I've owned my Excursion for almost a year now. It's a 2000, 7.3, 4WD.

What I've done so far: 4" exhaust, Edge Tuner, Thermostat upgrade (203*), Power Steering Pump and pressure line, normal maintenance to get it to pass inspection and be road worthy.

Input Requested:

Gear Ration Swap: I plan on putting 35" tires on it within the next 6 months or so. We have a large family, and pull a heavy TT over pretty much every range in the US on our roadtrips. I want to keep the transmission happy and not destroy the engine, so I've been leaning towards an upgrade to 4.56 gears. I know that quality matters, but I've never dealt in gears before. I'm not even sure how much we are permitted to discuss vendors on this site, but how do I know a quality gear ;provider vs junk? Usually in a situation like this, I would buy OEM, but the sites I've visited didn't have OEM in 4.56. Also, if I go with 4.56, will there be any other obstacles, or is it a simple swap?

Brake Upgrade: Currently we have an INCREDIBLE brake shudder when I apply the brakes at high speeds and it becomes nonexistent when we get down to around 40MPH. I've read over this thread [ https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ke-rotors.html ] and realized this is likely my problem. Within that article, there was a recommendation to go to "cryo treated Powerslots and Hawk LTS pads." From one manufacture alone, there were many different options available for Cryo treated rotors, and frankly I'm not sure what is better from one to the next. Also, what brake pads have been proven within this community for heavy towing conditions? Recommendations welcome.

Brake Upgrade pt II: I've been reassured by folks that the Ex braking is adequate, and I'm worrying about nothing. Has anyone here gone as far as to put an engine brake on their 7.3 to help with braking and getting to the bottom of passes in one piece?

4WD: When my Ex went into the garage after my purchase, and work was being done to get it able to pass inspection, the mechanic informed me that the vacuum hoses were missing from the front hub. I didn't know if this was normal (hose fittings are present due to generic part, but not used in this model), or if something was wrong. Many months later, I got stuck in the mud, and when I went to lock the hubs, I found out that the 4WD does not function in this Ex. On top of that, I can't seem to unlock the passenger side hub, and it seems to be making a buzzing noise while driving. I'm not sure where to even start on this issue. I didn't think the 2000 model had auto hubs, which would mean no vacuum hoses, but these are compounding assumptions by myself. Will I need to replace the entire hub on the front for both sides to get functioning 4WD? Thoughts are appreciated.

Intercooler upgrade: This seems like a popular upgrade by what I hear, but considering what appears to be a minimal return on an extremely costly item, I'm interested in opinions here.

Brush guard: I know they are, at best, tacky to many people. However I'd like to attempt to stop large pre-roadkill from totaling my vehicle at highway speeds. Any recommendations on good front end gear.

Cold Air Intake: The Ex came with a very low quality K&N air filter. I realize I've got to change this asap, but to what? I've seen the NAPA 6637 named on here as a good replacement, but I'm wondering if that requires it's own special connection to the turbo. Are there other cold air intake systems that will prolong the life of the family Ex and increase air intake?

Sway Control: I've been running a weight distribution hitch for years, but I never bought into the sway control debate. On our last roadtrip cross country, I changed my mind. I've seen reviews for the really cheap harbor freight sway control kit, and by appearances, it seems adequate. Any good/bad experience out there with sway kits?

Batteries/Alternator upgrade: In my limited experience with Excursions, it seems to me that it takes longer than it should for the engine to turn over. This could be the nature of the beast, or a dying set of batteries. If the latter, is there a brand of battery that has proven to be the standard in reliability and lifespan? Also, we run a lot of electronics while on the road. Has anyone found a good upgrade to the stock alternator?

Slip Yoke: I've got the typical grinding going on when I make sharp turns. I added the grease fitting and have been trying to attack it that way. I know the previous owner was aware of, and ignored, the problem for the entire time he owned the truck. Is it worth it to keep greasing through the fitting in hopes it will solve the problem, or is it possible/likely that damage has been done that can't be fixed that way?

Hellwig Sway Bar: This Ex didn't have one when I bought it, and I'm pretty sure it never has. Will the hole to bolt to the frame be there (ready from stock) or will this require some careful placement on my part?

Roof Rack: I'm interested in a robust, full length, roof rack. I've seen comments from many people saying that they just aren't available commercially. I wouldn't mind making my own, but I'm curious as to exactly how you need to hook into the top of the Ex. I assume there are reinforced areas for this to be done correctly. If you have insight, please let me know.

Thanks,
Chad

 

Wow, lots of good questions.

1) get rid of the k&n filter. Dont want to dust motor.
2) diesels are tuff motors and I personally wish ford would have put higher gears in them. 3.55s would be great, as motor can easilly torque it's way thru things. Leave your gears alone.
3) your vibration could be because one hub is locked in. I got a good deal on a excursion because PO had hub locked at 75 mph and blew up transfer case.
4) easy fix for 4x4 is aftermarket hubs. I tend to fix oem system though. It's probably your hub seals and can be expensive if you can't do work yourself.
5) issues while turning is probably the rear limited slip asking for a fluid change or if recently changed its asking for more friction modifier.

6) brakes.....if you want the best, and still adimit on getting 4.56 gears look into swapping in a F450 front end. Alot of f450s came with 4.56 gears and their front brakes are HUGE, an inch or 2 larger diameter. 19.5 or 20" rims will be required and are avaliable for our excursions. Then you only need to put 4.56 in rear. Those will stop you better than most upgraded small rotors.





That all I can remember because I can't see your post on my phone while I'm in the reply page.

 

You are exactly where I was in January of 2015. I had my Excursion for less than you've had yours at that point, but I've towed a nearly 9000 lb (9k+ this last trip) coast to coast three times since then. I have learned a thing or two about exactly what you are going to be doing. I have built what I think is an extremely capable tow vehicle out of my 2000 7.3 Excursion but it has taken some time, effort and research.

The first thing I have to ask here is why are you going with 35" tires? I'm not saying it isn't a good idea, but it's not necessary to tow a trailer. It's mainly for looks and I'm more of a functional-modification kind of guy so I might not be able to help you as much here.

I will say that if you do decide on bigger tires (and a corresponding lift) gears are going to be necessary. I have 3.73 gears in mine and based on my experience with stock injectors/3.73 gears and 160/80 injectors/3.73 gears I would rather have a little numerically higher ratio with the larger injectors. But more about injectors later.



Rotors (front):

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad_S

Brake Upgrade pt II:

If you can't get to the bottom of the steepest pass on any road in the US towing 20,000 lbs, you have a serious problem somewhere in your system. I have never felt the need for an exhaust brake.

I also rebuilt my front axle (except inner axle seals) this past spring and I know all about this too. Yes you have auto hubs on your truck. They operate automatically on vacuum and have a manual engagement mode on the hub itself. The vacuum system frequently breaks down and you have to fix what's broken. Essentially, the system is a control solenoid, vacuum pump (that you can hear running on the passenger side fender well when you turn the key on), vacuum lines to a reservoir canister and lines to the A/C vents and two front hubs. You will probably end up replacing the front hub bearings ( )

Save your money.

There are a lot of options in the aftermarket for fabbed front/rear bumpers. Ranch hand are popular but the problem with really stout bumpers is that when you hit something, that strong bumper transfers all of that force to the frame of the vehicle instead of the stock bumper absorbing most of the force itself. Something to think about if you have a lot of aftermarket goodies on a truck that might be hard to get reimbursed by an insurance company. I.e. injectors, turbo, up-pipes...

I run the S&B cold air intake (new version). While it's true that the cold air intake is mostly useless because these are intercooled engines, the air flow of this intake is quite a bit higher than a stock air box and it really is a well-engineered, well-built piece. I know lots of others use the 6637. I am not well-versed in this area either.

I don't know how big your trailer is going to be, but mine has a GVWR of 8800#. I have a WDH hitch with 1000 bars and a friction-type sway control device and I have zero sway issues. Some people will tell you that you should use a Pro-Pride, Hensley, or other sway-eliminating hitch for a travel trailer 30'+ but I have no issues with sway. However, it's extremely important to have a well-set-up WDH hitch and correct tongue weight - as verified on a 3-axle commercial scale.

Batteries: Wal-mart. Seriously. There are only 2 or 3 battery manufacturers in the world and the more expensive batteries are just re-packaged batteries from the same manufacturer. Wal-mart batteries have a great replacement program and stores everything in North America. They can't be beat.

Alternator: I've never needed more than a stock alternator, but I would seriously consider carrying a spare at absolutely all times. My last one died very suddenly while towing. It was not fun.

Pull the shaft and find out. You might find bad u-joints or a damaged yoke but you'll never know until you pull it.

I have one and drilled no holes. Get the adjustable one and set it on the stiffest (shortest) setting.

Any decent shop in town that specializes in these things should be able to sell you what you need, but it will cost you $800+ by the time they sell you all the brackets and hardware. You might get lucky and score one on craigslist or ebay for a lot less. Another good option is etrailer.

I will tell you about another few things that you didn't even know to ask about.

If your up-pipes are still stock, replace them now. The OEM design leaks and when that happens, EGTs skyrocket when towing a trailer. If you don't have and EGT gauge (mandatory when towing BTW) then you will burn up your motor. Many people use Dorman; I went with the international pipes ($400 vs. $140) because of the higher build quality and the refusal of Riff Raff's owner's refusal to warranty installation of Dorman up-pipes on their customers' vehicles.

If your HPOP hoses are still OEM (braided steel) replace them now. They are subject to pressures in excess of 3000 PSI, they are made of rubber and they are 18 years old now. When they let go, they shower your engine bay in several gallons of oil and leave you dead on the side of the road. Get these from riffraffdiesel.com (which can you deposit the next several of your paychecks )

Replace all the O-rings under the hood. The formula for diesel changed when they started producing ultra-low-sulfur diesel. The new fuels are not kind to the OEM seals. You probably have several fuel and oil leaks that you don't even know about. Get a complete o-ring kit for a 7.3L and plan on replacing them all.

If your truck hasn't had the pre-pump mods done to it, it needs them. The stock fuel system before the pump basically sucks. Literally. It sucks air into the system which the fuel injectors aren't really cool with. @SkySkiJason says he knows how to do this mod for cheap; I ended up going with the (https://www.strictlydiesel.com/p-266...hutch-mod.aspx) kit. This comes with the filter head for the baldwin fuel filter/water separtor but I think the racor kit referenced in the 7.3L forum is probably a better option. Sorry no link for that one.

The suspension. The Excursion suspension isn't very good for towing a heavy trailer IMO. I scored a set of V/B springs off craigslist and did the mod B thing that Excursion owners do. There was a recent thread where Pirate4x4 argued successfully that the Mod B thing isn't as good as a stock Excursion suspension. However; I did the V/mod B thing, Hellwig anti-sway bar, Bilstein shocks and I literally could not be happier with the way my truck handles and tows. This month I drove from Granite Bay, CA to Florence, SC in 7 days. I weighed in at a 19,120 lbs with a full tank of fuel. I was actually over weight on every axle but I made it without issues. One of the reasons is the suspension I put in this truck.

This is what it looks like loaded up:



I had 1500 lbs of gear in the truck before the trailer. That added 1300 lb of tongue weight on it. With the hitch hooked up, the weights by axle were 3840 (front) 7160 (rear) 8160 (trailer).

A 6.0 cooler is a mandatory upgrade. Period. Search for it in the 7.3L forum.

If you want to add a tuner, just plan on replacing the transmission. There's no way around that. The stock 4R100 barely holds up to a stock 7.3L. Add two more horsepower and it's going to break. It might break anyway as the stock unit has a couple of weaknesses. There are rebuilt units available of varying quality. In my somewhat-well-researched opinion, the best are John Wood and Brian's Truck Stop. Second is probably the Ford HD 4R100. Third are suncoast (aka suntoast), Jasper and a couple other online vendors. Fourth is everybody else. Fifth is Aamco. Spend your money VERY wisely here or never plan on doing any performance upgrades. Again - IMO and based on my experience. Others have have different opinions and more/better experience.

If you want to get a tuner, get a PHP hydra with Gearhead tunes (Yes I've had my issues with them but I still think they write a good tune now that I've towed a lot with mine; I just wish their customer support was more responsive). My engine runs like a well tuned-beast. There are a couple things about the transmission shifting that I don't like but otherwise it runs fantastic.

If you want to do a big power upgrade, get a set of 160/80 injectors. It's the quickest bang-for-your-buck power add-on you can do. Don't even bother getting anything smaller; anything bigger (except maybe 180/80) usually requires custom live/dyno tuning. $$$$

Remember that the larger nozzles (80% larger) will drastically lower EGTs when climbing grades, which you will QUICKLY learn is your limiting factor when climbing a grade.

At a minimum you will want to pull your injectors and replace the o-rings (how to do that is a whole other thread). The years and changing oils and fuels have not been kind to the OEM o-rings. Mine came out in pieces when my injectors came out at 180k miles.

While you have the valve covers off, you will want to replace the glow plugs. Motorcraft ONLY. You'll also want to closely inspect the under valve cover harnesses and valve covers for burned or chaffed wires. There is a $.50 mod where you grind the head off a quarter and stick it in the harness on each side to prevent the harness from backing out but at this point I'd just recommend replacing the harness altogether. There are also a couple of o-rings under the valve cover that need replacing.

The stock boots and clamps absorb oil and leak. There are better options on the aftermarket. Plan on replacing them all. Get these from Riff Raff.

This is the time to address any leaks on the EBPV on the turbo. The oil seals like to leak after time. If you operate in cold temperatures, keep the EBPV intact. If you're like me and you hate cold weather, ditch it completely. You'l need a replacement pedestal and high-flow outlet. Riff Raff.

You should swap your coolant out for ELC. It's the coolest new thing. It's maintenance free and you never need to add or test anything. Use the gooch coolant flush procedure. Search for it... it's in here somewhere. Good idea to change the oil cooler o-rings at the same time.

Have I spent enough of your money yet? I've basically doubled the purchase price of my Excursion at 14K, but I've built a hell of a tow rig and I never worry about trailer sway or breaking down on the highway.

And yes... I've done ALL of the above and more to my truck.

 

Gauges: You need at a MINIMUM, an EGT gauge. Heck one guy on here runs TWO EGT gauges - one for each manifold. It's a very good idea to have a boost gauge and a transmission temp gauge as well. Some argue for a fuel pressure gauge as well but I haven't really seen much of a use for it in my truck yet despite having one.

You can and probably should monitor some basic engine functions from time to time with a tablet and either a wifi or bluetooth connection. You can monitor or record live engine data and more importantly retrieve codes. Tugly has links in his signature for different options here.

With regards to brake upgrades, think about adding a set of Russell stainless steel brake lines. I have them on my truck and they made a noticeable difference in stopping power.

 

I'm full of Italian food and tired, so I'll just give you one piece of advice now and the rest when I'm out of my food coma....

If you plan on a lift and 35 inch tires, 4.10 gears are what you want to do. No higher or lower.

Use the search function and look for a thread called "Finally Caved". Then grab a cup of coffee and read from beginning to end.

 

Gears,
In an effort to save your trans heat is the enemy so get a trans temp gauge and a 6.0 cooler. Gears with 35's is optional.

Intake,
hands down the Ford AIS by Donaldson is the best filter for dirt filtering and dirt holding capacity.

 

I was pulling a 34' 12.5k lb toy hauler all over the country (up to 30k miles/yr) with my Excursion.

Good advice above. Here is what I did and recommend.

Tires - 285/75/16 10ply tires (33" tall)
Gears - stock 3.73's with rear LSD.
Brakes - Bosch (lifetime warranty) rotors and EBC Yellowstuff pads
Suspension - modded V&B codes with Hellwig rear away bar
Air intake - DIY 6637 filter
Exhaust - stock straight pipe is FINE. There is zero advantage in going to bigger pipe. (Your up-pipes likely need to be replaced)

I would not run 35" tires on a 'tow rig'. You can totally tow with taller tires - but, overall stability decreases the taller you go. The exception may be using 19.5" tires. You can run a 285/70/19.5 (35" tall) on Rickson 19.5x7.5 direct-bolt wheels.

I towed the same camper with my dually that has 4.10 gears - both trucks had 33" tall tires. It definitely makes a difference in driveability while towing. Less downshifting on grades. But, not enough difference to justify the $$$$ of a gear swap. I've driven trucks with lower gears and it's just 'uncomfortable' to cruise at 2500rpm or higher on the highway. You'll see very little difference in MPG with a gear swap.

 

Stock Intercooler is fine. Upgrading CAC boots is a good idea. I always use Riffraff plenum inserts, upgraded clamps (for plenums) and boots.

The stock trans cooler is probably fine too. You'll need to monitor trans temps to see if you have an issue with temps. I put a BTS trans in my X - totally the BEST investment I made. No more worrying about transmission!

Guzzle has good write-ups about servicing 4wd stuff that will help you understand how all of that works. I LIKE ESOF. I tend to use 4wd for like 10ft at a time and it's really nice to lock the hubs from inside the truck. My dually has almost 430k miles with functioning ESOF.

 

SkySkiJason,
Good information. I'm fairly determined to upgrade to 35's, as our family gets out into some sticky situations. We've run out of clearance before. I'm hoping I can get large enough wheels to help to maintain the same sturdiness. I appreciate the comments on the Rickson wheels/tires. I've never heard of them before but seems like a solid product. Brakes are a different recommendation than I've seen before, I notice you didn't weigh in on the need for higher performance rotors. Suspension I've already made plans. Not sure which code, but I contacted the infamous ATS shop and purchased springs. I've seen recommendation to change up-pipes earlier. That is something I will have to look into doing. I've gotten several Transmission recommendations, will need to do some research. Need to look into what is already written about the 4WD issues. It sounds like you are saying that you can upgrade manual locking hubs to ESOF, is that the case? If so, I've never heard of that before.

Pirate4x4,
I forgot to include it, but I did upgrade my trans cooler, to the option with the most lines (31 I think). I know heat is a primary concern for everyone, but my assumption was that the additional stress of the larger tires would require different gearing if I want to keep the same tranny for as long as possible. No doubt I'll have to replace it eventually, but it just seemed that there was far more stress and the tranny was the weak link. I'll read more on as advised above. Thanks for the feedback on the Intake, I'll look into that one.

Toreador_Diesel,
Thanks for the insight. I've done the best math I can do on tire circumference conversion, and with my meager math skills, it seems as though 4.11 would not quite be enough. I'll follow your advice and read through the thread you mentioned.

Rock2610d,
I know the truck has torque and can handle just about anything, but I've also watched my fuel mileage "coach" on my tuner display, and quite often it is obvious that I am really straining the engine, and dragging my mileage WAY down when I am low RPMs in a high gear. My thoughts were that getting higher gearing would not only take it easy on the engine and tranny, but also keep mileage better since the work is easier on the engine. Again, I need to go back and see what previous discussions have revealed. 4x4 - I've searched for aftermarket hubs, are there any you recommend? I wouldn't object to ESOF since I had manual, but I haven't been able to find anything, surprisingly enough. My go to sites to buy diesel stuff don't seem to have that category. I've also heard the ford stock ESOF hubs suck. I hadn't considered the limited slip being the driver behind the vibration problem. Everyone I talked to seemed to think that Slip Yoke was the guaranteed culprit. I would have never considered getting a 450 front end. I suppose if I can't find one, I could just purchase the bigger brakes that go on a 450 front end. I just know my brakes were smoking on a recent camping trip long before I thought they should. Their officially on notice.

Andym,
You've given me enough to digest to consume all of my free time between now and Christmas. Really good information, I truly appreciate it. I'll see if I can throw some follow up questions out.

Tires, not strictly for appearance. As a family, we get pretty far away from civilization on our cross country road trips, and we've run out of clearance before. I know bigger tires aren't a benefit when towing, but I plan on increasing the wheel size to help with stability. I understand the reservations.

Thanks for the recommendations on the rotors and pads. I'm a little surprised you didn't recommend the Super Duty grade pads by the same company.

My braking concerns mostly stem from a recent trip we took. I got to the bottom of what seemed like a very short hill before rolling into camp, and several minutes later when I was finished parking the rig, I noticed that my brakes were *still* smoking. It made me wonder how close I was to failure. Now I'm trying to stay ahead of it, as you don't know until it's too late.

Thanks for the link for replacement hub bearings. I'm assuming I could go with that, and Warn hubs, and be most of the way fixed. Still need to figure out if I'm missing just vacuum hoses, or if the compressor is tanked too. I've also heard that some people put aftermarket ESOF hubs as an upgrade. Any experience with this?

UP-pipes - I'm not exactly a mechanic, pretty much everything I do I have to learn on youtube first. Up pipes appear to be in that "no man's land" at the back of the engine. Can this be swapped out without pulling the engine? It sounds by your description this might be something you have an auto shop do.

EGT Sensors - My edge tuner has the ability to monitor the Engine Oil Temperature, and I was under the assumption that all engine temperatures are more or less related. If that is not the case, let me know. Also, where does one find what the limits should be for these temperatures?

S&B intake looks solid. It seems to be in the same price range as AFE, which I had on my last truck. More research on this issue.

HPOP hoses - Not sure what I've got now. I'll have to figure this one out. It wouldn't surprise me if it still had stock.

O-rings - Is this something that a youtube mechanic can do on his own? For some reason, I get the feeling that a normal person isn't going to have access to all of the locations spots the o-rings will be located.

Pre pump mod - I didn't even know this was a thing. I suppose I'll have to make time to research this out and figure out how/when to do. Thanks.

Transmission - I'm nowhere near Phoenix, and John Woods won't ship, so I guess that leaves ATS in the number one spot. I suppose it would be silly to get another stock one....

Tuner - I've never heard of that specific Tuner. I heard somewhere that Edge is the best if you don't want to burn out your engine. Again, I'm welcome to being educated, or for simple fan fare disputes.

I don't know anything about injectors. This sounds like a good upgrade to do, I'm just wondering if it is within my skill set. I suppose it is off to youtube I go. I know just as little about the glow plugs.

I think boot/clamp replacement has been seconded by someone else here too. I'll have to look for replacements.

EBPV - Not sure what that even is. I definitely drive in cold temps, will need to figure this out and take a look.

ELC I haven't heard of either, but if it is a one and done upgrade, it's worth looking into.

Again, Thanks to all for your input. I've got plenty of work to keep me busy. The big question is how many of these items I can tackle before our next big road trip next summer. Decisions, decisions....

Chad

 

BTW - That is a really good looking rig. It's the exact same Ex with the same color scheme that we've got.

 

My EX only tows, no daily driving at all. I wanted to run 35"s mainly because to me, they just look like the "right" sized tire on this body style truck. So when I went to the taller tires I also increased the wheels up to 18"s, that way the additional 3.5" of tire is offset by the 2" more wheel which means only 3/4" more sidewall than stock. This combo has been working very well for me with my typical 6400lb rear axle weights while towing.

 

Tom,
I also think the sizing looks right. The bonus is that I'll get some functionality out of it as well.

AndyM,
Everything I am finding about 180/60 (and even 180/30) injectors is saying that you need major system and chip upgrades to make them work. If you found one that doesn't require it, drop a link here if you can.

 

I have 35s on mine with 3.73 gears and can't stand it, but then, mine's also a V10.

 

What can't you stand about it? Dog starts? Mileage? let me know.

 

I like to tow with a little more RPM since the V10 likes to rev to make power. Right now, I tach at about 17-1800rpm @ 70mph. I don't like towing any faster than that. Also, I'd like to avoid dropping to 2nd gear when going up moderate grades while towing. My boat only weighs about 1500 lbs fully loaded, so I shouldn't notice it behind me when climbing, but I do. I'm waiting for enough time off before I remove the lift and source some new wheels/tires. Current wheels are 16.5 x 10 with the 35in BFGs. Wanting to get it back to stock-ish wheels and 285/75 tires. Only have about 10k on these tires and are in great shape, just don't want anything that big.