pretty sure it is 80 ft/lbs

I'll confirm later tonight with my Ford tech buddy; mind you if you put 185 ft/lbs on them; as long as they don't snap; they should never come loose again

 

thanks western star...housedad posted a table in another thread that contridicts RoadMasters recommended torque...and that had me confused...the ford spec sheet would obviously be correct...but I'm not sure if I got a wrench and an *** big enough!

if you can check that would be GREAT!!!...

The bolts are 9/16" thick and according to my SAE torque sheet for bolts there can be a 96 to 230 ft-lb spread depending on grade. A grade 8 is obviously the high end there...

Thanks again...I don't have the parts until tomorrow so if you can get it tonight or tomorrow morning...COOL!

joe.

 

I had mine installed by a Roadmaster dealer in Ocala, and he had a devil of a time getting my rear suspension bolts loose. I bought the car from a guy who lived on Bradenton Beach, and the bolts were very rusty. He had to go to an adjacent shop and borrow heaver air tools! I was on vacation from Ky when I had them installed. The ride back (towing 9,000 lbs) was much better than the ride down.

 

Okay here you go straight from a Ford tech. He says torque specs for those u-bolts are 90 to 95 ft/lbs. He also said DO NOT re-use your old u-bolts as they will not re-tighten and hold torque properly. You can get them at auto stores - take one of your old ones to ensure proper replacement and make sure the new ones are grade five or better also replace any nuts and washers too. recheck your torque after 500 km and 1000 km. Never hurts to check them every 10,000 km also.

Hope all this helps. As I said earlier I have this system on my F-100. The only PITA of installation is getting the old u-bolts off. I'm positive you are going to love this upgrade. I've enjoyed mine so much I likely will never own another truck without RoadMaster on it .

 

JJ, in my opinion, the "need" is rather subjective.

Upgrading the rear springs will help with body roll (among other things) just like adding a Hellwig rear sway does.

However, for me, I like to control (dampen) a large portion of body roll because I like my vehicles to handle really well. If I did that solely through a spring upgrade and modification, the ride would become way too harsh on my Excursion (you should ride in my 5.0 Mustang...oy vey!) and that's just not an option. So for me, I added a rear sway where none was before, AND upgraded my rear springs to the B codes, adding a 3.5" tapered block.

I would not have been happy with JUST the rear spring upgrade. I suspect I wouldn't be happy with just the Roadmaster system either. I'd actually like to dampen the body roll just a tad more, if I could.

Stewart

PS - Joe, your PM has been answered.

 

Well I messed up and posted my update in my other thread...

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...ml#post4945329

The RoadMaster is ON...photo link in the other thread...

Report will be generated as I leave in a few hours for 260 miles tonight and then into Williamsburg tomorrow...

joe.

 

Hey Joe thanks for the pic's!

Hope you have a fun safe trip and can't wait to read your report.

JB

 

Well as promised here are my “impressions” of the RoadMaster Active Suspension (RAS) I installed prior to my current towing trip (I am ~800 miles into the trip).

First off as indicated previously the RAS installed really easily on the Ex. The ONLY thing I was/am concerned with is the minimal threads that protruded thru the nuts of the U-Bolts BEFORE the install and after the installation of the RAS under spring plate…the U-Bolt threads are FLUSH with the top of the bolts. I used thread locker and have checked the tightness of the nuts after about 800 towing miles and they have not backed off but I sent RoadMaster an email about it and suggested for Ex’s that perhaps they supply longer U-Bolts with their kits on these Ex’s…

So how do they perform on the Ex…well I have to say I am VERY happy with the towing performance.

Here’s some pertinent facts of my setup.

First my Ex rear suspension is STOCK with the exception of the Hellwig I installed. I have original shocks and springs prior to the RAS.

Travel Trailer is right at 9000# with a 1250# tongue. GCW is 16,800#’s. All verified by a certified scale.

The RAS as I indicate raised the rear of the Ex by about 1.25” or so and I was very HAPPY with that. When I dropped the tongue on the rear of the Ex…it did NOT sag noticeably at all. Now keep in mind I have 1400# spring bars on my Hensley and I tighten them fully but before tightening them the rear of the Ex really did not sag. So the RAS seems to perform as it is loaded up as advertised.

What am I attempting to “cure” with the RAS?…well for me it is a “sensation” or “feeling” more than an actual rear steering issue. When the 1250#’s of trailer tongue PUSHES on the rear of the Ex…I feel a “squirmy” feeling where the rear of the Ex seems to “yaw” or “crab” from that weight being forced against the soft rear springs. With the RAS you still feel it but it is MUCH reduced and not very noticeable and does NOT actually move the rear of the Ex. Now keep in mind I am a perfectionist and I am very pleased with the RAS and how it handles and “reacts” to the tongue weight “push”.

I towed 280 miles the first night and 400 the second day. BOTH days were very relaxed and mostly one handed driving. We had about a 15-20 mph CROSS-wind the first evening and that still did not mandate any serious driving on my part over the one hand. The Hensley has something to do with that but even with the Hensley the “yaw” effect is still there with the Ex. With the RAS and Hensley though the Ex is VERY predictable in how she reacts even with a cross wind, in a DOWNhill curve!!! With passing semi’s there is virtually no push whatsoever…

To test the stability…I ran faster than I normally do. I ran longer stretches of 70MPH on sweeping curved roads (these types of curves are what causes the “sensation”) ALL with NO ill effects. I then ran 75 for a short time and STILL amazingly stable 1 handed driving! (this was a TEST as I am FULLY aware of the 65MPH rated tires on my TT)...

What impressed me the most I guess was how QUICKLY the Ex damps out the expansion joint “wave” as I call it. It is the porpoise effect that the TV has to counter from those highway expansion joints as you travel over them. One bounce to absorb the expansion joint and the Ex settles out. No constant up/down feeling inside the Ex from the stock suspension. Makes for a VERY comfortable tow even with 1250#’s hanging on the rear of the Ex! At the end of the day you don’t feel like you are beat to heck from the trip!

All in all I am VERY pleased with how this simple installation makes the Ex very stable “feeling” and acting. I am SURE that an F250/350 spring swap would do the same thing. Or the Landyots with how folks describe them…

For me the air bag route wasn’t what I wanted or felt I needed. In fact I felt for me they actually made the handling WORSE due to the soft nature of the air bags. The RAS works WITH the OEM springs instead of the way the air bags tried to work alone. I’m not sure if I am explaining that right but for me and my seat of the pants, they tell me a bunch…I KNOW what I want when I am towing…and the air bags didn’t give me what I wanted. The RAS has given me back my Ex as a WELL HANDLING tow BEAST!

Speaking of tow BEAST. This V10 and 4.30’s (I’m gonna go off topic and tout the V10’s/4.30 pulling ability here)…

I installed the 4.30’s in the spring of this year. This is my first towing thru big hills (Appalachians were the victims this year) and good grades (7% was the max we faced) with them. I was able to tow AT the speed limit on all the hills if wanted. Key here is that you need to keep her wound up or you have to play catch up even with the 4.30’s. But if you know how to run her you can accelerate up ANY hill at ANY speed. Some of the longer grades 3rd gear is plenty IF you stay above 3200RPMs. Run up on slower traffic and you have to touch 2nd for a bit before getting back to 3rd. But she pulls like a train! I also found that running 62-65 I get 8mpgs and running 70 I get 7.5…both hand calculated. So if you like to pull fast…it will cost you 0.5mpg…

Temps on the trans and engine never moved. Keep in mind that the stock tranny gauge does NOT move until the trans gets over 220…I mark all my gauges “normal” position on the display with a white grease pencil so I KNOW if anything moves off “normal” at the glance of an eye.

So to sum up my impressions of the RAS…the "current" topic of this thread…I am SOLD on the improvements it offers. For the $279 plus $18 shipping you have a system that is basically dormant until you load up the Ex and a side “benefit” IMO is that it raises the rear of the Ex to help the “sagging” rear. As I mentioned…a set of F250/350 springs should give the same effects. I am also not convinced that some of the “crab” feeling isn’t the front springs…but that would be a mod to be done by me at some later date…for now I am VERY satisfied with how the Ex handles towing a 9000# TT with 1250#’s of tongue hanging on the rear. I can say that my impressions are very positive with this system (other than the short OEM U-Bolts). For anyone contemplating this modification…I don’t think you would be disappointed and IMO it is a more “permanent” solution over air bags which for me gave a negative feeling but also air bags can fail over time…if the RAS looses some spring…just put in some more preload on the springs to compensate for any loss in tension. A hole in an air bag can’t easily be repaired! I am not totally convinced of this “rear-steer” phenomena that people talk about in so much as it is the “crab” feeling I have felt. The RAS takes away most of that feeling and still allows me to tow with only 1 hand on the wheel and sit back and enjoy the ride…rolling down the road at 17,000#’s and not feeling any different than a Sunday drive…well I’m sold.

Would I still do the Hellwig?...well I’d install the RAS FIRST to see how this improves the Ex…I’ve got both and as stated earlier…I would likely WANT both…but remember I’m a perfectionist!

Hope this help!

Joe.

 

thanks Joe.
it sounds like a promising option,
and something i would like to do.

 

Glad to hear it is working so well for you Joe. I know I've enjoyed RAS on my F-100. My Ex is next to get the RAS treatment. I was surprised they supplied u-bolts for your system? With my F-100 I went and bought new ones as none came with the kit. My tech buddy suggests you may want to replace those with ones long enough to allow 1/2 inch or so of thread above the nut to allow for "just in case" room. Just a thought but I get the feeling you might already be thinking it yourself. Enjoy your trip; I'm jealous .

 

Good post, Joe.

Not knocking the RAS, but for me, I'd still choose the spring upgrade I did for my wife's Ex.

I'm glad it's working great though. It adds one more option for Excursion suspension upgrades.

Stewart

 

Thought I'd provide this forum a quick update on my RAS. Prior to RAS installation, I installed new 285/75R16s and Bilsteins on my 03 EX, 6.0L, 4x4. I put the RAS on just before I left on vacation towing a 27' travel trailer (8k lbs) and 6 passengers. I've put about 3,000 miles on it so far which includes quite a bit of mountain travel and I am very pleased. The RAS gave a lift to the back end of the EX and when the trailer is connected it sits perfect. Stability on the flats and in the corners have been excellent. It is a much better tow platform than before. Of course, the new tires and shocks helped but I think the RAS was worth the money and made the most impact. Mileage has been between 10.5 and 11.5 mpg while towing at speeds up to 75mph. Not sure if the RAS has an impact on mileage but it definately help the towability.