P-code spring info
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 179
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P-code spring info
Guys I’m looking into upgrading springs on the Ex. I have a guy parting out an ‘04 FX4 F-250 that has P-codes on the rear verified by door sticker. Fronts are T-codes but trashed from the accident. I have another deal I’m working for the fronts.
i can’t find really any useful info on P-codes and am wondering if they are worth the time and effort to pull and swap. I need some lift out of them but mainly a firmer (better) ride and increased capacity/spring rate for towing. Does anyone have any insight to help with my decision?
i can’t find really any useful info on P-codes and am wondering if they are worth the time and effort to pull and swap. I need some lift out of them but mainly a firmer (better) ride and increased capacity/spring rate for towing. Does anyone have any insight to help with my decision?
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 179
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I hopefully will have a BDS 6" spring lift coming in for the front because I want to run 37's. I'm not a fan of the Ex factory springs so I DON'T want to use the factory rears with 5" blocks. I'd rather put a better spring on there with some lift and then a shorter block. I'm thinking maybe a 3" will do if the P-codes give me 2" or so of lift?
Veteran/Sheepdog
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 6,047
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From: Western AR
The modified B codes lifted me exactly 2 inches in the rear. I re-used the X block. If I had used the F250 block, that would have been another inch added in the rear. You certainly don't have to modify anything. Some put them on without modifying. They get the better ride, but they get a little less lift.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2017
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The modified B codes lifted me exactly 2 inches in the rear. I re-used the X block. If I had used the F250 block, that would have been another inch added in the rear. You certainly don't have to modify anything. Some put them on without modifying. They get the better ride, but they get a little less lift.
I might be modding the BDS springs for the front anyway and do a shackle lift to get the 6" of lift without the harder ride of the thicker pack and additional arch......we shall see.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2017
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That I don’t know. That may present the problem for me if he doesn’t have blocks or anything to set the frame on. On a second note, is the rear axle the same on the FX4 F-250 as my Ex? Only reason I ask is IF it has a limited slip in the rear end I may take the whole thing and swap it into the Ex to get the LS. That is assuming the gear ratio is the same.
Veteran/Sheepdog
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 6,047
Likes: 110
From: Western AR
It is the same Ford 10.5, but the shock mounts on the axles are usually a bit different. The locator pin for the mount on the passenger side is USUALLY offset from where it is on our X's (see my axle swap thread last page), BUT I did just see an 04 at the Gold Mine that had both shocks to the rear like an X. They are rare.
I do this as a side job (pulling axles, springs, etc). The other issue you need to consider is jacking that thing up high enough to get the springs and axle off before setting it down on "something" when you are done. Hopefully he has thought that far ahead.
I do this as a side job (pulling axles, springs, etc). The other issue you need to consider is jacking that thing up high enough to get the springs and axle off before setting it down on "something" when you are done. Hopefully he has thought that far ahead.
Moderator
Joined: Jul 2010
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From: Media PA
That door tag show an axle code of C3, which is a 4.30LS. With your PSD EX that would be too much gear unless you do go with the mentioned 37"s and want to retain excellent towing ability. Of course you would need both axles to keep it a usable 4X4.
The original idea behind the very early rear spring swaps and the "modding" was to save the cost of the taller (4"-ish) F-350 blocks (I think that the F-250 blocks are pretty much the dame 2"-ish as the EX has) to give the new rear springs enough lift to match the new front V codes. The addition of the (typically) bottom two EX short leaves does add some extra capacity to the new truck springs as a nice side benefit. The truck springs by themselves will have about the same ride height as the stock EX springs, the truck springs have a few inches more arch, but fewer leaves than the EX pack, so they even out due to that. Modding the truck springs gives you the higher arch and the extra lift from the short EX leaves as well as the little bit of additional capacity from the shorties.
If you are looking at a set of 6" front lift springs then going with the P codes, modding them and using F-350 blocks may not be enough to have a factory rake. I am running rear B codes that are modded with the typical 2 bottom short EX leaves and then I cut the factory traction bar into sections with two sections bolted to each spring pack above the F-350 tapered blocks, it's about 5" over stock.
The original idea behind the very early rear spring swaps and the "modding" was to save the cost of the taller (4"-ish) F-350 blocks (I think that the F-250 blocks are pretty much the dame 2"-ish as the EX has) to give the new rear springs enough lift to match the new front V codes. The addition of the (typically) bottom two EX short leaves does add some extra capacity to the new truck springs as a nice side benefit. The truck springs by themselves will have about the same ride height as the stock EX springs, the truck springs have a few inches more arch, but fewer leaves than the EX pack, so they even out due to that. Modding the truck springs gives you the higher arch and the extra lift from the short EX leaves as well as the little bit of additional capacity from the shorties.
If you are looking at a set of 6" front lift springs then going with the P codes, modding them and using F-350 blocks may not be enough to have a factory rake. I am running rear B codes that are modded with the typical 2 bottom short EX leaves and then I cut the factory traction bar into sections with two sections bolted to each spring pack above the F-350 tapered blocks, it's about 5" over stock.
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 179
Likes: 2
That door tag show an axle code of C3, which is a 4.30LS. With your PSD EX that would be too much gear unless you do go with the mentioned 37"s and want to retain excellent towing ability. Of course you would need both axles to keep it a usable 4X4.
The original idea behind the very early rear spring swaps and the "modding" was to save the cost of the taller (4"-ish) F-350 blocks (I think that the F-250 blocks are pretty much the dame 2"-ish as the EX has) to give the new rear springs enough lift to match the new front V codes. The addition of the (typically) bottom two EX short leaves does add some extra capacity to the new truck springs as a nice side benefit. The truck springs by themselves will have about the same ride height as the stock EX springs, the truck springs have a few inches more arch, but fewer leaves than the EX pack, so they even out due to that. Modding the truck springs gives you the higher arch and the extra lift from the short EX leaves as well as the little bit of additional capacity from the shorties.
If you are looking at a set of 6" front lift springs then going with the P codes, modding them and using F-350 blocks may not be enough to have a factory rake. I am running rear B codes that are modded with the typical 2 bottom short EX leaves and then I cut the factory traction bar into sections with two sections bolted to each spring pack above the F-350 tapered blocks, it's about 5" over stock.
The original idea behind the very early rear spring swaps and the "modding" was to save the cost of the taller (4"-ish) F-350 blocks (I think that the F-250 blocks are pretty much the dame 2"-ish as the EX has) to give the new rear springs enough lift to match the new front V codes. The addition of the (typically) bottom two EX short leaves does add some extra capacity to the new truck springs as a nice side benefit. The truck springs by themselves will have about the same ride height as the stock EX springs, the truck springs have a few inches more arch, but fewer leaves than the EX pack, so they even out due to that. Modding the truck springs gives you the higher arch and the extra lift from the short EX leaves as well as the little bit of additional capacity from the shorties.
If you are looking at a set of 6" front lift springs then going with the P codes, modding them and using F-350 blocks may not be enough to have a factory rake. I am running rear B codes that are modded with the typical 2 bottom short EX leaves and then I cut the factory traction bar into sections with two sections bolted to each spring pack above the F-350 tapered blocks, it's about 5" over stock.
I’m basing the height I need to be on the standard BDS setup for a 6” spring lift in front in that they use a 5” block in the rear to bring the Ex up to level. The modded P-codes and F-350 blocks might be enough with a modded front pack then. I think 5” of lift with proper wheel backspacing etc will clear the 37s just fine. Won’t know till I can try it out.On the axle, I looked up the code earlier and it actually is some good news for me. The 4.30s are what I was planning on swapping in anyway so now it is just a matter of a gear swap and locker for the front when I bolt up the 37s. Plus I can take my time and rebuild the second axle and freshen it up before I swap it in.