Ride quality on Ranger *head bobble sensation*

[rydfree]

I compared the Eibach's to the stock rear shocks and there was no comparison when compressing by hand. Eichbachs collapse much harder.

Some of Eibachs shocks will compress even harder and some more easily , it's just not a sign of being blown .

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[deleriumtremor]

It is hard to make generalizations about one shock versus the other based on how they feel to the user manually compressing them.

A shock with a digressive curve might feel really stiff when you try to compress it by hand. One with a progressive curve feel very soft at low speed (like manually compressing it) but might stiffen up in higher speed events.

The only way to be able to generalize from one shock to another is to dyno them. Then generalizations on how they will perform in various conditions is a little easier (given the same wheel rate, comparison to comparison).

 

[Clank]

Anyone have any suggestions to improve the ride quality on Ranger when going over uneven surface. I noticed it has a sharp feedback transfers from passenger side to driver side or driver side to passenger side. I hate the head bobble sensation feeling lol.

Debated on this for almost a year, and finally decided to buy ford performance fox suspension. Night and day difference. Don't regret this one bit. I bought it on ford's website at 20%.

 

[Clank]

I'd like to know too. I'm not super dissatisfied with my ride quality as I have the non-FX4 4wd, but I came from a 2wd that was truly crap til I put the Fox level kit on it so I'm not in a good position to compare.

I also have the non-fx4 4wd. Like you, I thought the ride wasn't bad but could be improved. It felt very soft, so the harshness of bumps was handled well. However, the rocking back and forth was fairly obnoxious and got old on switchback roads. I switched to the ford fox kit and the rocking is minimal and the ride as remained very comfortable. Much more enjoyable to drive now.

 

[Rp930]

The factory FX-4 shocks are NOT Fox. They are Ford FX branded shocks. A little bit of brand trickery if you ask me.

Rear Fox shocks worked for me.

 

[SilverSlugger]

I installed Fox 2. 0s all around and still have this sensation. My next thing to do will be a rear anti swaybar.

 

[deleriumtremor]

The factory FX-4 shocks are NOT Fox. They are Ford FX branded shocks. A little bit of brand trickery if you ask me.

Definitely not Fox, completely different deal quality wise.

My salesman (one of the good kind), told me they were made by Rancho for Ford. I just got down and looked and they are not marked Rancho (not that I would have gotten excited at that prospect), just run of the mill looking OEM truck shocks.

 

[D Fresh]

Definitely not Fox, completely different deal quality wise.

My salesman (one of the good kind), told me they were made by Rancho for Ford. I just got down and looked and they are not marked Rancho (not that I would have gotten excited at that prospect), just run of the mill looking OEM truck shocks.

I'm sure Ford contracts that out to somebody. Rancho seems like a good possibility though, as the FX shocks are garbage.

 

[deleriumtremor]

Just wondering if the factory shocks on the fx4 and non fx4 are the same. I have a non fx4 and the ride is great. A little stiff over things like railroad tracks but we don't bobblehead. I have been thinking Blisteens just because everyone says they make a difference but really have been happy with the stock ride so far. Anyone with a non fx4 see a difference in ride after the switch.

Here is a picture of the part number on one of my rear shocks. The shock has an "FX Performance Tuned" sticker on the side, so pretty sure the differences at least start with a sticker on the FX2/4 shocks...

 

[LostMy65]

To keep the body more level in uneven terrain (where one wheel is in bump and another perhaps in droop) you want more articulation, sway bars limit articulation.

I believe you when you say you feel an improvement in side to side rocking on uneven surfaces.

If I don't plan on doing anything to require articulation, would a sway bar help?
I'm thinking it should help with the rocking back and forth (bobble).

 

[deleriumtremor]

If I don't plan on doing anything to require articulation, would a sway bar help?
I'm thinking it should help with the rocking back and forth (bobble).

I think it will help the feel of the truck on the road (maybe quite a bit). Sway bars transfer weight from the inside wheel to the outside wheel, as weight is taken off the inside wheel, that weight is transferred with the sway bar. So in a curve, the truck will tend to lean less.

With only a sway bar up front (stock), the truck will tend to understeer as the weight on the inside front will be transferred to the outside, causing that tire to start to slide first when the adhesion limits are being approached (manufacturers like that as understeer tends to be safer for the less skilled driver, especially in a truck )

Front to back tuning can be accomplished by changing the stiffness of the front or rear bar to slightly change which end tends to start sliding soonest at the limit of adhesion, thus changing oversteer or understeer tendencies (ideal being neutral or slightly understeer).

In racing some will favor a little stiffer rear end to allow the rear to break loose a little sooner at the limit (loose). Some drivers feel loose is fast.

All of the above is full of buts and ifs, as there are a lot of other factors that affect all of the above. These are just generalizations, based on "everything else being equal" kinds of comparisons.

But people feel all sorts of things, depending on how much they spent on the upgrade.

 

[LostMy65]

...clip....
But people feel all sorts of things, depending on how much they spent on the upgrade.

I agree,
My $10,000 watch tells time a lot better than my $20 Timex.

 

[deleriumtremor]

I agree,
My $10,000 watch tells time a lot better than my $20 Timex.

I knew it was time to sell my Rolex when I would set it once a week with my Casio.

 

[got3fords]

Some of Eibachs shocks will compress even harder and some more easily , it's just not a sign of being blown .

I didn't say anything was blown. But I will add, that when compressing the stock shocks by hand, one of them had a dead spot where it compressed about 2" with little to no resistance.

 

[got3fords]

I think the fact that most people who are really satisfied with aftermarket shocks and took the time to compare how easy it is to compress them compared to stock shocks is compelling. But not only do they compress harder, the rebound slower than stock. Pretty telling.

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