Bilstein 6112/5160 vs Eibach 2R and Roadactive Suspension vs new leaf springs

[LBT]

Looking to get some input. I’ve been trying to decide which shocks/struts to upgrade to and whether or not to upgrade the leaf springs.

Currently I have the stock FX4 shocks and leaf springs and I’m not thrilled the options for shocks/struts I’m looking at are:

1. Eibach 2R: appear to be the Goldilocks for ride on and off road but I’ve seen enough incidents of them leaking/failing prematurely. Also only offer a 1.5” lift capability in the rear.
2. Bilstein 6112/5160: more robust option. My biggest concern with these is the ride being too firm. I’m mostly on road at this point but looking to dip my toe in to off road. I like doing rocky forest service roads but haven’t done much more than that. Offer a 2” lift capability in the rear.

I’m also thinking about adding an upgrade to the leaf springs. Currently I don’t carry a load daily. Eventually I would like to take a serious look at a rack and roof top tent. I’m considering either a RoadActive suspension or a new leaf pack. At first I was looking at the Icon leafs but have seen enough complaints to concern me. I would be considering the OME or Dobinsons leafs at this point (if I got this route it seems the Bilsteins would be the better option due to more rear lift capability) The Road active suspension looks to be well received and would compensate for any load I add. I’m essentially looking to compensate for any load I do add, but the load wouldn’t be constant. I’m also looking to do this early because I’d also like to add either the Tom Woods or Knoxville Driveline one piece drive shaft and want to have whatever lift/angle changes in place before i measure anything.

At this point I’m leaning towards the Bilstein 6112/5160 with the RAS system. I would love any input that you guys could offer. There have been so many suspension threads I’ve read through, but I’m just trying to get the final nudge in one direction or the other. Thanks in advance!

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[Ranger Mel]

I'm with you. I do tow and at stock with our travel trailer I sit pretty level. Adding some lift would be nice since the front is lower but I don't want to squat when towing. If the Bilsteins can lift the front and rear equally I should be good. When my FX4 shocks are done I will be looking to upgrade as well.

 

[TxOTRRanger]

I have the Bilstein 5100s on my truck with the fronts set at 1.8. They have a firm ride to, which I like, it reminds of the way that my Grandpas old F150 farm truck rode. Here is a side view of my truck.

 

[Ranger Mel]

I have the Bilstein 5100s on my truck with the fronts set at 1.8. They have a firm ride to which I like, it reminds of the way that my Grandpas old F150 farm truck rode. Here is a side view of my truck.

I don't want to firm the ride more than the FX4 with going off road in the mountains. I had my Super Duty for that!

 

[TxOTRRanger]

I don't want to firm the ride more than the FX4 with going off road in the mountains. I had my Super Duty for that!

I hear you Mel. Considering that my truck had the ride quality of a marshmallow before I had the 5100s installed, I will take the firm ride over the other, any day of the week, month or year lol.

 

[LBT]

I don't want to firm the ride more than the FX4 with going off road in the mountains. I had my Super Duty for that!

This is where I'm at and my major concern for the Bilsteins even though I saw they may be softer than the 5100s. After going back and forth with a clanker for a bit it spit this out:

Proposed Build: The "Plush-Control" Daily Driver
Truck: Ford Ranger (FX4)
Usage: Daily Commute (mostly empty), I-25 highway travel, forest service roads.
The Goal: Eliminate FX4 "pogo" bounce, fix nose-dive and body roll, and stop passenger "head toss" without sacrificing small-bump comfort.

The Components:

1. Front: Eibach Pro-Truck Coilover 2.0 (Stage 2R)
2. The Logic: Moving away from the stock mushy FX4 struts to a nitrogen-charged monotube. Unlike the Bilstein 6112, which can be "sharp" on small chatter, the Eibach uses a more linear valving that prioritizes a "luxury-sport" feel. It’s designed to stay supple over potholes while propping up the front end to kill nose-dive under braking.
3. Rear: Eibach Stage 2R Reservoir Shocks
4. The Logic: The external reservoirs provide extra oil capacity to prevent "shock fade" on long, washboard forest roads. More importantly, they are valved to settle the rear end quickly without the harshness of a HD work-truck shock.
5. Rear Support: RoadActive Suspension (RAS)
6. The Logic: This is the "secret sauce" for the passenger experience. While the shocks handle the bumps, the RAS acts as a mechanical stabilizer for the leaf springs. It effectively functions like a sway bar to kill body roll in turns (fixing the "head toss") and acts as a traction aid to stop rear-end "kick" over highway expansion joints.

Why This Combo Instead of Bilstein 6112/5160?
The Bilsteins are legendary, but for a truck that spends 90% of its time empty, they can be unnecessarily stiff. The Bilstein "digressive" valving is great for high-speed control but can feel "busy" on rough interstates like I-25. The Eibach + RAS setup aims for a "Goldilocks" ride:

• Firmer than stock (stops the wallowing/bouncing).
• Softer than Bilstein (soaks up the small road imperfections).
• Stabler than both (RAS keeps the rear axle pinned).

Expected Setup Stats:

• Front Lift: Set to ~2.0" - 2.5" to level with the rear.
• Rear Lift: ~0.75" to 1.0" (from RAS at 25% tension).
• Maintenance: Zero-service (no rebuilds required like Fox/King).
• RAS Setting: 1mm "white disc" (25% tension) for maximum unloaded comfort.

So now I'm thinking the Eibach 2R system with the RAS is the way to go. One of the biggest concerns I have is the reliablity of the Eibachs vs the Bilsteins. Is that overblown? Does the above sound correct from the clanker? Any other options I'm missing?

 

[Ranger Mel]

This is where I'm at and my major concern for the Bilsteins even though I saw they may be softer than the 5100s. After going back and forth with a clanker for a bit it spit this out:

So now I'm thinking the Eibach 2R system with the RAS is the way to go. One of the biggest concerns I have is the reliablity of the Eibachs vs the Bilsteins. Is that overblown? Does the above sound correct from the clanker? Any other options I'm missing?

I'm no expert. Sounds good! Sounds like you're the research guy like I am! I want to buy once and be happy. I don't feel bad for that at all. This stuff ain't cheap! So right now I am stock FX4 suspension with Timbren Off Road bump stops. This is working for me so far. When my shocks are done I need to have a plan just to replace them at this point.

 

[LBT]

I'm no expert. Sounds good! Sounds like you're the research guy like I am! I want to buy once and be happy. I don't feel bad for that at all. This stuff ain't cheap! So right now I am stock FX4 suspension with Timbren Off Road bump stops. This is working for me so far. When my shocks are done I need to have a plan just to replace them at this point.

Indeed I am. It’s a blessing and a curse, because I tend to over think things. I’m not sure I’m at failure with these yet, but my fiancé doesn’t like the ride, even if she won’t complain about it, so I’m preempting that failure I guess! I didn’t think too much about changing the bump stops. Did you notice much difference? Would those be worth adding on too?

 

[Ranger Mel]

Indeed I am. It’s a blessing and a curse, because I tend to over think things. I’m not sure I’m at failure with these yet, but my fiancé doesn’t like the ride, even if she won’t complain about it, so I’m preempting that failure I guess! I didn’t think too much about changing the bump stops. Did you notice much difference? Would those be worth adding on too?

I was missing one so I had to look into it! The other Timbren model is basically overload springs and would make the rear more harsh since they would contact the axle after a bout an inch of squat. My travel trailer is 4100 lbs GVW and the truck sits about level before the WD hitch. We only tow up the river 140 miles round trip a few times a year so I didn't want/need the helper spring ride. It tows fantastic. There's about 40 miles each way on the interstate and one mountain pass. The Off Road model is about the same length as OEM and allows for more axle articulation off road and doesn't make the ride harsh. That's why I went that route.
Unless we are maxing out the tow capacity of the Ranger I wouldn't be concerned with overload springs. I think a weight distribution hitch makes more sense unless the squat is crazy but then the trailer is probably too tongue heavy and the load should be shifted over the axles more. Research with E Trailer. Their customer service people are pretty good and they seem to be very familiar with the products and for which application and need.

Forgot to ask if you're towing and how heavy?? That will likely make your decision for you.

 

[AzScorpion]

You can't go wrong with either of them as they're both a great upgrade to the original suspension. The Fx4 suspension for a lack of a better word Sucks! On my '19 I went with the Eibach Stage 2 Pro Truck Coilover and it was a 100% improvement on and off road. It really smooths out the bumps (yes, even parking lot speed bumps ) while giving you a nice ride and not too firm. They're not cheap but well worth the money and it's nice to be above to adjust the fronts (if needed) while still on the truck.

https://www.stage3motorsports.com/e...ibach-stage-2-pro-truck-coilover-package.html

 

[Bob902]

+1 for the Eibach

 

[LBT]

Forgot to ask if you're towing and how heavy?? That will likely make your decision for you.

Ah, the bump stops sound like they’re not for me then. I guess I didn’t post in here and just in the build journal. I currently don’t tow anything. Eventually I’d like to haul some stuff for camping (rack, rooftop tent, fridge in the bed with the battery/solar system from my old F150) which is why the RAS is appealing because it allows some adjustability for that in the future while stiffening up the body roll in the meantime while it’s empty with a touch of lift. And it’s cheaper than a new leaf pack. And it could be used with a new leaf pack in the future should I desire that for some reason. Driving will mostly be on road with some light off road (rocky/washboard service roads, no rock crawling at this point)

 

[LBT]

You can't go wrong with either of them as they're both a great upgrade to the original suspension. The Fx4 suspension for a lack of a better word Sucks! On my '19 I went with the Eibach Stage 2 Pro Truck Coilover and it was a 100% improvement on and off road. It really smooths out the bumps (yes, even parking lot speed bumps ) while giving you a nice ride and not too firm. They're not cheap but well worth the money and it's nice to be above to adjust the fronts (if needed) while still on the truck.

https://www.stage3motorsports.com/e...ibach-stage-2-pro-truck-coilover-package.html

The FX4 shock are definitely lacking manners. My fiancé is constantly getting flung side to side, and I’m not even cornering hard! Very rude of my truck to do that to her. I can see it on her face how much she hates that even if she won’t say it.

 

[Billpaw]

I’m currently running Bilstein 5100’s and Firestone airbags. The feel is kind of sloppy with a heavy load. Thoughts on switching the airbags for RAS?

 

[Grumpaw]

I’m currently running Bilstein 5100’s and Firestone airbags. The feel is kind of sloppy with a heavy load. Thoughts on switching the airbags for RAS?

I believe I was the first to use the Roadmaster Active Suspension back in 2021 when I bought my Ranger. I was towing a 7000 lb camper with 700-725 lb tongue weight, Bed had around 300-350 lb of "stuff" and I had replaced the stock shocks with a pair of KYB's....helped but not enough.
Did some serious studying on the RAS and went with it.
It is a "passive" system that acts like an air bag system but only when weight is placed on the rear. It also acts as a sway bar when cornering, and also as a traction bar setup. All for less than your air bag set up or a sway bar costs.
It is a set up once and forget it,,,,ran it on my Ranger for 4 years and never touched it other than to occasionally spray it down with some spray lube.
My current Expedition has rear coils so unfortunately there's nothing that can help.....but id Roadmaster had a setup for it I would buy in a second.

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