Just an update on my Excursion I'm working on for a family vehicle for the next 15+ years. I picked it up from an auction with a blown motor and damaged front and back bumpers last July. Then in late fall I took it to a shop in Arkansas that swapped in a 12 valve for me. Got it back a couple weeks and it's been awesome so far. Pulls like a freight train. The motor was rebuilt so I haven't turned it up at all and I haven't gone full throttle yet. I have lots of other things on the list as I replenish funds. Next up is suspension. There's a shop down in Texas called Absalute Diesel that'll swap axles to +05 axles for $3500. This includes new brakes and suspension parts, a nice plus. Obviously the usual other pluses, and I could get 3.55 axle ratio and they they would be low mileage ones (one he has now is under 50k). My biggest concern is having a shop I don't know real well working on it. Other option would be doing x/b springs myself along with some other needed front end parts which is hard to make time for. I for sure don't have the time or know how to do the able swap myself. You guys have any thoughts or advice?

 

 

Nice! I love the Ford blue on the valve covers. Curious why the thought of a 3.55 axle ratio? Seems like the 12V would want a little more gear than that but I have not owned or driven a 12V machine.

 

 

Yeah I have plenty of power down low and I'll be using this on toda trips a lot so I wouldn't mind sightly better miles. I wouldn't swap gears just got that but if I did axles anyway I figured might as well. I can share the labor was $3500 which includes the rebuild and installing a few miscellaneous items. Parts you can go a lot of different ways to make it cheaper or more expensive. I wanted to do it once and do it right so I spent a little more on parts

 

I forgot about the transmission. I actually find a used BTS 4r100 from a 7.3 and Brian swapped the torque converter so I'm running that. Needs a little fine tuning but so far so good

 

 

 

Yeah, hopefully I can get one this afternoon and I'll post a link

 

Just one thought, since you're far ahead of me on my swap...if that's a K&N get rid of it and get the right filter in place. Nothing good will come of running a K&N on a 12v.

Who's tune are you running on the 4R? ...and which controller...PCS TCM or Quickshift or...?

 

Very awesome!
I have basically the same vehicles (including pickup and no cummins in the excursion unfortunately) but yours are much much nicer

 

Nice install!

I personally don't think you'll get a ton more MPG out of it with 355's vs 373's. The 355's will still pull pretty good with the torque produced by the 12V, but not sure it's really worth it for mileage alone. However, if they're in the axles you get for the swap, there's no reason not to.

Got any additional pics of the engine bay? I'll agree with ditching the filter if it's a K&N. Grab a BHAF from NAPA and never look back. Wix/NAPA 2790 is an excellent choice. Downside to that is you'll have to move that passenger battery to the other side to fit it in there, and it appears you may not have room.

 

I'm using the quickshift and it's tuned ok right now, but I'm going to get a hold of Brian and see if he can fine tune it for me. I do have an extra BHAF lying around from my truck I'll see if it fits.
And I wasn't going to swap gears just for the sake of changing them but like you said, if it's on the axles already might as well.

 

That Cummins makes power down low, I doubt you'll want such a small gear change at all.

Mine's got the updates for 4kGSK from TST and some other updates, and I'm sticking with the 3.73's on 295/70/18's.