Refreshing a 2000 V10 Excursion

Ford Expedition with Triton V10 engine is given a new lease on life and a more aggressive look via some relatively routine upgrades.

The Ford Excursion has sadly been out of the company lineup for more than a decade, but FTE member Tylus is in the process of rebuilding one of the ¾-ton-based SUVs. So far, this is a fairly simple build, with a great many upgrades coming out of necessity. As the OP has found components that need to be replaced, he has added bits and pieces to improve the look and performance of this big hauler.

The Introduction

Tylus first introduced the forum to his 2000 Ford Excursion back in June and since then, he has consistently updated his build thread with the latest improvements and problems along the way.

When the OP first started his build thread, he included a list of his plans for the Excursion as well as the stock picture above. As you can see in the list below, he has edited that initial post as time has gone on, pointing out what he has accomplished over the last six months.

“I’m back after a short hiatus. Gonna be a little bit more reserved with this one…I think

Drivetrain:

1. Change fluids
   2. Muffler delete/straight pipe
   3. Leave alone otherwise

Suspension:

1. V codes Front – Done
2. Modded B codes rear – Done
   3. 285/75R16 Treadwright Warden AT – Done
   4. New shocks – Done
   5. Flip sway bar end links/mount – Done
   6. Replace Steering stabilizer
   7. Replace ball joints (Driver – Done)

Interior:

1. 4×2 Rear Hatch Struts
   2. Touchscreen radio with BT/ELM/WIFI
   3. 08+ center console…or at least 2002+ console cupholders
   4. Maglite mounted by drivers seat – Done
   5. 2002+ dash cupholders

Exterior:

1. 2008 Style Tow Mirrors- Done
   2. 2006 Style Headlights with DIY Harley Mod
   3. 4X4 Sticker – Done
   4. Shiny tailpipe
   5. Backup Camera
   6. 2005+ front conversion. potentially 2008+
   7. Tinted Cab lights – Done
   8. Marker Lights on running boards
   9. F-250 grab handle on drivers pillar – Done
   10. Black Door Handles
   11. Custom Built Safari style roof rack
   12. Black out rims (corroded), but leave caps chrome

Repairs:

1. Replace front axle u-joints – Done
   2. Rebuild Auto hubs (currently frozen) – Done
   3. small 1/2″ spot of rust on both rear doors in window seam
   4. Unstick all the power door locks – Done
   5. Figure out why the shifter is so stiff and doesn’t quite lineup – Done

More will occur to me. But for now that’s a decent list. My goal is to have major components done before the snow flies.”

Suspension Upgrades

While Tylus’ build thread has jumped around, we have organized his upgrades into specific sections so that it is a bit easier to read through his Excursion project. The first components which he purchased to upgrade his ¾-ton SUV were new springs (that cost him two 30-packs of Miller beer), so we will start with his suspension upgrades.

The OP wanted to give his Excursion a more aggressive stance, so he bought leaf springs from a diesel F-350, first installing the fronts and driving the truck for a while without changing the back end. As a result, the back end didn’t sit as high as the OP wanted, but as time went on, he added the beefier rear springs as well.

Once he installed the front and rear F-350 springs, a set of one-inch-lift spring shackles and a new set of Gabriel shocks, he had achieved the desired ride height of 26.5″ front/27.75″ rear. Along the way, he also replaced the sway bar end links, the ball joints and the front wheel bearings – all of which were in rough shape.

Of course, in addition to giving this Excursion a taller ride height, Tylus also added some bigger, more aggressive tires to help fill the wheelwells and to make the big SUV more capable on rough roads. Also, while it isn’t a suspension mod, the OP added new factory-spec brakes in place of the parts that came on the truck when he bought it.

Interior Upgrades

The changes made to the inside of this 2000 Ford Excursion has been minor, but the OP fixed the rear defroster and the power door locks, along with adding a flashlight mount next to the driver’s seat, universal cup holders in the center console and a driver’s side grab handle from a Super Duty.

He also added new leather to the center console armrest.

Exterior Upgrades

On the outside, this 2000 Ford Excursion looks more muscular than when stock thanks to the big tires and the lifted suspension, but he also made some simple modifications to give this big SUV a unique look.

Up front, he has added a set of clearance lights across the top of the windshield and he added Harley-Davidson-edition headlight lenses with LED bulbs.

Out back, the OP added the dual taillight mod while also installing an LED light bar between the bumper and the rear doors.

Along the side, this Excursion now has the stock wheels painted matte black and if you look under the rear bumper, you will find a differential cover with a Texas flag theme.

Finally, when the stock exhaust rusted apart, Tylus added new piping with a glasspack muffler, adding more sound from the V10 engine.

While we have highlighted many of the upgrades made by Tylus to his 2000 Ford Excursion, there has been plenty more done to refresh this 17-year old ¾-ton SUV, so if you are looking for repair information on your own Excursion, check out this thread in the forum.

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Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

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