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Old 09-07-2017, 12:27 AM   #1
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[FORD] Air Bags with RSC?

Apologies if this has been answered before. The search hates three letter acronyms and so do I. Have a 2011 E250 Extended Cargo and it has RSC. My suspension options are limited, I know, if I'm going full lift kit but I was actually more curious about leveling springs and or air bags. Has anyone had any issues with RSC and either leveling sprints or air bags (air springs)? Any air bag/spring recommendations? Looking for some leveling when on slightly unlevel camp spots and some adjustability for road comfort from the bags and, well, leveling out of the springs.

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Old 09-07-2017, 06:46 AM   #2
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RSC doesn't limit you, it just makes doing a ujoint leaf spring conversion a pain. But you can do Expo Vans coil conversion and still retain the RSC without any issues.

When you say leveling, do you mean like the front lift springs to level out tbe van? Or do you mean rear air bags?
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Old 09-07-2017, 09:23 AM   #3
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There are plenty of folks here who have RSC equipped vans with 4" lifts without issue.....my van is one of them.

Pretty sure Jsweezy's van was also lifted with RSC.......
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Old 09-07-2017, 09:25 AM   #4
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No issues here from the lift with RSC.
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Old 09-07-2017, 10:13 AM   #5
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The RSC system monitors a number of sensors and uses an algorithm to determine when to "assist" the driver with individual wheel braking. The system engages when the van goes through, for example: rapid changes in direction, too much body roll, the rate of body roll being over a certain threshold, an acceleration of roll rate, etc....

When RSC vans are converted to 4x4, many of them end up having better handling characteristics (flatter cornering, less body roll, more stable) and the RSC doesn't interfere because the conditions of the algorithm haven't been met. So one could say that whatever you do to improve the suspension, you're likely reducing the chances of the RSC system kicking on in a corner or an evasive maneuver.

****HOWEVER**** The system was designed around a certain set of conditions: The van having a center of gravity below a certain value, vehicle weight being within recommended limits, an accurate steering angle sensor, accurate wheel speed sensors, etc..., etc...

No one, outside of the designers of the system and the mathematician(s) who developed the algorithm, can tell you how effective the RSC will be after modifying the van. You may not have any annoying nanny braking and the dash lights may never come on in day to day driving but once you alter the van, you have no way of knowing what has been done to the system's ability to do what it was designed to do. People can claim to have solved the issues with RSC but they haven't "solved" anything. All they've done is made it so the dash doesn't light up when you drive to the grocery store. Will the system react "as designed" in a high speed emergency lane change? Until someone redoes the math and updates the ABS module software and/or proves it experimentally with a converted RSC van, the answer is anybody's guess.
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Old 09-07-2017, 10:25 AM   #6
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Wasn't the early adoption of RSC and Stabilitrac on the Ford vans a bit of a reaction to the rollover issues?? I read about drivers doing the emergency lane change thing with fully loaded vans and the rear driver side tire blowing after the rear springs collapsed.

My RSC has only come on in hard cornering which resulted in the motor cutting out briefly. I have seen it too when on dirt and drifting around a bit and I think that is mainly just some wheel braking. Since getting the top on the van, I have toned it down a bit with the additional weight and higher COG.
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Old 09-07-2017, 01:06 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jsweezy View Post

When you say leveling, do you mean like the front lift springs to level out tbe van? Or do you mean rear air bags?

Sorry for being vague, honestly I'm still in the "what are my options" phase of this project. I had originally meant front lift springs to level the van out AND/OR air springs (for different reasons).



And thanks to everyone else for chiming in. Questions for those who have lift kits: were the kits designed to work with RSC? I've seen that Weldtech and Camburg have custom i-beams in their kits that are RSC compatible and I'm assuming that's necessary.



I'm mostly concerned with RSC system interfering with normal driving operation on a modified van, which sounds like isn't a major concern. I suspected that off-road the system likely would get in the way (I suspect it does this stock as well, although I haven't taken the van off road yet) so defeating it during the periods of time I'm off tarmac with the dash buttons is not a big deal.



mgmetalworks: excited about Expo Vans, especially as a fellow Oregonian.
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Old 09-07-2017, 01:59 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by kingnever View Post

And thanks to everyone else for chiming in. Questions for those who have lift kits: were the kits designed to work with RSC? I've seen that Weldtech and Camburg have custom i-beams in their kits that are RSC compatible and I'm assuming that's necessary.

Action van lift kits are also RSC compatible......IIRC they come with a different pittman arm.
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Old 09-07-2017, 02:02 PM   #9
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From what another member here told me is that you may experience hot brakes with the RSC offroading. I have disabled it but once you hit a certain speed it enables itself again. I had an LS rear put in which actually might help discourage the RSC when wheels are slipping.
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Old 09-07-2017, 02:20 PM   #10
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From what another member here told me is that you may experience hot brakes with the RSC offroading. I have disabled it but once you hit a certain speed it enables itself again. I had an LS rear put in which actually might help discourage the RSC when wheels are slipping.

Yeah I suspect that the RSC and the ESC are gonna have a field day off-road and torch the brakes, and I know that the "press and hold" method only turns the system off below 30-somthing MPH (which is fine, it's a huge van, I'll be going slow). I'm shocked that the system tolerates an LSD! I would think that the TCS system would be doing it's "brake based limited slip" all over the place and the LS would fight it, but I clearly don't know much about this stuff. You've had no problems?



Anyone done a locker with RSC? I suppose you it would work as long as it was either an e-locker or an air locker and you turned the RSC off while it was engaged.


Quote:
Originally Posted by boywonder
Action van lift kits are also RSC compatible......IIRC they come with a different pittman arm.

I actually emailed Action Van last night and got a response. They said they had a solution but to call about it. Very mysterious! Feeling a lot better about my electronic nannies not getting in the way of my wild future dreams.
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