I'm sure this has been asked a million times but I'm new to all of this. I have a 2002 X with a few mods. See my info at the bottom of my post. I have been seeing a lot of stuff here about V & B code upgrades. U & B code upgrades????? What is all of this?
I tow a 8000lb + travel trailer. I would like to do some suspension upgrades. Shocks, Swaybars, and possibly better springs. If these updates I asked about above lift the truck a lot I'm not sure thats something I want to do right now. If it's a little that's fine but if it's a lot probably not.
I have heard guys say to put F250 or F350 4x4 Front Springs on the X's to improve the X's suspension. Is this true.
I just don't want the bubble under the blanket effect. Change this and the you need to change something else etc...
Any help is greatly appreciated.
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320 QBS Mountaineer by Montana Travel Trailer w/Superslide and a 2002 Ford Excursion 4X4 Limited w/7.3L PSD. Superchip Tuner, DPPI Stainless Steel 4" Exhaust from Turbo back, AFE Cold Air Intake, AMSOIL Synthetic in the tranny, DiProcol Pyrometer and Transmission gauges in a pillar mount. It's awesome!
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I have been seeing a lot of stuff here about V & B code upgrades. U & B code upgrades????? What is all of this?
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Since you've found some of the 14k threads on spring swaps, everything you ever wanted to know is in them. And yes, those are springs available in the Super Duty trucks, not the Ex. as they should have been.
Prepared to be buried with info. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
__________________ 2004 EB Excursion, 4x4, 6.0, everything but step tubes and 2nd row chairs, Magnaflow Exhaust, Isspro Gauges in an under cubby pod, Fumoto sitting on V Codes and Revo 285's.
"Treat me good, I'll treat you better; treat me bad, I'll treat you worse." - Sonny Barger
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320 QBS Mountaineer by Montana Travel Trailer w/Superslide and a 2002 Ford Excursion 4X4 Limited w/7.3L PSD. Superchip Tuner, DPPI Stainless Steel 4" Exhaust from Turbo back, AFE Cold Air Intake, AMSOIL Synthetic in the tranny, DiProcol Pyrometer and Transmission gauges in a pillar mount. It's awesome!
Dealer. Generally <$130 each. Unless you can find some take-offs which is more rare these days since the SD went to coil fronts in '05.
__________________ 2004 EB Excursion, 4x4, 6.0, everything but step tubes and 2nd row chairs, Magnaflow Exhaust, Isspro Gauges in an under cubby pod, Fumoto sitting on V Codes and Revo 285's.
"Treat me good, I'll treat you better; treat me bad, I'll treat you worse." - Sonny Barger
You can find F250/350 "take offs" (V and B/F code) at your local 4WD shop for relatively cheap or get new from your Ford dealer. I bought a pair of W code (F450) front springs from the dealer for $380 out the door. I also picked up a pair of used rear F250 (B code) springs from my local 4WD shop for $40. The Excursion's stock rear spring pack will provide you the additional parts to build modified rear B or F code spring packs described in some of the spring related posts in this forum. Here's a few of the recent posts:
Like Familyride said you will be buried in information.
I'm only going to say that I bought my '05 brand spanky new and I noticed I had to fight the wheel to keep the truck straight. Also, I'd turn into a parking lot and that truck would rock your guts out. My '05 had the 24mm sway bar already installed so the knowledgeable people on this forum suggested I install the 30mm from the Superduty pickup. It made a noteable difference! The hardware was already there on my '05, so, all I needed to do was change the bar. The 2000-02 models didn't have sway bars and availability was spotty in 2003. If you do decide to go with the Ford bar, you will need to buy all of the associated hardware from Ford (frame links, c-clamps, etc.) Or, you could buy a Hellwig unit. That coupled with the spring changes should make an already good truck great. Just my 2 cents. Craig.
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2005 F-350 Superduty, 4X4, 6.0 diesel, sc, srw, lariat, B&W Turnover hitch, tow command, red.
2005 Excursion Eddie Bauer, 4X4, 6.0 diesel, 2nd row buckets, all the bells and whistles, Ford 30mm rear anti-sway bar, true blue/arizona beige.
I used the V and F code combo and couldn't be happier. BigTruckNut posted a link to my blow by blow account of how and what I did. It is the bottom link. I already had the hellwig sway bar and added Bilstein shocks and just replaced the front rotors with powerslot cryo and the pads with hawk LTS. Wow did that make a difference! Stops on a dime with no effort and NO vibrations like before. Would do it again in a heart beat. The ride is just terrific now.
Good luck Truckmonger!
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'02 PSD Excursion LTD Ultimate 4X4 Mineral Gray, PSD badges, Banks Exhaust, AIS air filter, DP-Tuner, Fuel mods, V code (2C3Z-5310-HA, AKA 3C34-5310-ADA) and modified F code (6C34-5560-F aka 5C32-5560-FA) springs with Timbren rear overloads, Bilstein shocks, hellwig sway bar, Powerslot Cyro rotors with Hawk LTS pads.
Holy Crap my head is spinning........I think all this did was raised more questions. Sorry guys. Again this site and the people on it are awesome so please bear with me as I'm probably going to ask questions that someone has probably already answered somewhere before. Right now it all seems pretty confusing.
Now this supension is stock. It's my wifes truck and right now it still fits in the garage and I think that's the way she wants to keep it. I still have some room to go up but now a ton.
From what I gather it looks as if the V's are the ones I want for the front. If I leave them as they are and not modify them as I have seen guys doing on here how much will they lift the truck? Can I use them in their stock form?
On the rears I a little confused. I have seen B,S,W & F code springs. Whats the difference here and again if left as is not modified how much will they lift the truck and can I use them in their stock form?
I plan on installing a sway bar for the rear which I am lacking currently. Which is the better way to go Helwig or Ford? It sounds like the Helwig comes with all the necessary parts and with the Ford you have to buy then seperately. Which one performes better?
Once the un-modified new springs, sway bar and shocks are installed will the truck sit level? My concern is I thought I read that the stock X's rear springs are stiffer than these new rear springs which would allow the rear to squat more easily. How is this going to affect the truck when I attach my 8000lb. + trailer with 980lb. tongue weight. I assume it will squat a bit more easily. I really don't want to have to install the airbags or is this something your forced to do once you install the softer rear springs when towing? I would like the truck to still sit level when towing my trailer.
Ya know what would be great is if someone could put together a complete list of all front and rear spring codes available from the F series for use on the X's and what result each one would give you. If it has already been done and someone could point me in that direction that would be awesome! Maybe there is more to it than that but if not let me know.
I know it's a lot of questions but I need to ask them. It's the only way I'm going to get it straight in my head. Thanks a bunch guys!!!
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320 QBS Mountaineer by Montana Travel Trailer w/Superslide and a 2002 Ford Excursion 4X4 Limited w/7.3L PSD. Superchip Tuner, DPPI Stainless Steel 4" Exhaust from Turbo back, AFE Cold Air Intake, AMSOIL Synthetic in the tranny, DiProcol Pyrometer and Transmission gauges in a pillar mount. It's awesome!
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Holy Crap my head is spinning........I think all this did was raised more questions. Sorry guys. Again this site and the people on it are awesome so please bear with me as I'm probably going to ask questions that someone has probably already answered somewhere before. Right now it all seems pretty confusing.
Now this supension is stock. It's my wifes truck and right now it still fits in the garage and I think that's the way she wants to keep it. I still have some room to go up but now a ton.
From what I gather it looks as if the V's are the ones I want for the front. If I leave them as they are and not modify them as I have seen guys doing on here how much will they lift the truck? Can I use them in their stock form?
On the rears I a little confused. I have seen B,S,W & F code springs. Whats the difference here and again if left as is not modified how much will they lift the truck and can I use them in their stock form?
I plan on installing a sway bar for the rear which I am lacking currently. Which is the better way to go Helwig or Ford? It sounds like the Helwig comes with all the necessary parts and with the Ford you have to buy then seperately. Which one performes better?
Once the un-modified new springs, sway bar and shocks are installed will the truck sit level? My concern is I thought I read that the stock X's rear springs are stiffer than these new rear springs which would allow the rear to squat more easily. How is this going to affect the truck when I attach my 8000lb. + trailer with 980lb. tongue weight. I assume it will squat a bit more easily. I really don't want to have to install the airbags or is this something your forced to do once you install the softer rear springs when towing? I would like the truck to still sit level when towing my trailer.
Ya know what would be great is if someone could put together a complete list of all front and rear spring codes available from the F series for use on the X's and what result each one would give you. If it has already been done and someone could point me in that direction that would be awesome! Maybe there is more to it than that but if not let me know.
I know it's a lot of questions but I need to ask them. It's the only way I'm going to get it straight in my head. Thanks a buch guys!!!
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Where is Bruce1954 when you need him?
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2005 F-350 Superduty, 4X4, 6.0 diesel, sc, srw, lariat, B&W Turnover hitch, tow command, red.
2005 Excursion Eddie Bauer, 4X4, 6.0 diesel, 2nd row buckets, all the bells and whistles, Ford 30mm rear anti-sway bar, true blue/arizona beige.
I know that the V codes as they are stock raised my X almost 1.75 inches. The F codes as they are stock will raise the X about .75 inch. This is the reason I added a shim or 2 that total about .75 inch. This kept the X at about the same level as before. My understanding is that th B code will squat more under load than the F code and perhaps the F code ride might be stiffer than the B code but after the stock X springs anything is an improvement. I used the F codes because they were available at a reasonable price.
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'02 PSD Excursion LTD Ultimate 4X4 Mineral Gray, PSD badges, Banks Exhaust, AIS air filter, DP-Tuner, Fuel mods, V code (2C3Z-5310-HA, AKA 3C34-5310-ADA) and modified F code (6C34-5560-F aka 5C32-5560-FA) springs with Timbren rear overloads, Bilstein shocks, hellwig sway bar, Powerslot Cyro rotors with Hawk LTS pads.
Wow you guys were right. Buried but it's scatered and fragmented. I think as much as I would like to do this I am going to have to shelf this for a while. There's just too many variables and nothing I have read unfortunatly has defined it very well to me.
This spring pack combined with that spring pack makes this spring pack. No real definition as to what each code will give you or why I would want a particular spring pack from another.
No where have I seen what other modifications are required to the vehicle to get this to work. Ugggg! I'm sorry guys it just frustrating! I know a lot of you have replied and I appreciate it but know one has given real reasons why they chose certain spring packs over another and that's my dilema. It's a large amount of money to invest to be guessing.
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320 QBS Mountaineer by Montana Travel Trailer w/Superslide and a 2002 Ford Excursion 4X4 Limited w/7.3L PSD. Superchip Tuner, DPPI Stainless Steel 4" Exhaust from Turbo back, AFE Cold Air Intake, AMSOIL Synthetic in the tranny, DiProcol Pyrometer and Transmission gauges in a pillar mount. It's awesome!
You asked about the "bubble under the blanket", so here are the things I think you SHOULD do to make the Excursion a safer tow vechile: Better shocks; Anti Sway Bar for the rear; Seriously consider Radius Rods for the rear. I think all of these should be done even if you don't change your springs.
New front springs (U,V, X, W) will raise the front, and the roof over the driver about 1/2 as much, but should actually lower the third brake light a smigin. V's should raise nose 1.5-2 inches, and improve your ride a lot. Your wife will thank you for that one. Very glad I did that on mine.
With the tongue weight of your trailer, the back will squat even with stock springs. You can offset that with WD bars, air bags, or extra load aids like rubber bumpers or overload springs. You surely have a good reason to dislike air bags, but I've had them for many years, and will put them on the next pulling vechile also. I know of no way to add springs when needed, and remove them when not, like air bags do. They have their limitations, but appear to be the best option going.
B of F springs will have more travel in them than stock Excursion springs. That's why they provide a more comfortable ride on an empty Excursion. (Keep in mind an Excursion weighs 1000lb more than a regular pickup, and that is mostly on the rear axle.) When you put your trailer tongue on the hitch, that is like putting a ton in the bed of a pickup, and you would expect the pickup to squat in that case. Most of the modified rear springs are done to either lift the Excursion, or try to regain the "rake" the truck had with stock front and rear springs. That rake is there to prevent the "nose high" look when you hook your trailer on the hitch. I use airbags when trailering for the same reason. (I plan to update my stock rear springs too, after a couple of airbag related questions get answered.)
Just measured my garage door, and it is 82" high. My Excursion with air bags, V's, 285 tires (33"), and withOUT the luggage rack cross members, fits under it. Not by much. The rear wheel fender flair is 40-40.5" depending on what part of the curve you measure against. Hope all of this has helped you.
Tremendously! Thank you. That help's a lot. So it sounds like set of stock V's for the front for sure.
On the rears you speak of B and F springs what would be the difference between both of those? I have also heard of S codes. Are those to get lift? Trying to narrow what I need on the rear.
I still want it to sit level when I'm not towing once I'm done with these upgrades. I'm not too concerned about the squating when I do tow because I have a Head and Arms unit to lift it back up once I attach my trailer. I just wanted to be sure I would still be able to lift it back up enough to get it back level using the Head and Arms unit without putting the Airbags on. How much are the airbags approx.
I currently have a 4x2 F250. Will it squat about as much as it does when I'm towing with that? I would think so.
I think I'm almost there. Just need to clear up a few more questions.
You also mention a sway bar. Did you use a Helwig or a Stock F250 or F350? and you mentioned Radius Rods. I thought I read somewhere on this forum that those were not nessesary if you did the spring upgrade?
Thanks for helping clear a few thing up!
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320 QBS Mountaineer by Montana Travel Trailer w/Superslide and a 2002 Ford Excursion 4X4 Limited w/7.3L PSD. Superchip Tuner, DPPI Stainless Steel 4" Exhaust from Turbo back, AFE Cold Air Intake, AMSOIL Synthetic in the tranny, DiProcol Pyrometer and Transmission gauges in a pillar mount. It's awesome!
First off, I'm no expert on springs, but have been reading like you, and have done most of the other suspension improvements. So, we are close to the end of my knowledge here, but having slept at a Holiday Inn Express....
B vs. F: I understand one is a little softer than the other, but have never heard of one person who compared both to report back. Even then, they may not be objective enough (read: think like me) to be of value. Personally, once I get my airbag questions satisfied, I'll take which ever one is available first from the local 4x4 lift companies. Being thrifty (got to support these boats somehow) I'll look for local take-offs from someone who had a lift kit installed.
Look up Bruce1954's chart on B vs F, and there may be some measurements on how much they raise the Excursion. I don't know squat about the S's.
cost of bags: I think the basic kits cost $250ish, though it has been a few years since I bought one.
squat RE 250: Yeah, I'd also guess there would be similar squating to your 250. Take a look at the door sticker on the 250 to see what spring code your rear axle has. That might be interesting.
Helweg
radius rods with 250 spring: That's debatable. With stock springs, the RR's are very helpful. Some claim they don't make much improvement with 250 springs, others claim they are the cherry on the top. I've got them, so will continue to use them. If I do new rear springs, then might leave them off for a test. How bout this, if you feel a little wiggle or sideways shimmy from your excursion after the new springs, get them. If you cross rough bumps (RR tracks at an angle etc) and there is any sideways movement, the rods could improve it.
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