I just picked up a 2000 2wd v10 Excursion with 47,000 miles. I plan to use to tow my 35' Rockwood travel trailer which replaced a 2016 GMC 2500 Denali. (No More Car Payment!)

I have done some research and want to make sure I get some good feedback from the experts before I start to order parts.

This was where most of my info came from...
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...n-upgrade.html


Travel Trailer Specs...
UVW: 8,103
Caring Capacity: 1,562
Tong Weight: 965

Update: Going to scrap the spring swap for now.




Current Upgrade List:
Green = Already ordered or already installed
Blue = Still have no clue which way to go

Suspension/Driveline

1. Tires: BFG AT KO2's 285/75/16
2. Rear Airbags (Still need to research and decide on brand)
3. Hellwig Rear Sway Bar
4. Upgrade Hitch hardware to 2002 spec bolts or replace hitch with Superhitch. (Still undecided what is best option)
5. Brake upgrade (Have no clue on this one)
6. Detroit Truetrac with Nitro 4.56 Gears
   
   

Towing Accessories

1. Prodigy P3 brake controller
2. Propride 3p hitch
3. New style towing mirrors. 2000 Ex towing mirrors suck

Other Upgrades

1. 05 Front Grill
2. Leather/wood trim steering wheel. (Found it on eBay)
3. Radio with some kind of backup camera. Thinking Pioneer app radio.

 

Welcome to the EX world!! I will let the Gurus in the forum chime in on your answers

 

Very nice! Welcome to the club.

I believe the 2000 year had smaller bolts holding the hitch receiver so your tow ratings are a little lower than later models. With all your camping gear loaded in the trailer, you're pushing it. You may even exceed your GCVWR. Get the Hellwig sway bar. 3.73 gears may feel sluggish with that big trailer.

I run stock size tires with 4.30 gears and it still struggles up grades. My trailer is about 7k lbs and combined of about 14K lbs. Bigger tires will make it worse. Get a good brake controller. If you can swing it, get the 6.0 transmission cooler to replace your current one, though not that necessary. I have a Scangauge 2 to monitor trans temp.

These are just some things I can think of for now. I'm sure others could chime in.

Enjoy!

 

Great find an a super low mile EX! Congrats and welcome to the forum.
If those numbers on the travel trailer are from the manufacturer or advertising I would expect to see closer to 1450lbs for the actual ready to travel tongue weight. That would be 15% of the UVW + Carrying Capacity (assumed GVW), using this higher 15% number for setup will help to ensure that your towing system is properly rated for even the heaviest situation you may experience.
Torklift makes an excellent heavy duty (2000lbs tongue weight (with WD) and 20k trailer weight rating) replacement receiver hitch for the EX. https://www.torklift.com/index.php/p...h-original-20k A couple of us here have this hitch and it is top quality.
You don't need new wheels, if you plan to keep semi-stockish on ride height the factory 16"s are fine.
You will LOVE new deeper gears for towing! Going from my factory 3.73s to my current 4.88s made the EX feel like a completely different truck while towing our heavy TT. I ran these new gears for 2 years with nearly stock sized tires (32") and the V-10 EX pulled like a locomotive! Now with my 35" tires it has an effective ratio of 4.39 and still tows great. If you will be using this EX as a dedicated tow rig with limited unload running and will be keeping the stock size tires 4.56 may even be a gear set to think about to enjoy awesome pulling performance.
Check out 5Star Tuning (a site sponsor) for an SCT handheld tuner and some great custom tunes. They are very familiar with this engine/trans and their tunes will make a very noticeable improvement while towing.
I run the older style Hellwig rear sway bar, easy installation and great handling improvement. The new design allows for 3 setting and has the adjustable end links, nice setup.
I have the Ranch RS9000XL adjustable shocks, I like them and having the ability to change the setting for towing duty and unloaded running around is a cool option.


Where in the Keystone State are you located? I'm in Media (South East corner of the state).

 

before you start altering your suspension ask yourself this.

What handeling charteristics is your current setup exhibiting that you don't like ?

what are the shortcomings of your current suspension ?

From the specs you provided on the trailer and your 2wd Ex I don't see the changes you propose to the suspension as being beneficial, actually I see it being a hot mess, especially unloaded.

If it were mine and I was planning to tow at max GCVWR I would get 4 new shocks ( KYB monomax would be my first choice or Bilstein 4600 ) and add a rear Air bags with in cab adjustability for load leveling. Then get a good weight dist hitch and make sure it is correctly set up ( the source of many people issues )

Tire wise, choose a tire with a known stiff sidewall like the Nitto Grappler.

 

To be honest I have not really towed the trailer with the Ex yet. I only towed it to storage which was only a couple miles away.


I do have some questions about your comments to keep my current springs. Wouldn't I be over the max combined weight for the current springs with a family of 4 full tank of gas and the loaded 35 foot trailer. I did budget for new springs just because I figured that is what I needed from reading what other people did. Trust me I would rather save the money if I could. This is why I wanted to ask the forum before I spent any major cash.


I do already have a prodigy p3 brake controller and Propride 3p hitch for weight distribution/sway control.


For tires I may have already screwed up and bought BFG AT KO2's 285/75/16

 

I already have a Propride 3p hitch for weight distribution/sway control.


Do you have to use both upper and lower receiver holes to achieve the max tong weight capacity on the superhitch?


Do you know any other companies that make a HD hitch for excursion?

 

You might try the RAS (roadmaster active suspension) on the rear. It adds some rear rake and cargo capacity resistance to squating. I carry 6 adults to lunch from work and it rides great loaded without sagging.
It allows you to set it with the amount of lift/spring tension you feel works best, I like that.
It also can be easily removed if you sell the Ex or decide to get new springs.

 

285`s and 3.73`s will not be a happy combo towing a 9k+ lb TT! I have 265`s and 4.30`s towing 9200lbs and it pulls my trailer effortlessly! even in the highest mountain passes.


I would upgrade your hitch hardware to 02 and up specs. or find a much stouter hitch.


Personally the 285`s on a 2WD look a little odd. Myself I would run stock size. since you`re going to have to change gears anyway, maybe keep your new tires and go with 4.56`s. I kind of wish I would`ve went with 4.56`s even with my stock size tires.

 

Do you find your Ex reving high over mountain passes with your setup? I know these V10's like the higher RPMs and all. I always have to turn off the OD and at times drop to second gear going up 6% grades. In the summer heat, I have to watch my trans temp when outside is over 100 F.

 

Approx curb weight of v10 rwd 6700 lbs ( curb weight includes full tank of fuel )
GVWR 8900

Payload = 2200 lbs

So figure 10,000 lb trailer with 12% tongue weight =1200
Family of 4 = 600 lbs ( fords figure not mine )
Subtotal 1800 lbs

That leaves you with 400lbs for other stuff.

Using a weight distribution hitch Your v10 4x2 Ex is rated for 1100 lbs tounge weight and can tow a 10,100 trailer if you have 3.73 gears and 10,500 lbs with 4.30 gears.

 

No, you didn't screw up. They are not the best tire for towing but overall the Bfg is hard to beat as they are well balanced. For an A/T they offer great traction, excellent braking performance, very comfortable ride, good road handeling, quite and wear well.

Part of what allows them to be good at these things is a softer sidewall then a tire that may be better for towing but will not perform well in those other areas.

Even with a softer side wall the Bfg T/A tire has a 3750 per tire or 15,000 lbs GVWR rating, far above your Excursions GVW of 8900

Fwiw. Run them at the psi recommended on your door sticker 45 front and 55 rear.....yes even when towing. You can lower the rear to 50 psi when not towing if you like.

 

If your tongue weight is really under 1100 lbs. I would just get the larger bolts Ford used after 2000.
The hitch is the same, but with the larger bolts the ratings went up to 12500/1250 lbs.
Get it weighed to be sure.
First things I upgraded when we got our 2002 last year was new Bilstein shocks, Hellwig front/rear anti-roll bars, F250 rear leaf springs, Dorman 918-216 trans cooler, 2008 Ford aluminum diff cover and load range E Yokohamas.
Be sure to check yours if it has the radiator tank trans cooler, it was left off some in early production.
These upgrades really transformed the way the Ex handles, especially towing on twisty mountain roads.
Our trailer is a 23' Weekend Warrior TH 7000/1050lb so not as heavy as yours.
I recommend these upgrades as a minimum, then see about the gearing and tires sizes.
For the trans fluid I also have a 3rd flat plate cooler and a filter.
The new style Hellwig rear anti-roll bar has 3 adjusting holes and the softest setting probably equals the factory F250 bar.
Don't know why one wouldn't use the stiffest setting, otherwise just get the Ford bar.
The Hellwig front/rear bars made a huge improvement in cornering and crosswind handling.
The F250 rear leafs firm up the rear end and eliminate over 1" of droop with the trailer hooked up (no weight distribution) which helps the weight distribution hitch use less tension.
Here's an article on leaf springs - Excursion Leaf Spring Swap with F250 Springs | SD Truck Springs | Leaf Springs, Helper Springs and Suspension Parts

 

The problem with that articale is it doesn't explain that the simple fact that the Excursion rear leaf spring has a higher spring rate of 420 ft lbs per inch and 5.5 inch of travel.

The f250 spring has a lower rate 320 ft lbs per inch and 8 inch of travel but also uses a secondary spring with a rate of 518 ft lbs per inch to acheaive its higher overall capacity rating. This is why when people do the f250 swap they have to add leafs to get the needed spring rate for the Excursion.

The reason trucks have a lower main spring rate is because they don't weigh as much as the Excursion. When loaded the secondary spring comes into play to support the extra payload. But remember.... most people emove this secondary spring when they swap the springs into the Ex.

Anyhow, that swap would be less then ideal for towing with a 2wd Ex.
A simple air bag install would allow you to adjust the rear ride height for variable payloads.

 

I understand what your saying.
The F250 springs would be loaded more in the primary pack with the extra weight of an Excursion.
The secondary spring will kick in sooner and particularly when the tongue weight of a trailer is applied.
The primary pack/secondary spring was developed to smooth out the hop of an unloaded pickup, and still provide a high load capacity when needed.
I installed a stock aftermarket set of F250 springs and so far the ride/handling has been exceptional.
I wasn't sure how it would work out and was willing to try another type if needed, but this setup has been working great.
It rides on the primary pack with no trailer and uses the secondary spring with the trailer hooked up.
With no trailer it rides smooth and doesn't have the rear end hop of an unloaded pickup.
The original springs would drop 3.5" with our trailer's tongue weight of 1050lbs.
Now it drops just under 2" which is easily compensated for with the Equalizer hitch.
What I would really like would be a leaf spring pack where each spring leaf gets stiffer providing a variable increasingly stiffer spring.