Got my Excursion yesterday. It's a 2003 4x4 Limited with a 6.8. I got a pretty good deal on it but, while it hasn't been abused, it has been neglected a bit. Heat doesn't work...think maybe I've diagnosed that as a bad blend door actuator. AC doesn't work. No coolant getting to rear heater core. Missing occasionally on #9 which is probably a bad coil. On the other hand, when #9 isn't acting up, it runs and drives great. I was really surprised at how well it drives with the stock springs. I expected it to wallow around like my mothers old '73 Impala wagon did. I wasn't surprised that it sucks gas like a shop vac in a bucket of packing peanuts.
After getting the heat working...wife has made her position very clear on that point...springs are the first mod. One of the shops I talked to suggested an adjustable track bar for the X/B springs. I haven't run across this in my reading on these mods. Is it necessary or will the stock one work? I was also looking at Russel stainless brake lines. Any thoughts or experience with these? Better option?
Having never owned a Triton engine, it was kind of funny when I first opened the hood. My first reaction upon looking down the side of the engine was, "Where the hell are the plugs?" Found 'em though.

 

Beautiful looking truck. You’re going to love it!

I have the Russell stainless lines on my Ex well as this brake kit.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/pwr-kc1906a-36

I love this setup.

I also just picked up a set of stainless ESOF lines. I just got them for Christmas so I haven’t installed them yet.

http://www.dieselsite.com/1999-2004f...ofhosekit.aspx


Lots of good info here on this site. Welcome and enjoy!

 

That's the exact brake kit I was looking at.

 

If #9 is not misfiring all the time the coil is probably good, the boot may be degraded with age. Denso 671-0001 boots work well. How many miles? Are the plugs the OEM Motorcraft AGSF22WM or the SP479s? If the plugs are OEM be sure to check the torque on them.
Does your Ex have a rear anti-roll bar? If not will handle noticeably better with one, the Hellwig 7643 is a popular unit.

 

All good info here.

For the Hellwig, it depends on height of your Ex for the Hellwig part number. Mine turned out to be 7878. Check their site.

Amazon has the 7878 for $262.62 with free shipping.

 

Track bar isn't needed with those springs. I heard the same thing so I got a track bar for X/C springs; the C's will push the nose up a little bit more, and I had to cut the thing down because it was too long. Wasn't worth the shipping for me to return it so I threw it on anyway but wasn't needed.

 

I hadn't considered the boots...new to this Triton engine. My truck had a 7.3 in it.
A Hellwig sway bar is part of the plan along with springs and shocks. I didn't know there were different ones for different heights though. I'm going with X codes in front and modified C codes in back.

 

I did X codes front and ATS mod C in rear. Wound up with Hellwig 7878.

 

That's where I was going to buy mine from.

 

I forgot you have a 4x4, the Hellwig bars are probably identical, but for a 4x4 the end links need to be longer, so a different kit no.

 

Well...jumped off the cliff and ordered a Livewire from 5 Star and X/C code springs from ATS today. 4.88 gears and brakes are next. I won't have any money left for gas but it'll look cool sitting there in the driveway...

 

You won't be disappointed. Add the Hellwig rear bar and you're done with suspension (assuming you did shocks also). Bilstein is all I put on my Jeep and all I put on the Ex. Worth every penny.

 

What tunes from 5Star?
What size tire are you going with? Will you be towing? How heavy?

 

87 octane performance and tow, 91 octane tow. Running the stock tires till I wear them out, then going to 35's. Towing an 11000 lb travel trailer.

 

Sounds like a great plan, I ran my 4.88s with 32" tires for two camping seasons, the EX pulled lie a locomotive and got 9 MPG dragging a 9500 lb TH up and down the Eastern seaboard.
Play around with the Perf and Tow tunes, I found that the Perf tunes mesh better with my style of driving/towing better than the actual Tow tunes did. I do most all of my towing now with the 89 Perf tune loaded, other here have tried both and prefer the Tow tunes so make your own call on that.