How bad is FX4 suspension?

[DocE3Gun]

I sold my lifted F250 10 years ago and have driven an Escape between then and May when I bought my truck.

Other than not being a fan of the forward rake/lean and wanting to eventually go from the stock 265/60/18 tires to something a size or two larger (265/65 or 265/70).... I love the truck.

My first instinct was that I already paid for an upgraded suspension, so a simple spacer leveling kit will do if it doesn’t mess up linkages or bearings.....and that I also have FordPass points I could put towards the FP/Fox 2.0 kit.

Then I read about how much better some systems ride. I then find myself browsing @Stage3Motorsports at a dangerous rate.

sooooooooo....how bad is the FX4 suspension compared to
-FX4 suspension with a spacer leveling kit
-coil over leveling kit

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[Frenchy]

I honestly cannot really speak for the FX4 suspension on these trucks. Now I do have a sport model that is a four-by-four and I have gone off road while it was stuck and now with a lift from old man emu. I can personally say that stock the truck is pretty darn capable but definitely has plenty of room for improvement in the suspension. Plenty of people on here and I've had a lot of improvement from leveling kits like fox or eibach. I myself got the improvement with old man emu and can say that I love it. I have also heard that the spacer kits do make the Trucks ride worse. If I were you I would spend the money on a proper lift kit or leveling kit if you're looking to make any changes with the suspension. I wouldn't go to crazy though because you don't want to make the truck impractical. Here is a picture of my truck with the old man emu lift. Yes I was able to get all the alignment into spec with no problems and I can also tell perfectly fine with it as well. Perhaps it's something you can consider as an option to.

 

[Frenchy]

I should add that the car and trailer you see equal to about 5500 lb and leveled out the truck as you see.

 

[DocE3Gun]

I have a tow package, but honestly no aspirations to pull a trailer with it. The only trailers we have are bigger ones on the farm and we have a diesel with 5th wheel for that.

My bed is filled with decked system and locked up via tailgate and Diamondback HD cover. Only thing I’m gonna haul is that ~250-300lbs plus ~50-75lbs in guns/ammo.

The ranges I frequent seem to always get rain when I’m there and there’s not always a great road to travel.

I definitely do not want to make it Worse with a spacer if that’s the case.

 

[FULLSCALE]

I found the stock FX4 suspension too soft in the front and stiff in the back. The Eibach kit with stock coil springs fixed it up and I love it now!

 

[DocE3Gun]

I found the stock FX4 suspension too soft in the front and stiff in the back. The Eibach kit with stock coil springs fixed it up and I love it now!

The price there looks substantially easier to digest than the $1400 for the FP/Fox2.0 kit too.

 

[FULLSCALE]

The price there looks substantially easier to digest than the $1400 for the FP/Fox2.0 kit too.

Most definitely. I bought mine on Black Friday and the two struts and two shocks were under $400.

 

[JKocot]

I have only had my Ranger (FX4) for two weeks, but prior to this I drove F150 SuperCrews since 2001 and everyone of those had FX4 "packages". So coming from a F150 to a Ranger I find the suspension fine. But it's all subjective. I do not find it too soft or bouncy. JMHO.

 

[Charley]

The FX4 suspension is a near perfect compromise Ford created (off road, towing, daily driver, etc).
The only problem with it comes from individual owners and their personal preferences and needs/requirements.
do remember you get some very good electronics with the FX4 package.

Was not a fan of the stock suspension so I dug into my wallet.
I did the Ford/Fox 2 inch and was satisfied , then later installed the OME 1.7" leafs.
Very happy with what I have assembled.

 

[DocE3Gun]

I have only had my Ranger (FX4) for two weeks, but prior to this I drove F150 SuperCrews since 2001 and everyone of those had FX4 "packages". So coming from a F150 to a Ranger I find the suspension fine. But it's all subjective. I do not find it too soft or bouncy. JMHO.

with the added weight in the bed, I don’t have any complaints currently.....outside of the rake, that I’d like to fix with a leveling kit. I also don’t know how much difference one kit would make compared to another.

 

[Jgarrett]

I heard so much bad things about them that I replaced them with Eibach as soon as I got my truck so I'll never know

 

[Jtholz]

I'm no expert in lifts and suspensions, but I put the Readylift 3" SST lift on my 2020 Lariat and I think it improved the ride quite a bit. It did get rid of a bunch the bounce. It is a firmer ride now.

 

[RANGER_MARC]

I sold my lifted F250 10 years ago and have driven an Escape between then and May when I bought my truck.

Other than not being a fan of the forward rake/lean and wanting to eventually go from the stock 265/60/18 tires to something a size or two larger (265/65 or 265/70).... I love the truck.

My first instinct was that I already paid for an upgraded suspension, so a simple spacer leveling kit will do if it doesn’t mess up linkages or bearings.....and that I also have FordPass points I could put towards the FP/Fox 2.0 kit.

Then I read about how much better some systems ride. I then find myself browsing @Stage3Motorsports at a dangerous rate.

sooooooooo....how bad is the FX4 suspension compared to
-FX4 suspension with a spacer leveling kit
-coil over leveling kit

I did not like the stock FX4 suspension's ride, and my understanding is that spacers will give you lifting and/or leveling and allow you to run bigger tires but not really improve the ride (or even make it worse). The Ford Performance Two Inch Leveling Kit (essentially, Fox shocks and coil overs allegedly "tuned by Ford Performance") solved the problem for me, while keeping all warranties intact. You get a mild lift to the front that does not "mess up linkages or bearings" but gives you improved approach and clearance angles, reduced rake, a much better view from the driver's seat, and a greatly improved ride, much more stable and controlled. I decided not to run bigger tires (which eat torque) and so replaced the stock Hankook AT tires with Falken Wildpeaks in the stock size, 265/60/R18, that is, not bigger, but better. Very happy with the ride and the look now! Hope this helps!

 

[landiscarrier]

I found the stock FX4 suspension too soft in the front and stiff in the back. The Eibach kit with stock coil springs fixed it up and I love it now!

Agree 100%!

 

[DocE3Gun]

I did not like the stock FX4 suspension's ride, and my understanding is that spacers will give you lifting and/or leveling and allow you to run bigger tires but not really improve the ride (or even make it worse). The Ford Performance Two Inch Leveling Kit (essentially, Fox shocks and coil overs allegedly "tuned by Ford Performance") solved the problem for me, while keeping all warranties intact. You get a mild lift to the front that does not "mess up linkages or bearings" but gives you improved approach and clearance angles, reduced rake, a much better view from the driver's seat, and a greatly improved ride, much more stable and controlled. I decided not to run bigger tires (which eat torque) and so replaced the stock Hankook AT tires with Falken Wildpeaks in the stock size, 265/60/R18, that is, not bigger, but better. Very happy with the ride and the look now! Hope this helps!

Do you have a side profile pic? I was going to buy and sit on any components until it was time to get tires....but if it doesn’t look “wrong” with the factory sized tires, I may not wait.

Also.....is it the weight of larger tires, or the diameter that soaks up torque?

The reason I ask, is because the Hankook’s on my truck now weigh 36lbs each, the Falkens weighs 44lbs each, and the taller 265/70/18 Toyo Open Country AT III’s I was looking at weigh the same 44lbs. If it’s just weight, I’ve had good luck with Toyo all terrains in the past, and I’d get a 65k mile warranty versus a 55k (at $30ish per tire more of course).

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