So just bought a 2005 4x4 limited V-10 (4.30 gears and second row captains) to replace my 2000 2wd V-10 Ex. Been doing lots of research on upgrading the springs. I tow a heavy 14k boat and the tongue weight is 1400-1500lbs. On the old Ex was using the 20K superhitch and airlift airbags along with 5 star tunes and she did a pretty good job towing the boat. On the new truck would like to keep the stock tire size and not looking for a lift just want the added capacity and handling of the F250 springs. I do want to run airbags in the new truck also so trying to figure out the best spring upgrade to do. So U or V front and A, B or modified B rear. I have a 2000 F250 7.3 and its springs are U/A so would want at least that and my old Ex at least had the A rears. I just dont want too much lift since I will be running the 265/75/16 tires and prefer more of a level look or just slight rake. I read all the info here and elsewhere and just trying to figure out what to do. Anyone do U/A with airbags or V/B with airbags?
From what I can gather the B code you want without the overloads 3C3Z-5560-CB. If I do the V/B can I still use the 2" block or do you have to modify the B's to use the 2" block?
Other upgrades coming:
Banks headers and Y pipe
6.0 trans cooler
Hellwig front and rear sway bars
upgrade shocks
Dual front stabilizer
upgrade brakes
5 degree caster shims
5 star tune
transfer the superhitch over
michelin defender ltx ms

Trying to set this up as a heavy tow vehicle. I have gained a ton of info on here especially from Pirate 4x4 and WE3ZS posts. So thanks for all the info everyone. Any suggestions are welcome!

 

Since you are not looking for any lift and plan to keep the stock tire size (and the 4.30 effective ratio for towing! ) I would just keep the stock leaves and add a set of airbags for the extra capacity to handle the boats tongue weight. If you read Pirates posts on this subject you know that the EX rear springs are actually higher rated than the trucks, but the trucks have more travel. Your new tires and shocks will have far more effect on the handling than the springs, springs carry the load, shocks control the ride.
Can we see some pictures of the new wagon, and the old one too? We love pictures here!
I have modded X/B codes on my EX because the springs were free and that was the popular mod at the time. If I was starting over now I would do the Pirate ProComp springs with the Daystar cradles and air bags.

 

Thanks for the guidance Tom. I was hoping you would respond. You have a great EX and I have gleamed a lot of good info reading your posts. Maybe I am overthinking it. I will try the airbags and see how it goes. They worked great on my old EX. It just sounded like the ride improved for a lot of people doing the spring swap.

Here is a pic of the new girl. Going to eventually give her new paint and a new color.

 

With my modded X codes (added the top overload from the rear B codes) and modded B codes (added the 2 shortest factory leaves) and Rancho RS9000XL shocks it rides like a dump truck. It does smooth out nicely with the big TT’s 1860 lbs of tongue weight on the hitch though, which works out pretty well as the EX is our dedicated tow rig and doesn’t see any daily driving. Running around exploring at our travel destinations is really the only unloaded miles it see these days.