I was driving my wife's 2010 Navigator L 2WD on our road trip a couple of days ago and just couldn't stand how mushy the suspension was. Now, I know it's not going to come close to my 535i in handling, but I would like to stiffen the truck up some to give it more of a truck feel.

Has anyone else bought any performance suspension parts for their Navigator? What were they?

I think there are normal shocks in the rear, but air shocks in front. Also air springs/bags in the back. I'd like to at least replace the rear shocks and if possible; the sway bars, rubber bushings with urethane and anything else that might fit on there.

I've been searching, but there isn't anything that clearly states it fits our truck with the air suspension. Any help would be great!

Thanks!

 

I installed Bilstein shocks front and rear. It rides firmer and corners a little better.
Sounds like you want more than I got from new shocks.
Richard

 

Thank you for the response. I started to wonder why no one had replied so I dug even further. I have no upgradable shocks or struts on this vehicle!

I had assumed the design was the same as my old 2001 Navigator, but that obviously changed. There are conversion kits, but I don't want to do that. I'm still thinking the sway bars, bushings and end links can be updated, but I don't know if anything else can be. I'll keep hunting an be sure to post the install.

 

So there are a couple of variables that you haven't answered yet, the biggest being tires. Are you still running the stock P-metrics? if you are that is where a lot of your "squish" is coming from especially if you are running them at the door pressure not the tire load rated pressure. If you are I would go to a load C or better tire in the same size, E will really stiffen up the sidewall, kind of like going from a H rated tire to a Z rated tire.

Now on to the fun stuff, I don't have the upgraded bars however I do have the stiffest and thickest OEM bar on my Expedition (standard length 4x4) at 21 mm. I would check to first make sure you have the largest stock swaybar, if that does not work there are several other vendors that make quality units. I will probably go stiffer this summer once I have my new trailer. I'm also running 285/55R20 michelin LTX A/T2s which seemed to help in the way of grip over the OE goodyears.

Second, I'm running the Icon coil over conversions on my truck. I was almost out of spring on the front end (coil rate is 698 lbs/in) I could have gone to a HD F-150 spring at 714 lb/in but the gain was minimal and still retained the OE strut. With the Icon coilover you can control far more variables to steady the ride.

Lastly, if you feel the rear air suspension is still too soft but you desire to keep the load leveling you can swap out the strut and airbags for a 2014 year model assembly where they switched from air ride to hydraulic load leveling that is self contained. This may help with some of the bounce you are speaking of.

 

I have factory Perelli Scorpion STR 275/55R20 in front and some new Michelin LTX MS/2 in the back. I believe these are more of an SUV tire than a heavy load truck tire.

I have no idea what size sway bar I have, but I'm looking into the Hellwig bars for the front and rear. That includes end links and urethane bushings, so that would help tremendously, I think. It has begun to groan when backing out of the driveway (it's on a slope) so I think the end links need replacing anyway. The plus to the Hellwig is the adjust-ability. I'll probably install it on the stiffest setting and see how that works. I'll also check to see if any other factory sway bars are out there that will fit, but I'll probably stick with getting the Hellwigs. They're about $350ish for the set front and rear.

I think my setup is full air ride. I didn't even see a regular shock in the rear like my old Navigator used to have. There doesn't seem to be much I can do about that; short of a conversion.

Speaking of conversion...I'm interested in the hydraulic setup! I'll have to look into that, but I'm guessing that will cost me much more than I am willing to put into it. Honestly, it's tough getting much by the wife when it comes to go fast parts. Especially when she doesn't think there's anything wrong with it, except for the groan exiting the driveway.

Thanks for chiming in!

 

Well I feel dumb.

I had the front wheels off of it yesterday for a brake job and took a good look at the shock/spring setup. It's just a regular gas charged shock. So that means I can put the sway bars on AND upgrade the shocks to something like Bilsteins. I'll be doing the rears tomorrow, so I'll get a better look at that too, but I'll bet it's exactly like the Expedition's. I guess Ford didn't do a full air ride on the Navigator like I thought it did.

That's what I get for looking at it in the dark with my phone as a flashlight! LOL!

 

Correct all 07 plus Expedition / Navigators are Spring front suspensions. 07-13 are rear air or spring and 14 are hydraulic or spring.

To convert to a hydraulic leveling suspension in the back would be under 700 to 800 bucks if you wanted to go OE. I don't know if you have anyone who can set you up with an account but if so you could be under 700 and maybe under 600. That accounts for using all new hardware.

I would also caution you about the mismatched tires, they do play a part of handling issues, the MS is a very highway tread and hard compound tire which won't help you stick any more in corners. I like the LTX A/T2 they are a bit softer and seem to bite a bit more plus I can actually make it over wet grass. I run 285/55R20s in the AT2 flavor so they are slightly wider and only minimally taller not giving up any gearing. My next step would be what you are doing, swaybars and then coil overs up front. I've been talking with Icon about doing a set for the rear however I am more concerned about keeping my load leveling and may just do sway bars front and back to see what happens.