Sure wish Ford would offer the 5.0 on the Expedition,Which F150 engine would a Ford Technician pick?

[TobyU]

"I would hazard a guess (anybody have the data?) that the VAST majority of miles an Expy is used for are on road … soccer Mom type of trips where third row space is the marketing advantage. The Expy isn't "really" an off road King with mods (or even with) is it?

Sounds like an awful lot of people keep it in 2WD for most of its life too."

--------------------

This is one of my main points exactly.
Most owners or divers don't know or care what the HP or the 0-60 or even how many cylinders it has or WHAT a cylinder is!

The EXTRA leg/headroom is nice but only bragging rights for each company to compare to other vehicles.
Many/most SUVs go their ENTIRE life NEVER having an adult in the 3rd row.
Usually kids or teens. We use for someone to sleep on trips or just more separation with one teen in each row.

The flat floor is more convenient that room for me BUT they could accomplish the same for me by having the seats fold higher up so the flat area is the 2.5-3 inches up like to match the rear higher area.
One thing I hate about the Trailblazers is the rear is lower and seats go up so not flat.
There is a shelf that you put in to make the rear height match the back of folded seats but that is dumb and not sturdy.

I would take losing 3 inches of cargo floor to ceiling height for a solid trouble free axle any day.

COMFORT:
Soon as I was talking to a friend of mine who has owned and sold over 400 Town Cars!! He said in navigaots...GET an 03 an up because the independent rear suspensions rides so much better.
I don't see the difference! I have an 03 navi with 117 on it and factory air suspension and a 2000 Expedition with 250K and they feel about the same.
They both ride like a truck.
I think I might like the Expedition springs better than the air ride.
I'm used to 98 and up Town Cars and the air up front almost makes it feel floaty but still hard or firm on bumps.

I just don't see a ride advantage on the rear. I can't feel it.

As far as off road....I'll let you all argue about that. Solid axle jeeps used to be king and have unbelievable articulation and height tests. I think it is like everything else like the 4.6 is Mustang replacing a faster 5.0.
People insist on having the new technology but then they have to overcome its shortcomings to get it to where the old was....BUT eventually it gets tweaked to be better than the last generation of the old it replaced.

I love my flat navigator floor but I would love it JUST AS MUCH if it were a bit higher up.
So poohey on IRS and if I ever have a problem with it or ever have to replace a shaft for split boot YOU WILL hear me on here complaining about it!!!!

 

[lobsenza]

I would not have bought the vehicle with a solid rear axle. Too much lost space and I think it improves the ride. Like most buyers, I will not use it off road.

 

[edizzle]

IRS rides and more importantly handles SO much better than live axle

 

[1955moose]

I have the worst luck with shocks or springs with any car/truck/motorcycle I've owned. And at last count that number exceeded 50. DMV used to send me a calendar. But, if a 2003 rides as rough as a solid axle torsion bar 4x4 like my truck/SUV Eddie Bauer, and it's a 2 wheel drive and has air suspension, than man that previous owner drove it like he stole it. My work Lincoln 2001 Town Car rode like a floating cloud, till the bone head owners said let's put in rear coil springs out of a Ford Crown Vic. Went from a car you fell asleep in the back, actually happened, to a bumpy but nice regular car. If owners of Air spring vehicles like Expeditions and various Lincoln's/Audi's, Etc, would spray the air springs with a good rubber lubricant, they'd probably, extend the bag life by 5 years. But alas no one ever does. So at 8-10 years, their converting to coil springs. I've seen what air springs can do as far as ride, and even handling, believe it or not. My Mark 7 Lincoln's could keep up with a lot of better handling vehicles.

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[TobyU]

I have the worst luck with shocks or springs with any car/truck/motorcycle I've owned. And at last count that number exceeded 50. DMV used to send me a calendar. But, if a 2003 rides as rough as a solid axle torsion bar 4x4 like my truck/SUV Eddie Bauer, and it's a 2 wheel drive and has air suspension, than man that previous owner drove it like he stole it. My work Lincoln 2001 Town Car rode like a floating cloud, till the bone head owners said let's put in rear coil springs out of a Ford Crown Vic. Went from a car you fell asleep in the back, actually happened, to a bumpy but nice regular car. If owners of Air spring vehicles like Expeditions and various Lincoln's/Audi's, Etc, would spray the air springs with a good rubber lubricant, they'd probably, extend the bag life by 5 years. But alas no one ever does. So at 8-10 years, their converting to coil springs. I've seen what air springs can do as far as ride, and even handling, believe it or not. My Mark 7 Lincoln's could keep up with a lot of better handling vehicles.

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I don't see it.
Factory 03 Navi seems to float in the front but still firm on bumps. The 2000 Expedition probably original shocks who knows. Feels no bumpier just less floaty in front.

Both are 4x4.

 

[TobyU]

I would not have bought the vehicle with a solid rear axle. Too much lost space and I think it improves the ride. Like most buyers, I will not use it off road.

So what it the difference in space lost? I can go measure out 2000. I think its about 3 inches up in the rear.
I would have been fine with that level to go all the way to the 2nd row foot area to get flat cargo area.
The seat having to be removed is also terrible design vs the 03 but I don't think this is the issue.

We are saying that a solid rear with the round pumpkin differential area is tall??? and sticks up so floor has to be higher??
So if I go out under an 03 and try to mount a solid rear....how many inches do I have to move floor up to keep from having a hump in middle or tube humps to each side?

 

[1955moose]

My 2000 rides nice for the first 10 minutes, then loses its cushy ride. I went back to Ford OEM shocks, all 4, wasnt easy to find.New coil springs in back. Can't find torsion bars to save my life. Everybody else swears by the Independent wheel suspension. Maybe I'm being punished with the choppy ride. Like I said earlier, I never seem to get that 1970's Lincoln Mark 4 ride. Even in a Lincoln! Oh well, at least I'm not taking the bus yet!

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