Titantic Tech for Super Duties

The Explorer ProComp 6-inch lift kit for the Ford Excursion.

Support the front axle with a floor or transmission jack and remove the shocks and the stock upper shock mounts. Separate the tie rod from the pitman arm and then remove the stock pitman arm with a pitman arm puller. Remove the sway bar links on both sides at the upper mounts. Save the 12mm bolts for the reassembly. Since you’re already there, remove the upper sway bar mounts from the inside of the frame and relocate them under the frame as shown. Using the existing holes, bolt the mount down.

While the space around the wheelwells is free of arm-contorting parts, remove the stock bumpstops. Attach the extended heavy-duty bumpstops using the stock hardware.

Before clipping the wheelwell lining, use your hand to feel behind the lining at the mount cut-out. This will ensure that you won’t accidentally slice through any hoses. Use a saw to clip a U-shaped line while following the stock hole. It may seem big at first, but this will allow you room to attach the new mount and dual shocks.

Instead of using extended brake lines, you can bend the brake line bracket by using pliers to bend it towards you (away from the frame) about 90 degrees. This will allow more slack in the brake line.

With the axle still supported by a jack, remove the U-bolts. To remove the front springs, remove the rear leaf bolt nut but don’t pull the bolt out yet. Move to the front of the spring and remove the front bolt. To access the front leaf bolt you’ll have to also remove the A/C brackets. While holding the weighty front part of the leaf in your arm, slide the rear leaf bolt out and remove the springs. To install the new leaf springs, have a buddy hold the leaf while you insert the rear bolt, and then slide the front bolt into place.

Place the U-bolt bracket/bottom shock mount on top of the new leaf pack, then slide the new U-bolts into place. Torque the U-bolt nuts to 100 lb-ft. Tighten the spring bolts to 130 lb-ft for the 18mm bolts, and 115 lb-ft for the 16mm ones. Reattach the A/C bracket that was removed to access the front spring bolt.

Remove the track rod bracket from the frame. Bolt the ProComp bracket on and reattach the track rod. Install the new pitman arm and tighten the nut down. Reattach the tie rod to the pitman arm and then connect the sway bar.

A friendly tap from a hammer and a hard surface will help you install the shock sleeves into their bushings. Stretch the shocks out and apply the boots. Attach the shocks with the stock hardware and snug ’em down.

In the rear, remove the bottom shock bolts from both shocks. The top shock mount is way up the frame and you can unbolt the top shock bolt by using a lengthy extension and a swivel socket.

Stabilize the rear axle with a transmission jack (or floor jack). Cut the pack clamps off with a grinder as shown (or you can use a hacksaw), and then remove the U-bolts. Measure the add-a-leaf by holding it up to the pack. Decide where the leaf would fit in the progression of the pack. In the Excursion application, we found that it would best fit as the leaf third from the top.

Clamp the leaf pack with a C-clamp. Pull off just the part of the pack that you will be working with. In this application it is the bottom four leaves.

Thread the new center bolt through the bottom four leaves. Paint a few strokes of lithium grease on the top of the ends of the new leaf. Insert the add-a-leaf by sliding the center bolt through the leaf. Using the jack to aid yourself in raising the pack, line up the center bolt with the hole in the top two leaves. Tighten the leaf center bolt all the way.

Because of the variation of factory rear lifts, the Pro Comp kit uses a 1-inch block in conjunction with the stock block and add-a-leaf, depending on what is needed. A replacement leaf pack will soon be available, which is good since we frown on slacking blocks. However, you’ll have to front the extra money for the option. Slip the new U-bolts over the axletube along their mounts and torque the U-bolt nuts to 115 lb-ft. The brake lines may become taut and need a little more stretch. Using pliers, bend the brake line bracket towards you about 90 degrees.

Spray some WD-40 into the bushings, then tap in the metal sleeves. Bolt in the top bolts, then the bottom bolts. Install the wheels and tires and give it a good testdrive. Have the rig aligned, and remember to retighten all hardware after the first 100 miles.

In 1999, Michael Jordan retired from basketball, Wayne Gretzky from hockey, and Ford introduced the 2000 Excursion. While all the comings and goings of people and products were being noted, several companies were working, thankfully, on designing a lift for the big boy Excursion and Super Duty trucks.

One of these companies, Explorer ProComp, now boasts a new 6-incher that renovates the Brady Bunch stock Excursion into something closer to Xena Warrior Princess—minus the princess—that allows you to stuff a set of 35s under it. We went to our local 4 Wheel Parts Performance Center in Burbank, where they were installing the new 6-inch lift on the biggest of the big—the Excursion. The same kit is available for the Super Duty trucks. However, it only yields 4 inches of lift.

It doesn’t need to be said, but installing any suspension product is easier with a hydraulic lift. Most of us don’t own a hydraulic lift so…make sure to park your vehicle on a flat, hard surface. Stabilize the vehicle by blocking the rear tires and setting the parking brake. Inspect the kit to ensure that it is complete. Start by removing the driver-side track rod bolt at the frame mount, then raise the front of the vehicle and support the frame with jackstands behind the front springs. Check out the rest of the install as we “raise the Titanic.”