New buyer FX4 question

[The_Limey]

I’m about to pull the trigger on a new Lariat.

I need 4x4 for on road snowy conditions.

Dealers around here rarely get 4x4 that isn’t FX4.

ive read all the “bounce” posts and reviews of FX4 handling. Totally understand it’s easier to change shocks than do the impossible and add Terrain Management after. Also FX4 should help resale as most SoCal drives wanting 4x4 would want off road.

here’s the question:

I can’t test drive an FX4. I’ll need to order one from afar for delivery. I did test drive an XLT rwd with sport package. It was fantastic. Ride wasn’t bouncy or floaty. It was perfect.

how close to this will the FX4 ride be? Or should I be chasing down a non FX4 4x4?

thanks!

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[P. A. Schilke]

I’m about to pull the trigger on a new Lariat.

I need 4x4 for on road snowy conditions.

Dealers around here rarely get 4x4 that isn’t FX4.

ive read all the “bounce” posts and reviews of FX4 handling. Totally understand it’s easier to change shocks than do the impossible and add Terrain Management after. Also FX4 should help resale as most SoCal drives wanting 4x4 would want off road.

here’s the question:

I can’t test drive an FX4. I’ll need to order one from afar for delivery. I did test drive an XLT rwd with sport package. It was fantastic. Ride wasn’t bouncy or floaty. It was perfect.

how close to this will the FX4 ride be? Or should I be chasing down a non FX4 4x4?

thanks!

Hi TL,

I have an FX4 package on my Ranger Lariat 2019. Since I created the engineering behind the FX4 package many years ago, I have no concern with the ride here on roads in Arizona, and it performs well off road to allow increased wheel travel that the shocks allow. Sorry you cannot drive an FX4 to assess this for yourself.

There is a thread on these forums on my story of how the FX4 was created and made into the brand it is today.

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[Cape Cruiser]

I’m about to pull the trigger on a new Lariat.

I need 4x4 for on road snowy conditions.

Dealers around here rarely get 4x4 that isn’t FX4.

ive read all the “bounce” posts and reviews of FX4 handling. Totally understand it’s easier to change shocks than do the impossible and add Terrain Management after. Also FX4 should help resale as most SoCal drives wanting 4x4 would want off road.

here’s the question:

I can’t test drive an FX4. I’ll need to order one from afar for delivery. I did test drive an XLT rwd with sport package. It was fantastic. Ride wasn’t bouncy or floaty. It was perfect.

how close to this will the FX4 ride be? Or should I be chasing down a non FX4 4x4?

thanks!

I have a 19 4x2 lariat and an 20 4x4 lariat fx4 and I only have 200 miles on the 20. So far the 20 is less bouncy and wobbly than the 19 even though others say the opposite. The 19 has Eibach shocks now and that pretty well eliminated the wobble/bounce. Maybe it will get worse when totally loosened up, we will see. Good luck in your search Bret

 

[Tracy Bowman]

I’m about to pull the trigger on a new Lariat.

I need 4x4 for on road snowy conditions.

Dealers around here rarely get 4x4 that isn’t FX4.

ive read all the “bounce” posts and reviews of FX4 handling. Totally understand it’s easier to change shocks than do the impossible and add Terrain Management after. Also FX4 should help resale as most SoCal drives wanting 4x4 would want off road.

here’s the question:

I can’t test drive an FX4. I’ll need to order one from afar for delivery. I did test drive an XLT rwd with sport package. It was fantastic. Ride wasn’t bouncy or floaty. It was perfect.

how close to this will the FX4 ride be? Or should I be chasing down a non FX4 4x4?

thanks!

Others on here say it’s “bouncy”. To me, it’s not at all. Some say it makes them “motion sick”. I have suffered with motion sickness all my life & vertigo these last few years. I’ve never once felt motion sickness while driving or riding in my Ranger. But, as we all know, everyone is different. I think it’s a great truck and have no complaints at all after 18 months and 23,600 miles.

 

[Davejb]

Just a side note, it is extremely easy to add Terrain Management.

https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/threads/terrain-management-upgrade.4901/

 

[Big Blue]

Just a side note, it is extremely easy to add Terrain Management.

https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/threads/terrain-management-upgrade.4901/

I too have a 19 FX4 and do not find it bouncy. I actually enjoy riding in my truck better than my wife's 19 Mada 3 hatchback, less bumpy and harsh. A lot of the one who complain about the FX4 the most are off roaders. Mine is pretty much a blacktop prince, he's not a princess. Seems funny if most of what they order are FX4s that nobody has one for you to drive.

 

[Dmax]

I have a fX4 and replaced the rear shocks and will do the front. My wife drives a BMW X3 M40i. She finds the truck extremely bumpy. I don’t mind it too much. It really just depends on what your expectations are. Off road it’s great. Pavement another issue to some and my wife. When I could compress the rear shocks with my hands after replacing them, it confirmed how soft they were. Those are my two cents.

 

[JKocot]

I have a 2020 Lariat FX4 and love it. Ride is fine.

 

[Obijack]

Get the fx4

 

[cclayton]

Test drive both a 4x4 and fx4. IMO, absolutely no difference in ride quality between the two. I chose the FX4 solely for resale (probably won’t get rid of) and the added off-road features.

 

[ScottE22]

I can’t imagine you not being happy with the FX4. I feel like some people are extraordinarily sensitive to a “bouncy” ride. I had a 2014 F150 SuperCrew non-FX4 4x4 two vehicles ago and, to me, the Ranger has a far smoother ride.

They won’t allow you to make a deposit on the condition that you drive the vehicle before finalizing the purchase?

 

[CashSeeAO]

I have a ‘20 XLT FX4. I test drove a Sport non-FX4 and liked the ride. However I wanted the FX4 features for off roading. I went ahead and got an FX4 without driving it first. It turned out that both are very similar while driving around town...until I drove my FX4 from Albuquerque NM to Mesa AZ and back. The truck was too bouncy after hitting road bumps and potholes at 75-80 mph. It was bad to a point where I felt it was dangerous. After that experience, I swapped out all 4 FX4 shocks/struts for Bilstein B8 5100. That was the best decision ever! The ride is huge improvement.
As for your purchase, one option is to get the FX4 and see how you like it. Worse case is to swap out the struts/shocks if you can’t live with the bounce. Good luck.

 

[RANGER_MARC]

I’m about to pull the trigger on a new Lariat.

I need 4x4 for on road snowy conditions.

Dealers around here rarely get 4x4 that isn’t FX4.

ive read all the “bounce” posts and reviews of FX4 handling. Totally understand it’s easier to change shocks than do the impossible and add Terrain Management after. Also FX4 should help resale as most SoCal drives wanting 4x4 would want off road.

here’s the question:

I can’t test drive an FX4. I’ll need to order one from afar for delivery. I did test drive an XLT rwd with sport package. It was fantastic. Ride wasn’t bouncy or floaty. It was perfect.

how close to this will the FX4 ride be? Or should I be chasing down a non FX4 4x4?

thanks!

Hey, The Limey, welcome to the Forum. Just my own experience, for what it is worth. Like you, I don't really go off road, but I bought the FX4 for the bad roads and worse weather to come, and I don't regret it for a minute. I was at first shocked by how rough and bouncy the ride was, but the Ford/Fox Two-Inch Leveling Kit fixed that, while eliminating most of the forward rake, improving crossover angles, and moving the cabin up a bit. So, I was not planning on leveling the truck when I got the FX4, but it worked out great, even though it does add c. $2,000.00 to the price, depending on the solution one choses, and there are a ton of them out there now. So, yeah, based on what you say you want the truck for, I would say, get the 4XF and have the dealer install the Leveling Kit before you take possession. Nowadays, they can even include it in the financing. Happy trails!

 

[Blue Streak]

I’m about to pull the trigger on a new Lariat.

I need 4x4 for on road snowy conditions.

Dealers around here rarely get 4x4 that isn’t FX4.

ive read all the “bounce” posts and reviews of FX4 handling. Totally understand it’s easier to change shocks than do the impossible and add Terrain Management after. Also FX4 should help resale as most SoCal drives wanting 4x4 would want off road.

here’s the question:

I can’t test drive an FX4. I’ll need to order one from afar for delivery. I did test drive an XLT rwd with sport package. It was fantastic. Ride wasn’t bouncy or floaty. It was perfect.

how close to this will the FX4 ride be? Or should I be chasing down a non FX4 4x4?

thanks!

I also have an FX4x4. To me it rides like, well a truck which is what I expected. I liked the features that the FX package offered. I am happy with my purchase.

 

[AzScorpion]

I’m about to pull the trigger on a new Lariat.

I need 4x4 for on road snowy conditions.

Dealers around here rarely get 4x4 that isn’t FX4.

ive read all the “bounce” posts and reviews of FX4 handling. Totally understand it’s easier to change shocks than do the impossible and add Terrain Management after. Also FX4 should help resale as most SoCal drives wanting 4x4 would want off road.

here’s the question:

I can’t test drive an FX4. I’ll need to order one from afar for delivery. I did test drive an XLT rwd with sport package. It was fantastic. Ride wasn’t bouncy or floaty. It was perfect.

how close to this will the FX4 ride be? Or should I be chasing down a non FX4 4x4?

thanks!

By any chance is there a dealer near you with a F 150 that has one with the Fx4? You could try that and get a basic idea how it rides but as others have said it's really going to be subjective to your personal feel. For me I have no idea what others are talking about when they say it's "bouncy" ? It's a truck and rides like a truck, actually I think it rides really nice and smooth for a truck and so does everyone who's been in it. If you've owned trucks before then I wouldn't worry about it at all, buy one and enjoy it!

But beware...This site has been known to drain bank accounts mighty fast.

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