CCD OR NOT????

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dlcorbett

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I’m in the same boat. 23s with .9% or 1.48% interest in my area. Lot of stealths Do Not have CCD. This will be a pavement only vehicle.
Of you weren't going stealth, I'd say it wouldn't be a deal killer. However, he sport suspension on Top of 22in wheels without any adjustability, no thank you.
 

jjscsix

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I like the CCD on ours a lot. It really helped pulling a 34’ travel trailer a couple weeks ago too.
 

Alwaysthinkin

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Driven almost entirely on pavement, some gravel, and I replaced the front and rear sway bars, and I truly love how well the CCD works for me. Knock on wood!
 

fordperfaddict

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I’d try as much as possible to get the CCD option. In sport mode, the floaty feel is really all gone and nice and tight but then you can go back to normal mode for a super smooth ride. The suspension seems to be more on point overall. I wouldn’t let it be a total deal breaker but if you don’t get it then plan to be changing the shocks to a better brand like Bilsteins since the non CCD shocks are of pretty poor quality. Other thing to look at it what brand tires are on the non CCD trucks. Lack of CCD and Hancock tires is a disaster.
Looks like there are 0 stealths in my area with CCD. Might have to settle
 

JohnSC

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To me, the standard non-CCD suspension feels like a truck while the CCD takes some of that out in the right modes. I drove an XLT before ordering mine, it was close to my memory of the ride of my Z71 Tahoe (from 10 years earlier, so may not have been that close.) But when the Ltd with the CCD came in it was far better.
 

JKautz

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Wheel size and tire choice are also big factors. With the 22” wheels you want it. OEM stock tires seem to be “meh” at best as well on most setups. Getting the Hankook tires off for BFG AT tires on my 20” wheels made a huge difference for me. Maybe get what is on the lot, but expect to want to swap out tires/wheel size/struts (and/or) in 6 mo to a year? I just remembered chucking the garbage stock tires after 10K miles and even my wife being amazed what a big change it made, and she rarely cares about road handing and road feel.
 

Left Coast Geek

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before buying what we did, we drove quite a few expeditions, with and without CCD. since we've bought our basically loaded Stealth, we've taken our 21' trailer on one tow. so far I'm really happy. While changing from the stock 22" wheels to 18" wheels actually only made a minor difference in the ordinary road ride, its much better on rough stuff, and I expect it will be even better when I mount a set of BF Goodrich KO2 A/T tires

I can definitely feel the CCD system working, and damping any pitching when towing over bumps/dips.
 

fordperfaddict

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Wheel size and tire choice are also big factors. With the 22” wheels you want it. OEM stock tires seem to be “meh” at best as well on most setups. Getting the Hankook tires off for BFG AT tires on my 20” wheels made a huge difference for me. Maybe get what is on the lot, but expect to want to swap out tires/wheel size/struts (and/or) in 6 mo to a year? I just remembered chucking the garbage stock tires after 10K miles and even my wife being amazed what a big change it made, and she rarely cares about road handing and road feel.
I’m guessing the strut info is all on this forum? It seems bilstein is the way to go . Will it have stock ride height ? Which
Wheel size and tire choice are also big factors. With the 22” wheels you want it. OEM stock tires seem to be “meh” at best as well on most setups. Getting the Hankook tires off for BFG AT tires on my 20” wheels made a huge difference for me. Maybe get what is on the lot, but expect to want to swap out tires/wheel size/struts (and/or) in 6 mo to a year? I just remembered chucking the garbage stock tires after 10K miles and even my wife being amazed what a big change it made, and she rarely cares about road handing and road feel.
i plan on sticking with 22s so I’ll have to do some more research in tires. In the test drive today I noticed it’s on the firmer side but not bad. My raptor is more plush but thag has big tires and suspension. But it’s also body rolling much more. To keep stock heights which struts are people going to? Anyone have a forum link ? Are they full coil overs or just struts ?
 

duneslider

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Can the bilsteins be kept at stock height for fronts and rears if I decide to switch to them? The 5100s correct ? Any downside to them?
I kept mine at the stock height, the wife didn't want to go bigger. The bilsteins are more firm than the stock suspension but I personally thought it was a much better ride than the stock xlt shocks which I thought were way too soft. The bilsteins also seemed to control body roll much better and were much more capable of dampening bumps with heavy loads. My current platinum with ccd doesn't drive as nice as the xlt with bilsteins in my opinion. One big example is with my big bike rack on the back full of bikes (7) the back end gets bouncy and the ccd just doesn't do as good of a job controlling it. I still got some bounce with the bilsteins but not as much and it felt more controlled. Even in sport which should make the shocks stiffer it doesn't feel as good as the bilsteins. I am planning to get swaybars but I am not sure how much of the issue that will solve but it should help with the body roll we get in the back mostly. I really do feel like the ride in my xlt was better than the platinum, I would go back if I could.
 

Mr Big

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Unfortunately, this thread can drag out forever and the OP may never get an accurate answer.
The bottom line is it boils down to taste. My Expedition has CCD, My Explorer does not.
Example:
I jump in my Expedition and drive and think "wow this is such an incredible ride for such a large vehicle, I wish my Excursion rode like this".
I jump in my wife's Explorer and think "wow this is such a tight sporty, peppy ride for an SUV, I wish my Expedition rode like this."
I love the drive of both vehicles at different times. So, my Conclusion is:
Even though I love the ride of both vehicles I can put my Expedition in Sport mode when I want to feel a tighter sportier, peppier ride. But I am stuck with the Explorer being what it is. I'm glad I purchased a vehicle with CCD, and would choose it again.
 

Calidad

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Wheel size and tire choice are also big factors. With the 22” wheels you want it. OEM stock tires seem to be “meh” at best as well on most setups. Getting the Hankook tires off for BFG AT tires on my 20” wheels made a huge difference for me. Maybe get what is on the lot, but expect to want to swap out tires/wheel size/struts (and/or) in 6 mo to a year? I just remembered chucking the garbage stock tires after 10K miles and even my wife being amazed what a big change it made, and she rarely cares about road handing and road feel.

I had to ditch the Hankooks at 18,000 miles. Wet highway they were the worst tires I’ve had on a vehicle. Even the yr before snow trip I had to use 4x4 in stuff that fwd Mini vans were driving through with Michelin stock tires. I didn’t want full on BFG Ko’s had them on my Landcruiser great tire but terrible for mileage and ride quality.

September 2021 BFG came out with s A/T hybrid tire for the “sporty SUV” / wagons. BFG Trail Terrain OMG!! Totally different vehicle!!! We drove up the street in far worse packed snow in 2whl drive better than we did the yr before in 4x4 with the Hankooks.

Wet performance was basically the same as dry. Mileage hit was maybe .5-.8 ish mpg less. Massive difference!!! Definitely sticking to the BFG Trail Terrain on the 22’s
 

fordperfaddict

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is there a difference between limited stealth suspension and just regular limited suspension? the stealth is pretty stiff in the rear. would like to soften it up a bit. does limited have softer susp then the stealth or are they the same?
 

Mr Big

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is there a difference between limited stealth suspension and just regular limited suspension? the stealth is pretty stiff in the rear. would like to soften it up a bit. does limited have softer susp then the stealth or are they the same?
Depends on whether the Stealth model has the standard Stealth package or the Stealth Performance package.
 

smstroben

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is there a difference between limited stealth suspension and just regular limited suspension? the stealth is pretty stiff in the rear. would like to soften it up a bit. does limited have softer susp then the stealth or are they the same?
for 2022+ both 303A and 304A have "Sport-Tuned Suspension".
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dlcorbett

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Probably slightly firmer shock tuning. You mostly feel it in the non ccd trucks from what it seems from buyers on here but everyone with the 22s and no ccd complains about the ride on any road not on the highway.
 

fordperfaddict

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Probably slightly firmer shock tuning. You mostly feel it in the non ccd trucks from what it seems from buyers on here but everyone with the 22s and no ccd complains about the ride on any road not on the highway.
For sure if the shocks on the regular limited are softer I’ll just swap them no problem I’m sure the cost isn’t very high.
 
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