Okay, first off, yes I searched but all I find is mention of ths mod and nothing about the mod. No details to be found. can someone point me in the right direction or simply tell me what it is?

I have ordered a Sway Bar and a RAS set. I know I need that. I would like to do some research on the V/B but do not find anything. I plan to pull a big Jeep on a 20 foot carhauler and would like it to pull nice. I currently pull a 32 foot with two Jeeps on it behind an F250 and use air bags but do not think I will need them with the Excursion. It is also the wifes daily so I want to keep it nice driving for her.

Any help or advice is very much appreciated.

Dan

 

Dan,

If I read your post right...you've got a Hellwig AND RAS on order?

If that is the case...I believe based on my experiences with the Ex...this is ALL you will need.

I pull a 35' hitch to bumper travel trailer that weighs 9000# with 1100-1200# of tongue weight on the back of the Ex.

Per the scales...when I am loaded for a camping trip with my family and gear AND tongue weight I am loaded right UP TO my 8900# GVWR of the Ex.

I can say that in 5000 miles of all towing in all kinds of weather this year...I KNOW my Ex is a stable towing platform.

I'd say hold off on V/B springs UNTIL you do the RAS and Sway Bar...I think you will find the RAS provides ALL the rear end spring capacity you will need in the Ex. They 'claim' an extra 2000# of rear spring capacity. And I know that when I drop my tongue on the rear of the Ex and engage my WD hitch bars...the rear of the Ex does NOT SAG.

Speaking of WD hitch...I assume you are using one? The rear receiver on the Ex is ONLY rated to 500# tongue weight and 5000# towing in weight CARRYING mode (i.e. non-weight distribution mode). That's not enough capacity from the sounds of your loaded trailer. If you haven't gotten a good WD hitch yet...I'd sugges the Equal-i-zer BRAND hitch or a Reese WD with Dual Cam sway control. Both of these hitches will GREATLY improve your towing pleasure with the Ex...and both can be delivered to your door for ~$400. If you don't have one just ask I can give you a couple of links.

Again...if you truly have the RAS COMING...I think that's ALL YOU NEED...I know it fixed up my Ex when towing. The RAS does NOT make the ride overly harsh when unloaded either...as you mentioned that as a requirement for your wife's Ex...

Good luck,
joe.

 

Good deal. My springs do sag a slight bit but very little. I was hoping the RAS would help correct that. I read several of your post about the RAS and that is what convince me to try them. I do have a WD. I always used one on my Suburban and will tow about 5,000 lbs with out one. They make a huge difference. I hope to have the parts here by the weekend so I can start putting them on. If the springs are still a bit soft it will be time to change them out and I thought this "Conversion" might be the answer to that. Is this a complete spring replacement?

 

The V/B code spring conversion does in fact REPLACE the complete leaf spring pack.

I can only imagine just how STIFF the rear of the Ex will be with the RAS AND the spring conversion!

Do you know how much tongue weight you are dealing with? I'm bumping right up against the Ford 'rating' on the rear receiver of 1250#'s...and I actually had to balance my load to get UNDER that 1250!!!

Between the WD bars and RAS...I believe you will be pleasantly surprised.

The V/B spring swap and RAS attack the SAME problem from a different means...but BOTH solve the problem independently...

I think you will be good to go after you install it.

The RAS installation is very straightforward...but have you seen the photos I took when I was installing the RAS?...if not...I can send you a link...

Here's a funny story I like to tell AFTER I put on the RAS.

I ordered a set of Bilsteins. I swapped out the front no problem. The rears come factory 'banded' in a compressed state.

The RAS 'raised' the rear of the Ex ~1.25".

I go to install the rear shocks...you guessed it...they were banded in a slightly too SHORT condition. Now I scratch my bald head...how in the world can I COMPRESS the rear of the Ex? The trailer is NOT on site...and I had no other load...

So I convince my wife to get my neighbor, his football center son, his daughter, my little girl, 240# of water softener salt...all told roughly 850#'s in the rear area of the Ex...and the rear ONLY sagged ~7/8" of the 1" I needed...so here I am laying under the Ex and yell...BOUNCE!!!...so they are all CRAMMED in the rear of the Ex bouncing up and down...it WORKED!!! I slipped the bolts thru and got the shocks installed.

So as you can tell...with JUST THE RAS...I could BARELY COMPRESS the rear of the Ex with approx. 850#'s WAY in the back...they REALLY stiffen up when loaded...I'm sold...and I think you will be VERY HAPPY with the results they give you!

Hope this helps.

joe.

 

Awesome that is what I need. I had the same thing happen a while back. I usually work alone. I carved out a wood block on top so the shock would not slip. Cut the compression band and used a floor jack to get it in place. After a few tries and many four letter words I got them in. That was on the Suburban after i installed Hellwig helpers springs on it. Not sure what my tongue weight will be but since it is a Jeep I will have some room for adjustment. I am currently building the 20 foot trailer to haul it with so I also have some room for adjustment there as well. The Jeep I will haul with it weighs about 4500#s and the other one I will haul currently weighs 6800#s. The 6800 is a diesel but will get lightened when I cut the 2500lb junk of steel off the rear axle. Total haul should not over 8000lbs, trailer, Jeep and Gear.

 

That's weird. When I did my research, I found so much reading it took me hours to get through. And that reading begat more research which ended up taking me a week to sift through to help me decide which route to go.

In a nutshell though, the hypothesis is, the stock Excursion springs allow too much axle wrap, which causes the wander, or sometimes described and the rear end push-steering the front, causing wander within your lane of traffic, which is exacerbated when towing a trailer.

Swapping the springs removes the problem.

Stewart

 

LOL I just had to comment about how you got the shock installed... That's too funny...

Just a thought:
If you put the x in gear with E-Brake on, wouldn't a little pressure on the gas pedal solve the problem of needing it to tuck down? Just something I would have tried but don't quote me on it until I need to actually try it.

 

I guess I should update this. This is what I ended up with and love it. I kept everything stock but added the RAS and Sway Bars. The springs are the stock one. I also added Air Bags and LOVE THEM!!! Since I tow varying items and weight this allows me to fine tune the vehicle to fit my needs. I have 14 yard dump I pull often and a 24 foot equipment hauler. Both pull like they are not even back there. Love the air bags. I have them on all 3 trucks now.

 

Just curious, did the RAS not do enough so you added the air bags?

 

They did not offer me the custom control I was looking for and needed. The air bags do offer that.

 

I know I'm late to the party but RAS=Rear Air Spring/Suspension? IE Firestone air bag helpers etc?

 

No. RAS = Roadmaster Active Suspension, ie, helper springs.

Roadmaster Active Suspension Kits | Helper Springs | Overload Springs

Stewart

 

Where is the best place to order the RAS?