From where I sit, I don't see anything wrong with them. They look like an F code spring should...unless they have broken leafs that I can't see on my computer screen.

 

May be an optical illusion but they look bowed up in the middle in the photo.

 

Ford changed the shape of the springs in 06. They almost look like a W shape when off the truck. It is normal for 06-07 F code springs to look that way. I would say that the W shape continued into 08 and later, but I can only speak for the many 06-07 F codes I have had my hands on.

 

Thanks for the info, haven't messed with many of the newer models and didn't know they made springs like that.
I would have been tossing good springs in the trash thinking they where bent.

 

 

Got my Axles pulled from the frame and into my garage ready to be gone through this winter before I put them under the truck. Just wanted to ask if there is anything that you guys would upgrade while they are out of the truck.

 

Rear end to a TrueTrac is the only upgrade I can think of. Getting them to 100% is such a huge upgrade over stock you can't go wrong.

 

Mike,

I am going to buy these axles that have already been rebuilt. How much time would it take a shop to install both front and rear axles? Unless I see something that needs to be addressed on these axles I don't plan on doing anything to them other than a little bit of paint and fluid change. I am providing the shop with new coil buckets and radius arm brackets, everything else should be from the donor truck.

I plan on having them do the following:
- remove existing suspension both front and rear
- I will bring them the new axle ready to go other than painting it and fluid change
- Install new front and rear axles along with the spring mod in the rear
- alignment (separate shop) ill probably take it myself to

Mainly just trying to figure out how many hours this should take. I want to be fair with the shop doing the work but don't want to way over pay for the work. I could probably do this myself, I just don't have the tools or time to tackle it.

 

Nicmike - Roger that. I'll just be doing seals and joints then. The rear pinion seems to have a decent leak to it. So I'll probably just fix that for the time being till I'm ready to do something different with the gears. My axles are out of a 08. Am I correct in thinking that I need the 05-07 coil buckets? I think I remember something about the track bar bracket being different on the 08+?

 

Also, I have hit an area that I have not seen covered anywhere in the thread. Or maybe I have overlooked it. My 2008 Rear axle has welded shock mounts. I am assuming that I am going to have to cut these off and possibly weld on some new ones. Any more detailed information on this, or anyone run across this in their swap?

 

In a shop, I'd plan on 20-24 hours of labor for the install. It took me 24 hrs of actual labor time in my driveway by myself. They are going to have to figure out a solution to the e-brake if they don't use my solution. There is some drilling to do, as you should be aware. I hope they are confident with the details of the swap.

 

The coil buckets and radius arm brackets are slightly different on the 08-10 models. They can be easily adapted to fit with some grinding or cutting. The track bar bracket from the 08 is also different, and while it can also be made to work, I would recomment getting one from an 05-07.

On the rear axle, you only have to relocate the passenger side shock mount to the rear. The driver side should be right where you need it. Yes, this was discussed in the thread a couple times, but only briefly.

 

I finally finished mocking up the '08 front axle. The radius arm bracket is a little different and because of the newer design you don't need a spacer/washer between the bracket and the frame.

In the above pic, you can see the bracket is 2 pieces with the right side in the shape of an "L". On the '07 and before the bracket is a "U" with an additional piece added on the left.



The radius bracket showing the hole that has to be drilled for the rivet.


As mentioned before the '08 and above frames don't have the splice. Ford also changed the front of the frame. The older frame turns up near the engine mount cross bracket and then slants slightly down, one time and then stays flat all the way to the front. The '08 goes up in the same spot, but then turns back down in steps, and the very front of the frame is probably about the same height as our blocker beam is, as the newer trucks don't have the blocker beam. Kinda hard to see the frame on the newer trucks but here is a pic.


This frame difference affects how the track bar bracket and sway bar mount to the frame. First the track bar bracket. The front of the bracket hits the frame right where it slants back down and then stays flat.




The area inside the frame at that point has the bolt guides for the steering gear (which keep you from crushing the frame together when tightening the steering gear bolts), and you would have to deal with some type of shim both inside and outside of the frame. My solution was to weld a bolt to the bottom of the frame. I ground down the bolt head slightly to match the slope and welded it on ( well my father-in-law did). Not bad for a little 120v welder with .030 flux core wire. Notice that I also needed a washer between the coil bucket and frame.


This is what the bracket looks like on the '08.


Mike covered the rest of the mounting procedure for that bracket.

The frame on the '08 and above also appears to be narrower as the bolts fro the steering gear are not long enough.


The sway bar mounts to the frame in a different place as well as the end links are too short, I think. After spending a fare amount of time trying to mock up the sway bar with no weight on the frame to show how much the springs will compress with the engine and body back on, and chatting with Pirate, I decided to give myself a couple of options and deal with that after the truck is back together. Since I am having my frame powder coated, I don't want to be adding brackets later. I can deal with drilling a couple of holes. The '08 sway bar is too long to use the existing sway bar mounting holes. When mounted in the existing holes the end links contact the axle/springs. As close as I can figure, I should be able to use the existing front hole. I added a piece of metal in front of the existing mounting location, and will just need to drill holes. This also gives me the ability to use an '07 or earlier bar if the '08 won't work, or perform the way I like.



I think that is the rest of the '08 differences. Until I run across more.

 

Nicmike - Thank you for the info. I'll do some digging on here and see if I cant find more on those rear shock mounts. Might need to see if you can get me the correct track arm bracket for a good deal from the gold mine. We don't have any 05+ trucks in our yards here.

Msuser92 - Great info. Looks like we are doing the same swap. 2008 Axels under 2001 Excursions. Keep the info flowing guys!