Fox 2.0 rear shock install notes

[dondonbabyraptor]

Hello all,

I wanted to just post my general journey throughout the rear shock installation. To begin, I never really use tools in my life. I wish I did more so I try to look at the instructions to see if it’s easy enough. Fox instructions were pretty bare and I was like okay… but I understand why. Rear shock installation is pretty much two screws to unbolt and rebolt back in.

I lifted the truck on the side I was working on with the OEM hand jack, then put a stand under the frame and reduced pressure off the hand jack. The more worrying part was if I needed a tool to compress the shock. I did not. As mentioned by a comment I found, they spring back slowly and isn’t dangerous. Thus, I bolted the top shock screw at 52 torque and then positioned my self so I would get the most leverage out of my shoulder and bicep to align it with the screw hole. It would help to have a second pair of hands to bolt back in the screw as you align it. I torqued the lower shock bolt/screw to 92.

All in all, a two hour process for someone not so mechanically “bright” so to speak. I highly recommend people in the same boat as me to try this out. Learned a bit more today and saved some money from taking it into the shops! Learning many skills and knowledge from owning this beauty. Thanks for reading my long post and hope it helps others at some point in time.

Cheers,
Brandon

P.S. mono tube design meaning it doesn’t matter which way the shock is , but what do you guys prefer?
EDIT: quoted stage3 explaining why they prefer the body up and shaft down. Will change in future. Won't be too big of a deal unless I decide an off-roading trip.

Sponsored

 

[RangerMarc]

How's the ride with the Fox shocks? Do you feel this was worth your investment?
Asking because I've considered this upgrade myself and after seeing your post I'm quite certain I can tackle this myself.
Thanks,
Marc

 

[dondonbabyraptor]

How's the ride with the Fox shocks? Do you feel this was worth your investment?
Asking because I've considered this upgrade myself and after seeing your post I'm quite certain I can tackle this myself.
Thanks,
Marc

I have not ridden a single mile in it yet, will report back in this thread after a few rides at first impression and again after 500-1000 miles letting it break in a bit. I am super happy that the post helped you figure out that unknown anxiety! It was quite easy, another pair of hands is quite nice. What I am not sure about... but I read a lot of people mentioning about a captive lug nut on the top shock bolt. I had my pops help hold that nut in place as I unscrewed the bolt, removed old shock, install new shock and re tighten until it tightens into the captive lug nut(I think that's what people were calling it). It is only the top part because it seems like it would be quite a pain to try to re-align the nut in the right spot as it is a very very tight space with not much room but two fingers to hold it in spot. Once that top bolt/screw is in the nut, its a matter of hand compressing and slotting it in the bottom and putting back in aligned bottom bolt/screw hole. Once it's in the bottom slot, it will hold there, rest a few seconds and recompress with hands to align with the hole. Pretty easy install for even me. Some people mentioned they used a tie down strap to compress it? But, I thought it was quite doable with your arms and shoulder once the top is bolted in. I am not the strongest person either, just made sure the leverage points where what I felt was best to apply strength.

 

[Dr. Zaius]

Do the Fox shocks have a boot?

While a monotube doesn't matter which way it's installed, most install with the boot down so that water and mud isn't sitting in the boot on top of the shock body.

 

[dondonbabyraptor]

Do the Fox shocks have a boot?

While a monotube doesn't matter which way it's installed, most install with the boot down so that water and mud isn't sitting in the boot on top of the shock body.

No boot however reading this post, perhaps I should have installed it the other way with the logic from stage3. Thank you for your insight, Dennis.

With a monotube shock like the Fox 2.0s, orientation doesn't really matter.

We generally recommend (and generally do) a barrel-up, shaft-down orientation on our trucks. Our theory is that it's a lot harder to nick a hardened steel shaft to the point of causing a seal failure (not that it can't happen, and it absolutely can) than it is to puncture an aluminum or steel shock body by anything you kick up on the road/trail.

Not to mention, shaft damage can be mitigated by adding either roost shields or a universal boot.

On basic hydro shocks like the OEM shocks, orientation absolutely matters, since their valving is generally only restricted in one direction.

Guess I will go back under and do this again. Not now though, perhaps in a further future before an off-road trip.

 

[dondonbabyraptor]

How's the ride with the Fox shocks? Do you feel this was worth your investment?
Asking because I've considered this upgrade myself and after seeing your post I'm quite certain I can tackle this myself.
Thanks,
Marc

Hey Marc,

I got a chance to go for a half hour drive around my normal city commutes with lots of entering and exiting freeways. Let me just say... WOW. The ride overall feels a ton better. Almost like my Mazda 3 with a rear sway bar. I love the firm/stiffness it really provided in the rear. I also mocked fast "abrupt/jerky" lane switches to simulate emergency maneuvers at 80 mph and it handled flawlessly. The back end really loss the body roll. I still feel the front end provides some body roll though. Here's the problem I have with it. It really makes me want to upgrade the front suspension. But for $300 it's a no brainer mod for me. I even have about 40-50% less side to side sway when I push on the back side end with my hand than previously, has way more resistance/sway. Highly recommend installing but ofc with the shaft down and barrel up. Bought a universal red boot when I reinstall, I don't particularly like the roost guard. I feel I get better protection from a boot.

 

[RangerMarc]

Hey Marc,

I got a chance to go for a half hour drive around my normal city commutes with lots of entering and exiting freeways. Let me just say... WOW. The ride overall feels a ton better. Almost like my Mazda 3 with a rear sway bar. I love the firm/stiffness it really provided in the rear. I also mocked fast "abrupt/jerky" lane switches to simulate emergency maneuvers at 80 mph and it handled flawlessly. The back end really loss the body roll. I still feel the front end provides some body roll though. Here's the problem I have with it. It really makes me want to upgrade the front suspension. But for $300 it's a no brainer mod for me. I even have about 40-50% less side to side sway when I push on the back side end with my hand than previously, has way more resistance/sway. Highly recommend installing but ofc with the shaft down and barrel up. Bought a universal red boot when I reinstall, I don't particularly like the roost guard. I feel I get better protection from a boot.

Brandon,
I appreciate all the info and insight you provided here. I just ordered a pair of the Fox 2.0's for myself and I will try to remember to update things here once I get them installed.

Thanks again,
Marc

 

[dondonbabyraptor]

Brandon,
I appreciate all the info and insight you provided here. I just ordered a pair of the Fox 2.0's for myself and I will try to remember to update things here once I get them installed.

Thanks again,
Marc

Can't wait to hear about it

Warm regards,
Brandon

 

[Bob902]

Best thing I did to my truck.

 

[RangerMarc]

Update..
Got mine installed today..!!

 

[dondonbabyraptor]

Update..
Got mine installed today..!!

Driven at all yet? Looks great! Pretty easy huh?

 

[RangerMarc]

Driven at all yet? Looks great! Pretty easy huh?

Took it for a ride around the block when I was done. Certainly feels like it tightened up some of the bounce and slop in the back end. Will go for a longer ride tomorrow morning about a 30mile trip so I'll have a chance to feel it out better tomorrow. It was super easy to do...
Thanks,
Marc

 

[dondonbabyraptor]

Took it for a ride around the block when I was done. Certainly feels like it tightened up some of the bounce and slop in the back end. Will go for a longer ride tomorrow morning about a 30mile trip so I'll have a chance to feel it out better tomorrow. It was super easy to do...
Thanks,
Marc

I am so glad to hear it all worked out with ease. Also, good to hear that for the quick block around the butt felt a difference Let me know how the longer drive feels on all the different roads!

Warm regards,
Brandon

 

[JaysOnTheEDGE]

its doable without jacking the rear up, I did my fox 2.0 rears in a parking lot, I just removed the spare and use a cheap ratchet strap to compress the shock since I was working at a bad angle. I still get the side to side rocking but going over bumps at speed is more controlled on the rear now. will be replacing with Bilstein 5100s in all 4 corners when my tires are due to be replaced. Since fox claims the 2.0s need to be rebuilt at 40K miles.

 

[dondonbabyraptor]

its doable without jacking the rear up, I did my fox 2.0 rears in a parking lot, I just removed the spare and use a cheap ratchet strap to compress the shock since I was working at a bad angle. I still get the side to side rocking but going over bumps at speed is more controlled on the rear now. will be replacing with Bilstein 5100s in all 4 corners when my tires are due to be replaced. Since fox claims the 2.0s need to be rebuilt at 40K miles.

The side to side rocking feels more frontal though right? I haven't quite broken in my fox rears so they might be stiffer than average but kind of like them like that. Good to know about the rebuilding, looks like around 45k I will update my suspension. I think getting all four corners eventually is the right move. That will really reduce the wiggle/body roll on all sections.

Sponsored