Help picking a lift kit for a 6.0L Excursion

[EricU]

My ’90 Burb is super clean and worked fine for carrying kids, but it is a half ton, and I live in CA, so engine mods are a PITA – I was building a torque style 383 but decided to go back to a diesel.
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I am currently looking at two different 6.0L Excursions (2004 & 2005), both are under 100k miles and have the Eddie Bauer trim levels.
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Neither truck has had the head stud mod and I believe both are on their original trannys, so I figure I would be doing the head stud/egr mods right away and be watching the tranny (I have a 175k mile 7.3L F250 that I bought new)
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This truck will NOT be used for your guy’s kind of off roading. It will be used to tow a heavy (6,500 lb) boat and a truck load of kids on weekend and week long trips.
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• Anyway, I need some advice on which lift 3” to 4” to fit LT325/60R20 (35.5”) tires. Yes this lift will be mostly for looks (yeah I admit it), but I want it to ride correctly.

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1. I have been reading about the Icon lifts – should I go for their either 3” or 4.5” Hanger lift?
2. Some other brand?
3. Should I plan on getting new springs?
4. What shocks?
5. What else?

Thanks for any help, Eric

 

[Buliwyf]

BDS:
http://bds-suspension.com/product?ma=3&mo=20&ty=1&yr=2000-2005

Get the optional Fox shocks and the optional full rear springs. You may also need to replace the drive shaft with a higher end CV style to eliminate vibes on the short Excusion. I'd remove the rear sway bar, but you can also just make longer links. I'd also use Firestone airbags mounted over top the rear springs with Daystar spring cups. Some fab work will be required for that. When you get into tires bigger than 34", things get complex quick if you're trying to save the towability of the vehicle. If you drop down to 33" or 34" 285/75 r17 sized tires, it's easier.
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It might be even better to just use F350 springs to lift your front a little. Add a pack on the rear. And then just get your tire clearance with the Bushwacker Cutout flares. I think a level stock F350 with plow springs and cut out flares of that year will clear 38" tires easy. Check out the 1st pic in post #4:

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1172382-checking-tire-wheel-lift-combination.html-
In the future, if you need more damping, look towards the King, Carli, or Bilstein higher end shocks.
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IIRC, BDS makes ICON. But it doesn't matter. Both are quite fine kits. Pure Perfomance may offer something as well. I think Carli is strictly 2006+ coil spring trucks.

 

[The Grinch]

I would call the lift manifactuer and talk with one of there techs if possible. Maybe get incontact with a shop who has worked on lifting a few X's and get there input since most people on here have run only one lift on there rig its hard to compair. just keep in mind who the info is coming from.

personally if it is going to tow and what not i would skip the lift. They typically never ride as good as stock and if big tires are not functionally needed, they just cost more to replace and put on more wear and tear. if your dead set on lift get the smallest you can to fit the tires you want because this is going to be used for towing.

 

[EricU]

I probably need to rethink the size of the tires, As I said, it will be set up for towing.

 

[LovinPSDs]

Icon kits are top notch.. I have no experience with an X but check out truck toyz.. http://trucktoyzperformance.com/wp/gallery/truck-toyz-installs/ford/excursion/

 

[EricU]

Those are some nice looking Xs on the Toyz link, looks like most are on 35s which do look good, but I am thinking that maybe I should just stick to 33X12.5R20LTs in something like the Grabber AT2s

 

[xbox73]

Most lifts on Excursions (without cutout flares) seem to be roughly e.g.
33" tires = leveling kit - couple of inches lift needed
35" tires - 4-6" lift needed
37" tires = 6-8" lift needed

I bought my 2000 7.3L PSD (forged rods) Excursion, with an 8" lift (all-spring, i.e. no blocks, lift, double Bilstein 7100 smooth body resis in front, single Bilstein 7100 smooth bodies with heavy duty, 2500 lbs per side, air bags in rear) & 37" tires, and various other off-road mods, after 6-12 months of trying to decide whether I wanted a CCSB, CCLB or Excursion, and looking for the right candidate. While I love the look of an 8" lift & 37" tires, unless you off-road frequently, I feel 33-35" tires & a milder lift is a more practical option. At 7.5' roof height & 9.5' height with a tire on a roof rack, I pretty much don't fit in any covered parking structures any more. Also, I'm somewhere around 5'10" - 5'11" tall & with an 8" lift & 37" tires, the rear cargo floor is above waist level for me, which makes loading & unloading heavy gear & boxes more of a chore than if the rear cargo floor was closer to waist height. Also, a milder lift would have a lower CoG & so would handle better & is likely more stable for towing. You also have more chance of fitting a full size spare tire in the stock interior spare tire location, an advantage that should not be under-estimated. I have no current plans to drop mine, since with decent shocks & air bags, mine seems to tow well (I've only towed with a fully loaded interior & a car on an open deck trailer so far, but previous owner towed a huge boat & large bumper pull toy hauler & had no complaints). But if I was starting from scratch, I think I would opt for a milder lift as a more practical solution.

As far as manufacturer, I don't know what brand my lift is, since so far I haven't see any identifiers or marks on any of the lift brackets & I have upgraded Bilstein shocks, but those that know on ford-trucks.com seem to recommend BDS as well.

 

[surlydiesel]

I'm going to also suggest using the F350 "plow" front springs and stock F350 springs with block in the back. For heavy towing this is the best setup, short of getting expensive aftermarket custom spring packs. I would also make sure to re-use or get an aftermarket rear swaybar. Airbags or Timbrens would also be a good idea and you seem to already know about the 6.0 limitations. EGR kit and if you leave it stock, you might not need headstuds but may want to do them as preventative but I know a good deal of guys who never did a headgasket if they deleted the EGR kit early on.

Metric 34's or Reg 35's should fit with the F350 springs and as long as your tires are rated as E or a very high D (sometimes they are rated close), you should be just fine. I always had 33's or 35's on my f350 and never had a problem towing the weights you're describing and frankly, they ride nicer with a little more meat under them.

Best of Luck,
Jorge

 

[EricU]

I keep going back and forth on tire size - now I am back to the ($$$) Pirelli LT325/60R20s with a 4" or 6" lift!!!! AHHH!!!

 

[crazy]

I would deal with the EGR before head studs. Why do you need head studs. I have a 7.3 and not to familiar with 6.0.

 

[EricU]

...Why do you need head studs. I have a 7.3 and not to familiar with 6.0.

Pretty common known problem with the "Oh NO! 6.0s!!" were designed with not enough head bolts (4 instead of 6) for proper clamping and can stretch and allow the wrong fluids in the incorrect holes (keep it clean folks!). It is a pretty simple head stud kit fix, EXCEPT!!! to get to the heads you have to remove the cab from the chassis!!
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If you want to do some light reading on it, there are lots of articles online or ask Ford mechanic who has worked on the 6.0s
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I wish they still made the Excursion and dropped the 6.7L in it, we have a couple, one an F350 and the other in an F550, both big contractor's beds and that is one powerful and quiet motor!! We will see about the longevity and trannys.

 

[crazy]

Thanks but I will stick with my Ex with a 7.3.

 

[EricU]

Thanks but I will stick with my Ex with a 7.3.

I know what you mean, I have a 7.3L in an '01 F250 that I bought new, on my third tranny just over 180k mi. and cant justify trading it for a new truck at ~$60k!

 

[Raul B]

we have done plenty of excursions... you can easily fit 33" tires with just a leveling kit. if so i suggest a hanger/shackle kit. Procomp makes one for about 220 bucks.

 

[EricU]

What backspacing for rims should I be looking for if I use;

1. 18"s?
2. 20"s?