Hello,
My name is Dylan I just purchased my first Ex. It’s a 2000 limited with the V10 and is completely rust free as it is from down in Georgia. That’s a big deal here in Wisconsin because everything we’ve got it rotten as can be. Bought the ex for camping with my wife, 3 kids, and 2 dogs pulling our 33 ft Rockwood camper. First question I have is about what diff I’ve got? I’m assuming it’s the 3.73 but the code on the door tag is blank. Looked up the vin and that info wasn’t there either. I’ll post a pic of the door tag. Second question is general tips on what to look for and address before hitting the long road and then possible upgrades to make prior to camping season. Not looking to spend a fortune right away until she’s a proven runner but I just want to make sure the fam is safe and do what we can to limit breakdowns. Look forward to your feedback, thanks!!

 

Welcome to the EX forum and family Dylan!

Most, if not all ‘00s are missing the axle code on the door jamb sticker just like yours. From the factory the 6.8 had either the more common 3.73s or the optional 4.30 gears. A quick check of the tach at 60 MPH will tell if it’s a 3.73 if under 2000 RPMs and a 4.30 if over 2K, so long as you have the stock sized tires of course. There should also be a metal tag attached under on the rear diff cover bolts with the ration and some other data on it.
I would give it a good overall checkout to ensure the brakes, suspension bits, exhaust (check the exhaust manifold studs, they like to snap off…) and tires (I prefer load range E for towing) are all in good shape and don’t skimp on weight distribution hitch setup, in my opinion the higher quality hitches are worth the extra cost in comfort and control.
How heavy is your TT ready to travel? Heavier trailers will be more of a struggle with the 3.73s, but they will still get you to your destination, just a little more slowly with more revs and more fuel. I pulled our old 31’ TH that scaled at 9500lbs for the first 2 years we had the EX and TH, it would downshift out of OD if we ran over a shadow. But we traveled from home near Philly down to SC and up to ME with that combo, at that point I upgraded to 4.88 gears because my plans included new 35” tires and a lot more towing. With the 35”s and 4.88s it has an effective 4.39 ratio and it tows much better. We also upgraded trailers in ‘13 with the current 3 slide TT being 41’ long and 12 to 13K lbs depending on water and toys. In 2022 we towed the big TT about 13,600 miles and pushed our total EX camper towing miles over 75K miles, our V-10 EX has been a really great family tow rig for us over the years.

 

We have a 2000 6.8 two (2) wheel drive. The title of our build thread is something like “6.8 2 wheel dive ( misspelled “drive”) tow rig.” We have owned this truck since new.
We tow a 2022 28’ Airstream Flying Cloud, so we are not as heavy as WE3ZS.
I found that the 6.8 is a dog until you change the gears. I have OEM sized Michelin E rated tires. E rated tires is a must. I run 60 psi and get even temps across the tread. Better handling and better gas mileage.
I chose the 4:56 G2 gears along with a TrueTrac limited slip. I have found these gears to be ideal for towing. I run at 65 mph.
I got Banks headers and had them ceramic coated and this gave a little more pep, but I had to get a 5 Star Tune with setting at economy, economy towing and high performance towing.
The Ex came with “soccer mom” springs that have a rating somewhere between an F-150 and F-250, so I changed them out for F-350 springs. The Ex is app. 1500 pounds heavier than a 2000 F-350, so it makes sense to upgrade this.
The 6.8 has a pretty good transmission cooler, but the 6.0 diesel cooler is almost the size of the radiator and is an easy install.
There are a lot of other things, like upgrading your hitch. I stole WE3ZS’ idea and purchased a Torklift 20,000 lb. Super Hitch. Perfect fit. I mean perfect.
I changed out all of the bushings and, as much as possible, replaced them with polyurethane. I even changed out the body mounts to polyurethane.
I changed out the seats to Scheel-Mann orthopedics, but that was a must for us because our degenerative disc disease.
We live in Georgia. You did right by purchasing out of state from WI.
If you have any questions, either post it or send me a PM. Would be glad to help.

 

Gentlemen thank you for the responses and the warm welcome! I appreciate the knowledge and feed back!
I plan to improve the gearing to be more tow friendly eventually. This summer we won’t be going to far from home so I think we will get by just fine. As far as the weight of my TT ready to roll I’m unsure. The Rockwood spec of dry weight is 5,921 but everyone on the forums for that say that is grossly underestimated much less when it’s loaded for a trip. I’ll have to find a scale this spring and get it over there one I pull her out of the barn for the season. Excited to hear about We3zs being so happy with his ex towing such a large camper all over, that is great to hear. I can’t wait to make improvements over the next couple seasons to make it the ultimate towing/camping rig!
It seems to be a common thing to swap out the leafs to the 350’s leafs, but what are thoughts on the add a leafs out there or even an airbag system in comparison?

thanks again!

 

IMHO rear supplemental air bags are the way to go for RV towing.

Reason being is if you get springs with a high enough spring rate to work good while towing, they WILL give you a stiff ride while unloaded. As since you unhook the trailer when at the destination and drive the Excursion around, why suffer with a hard unloaded ride.

Get some good shocks and a set of airlift 88340 bags ( here's a link to one reputable place that sells them, but shop around for price https://www.etrailer.com/p-AL88340.h...odel=Excursion), and be done with it. That way you can add some spring rate when you need it, and let the air out to go back to a nice riding vehicle unloaded. I have these on the back on my excursion and really like them, they even have an internal bump stop

I've put rear supplemental air bag on several vehicles over the years, they're really hard to beat IMHO. Even took the factory overload springs off my DRW F350 (that I use to tow a 43 foot fifth wheel toyhauler with) in favor of supplemental airbags, just made the ride nicer when towing that monster RV with over 3k pounds of pin weight dry.
...

 

I tow a Keystone 33bh (39' hitch to spare) that scales just under 10K loaded. 2002 RWD v-10 with 3.73 gears. Depends on where you're driving. I've gone WI to TX, FL to WI and a few shorter jumps in between. Have to watch for elevation through Appalachia with 3.73s. Other than that, 3rd gear is standard and the occasional downshift to 2nd. I just lock OD out (except for strictly FL runs to Disney or Universal when we lived there, FL is flat enough for that). 6 - 8 MPG is my average over roughly 10,000 miles of towing. I have an SPD y-pipe and F-350 springs with a Hellwig rear sway bar. Blue Ox sway control has worked well for me. We are at the point where our travel trailer needs some major work, so if I end up sticking some serious $$$ there we will be delaying our plan to go to a fifth wheel and truck setup. If that happens, I will definitely go to 4.56 rear gears. Only thing stopping me was thinking I would only have the Excursion for another year or so. Driving with 3.73s is definitely doable - but you can't just put it in cruise and let it do its thing. You have to actually 'drive' it and plan your acceleration and strategy through hills. Mine also was from the South (Jackson, MS I think originally), and is in really good shape but even at that suspension bushings and common wear items are the first place I'd go. If you think about it, it's kind of insane to hitch a massive camper behind a vehicle that can have collector plates. Kind of like believing Ford trucks will never rot out because they have aluminum bodies. They will still disintegrate from within after a few years of WI salt and grime, you just won't see it on the outside maybe.

 

Junior at ATS advised me since I already had the Roadmaster Active Suspension (RAS), which is a coil spring that tightens up the leaf spring, their B Code equivalent would is just fine for the rear. I also have Airlift bags and compressor. This way I have options. I can tune the rear springs with the RAS or airbags or both.
Since I have a 2 Wheel Drive Junior advised me to purchase the Ford Z Codes, which are the stiffest for the front of the F-350. When he suggested not buying his coils, I was sold.
Since the rear end is now 3 1/2” taller, I went with the 4x4 Bilstein 4600 shocks. The shocks are one inch longer than the ones for the 2 Wheel Drive. Perfect fit for my application. Front shocks are 2 Wheel Drive models because the Z Codes only raised my chassis 1 1/4”.

 

That's good. My springs lifted the rear significantly, then I installed Bilstein 5100s, and I am running 245/75 tires, so I can pretty much smuggle 24 packs of beer in my rear wheelwells when unloaded. Comes about level when towing.

 

I sure miss Wisconsin! Used to live in Oshkosh, now reside in Columbus Ohio. Contrats on your Excursion.

One thing I hear from 6.8 Excursion owners is the factory trans cooler is to small, it can be replaced with one for a 2003 or newer 6.0 style one to keep temps down when ttowing. I too got my Excursion "down south" in Knoxville Tennessee, so mine doesn't have any rust either, mine is a 2003 6.0 2WD, cause in Ohio we dont get enough snow to need 4WD, at least in this part of the state. Any questions about towing please feel free to ask me. I dont know much about the 6.8, but Ive been over mine ALOT in the years Ive owned it, to make it as good as can be!

Congrats on the new ride! Now that you have one, you have the BEST LARGEST SUV ever made!! The GM guys WISH they had something that awesome!

 

I thoight of another must have upgrade while driving mine this morning. Beamtech LED headlamps, with new retainers to hold the lights in since the LED are longer/fatter.

I use these headlamps

https://a.co/d/iccSAqo

These retainers

Dorman 42415 Headlamp Bulb

Then I changed my taillights to the flashing brake light LED, and backup LEDs, the license playebulbs to LED, and backups too. Had to change the flasher to LED type bulbs for the turn signals. Also installed matching fog lamps... to me this is a necessary upgrade!

 

Why run a setup like that when, for the same or less money, you could put airbags on the back and have a variable spring rate without the extra unloaded ride height (the whole smuggling 24 packs in the wheel wheels thing)?

Yeah, we tow with these things, but the VAST majority use/ drive their Excursions more time unloaded than they do towing. Even the RV guys (like me) drive the Excursion around at the vacation destination once you drop the trailer at the campground. Why sacrifice the unloaded ride (which is the majority of the time we drive these things) for towing ability , when you can have both for the same money? Just makes no sense to me.
...

 

I bought my wagon in ‘10 with 65K miles on it from a PA dealer who got it from a gov auction in LA, it was a former Army Corps of Engineers vehicle down South, so also rust free, seems like the trend here in this thread.
I have modded F-350 springs on mine, they were free low mile take-offs and I was wanting a lift with extra capacity to run 35”s, which to me just look like the right size rubber for these wagons. Anyhoo, if I were starting over with a stock EX and looking to beef it up for heavy towing I would go with the air bags, the ability to quickly switch between load handling extra capacity and a more comfortable unloaded ride would be great, honestly my EX does ride like a buckboard when unloaded.

 

It's tolerable when I air down to 45 or so PSI when not towing. What really beats you up is the drive after unhooking when they're still at 70-75 PSI! Got the springs cheap is the only reason. It sits around most of the time and doesn't go anywhere in the winter because it's a liability what with its one rear wheel wonder a spinning in an inch of snow. If I really had to daily drive it I would probably get sick of it fast, this is true.

 

Welcome aboard! I grew up in WI and didn't realize a 'rust free' vehicle could even exist until I moved away. I bought my rust free EX in Virginia about a year ago and did not realize how much I would need to put into it to make it good tow vehicle. My first advice is to be prepared for significant additional costs. Its a 23 year old vehicle and isn't really plug-and-play to do it right once you start learning more about them. The below list is what you will eventually experience. It is not intended to scare you, just inform you. Its a slippery slope.

• I have heard, but cannot confirm, that if you have the 'normal' mirrors like yours then its a 3.73 ratio and if you have the 'tow' mirrors, then it is the 4.30 ratio. Regardless, you want to purchase some '08+ SD tow mirrors. Even the stock 2001 EX tow mirrors on mine suck. $
• You probably have some broken exhuast manifold studs. If not, you will soon. They can be a real b*tch to remove. I had to weld nuts onto a few of mine because they were broke off below the head. Its kind of a miserable job, so nobody wants to do it. Do it yourself to save $.
• Since you will be likely removing your exhaust manifolds, you might as well put headers on to replace them and gain a little more horsepower. Don't be a sucker for Gale Banks slick advertising like me and listen to @WE3ZS and just purchase the headers and Y-pipe. The high flow air filter will just reduce engine life, the muffler isn't anything special, and the larger exhaust tubing and tip is just to make you feel like you have more horsepower. Its all B.S. and will save you about a grand. $$
• Since yours is a pre-2002, then it has the potential to eject spark plugs since the heads only have enough material for 2 threads to engage. You can risk it or but the Cal-Van insert kit and have it at the ready or just bite the bullet and do them all at once in advance. $
• Now that you have some of these essentials covered, the good folks here on FTE will use subtle subversive peer pressure to cause you to want to 'upgrade' your EX. The first is when you crawl under and notice that your front leaf springs look inverted. This will cause you to ask many questions, go down the Ford F-350 leaf sping -vs- Junior at ATS -vs- @pirate4x4_camo ProComp spring path and consider air bags. I went the Pro-Comp, Bilstein shocks, and AirLift path, but have yet to install them. I plan to remove one leaf from the front and two from the rear to improve unloaded ride quality. $$
• Next you will have a desire to put new LEDs in every light socket, a 6.0L PSD trans cooler, an Accufab throttle body, a new radio head unit with 10" screen and integrated cameras, extra glow shift dash guagues, modern headlights, new grille, new bumper, TPMS system, USB outlets, re-cover the seats, new carpet, sound insulation, etc., etc. etc. $$$
• As you start to procure and install all of the above, you will come to terms with the fact that your vehicle is 23 years old and needs new sway bar (and every other) bushings, new alternator, A/C lines fixed, brakes, auto hubs and/or vacuum lines, minor little interior pieces that can't be found anywhere. etc., etc., etc. The junkyard is your best friend. Never pass up an opportunity to dumpster dive in every junk yard you drive by. Hopefully they aren't all rusted out. $$
• Gosh, now that its all getting fixed up its a shame that you have those puny 16" OEM wheels on that lifted EX. You probably need some new 18-20" wheels and 35" tires or it just won't look right. $$
• Hmmm, now you have 35" wheels on your EX and the effective gear ratio is down below 3.73...better do something about that. New 4.88 gears front and rear. Hopefully you didn't regear once already to 4.30 before this point. $$
• Finally everything is fixed/updated and you are ready to tow. However, you probably want to buy the 5 Star tunes to help with mileage and transmission shift points. $
• Finally you got your trailer and realize that its actually a 33 foot long SAIL that sways in the wind. Need to upgrade the hitch to a Hensley Arrow or ProPride P3. $$
• Last but not least you need a scan code reader. Luckily FORScan is FREE!!!! (unless you want to use the premium features). But a quality cable is not. $
• p.s. - Its rust free. Try to keep it that way. Get smart on what works and doesn't work. Ziebart is a lie. My plan is to go with a lanolin based treatment and re-apply twice a year. $

The sad part is that I'm probably forgetting something !
I think I still like my EX, but after typing all this out I'm not so sure.

Good luck and don't be afraid to ask questions. There are some FANTASTIC and very knowledgable people on this site.
4Kids
...I forgot to mention that at some point you will also feel '7.3 PSD Envy'. Just let it go. The cult followers gladly pay a premium for just that engine with 3X the miles that is more than what I paid total for my EX. The 6.8L isn't a powerhouse, but neither is the 7.3 in stock form. Its good for the job at hand. If taken care of it will be reliable, convenient, and provide nearly the equivalent $/mile operating cost, which is what matters in the end.

 

I mean, 4kids isn't wrong. When you think about it, unless you NEED an SUV, it is really silly to not be driving a newer and much more reliable and powerful truck. But I forget all that nonsense when I get behind the wheel of mine. I equate driving my excursion to any of the muscle cars I owned before kids. It is overkill on the streets in a world of EVs and hybrids, but that's why we love them. You don't buy a muscle car because it is reliable or efficient. You buy it because you like it, knowing you're never going to be done working on it.