Lift kit advise/Experience.

Vader's Fury

Active member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
3,302
Reaction score
1
Location
Chesapeake City, MD
Trying to help out a friend of mine. He recently purchased a nice clean 05 Ex with a 6.0. Truck has what appears to be a 6-8 inch lift with 37" tires.

It looks great, but drives like sh*t. Feels like the rear wants to pass the front all the time when driving.

To cut right to the chase, we found part #s on all the lift components but none of the major manufacturers say it belongs to them, combine that fact with the fact that the rear springs are starting to de-arch and we have decided it is best to just replace the entire setup.

So... I am looking for recommendations for a kit that will still allow him to run 37" tires without rubbing. Don't want to spend 10k but we understand that you get what you pay for.

We have discussed upgrading to the 05+ suspension for his Ex like I am doing to mine but want to see if that will be worth it in the long run or if it would be more cost effective to go to a coilover kit or something similar.
 

TyCorr

New member
Joined
Jun 23, 2011
Messages
15,461
Reaction score
0
Fabtech coilover is middle of the road as far as price. Skyjacker 6" truck lift is about a grand. But you would need to buy some rear springs. Or buy a 6" rear spring pack.

You could do a 4" truck lift using stock springs and blocks/add a leafs.

Is he hell bent on staying with 37s indefinitely?
 

TyCorr

New member
Joined
Jun 23, 2011
Messages
15,461
Reaction score
0
Cist effective to retrofit all the 05+ stuff to a 99-05 style axle setup? Wasted money imo.

If you could roll compleye axles under it and go from there it would be "better". Leaf springs front ends are kinda poo unless all the rig does is work. I still dont love them. Bouncy and harsh.
 

Layson

New member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
1,638
Reaction score
0
I have always wanted to upgrade an ex to the 05+ axle setup.

Get some new axles and run whatever setup you want! You could run coilovers, or springs/shocks, or coilovers and shocks...LOL.



 

Vader's Fury

Active member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
3,302
Reaction score
1
Location
Chesapeake City, MD
Fabtech coilover is middle of the road as far as price. Skyjacker 6" truck lift is about a grand. But you would need to buy some rear springs. Or buy a 6" rear spring pack.

You could do a 4" truck lift using stock springs and blocks/add a leafs.

Is he hell bent on staying with 37s indefinitely?

I doubt he is hell bent on 37's for ever. We have discussed selling these and going with a 20" rim and tire.(these are on 17's) So a tire change is a possibility, but that won't change by much. He still wants to be 6-8" lift and 36-38" tires.

Cist effective to retrofit all the 05+ stuff to a 99-05 style axle setup? Wasted money imo.

If you could roll compleye axles under it and go from there it would be "better". Leaf springs front ends are kinda poo unless all the rig does is work. I still dont love them. Bouncy and harsh.

This is what I am doing with my Ex and also my 350. Just putting 05+ axles and suspension under them. Although mine will be stock for the time being till I can/need to upgrade.

I have always wanted to upgrade an ex to the 05+ axle setup.

Get some new axles and run whatever setup you want! You could run coilovers, or springs/shocks, or coilovers and shocks...LOL.




This was my idea if we decide to go away from leaf springs. It definitely opens the door to unlimited possibilities, but it comes at an added cost. I am sure I can find the axles and stuff needed for around 1k. The question is though, how much will it cost to get a better ride then what we could have accomplished with leaf springs and the stock axles, or a kit that would just upgrade the stock axles to accept coils or coilovers.
 

TyCorr

New member
Joined
Jun 23, 2011
Messages
15,461
Reaction score
0
Might be about a wash to get axles and go up with that axle setup.

I just wondered about his willingness/plans for the future. A 35/20 or 22 would make life easier and cheaper.
 

Layson

New member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
1,638
Reaction score
0
I don't know you really would have that much of a better ride. Good leaf springs will ride pretty dang good. I wouldn't upgrade it for the ride quality. I would upgrade it due to the tighter turning radius, bigger brakes, and the beefier axle! Ride quality is really only marginally better than a quality leaf spring setup. Heck some stock 05 trucks ride way worse than the older leaf spring trucks. My work truck really didn't ride very good at all...LOL
 

jngreen

New member
Joined
May 21, 2011
Messages
1,083
Reaction score
0
Location
IN
My 8" BDS lift ride pretty decent on my old 2000 ccsb. I think I would just go cheap. Maybe just buy some new rear springs and shocks. If you want the rear stable get some traction blocks or just bars. It sounds like the shocks are blown. I drove a half ton with a terrible ride and the axle jumped out from under you on the interstate. I thought it had some major issues but the dealer replaced the shocks and it rode nice again.
 

powerstrokedkid87

Active member
Joined
Jul 11, 2011
Messages
2,824
Reaction score
0
Location
New Jersey
if hes not bent on keeping the 37s, our excursion is lifted with super duty springs and shackles as mentioned above, I gta tell ya, this thing rides great, much better then any other stock height excursion I have ridden in....
 

Vader's Fury

Active member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
3,302
Reaction score
1
Location
Chesapeake City, MD
I don't know you really would have that much of a better ride. Good leaf springs will ride pretty dang good. I wouldn't upgrade it for the ride quality. I would upgrade it due to the tighter turning radius, bigger brakes, and the beefier axle! Ride quality is really only marginally better than a quality leaf spring setup. Heck some stock 05 trucks ride way worse than the older leaf spring trucks. My work truck really didn't ride very good at all...LOL

That is the main reason I am upgrading my Ex to the 05+ axles. That and to get rid of the sh*t stock Excursion leaf springs.

Then if the ride is not what I want it to be, I will start upgrading components to make ride how I want it to.
 

Vader's Fury

Active member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
3,302
Reaction score
1
Location
Chesapeake City, MD
if hes not bent on keeping the 37s, our excursion is lifted with super duty springs and shackles as mentioned above, I gta tell ya, this thing rides great, much better then any other stock height excursion I have ridden in....

What size tire you running on it?

How exactly is yours lifted? Is it stock height?
 

powerstrokedkid87

Active member
Joined
Jul 11, 2011
Messages
2,824
Reaction score
0
Location
New Jersey
What size tire you running on it?

How exactly is yours lifted? Is it stock height?

its 4" of lift, the person we bought the excursion from did the lift before we bought it we have 20x12s and 35s on it right now.

im not sure the exact set up, but I believe superduty rear springs with a small block and super duty front springs with a shackle drop.

IMG_0808_zpsowrhjawn.jpg
 

BK39

New member
Joined
Aug 5, 2011
Messages
1,058
Reaction score
0
Location
Texas
FWIW, I have never liked the rear springs on the excursions. I replaced mine with F350 springs, then went with adjustable shocks, run those pretty stiff, rides much better than it did.
 

Latest posts

Members online

Top