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2000 Excursion suspension upgrade

100K views 119 replies 23 participants last post by  Gecko 
#1 ·
Well, I figured I would post up this project since I'm new to the Excursion World and there's alot more knowledgable folks on this subject than me.

Bought a 2000 Excursion a couple of weeks ago and the first thing I would like to do is fix & upgrade my lousy suspension. So I started out by talking with Cary (OBSWIZ), Ben (Soaggydog) and TARM. Thanks guys for your time & patience! :cool:

As Cary (OBSWIZ) from CT Performance Inc. (CT Performace website) likes to say:

ya got to fix the suspension..they are flat lousy handling riding pigs stock!!!! :eek:


She's in decent shape for 191K miles.



Just ordered some parts from CT Performance to upgrade the suspension and be able to add 32" tires.

Bilstein shocks (6) and dual brackets
Adjustable Billet track bar
2" hanger kit
New U bolts
Dual steering stabilizer w/Fox shocks



still need to get:

Front V code springs: Part #2C3Z-5310-HA
Rear B code springs:part #3C3Z-5560-CA
rear sway bar

I've learned to be patient over the years, I'm not superfast at any of this stuff - so I'm planning on just taking my time and doing it right one step at a time.

Here we go Cary! Wish me luck........LOL
 
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#4 ·
Not blowin you off - just not comfortable posting a PSN sponsors prices......:badidea: Just PM or e-mail Cary (OBSWIZ) and get them straight from him.....
 
#6 ·
My oppologies - I missunderstood. PM sent.......
 
#7 ·
Received the package containing the U Bolts today Cary (OBSWIZ). Ordered the V & B code springs and should pick them up Friday or Saturday.

Thank you Cary (OBSWIZ) for all your patience and professionalism with my daily phone calls!

Hopefully the incoming snowstorm scheduled for Monday & Tuesday doesn't put this project off too long.:mad:
 
#14 ·
pm sent
 
#10 ·
Well, I won't be picking up the B & V code springs today........but the real reason is I'm slow as molasses this week Cary. It's cold and I'm cranky and tired of shoveling snow and chipping ice - ;)

Yep, that was a full fledged whine.........:mad:





Anyhow - at least I crawled under the Excursion today for a hour to see how this puzzle is gonna fit together. I have an old habbit from the Army - have to lay out all the materials and do an inventory, an equipment inspection, give myself a safety class, make a plan, eat a big meal, go over the plan, then throw away the plan and dive in with both feet........

Now I see were all the pieces belong........sorry to bore the hell out of everyone.......I'll post some pics once the ball gets rolling - but don't hold your breath waiting on me - that's for sure.......

 
#13 ·
here's the new U bolts that Cary sent to complete my order. 4 to replace the front stock bolts and 4 to replace the rear ones.

 
#15 ·
Nive Avatar! :rockon:
 
#16 ·
Interesting, looks like some of the same pieces that are on my 2000 Ex that I just bought. I couldnt find an info on the parts so I figured somebody just made them in their garage. I recognized the front hangers, same thing on mine. How do I go about identifying which springs are on it? Truck rides great and it has 34" tires on it with no rubbing. Only thing Im not too excited about is the negative arch on the front springs but I hear its common???
 
#17 ·
OK, finally getting started on some of the suspension mods and after getting it up on the lift it sure does look like she needed the work bad. As you can see in the pics the fromt shocks are leaking and look like hell. 191K miles will do that I guess.



 
#18 ·
The new B and V code springs from the local Ford Dealer (Sioux Falls Ford) Came in Tuesday. Now just need to mod the B codes for the rear. The fist pic is of the stock rear springs on my Excursion. The 2nd is of the new B codes before the Mod and the 3rd & 4th pics are from Cary (OBSWIZ)showing what the completed B code Mod should look like.



The first step in the B code mod is to remove to top spring and the block from the new B code spring (those two parts the red arrows are pointing at). Cary sent me some detailed instructions with pics when I ordered the kit from him.

Second, Take the two shortest leaves from the stock Excursion spring packs and add them to the B code spring packs between the shortest leaf and the bottom overload leaf..
Remove the sheet metal spacers of the B codes and replace them with the 1/8" spacers from the stock Excursion springs.





What the completed B code mod should look like:






I'll add some pics tomorrow of the front hanger kit and the V code springs.
 
#22 ·
This thread holds a great deal of interest for me. Hope you post lots more pics and description, as you’ve done so far.

I am about ready to order the parts from Cary for this mod. I’ve been holding off b/c I don’t have access to a garage and thus all the work will need to be completed outside. The weather here in CT has been less than desirable this season.

I’ve already picked up the springs. Both are used, but have about on 30k on them. Because I got a killer deal on them, I decided to go with the X code instead of the recommended V code. Cary indicated this should be fine and will only change which front hanger kit needs to be ordered (the 2” instead of the 3”) since the X code give a little more lift than the V code.

Anyway, I had a question on the B code mod pics you posted.

In your pics, the rear Stock excursion springs are shown dirty, and the B code springs are shown with shiny new back paint. In your description you say “Take the two shortest leaves from the stock Excursion spring packs and add them to the B code spring packs.”

The pics below appear to show the two shortest leave from the shiny new back paint B code spring pack being added to the dirty Stock excursion spring pack. In essence, the pics below seem to illustrate just the opposite of what you described:

What the completed B code mod should look like:


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First, is this in fact what you did? If so, have you since re-done your spring pack(s) correctly before putting them on the truck? Any pics of the re-done stacks?

One other question. In reassembling the stacks, Cary advises using a long driff pin to align the springs as you tighten the C clamps before you install the center pin. May I ask, what you use for a driff pin? Size? Substitute?

Keep up the good work. Thanks in advance!
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#19 ·
OK, sorry to flip flop/change gears so much. Here are some pics of the new V code springs and front hanger kit.









As per Cary's intructions the sway bar hanger mount (if that is what it is called :confused:) had to be moved fron inside the frame rail to under the frame rail so it would clear the new V code spring.

 
#79 ·
Hey Rich,

Hope all is well. I’m in the middle of my install. After a number of time consuming issues, I finally finished the rear install on the Saturday before last. That Sunday saw torrential down pours so I wasn’t able to get the front done. I measured from the ground to the rear fender well (over the wheel hub) pre- and post- modification, and it appears I picked up about ~4.25" of lift.

The following weekend (last weekend) I had to use the X to trailer my race bikes up to NH to a race so I couldn’t get the front end done. Got a lot of strange looks driving the X around up there with the ass end 4” higher... :-/

Since hurricane Irene is due to hit my area this Saturday or Sunday, a buddy of mine has graciously allowed me to use his garage for this weekend. So it looks like I might actually get the front end done this weekend.

I wanted to ask you a few follow up questions on your install:

As per Cary's instructions the sway bar hanger mount (if that is what it is called :confused:) had to be moved from inside the frame rail to under the frame rail so it would clear the new V code spring.

Were these instructions written or via phone after you couldn’t figure out what to do?

Here are some pics of the modded B codes springs (rear) mounted.

Did your rear shocks come with a rubber boot or did you purchase and install them separately? I received mine without rubber boots, but I see in the above picture you have a boot.

Also, after you put the taller blocks in the rear, how much thread do you have sticking above the nuts on the rear U-bolts?

To anybody who is reading this thread and thinking about doing this modification, if you have the rear Hellwig sway bar installed (or are going to go that route), you are going to need to buy Hellwig’s adjustable end links (they come in different lengths) and the clevis kit. This was not an anticipated consequence of the modification. I had to remove the Hellwig sway bar until I could get the parts from Hellwig. Order your parts in advance (unlike me), I was told they are sometimes one back order. If, however, you have the stock sway bar off a F250, Cary says the stock end links work fine and don’t need to be changed.
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#20 ·
getting started on CT's dual front shock kit. Can't wait to feel the difference this setup makes. Cary suggested only thread the first couple of threads on all the bolts in order to be able to get the shocks on easier.

 
#24 ·
Very observant; I think you may be correct. The metadata from the first couple of pictures indicates they were taken by on 2/28/11 and 3/4/11 with a Cannon EOS Rebel T2i. The metadata from the pictures of his truck taken in the garage show they were taken by a Sony DSC-W100 on 3/10/11 and 3/11/11. The pictures of the springs laying on the floor that I commented on have no metadata associated with them. Because the metadata is not consistent with the photos he took, it suggest they were scanned or copied from some other source. :doh:

If that be the case, I would still like to ask what you used for a driff pin? Size? Substitute? :shrug:
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#27 ·
..... The metadata from the first couple of pictures indicates they were taken by on 2/28/11 and 3/4/11 with a Cannon EOS Rebel T2i. The metadata from the pictures of his truck taken in the garage show they were taken by a Sony DSC-W100 on 3/10/11 and 3/11/11.......
Crap - now everyone knows my wife won't let me take her camera (Rebel T2i) away from the house......

The Sony DSC - well, I snuck that one out - it's much smaller.........:D
 
#25 ·
Those are my Pictures from years ago and are correct. My customers get the same pic's and instructions. Get a tapered driff pin 1/4" on the small end..
 
#26 ·
Gecko, I appologize for the confusion. Like Cary said - the pics of the modded B codes are from his instructions. I should have been more clear on this. I see why you asked, when you look at the pics it makes it seem like I only used two pieces from the new B codes. I didn't have pics of my completed B codes before they went on the truck, :doh: my fault - sorry.

I'll post up some pics tonight of the springs mounted on my excursion. Rick did the work on the springs and I think he used a long pin similar to a giant nail punch. It is wide at one end and tapers off down to the other. Just google drift pin.
 
#28 ·
Here are some pics of the modded B codes springs (rear) mounted.










Cary, how does this look so far? The U bolts have not been fully tightened down yet in these pics. We used the old U bolts unstead of the new ones since it looked like we would have to cut the new ones and the old ones still fit.


I'll getsome pics of the front up tonight.
 
#36 ·
Ah, now this is what I was expecting to see. Rich, no apologies necessary for anything.

As for the driff pin, I know I’m going to go in and ask for one and the reply will be “You need a shift pin?”, “a differential pin?”, “a stiff pin?” A what? :doh:

Regarding your camera confession . . . I’m not saying nothing about anything. LoL!! But at least you didn’t get caught taking the wife’s more expensive Rebel T2i camera out of the house!! My apologies if there is any fallout at home. :eek:

So that’s what the track bar looks like, nice piece . . . note to self, don't put the track bar on until your all done and Ex is on the ground. Check. Hey, at least you didn’t put the shocks on upside down like Lohe did in the other thread. ;)

And those dual shocks and dual stabilizers look sweet for sure. I was thinking I might hold off on those, but now I’m not so sure. :drool:

So you used the old U bolts instead of the new ones. How much longer were the new ones? I’m wondering if the new U bolts are long so that they can also accommodate the Cary’s optional Rear 3.5" block for leveling the Ex.

Again, thanks for taking the time to post up the pics and description of this modification.
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#29 ·
Pics of the front dual shocks.

 
#30 ·
Got one more downloaded. The dual steering stabilizer and the track bar.






Hit a couple of snags today. Nothing to do with the suspension upgrades. Front right axle hub assembly and tranny repairs took priority. Should be back on track in a couple of days. :(
 
#34 ·
got it, thanks for the reminder Cary. The track bar is disconnected from the bracket and is just sitting in it, but we will take it out of the bracket before lowering it. ;)

Thanks for the continued customer supprt on this :cool:


Thanks Kev!
 
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