Paul Otis
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• San Ramon, CA, USA |
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• Registered on 1/7/2005 |
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• 9 posts |
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 Posted:1/7/2005 14:28 |
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I'm new to the forum. I have a 2001 X limited w/ 7.3L. All stock. I've driven trucks for the past 15 years, mosty F250 HD diesel, but finally had to make a change to the X as the kids got bigger and bigger and starting bringing more friends etc. on boating trips. I use for X for daily comute as well as hauling the family and our boat. We pull a 6,500# boat and trailer on trips throught the year, except during these few wintery months. (I guess I'll also be adding a weight distribution system to my trailer now, too). I've done some searching on the site for general info. & concensus on suspension upgrades to help improve ride, towing, rear sag, etc. I think there is more here to read on the subject than any one person can do in an entire year. So, with my sincere apologies, I guess I want to just ask it again. What is the most basic, practical upgrades to do the X to help with these problems. Seems the biggest agreement overall on this matter is: Addition of air bags, Hellwig sway bars, Landyot's radius bar and possibly changing shocks. I'm not looking for anything radical as my motorhead days are far behind me (40+ with a great wife, kids, dogs, mortage etc. - heck, I don't even change my own oil anymore...my how things change as we age) I just want to help improve the ride and most importantanly make sure this rig can handle our boat/trailer load well. Thanks. |
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CHPMustang
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• Plano, TX, USA |
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• Registered on 7/24/2002 |
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• 1,800 posts |
• 1
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Posted:1/7/2005 15:06 |
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Hi Paul and Welcome to the Excursion forums 
The basic ride quality upgrades you can do if you have a 4x4 is the front springs to something like V codes,aftermarket shocks,rear sway bar,front steering stabilizer.
If you have a 4x2 eliminate the front springs but do the rest 
Remove your roof rack sliders,they'll eventually scratch your rooftop paint.
Too much many options for modifying a stock Excursion
Bill
Bill
2002 Excursion XLT-P 4x4 7.3L Powerstroke Diesel
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E. Long
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• Subscriber since 1/1/2001 |
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• Atlanta, GA, USA |
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• Registered on 1/23/2001 |
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• 2,229 posts |
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Posted:1/7/2005 17:15 |
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I think it's time to put together a "newbie" article for X owners covering the basics! I'll start on one this weekend, I'm finishing up CHP's CCV mod article as well as my LANDYOT radius rod install article.
Paul, welcome to the club! Here are the first things that you should do in terms of purchasing aftermarket parts:
1.) Shocks (Rancho, Bilstein, Edelbrock...anything but the OEM shocks!) These and other brands offer a much improved ride over stock shocks.
2.) Hellwig rear anti-sway bar -- A must. Prevents body roll on cornering, entrance/exist ramps on the highway, changing lanes, when there's a cross-wind...really makes a difference.
3.) LANDYOT Radius Rods -- The more and more I drive my X, the more I am convinced that these radius rods make driving the X much more of a breeze. No more white-knuckle driving, no more overcorrecting the steering when going over bumps in the road, it really helps the Excursion track nicely.
#1 and #2 are direct bolt-ons. I would order these up in a heart beat. If you are still not sold on the radius rods, wait until the install article goes up (from my X) on the radius rods in the next few days to see what's all involved and for a further explanation of what it corrects. This is not a direct bolt-in, so it will require "extra" work vs. #1 and #2. It's a good "phase 2" modification to your X, if you find that phase 1 (shocks & sway bar) still do not give you everything you want out of your ride.
Another easy thing that I really found useful was upgrading the wipers to 24" Bosch on the windshield and an 18" wiper in the rear. For some reason, Ford's OEM wipers are not as long and as a result, don't clear as much rain/snow off the windshield.
Oh and by the way...as with every new owner to the site, you are expecting to post pics of your X and of course pics of any toys that the X tows (i.e. your boat!). 
-Eric
'67 Galaxie 500 - 390 FE, .030" over, FE to AOD adapter, disc brake conversion. The Daily Driver.
'00 Excursion - 7.3L PSD, LANDYOT Gen-II Radius Rods, Factory Tech Valve Body, 200K+ miles and going |
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DGarside313
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• Jackson, TN, USA |
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• Registered on 12/30/2004 |
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• 10 posts |
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Posted:1/7/2005 19:12 |
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Wuts up man I have a 2001 7.3L X also 4x4 lariet etc.... it was my pops before me but we canged all the shocks on it and pit the airbags on the back and it pulls our 28Ft motocross trailer like its not there we have levelers and weight ditributers and stuff ont he trailer but the bags help ALOT defenitly a must have for pulling trailers!! But welcome to the sight man cya
Live to Ride MX!!!! |
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Paul Otis
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• San Ramon, CA, USA |
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• Registered on 1/7/2005 |
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• 9 posts |
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Posted:1/7/2005 19:45 |
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Thanks all for the info. I know it is all "more of the same", but it's a lot for us Newbies to investigate on our own. Eric, I've read a lot of your postings over the last couple days. I think your idea of posting an article of "gotta know info. for Newbies is a great idea. I noticed that in your reply here you did not mention air bags or similar systems for helping with towing loads. Any thoughts??
I'll work on posting pics. as soon as this rain stops.
Paul |
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CHPMustang
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• Plano, TX, USA |
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• Registered on 7/24/2002 |
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• 1,800 posts |
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Posted:1/7/2005 20:27 |
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| Quote: |
I'll work on posting pics. as soon as this rain stops.
Paul |
You could always take pics up at Sugar Bowl or South Lake
You'll have plenty to do once you get on a roll 
Bill
Bill
2002 Excursion XLT-P 4x4 7.3L Powerstroke Diesel
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E. Long
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• Subscriber since 1/1/2001 |
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• Atlanta, GA, USA |
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• Registered on 1/23/2001 |
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• 2,229 posts |
• 1
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Posted:1/7/2005 21:52 |
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| Quote: | Thanks all for the info. I know it is all "more of the same", but it's a lot for us Newbies to investigate on our own. Eric, I've read a lot of your postings over the last couple days. I think your idea of posting an article of "gotta know info. for Newbies is a great idea. I noticed that in your reply here you did not mention air bags or similar systems for helping with towing loads. Any thoughts??
I'll work on posting pics. as soon as this rain stops.
Paul |
Paul,
I don't have any experience with air bags or similar systems for helping with towing loads. I've towed just a few times with my X, and it was just those enclosed, double-axle U-haul trailers which don't way a whole lot even when fully loaded. Some of the other folks here will be able to chime in with regards to towing-specific modifications/products. I've hardly maxed out the towing capacity of my X...so my comments are more from a road-trip, highway driving, and daily driving perspective. I've logged 132,000 miles so far and plan on going at least another 130k.
-Eric
'67 Galaxie 500 - 390 FE, .030" over, FE to AOD adapter, disc brake conversion. The Daily Driver.
'00 Excursion - 7.3L PSD, LANDYOT Gen-II Radius Rods, Factory Tech Valve Body, 200K+ miles and going |
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rocketmantfj
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• Norwalk, CA, USA |
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• Registered on 8/7/2003 |
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• 5 posts |
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Posted:1/8/2005 12:26 |
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Welcome to the land of the BEASTS. I tow a 26' Toyhauler with my EX and I wholeheartedly recommend the Equalizer brand of weight distribution hitch.....my trailer weighs close to 10k with the toys in it and the fresh water tank and fuel station tank full. I have the 12,000 lb equalizer hitch.
Even with the EX's inherant wandering I have found that this hitch setup lets me pull my trailer with the EX in control instead of the trailer.
They are a little more expensive than other WD hitches but the sway control is built into the hitch...the same bars that do the WD function also handle the sway control. If you add dual sway control bars to any of the other hitches you come out to about the same price. I think they come out to just about $550.00 for the entire setup. The best part of this setup is the ease of adjusting the amount of load on the WD bars while you're traveling....I adjust the loading after we dump the tanks (black & gray water) and we usually do this about 30 miles into our return trip.
The hitches also have a lifetime warranty, I had a problem with one of the pieces and after a call to their customer service dept I had two new pieces (one for each side) at my door 4 days later, no charge, no hassle.
I don't have airbags yet but now that I have an onboard air source I am going to add them.....I've been using the Hellwig 3500 lb helper springs but they do make the rear ride awfully harsh when the trailer isn't attached...the bags will be a lot easier to adjust than the helper springs.
Just my $ 0.02 worth...hope it helps
Rocketmantfj
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Fordfvr
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• Upland, CA, USA |
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• Registered on 5/24/2005 |
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• 8 posts |
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Posted:1/11/2006 18:53 |
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Selling 22" rims w/ tires for Excursion, F-250,350 etc...anyone interested please email me [email protected] |
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The_X_Family
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• Northern, CA, USA |
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• Registered on 1/20/2003 |
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• 63 posts |
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Posted:1/16/2006 13:41 |
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| Quote: | 1.) Shocks (Rancho, Bilstein, Edelbrock...anything but the OEM shocks!) These and other brands offer a much improved ride over stock shocks.
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Are you telling me my OEM shock with ONLY 91K should be replaced?
Ken D.
Just Your Basic Mobile Familyroom
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