I have been considering adding a 1" front shackle lift for a couple reasons. First off due to spring sag I only have about 3" between the frame and axle. Both front bump stops are gone and if I install new, they won't last long unless there is some more clearance. Secondly, my caster is currently about + 3.5. By adding a shackle lift it should add some positive caster???

Center of front hub to fender is 22.5" and the rear is 24.5"...........

 

You don’t want to just use shackles. Use shackles on the rear of the springs and hangers on the front.

 

Yea shackle on the rear of the front spring. and why don't you want to use just shackles...?

 

It would be a bandaid, but others have done the same thing.

 

stock 4x4 ride height hub to fender is about
front 23”
rear 24”

the real factory measurment is bump stop mounting surface to bump contact pad in the front is 4.4”

adding a longer shackle is going to allow the spring to negitively arch more which will cause the spring to sag quicker.

if it eere mine i would replace with a stock motorcraft spring and factory bump stop and get new shocks, The KYB monomax is an exellent choice for stock size tires

the stock excursion is designed to make contact with the bump so unless you redesign your entire front suspension it is best to leave it stock with oem parts. once the shock wears out however you start hotting the bump more frequently which is why yours are blown off, sagged springs just adds to it,

get new motorcraft springs, new motorcraft bumps and the kyb monomax and it will ride and handle great.... or reengineer the whole thing.... lift shackles are just dumb.

 

And longer shackles will rotate the axle changing caster and driveshaft/u-joint angles. Maybe not enough to really matter, but something to consider.

 

I ran 2.5" lift shackles on stock springs for 7 years before putting my X-codes on. It drove exactly the same as stock with the shackles as it does with the X codes. My one of previous Excursions wandered but my current one doesn't at all.

Not a bad solution imo, worked great for me for years.

 

I'd ammend that slightly

I wouldn't just use a hanger alone. Part of the handling issues with these is that the front 2 leafs are pure junk from the factory. and they've only gotten worse in the last 15-20yrs.

Option 1:
Insert an AAL. When I did my Modded F codes in the rear, I took the smallest leaf from the original rear leaf pack. it's about 18" long. I inserted that into the front leafs. It gave me 0.5" of lift. But it firmed up the front end immensely. Zero frame slap ever again. And she quit wandering. I then installed 3" lift hangers to level the truck out with the rear.

Option 2:
Replace the leaf pack. I installed V codes. then later came back and installed 2" lift hanger to level the truck.



you can do both in the driveway very easily. But I honestly wouldn't just put hangers in. It will give you some lift. But you still have the horrid handling aspects to deal with.

 

if the OPs excursion is wandering adding just the shackle would likely add enough caster to cure the wander. but you are still riding around on a sagged spring with diminished travel capacity and now have a longer shackle with more leverage that is going to wear out bushings quicker. its just a lame bandaid.

why put a bandaid on it when you can just as easily fix it correctly ?

 

What is that?

 

replace the worn out parts, in this case springs, bumps and shocks.

 

Agree with that. I personally wouldn’t use new OEM Excursion front leafs. Too many posts from unhappy owners in early 2000’s

 

it was due to manufacturing quality controls of the era, Visteon, the ford owned manufacture sold the plant, new owners moved it to mexico, changed to a India steel supplier at a time when their steel was just coming online and wasnt ss good as USA steel. lots of termoil and they turned out inferior producs... ford springs are still made in Mexico but great quality. most aftermarket springs you will find are made in India and not great. Fords are made by the largest spring mfg in the world snd vastly superior. i would buy the motorcrafts if you want the best spring available without going custom and those will set you back about $1000 a pair.

 

I have a set of V and B Ford springs for sale in the classifieds.