Eibach shocks

tgRanger

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Install notes:
- Lift the frame using a jack and block of wood like someone suggested. These are very difficult (impossible?) to compress by hand if you're doing this on the ground. I used a 27mm socket inside the cup of my jack to compress the shock and guide it into place but would've been much easier to just lift the frame and swing them into place.

- Factory service manual says to discard and replace the nuts and bolts for rear shock replacement. I reused them and put a tiny amount of threadlocker on the nut. Hope this doesn't come back to bite me later.

- 52 lb/ft for all 4 bolts. Use a torque wrench. Retorque after test drive.

Caveats:
They're brand new and will likely soften a bit over time.
I've only driven them a short way.
These are rear shocks only, I have FX4 factory susp. up front

First impressions:
- They're significantly stiffer than stock in a good way.
- Much less body roll.
- With an empty bed there doesn't seem to be as much hop or destabilization when you hit a bump in the road.

Will head off-road this weekend and provide an update.
Thanks for the tips and follow up.!

So if I got this right your saying you installed them with the wheels/tires on the ground and you recommend letting the axles hang on jack stands for easier install?

Caveats:
They're brand new and will likely soften a bit over time.

Your initial impressing is their too stiff?
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CO2Ranger

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Thanks for the tips and follow up.!

So if I got this right your saying you installed them with the wheels/tires on the ground and you recommend letting the axles hang on jack stands for easier install?

Caveats:
They're brand new and will likely soften a bit over time.

Your initial impressing is their too stiff?
So for the install, if you leave the wheels on the ground and jack up the frame/hitch in the back you're allowing the spring to relax, increasing the distance between the axle and the top shock mount. If you do it right I'd imagine the shock would fit uncompressed and you could just bolt it straight up. If that doesn't work you can try the socket/jack method I used. It wasn't too bad.

It seemed pretty stiff but I haven't really driven it enough to say if it's TOO stiff. I expect it will soften as the shocks break in a bit. As soft as the FX4 shocks were it wouldn't take much to stiffen it up ?
 

CO2Ranger

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"Caveats:
They're brand new and will likely soften a bit over time."
Not being argumentative, just asking. What would make them soften over time?
I'll be honest I only assumed that they would, if only slightly. Since you asked, I tried my Google-fu and produced inconclusive results, so I'll have to wait and see I guess. ?‍♂

Maybe someone with more knowledge can educate us both!
 

Sashimi_Moto

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HOW ABOUT THIS? Just had the same thing Happen UPS Drops OFF the Package & JUST ONE Shock in the Box.....Last Time for Me with Stage 3 Motorsports.....I cannot believe! WTF......
I had order 4 and 2 showed up. I contacted them both from their website and here so they could get Eibach to ship the other 2. Stage3 is probably like 99% of other online retailers or car parts where they stock anything and drop-ship everything. If this is a common occurrence, that's unfortunate but I'm not sure if the disconnect is a function of Stage3's order flow to the fulfillment agent (Eibach) or if it's a problem with Eibach's fulfillment logistics.

Either way - when I did follow up with Stage3 I got the responses and follow through that I desired a customer.
 


blackcat5RS

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HOW ABOUT THIS? Just had the same thing Happen UPS Drops OFF the Package & JUST ONE Shock in the Box.....Last Time for Me with Stage 3 Motorsports.....I cannot believe! WTF......
Summit Racing has them I just got my set of 4 after spending $1500 or more at stage 3 and experiencing the worst service.
 

Langwilliams

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I was going to order from stage 3 to support a forum sponsor read the problems people had an also saw they were gonna charge for shipping so I went to tire rack. Good service an free shipping.
 

Jason@Stage3

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I was going to order from stage 3 to support a forum sponsor read the problems people had an also saw they were gonna charge for shipping so I went to tire rack. Good service an free shipping.
We do not charge for standard ground shipping to the lower 48.
 

Jason@Stage3

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Thanks Jason Got the other shock today....I appreciate your Help Very Much!
Thank you for working with us. I do apologize again for your issue.

Please shoot me a PM the next time you’re in the market for something for your truck, and I’ll see what we can do to shave a few bucks off.
 

Chuck Lau

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Thank you for working with us. I do apologize again for your issue.

Please shoot me a PM the next time you’re in the market for something for your truck, and I’ll see what we can do to shave a few bucks off.
When I return from my trip I think I would like to Purchase The Eibach Fro
Thank you for working with us. I do apologize again for your issue.

Please shoot me a PM the next time you’re in the market for something for your truck, and I’ll see what we can do to shave a few bucks off.
Thank you for working with us. I do apologize again for your issue.

Please shoot me a PM the next time you’re in the market for something for your truck, and I’ll see what we can do to shave a few bucks off.
Hi Jason;
I would like to Purchase the Pair (2) front Struts : E60-35-048-01-2 What would you charge me for these two Struts? I will buy them when I return from my Trip.

Thanks Again;
Chuck.......
 

CO2Ranger

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Install notes:
- Lift the frame using a jack and block of wood like someone suggested. These are very difficult (impossible?) to compress by hand if you're doing this on the ground. I used a 27mm socket inside the cup of my jack to compress the shock and guide it into place but would've been much easier to just lift the frame and swing them into place.

- Factory service manual says to discard and replace the nuts and bolts for rear shock replacement. I reused them and put a tiny amount of threadlocker on the nut. Hope this doesn't come back to bite me later.

- 52 lb/ft for all 4 bolts. Use a torque wrench. Retorque after test drive.

Caveats:
They're brand new and will likely soften a bit over time.
I've only driven them a short way.
These are rear shocks only, I have FX4 factory susp. up front

First impressions:
- They're significantly stiffer than stock in a good way.
- Much less body roll.
- With an empty bed there doesn't seem to be as much hop or destabilization when you hit a bump in the road.

Will head off-road this weekend and provide an update.
Update:

On road impression update-
You'll feel the minor road snakes a bit more than stock on the highway, but it's not obnoxious.
The truck settles much more quickly over bumps and doesn't feel like it's going to shake apart anymore.
Body roll is reduced quite a bit, so overall road handling is improved.

Off-road impressions-
In the rear at least, the bounce is gone. Had a couple instances with the stock suspension where I'd drop off of a rock or roots and I'd clear fine but the suspension would compress too hard and I'd bottom out briefly. The Eibachs help keep the springs from compressing so easily, so a plus for me.
Truck still eats up washboard roads with ease.

I'm excited to get the adjustable Fox 2.5s in the front to see how the truck responds. Will eventually put the Fox 2.0s in the back too. Very impressed with the Eibachs but I'm afraid if I put them in front AND back it would be too firm for my tastes.
 
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Langwilliams

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Thought I'd jump on an throw stage 3 some love.....I ordered their raptor style behind the grill light over the weekend. I hesitated because I wasn't sure a bracket a few lets was worth almost a hundred bucks....I ordered it over the weekend...got an email they would ship it out an I'd have it by Thurs......it's Thurs an I have it an it seems like a nice quality piece.
 

RangersLeadTheWay

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Thought I'd jump on an throw stage 3 some love.....I ordered their raptor style behind the grill light over the weekend. I hesitated because I wasn't sure a bracket a few lets was worth almost a hundred bucks....I ordered it over the weekend...got an email they would ship it out an I'd have it by Thurs......it's Thurs an I have it an it seems like a nice quality piece.
It’s not that they’re a bad company. A lot of companies have been affected by the pandemic - Stage 3 being one of the bigger ones it seems. I’ve been hit and miss with them; in the last four months, I’ve ordered from them for a total of 4 times - 2 below average experiences and 2 above average experiences. Could they be better about some things, yes, but I guess I’m a little more tolerant due to the circumstances that nearly everyone has also been affected by.

Long story short - I can see both sides of the story (good and bad reviews). Just my $0.02
 
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gtmn

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so for me i have had 5 f150s since 2012 all of them had shocks swapped for Bilstein, i have yet to like any shock ford uses. with that said i bought the fx4 and the shocks were so soft i hated the truck for it. it always seemed to be all over the road and never settled.
i waited for Bilstein and they didnt seem to have anything for the ranger
so we went with Eibach they sure look like Bilstein shocks. so for me i would rather have a road holding truck then a bouncy soft truck and the Eibach works great, you will feel the road, it is firm, but for me that is a good thing. firm does not mean hard, it means firm and it absorbs bumps very well. this truck will see off road almost never as i live in MN and we really have nowhere to go for that sort of stuff. so road manners for me is where i try to make my truck work. so this is with the factory springs and 1.5 lift, fits in my garage with about an inch to spare.
i will also add the kit with springs is a 3in lift only and the bare strut with factory springs gives you all the options for lift. do not buy the kit with springs if you dont want 3in of lift

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