here. These-probably originals- just don't give you a feel for the road--they just bounce along until the springs really kick in and you feel this harsh resistance. It's like there is no middle ground-bounce or bang Do you have any suggestions?

 

From your description and given you have a non lifted suspension I think the KYB monoMax would fit the bill nicely.

Same mono tube construction that Bilstein uses,
And from reading their marketing they are going to be valved similar to the
Bilstein 4600 series that fit your Ex.

Bonus is you can get 4 of them for $200 instead of the $325 for the Bilstein.
Rockauto.com has the KYB monoMax, Bilstein 4600 as well as rancho 9000

Fwiw... looking at your current shock Id agree that they look original and from the sounds of it. They failed long ago.