Ranger bounces on road!

[Progeny2021]

Can they? Yes. Will they? That depends. Some dealerships don't mind at all and won't care, other than probably being a bit expensive.

You're more likely to find luck with a local suspension or off-road shop to do this for you than a dealership.

My local mechanic is well equipped with a 4 wheel alignment apparatus, etc. Someone mentioned previously about vehicles arriving with high tire pressures. I recall being told the factory raises the pressures to ease the alignment procedure at the factory - dealers are supposed to correct the pressures before delivery. The shop that installed my new shocks last week also raised the pressures up to 42psi before the alignment and set the values back to 32psi afterwards - same explanation. (stock image)

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[Danny15l]

Just installed front B8 shocks and rear OME nitro charged shocks in mine. I love the stance. The rear went down about an inch and the front raised about the same (front adjustable ride height shocks set at middle tick). They are just as comfortable on a flat surface as the stock FOMOCO shocks. With the new setup, going over bumps/grooves, the tires feel much more planted and quiet than stock. I cant but can wait to put bigger tires on since mine are still new… before and after photos.
After:

Before:

allignment was not needed, as I was told by the installation shop.

 

[Gizmokid2005]

Just installed front B8 shocks and rear OME nitro charged shocks in mine. I love the stance. The rear went down about an inch and the front raised about the same (front adjustable ride height shocks set at middle tick). They are just as comfortable on a flat surface as the stock FOMOCO shocks. With the new setup, going over bumps/grooves, the tires feel much more planted and quiet than stock. I cant but can wait to put bigger tires on since mine are still new… before and after photos.
After:

Before:

allignment was not needed, as I was told by the installation shop.

I would be hesitant to accept that an alignment wasn't needed. It's possible, but getting our front strut/spring assembly out of the truck typically requires breaking apart the knuckle from one or both ball joints, as well as potentially removing tie rod ends and/or sway bar links. If it drives fine for you, that's what matters, but I'd personally keep an eye on it.

 

[Danny15l]

I would be hesitant to accept that an alignment wasn't needed. It's possible, but getting our front strut/spring assembly out of the truck typically requires breaking apart the knuckle from one or both ball joints, as well as potentially removing tie rod ends and/or sway bar links. If it drives fine for you, that's what matters, but I'd personally keep an eye on it.

I remember replaced the front shocks on my old F-150, with torsion bars. The steering wheel was almost dead center after replacing them. To get that done all I had to do was remove the sway bar end link on both sides… jacking it up the right way is key to when you install the new shocks in place and cut the wire so they can expand.
Ranger: Yes the entire front suspension had to come apart. I would recommend following procedure from the factory and removing the axle from the hub. Lock tite and a torque wrench did the trick. The alignment feels better than before. Drives straight down the road. The front tires are visually perfectly aligned to the rear tires. I’ll watch for tire wear/cupping.

 

[Cjohn8503]

You're better off with an independent shop, or a mobile mechanic. I found someone who came to my house and swapped out my shocks in my own driveway in a couple of hours. But remember when replacing front shocks/springs you'll need an alignment, and it is impossible for a mobile mechanic to do that. Places like Meineke do that, though.

Good to know! Thank you

 

[Utah_Bound]

@P. A. Schilke Not sure if you had anything to do with factory FX4 shocks but they are pretty amazing at 110+! The soft and squish really let you fly ?

 

[P. A. Schilke]

@P. A. Schilke Not sure if you had anything to do with factory FX4 shocks but they are pretty amazing at 110+! The soft and squish really let you fly ?

Hi Scott,

On the 5G Ranger, no direct involvement, but the FX4 that I created carries the shock valving strategy that my Vehicle Dynamics engineer, Doug S learned from his involvement in my Off Road Racing Team of support engineers. If you search the threads on the creation of the FX4 brand you might see that the strategy for shocks evolved from our venture to create the FX4 brand. Make sense?

Best,
Phil

 

[Utah_Bound]

Hi Scott,

On the 5G Ranger, no direct involvement, but the FX4 that I created carries the shock valving strategy that my Vehicle Dynamics engineer, Doug S learned from his involvement in my Off Road Racing Team of support engineers. If you search the threads on the creation of the FX4 brand you might see that the strategy for shocks evolved from our venture to create the FX4 brand. Make sense?

Best,
Phil

I will look it up! It seems they perform better “at speed” if that makes sense!

 

[P. A. Schilke]

I will look it up! It seems they perform better “at speed” if that makes sense!

Hi Scott,

The strategy is to let the suspension work...not constrain it via damping...Long before Dave, the damper guy was in diapers... So in the knarley stuff, you can go much faster than a truck that has constipated shock valving...which most "on road" folks love...

This is blasphemy, but the aftermarket shock manufactures play a game...they know that if they make shocks like FX4 OEM, then the customer feels little improvement for the $ spent....a big disappointment. So they have to make changes that the purchaser will feel... And so the game is played. I know I have to retreat to the flame proof bunker for having stated this, but this is well known inside the automotive engineering community wrt vehicle dynamics.

Best,
Phil

 

[Dereku]

Hi Scott,

The strategy is to let the suspension work...not constrain it via damping...Long before Dave, the damper guy was in diapers... So in the knarley stuff, you can go much faster than a truck that has constipated shock valving...which most "on road" folks love...

This is blasphemy, but the aftermarket shock manufactures play a game...they know that if they make shocks like FX4 OEM, then the customer feels little improvement for the $ spent....a big disappointment. So they have to make changes that the purchaser will feel... And so the game is played. I know I have to retreat to the flame proof bunker for having stated this, but this is well known inside the automotive engineering community wrt vehicle dynamics.

Best,
Phil

Phil,

I would like you to come out of your bunker and share your opinion on this. I personally prefer slightly stiffer shocks but love more knowledge on the subject.

 

[Fawnbuster]

Bilstein 5100s x4 only set mine at about 1.5 inches then put the readylift spacers in, 1 on top of the shock and one at bottom. Got my level lift, got rid of the crappy oem ride (fx4) and it rides smoother than my wife's Lincoln MKX.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Phil,

I would like you to come out of your bunker and share your opinion on this. I personally prefer slightly stiffer shocks but love more knowledge on the subject.

Hi Derek,

Vehicle Ride and Handling tuning is such a contentious area. It depends on what you like for your normal driving. Most FX4 Rangers will see little off road experience, which is where the FX4 is tuned and results in somewhat under damped on road performance. The aftermarket shock manufacturers jump on this for incremental sales but they must recalibrate shocks so the custoer "feels" the change which justifies the customer's $ expenditure. Not sure if this is now the case, but Rancho Shocks were made by Monroe Manufacturing in Monroe Michigan. The OEM FX4 Shocks were also made by Monroe but painted black with a Ford Part number... So in reality, 4x4 Rangers should be ordered non FX4 if the owners wish for a more damped controlled "Boulevard" ride.

Make sense?

Best,
Phil

 

[AzScorpion]

Bilstein 5100s x4 only set mine at about 1.5 inches then put the readylift spacers in, 1 on top of the shock and one at bottom. Got my level lift, got rid of the crappy oem ride (fx4) and it rides smoother than my wife's Lincoln MKX.

Same here but I went with the Eibach. It's a night and day difference over the Fx4 suspension. I swear it was so bouncy I was waiting for the whole truck to fall apart.lol

 

[Fawnbuster]

Same here but I went with the Eibach. It's a night and day difference over the Fx4 suspension. I swear it was so bouncy I was waiting for the whole truck to fall apart.lol

Yup, I had read about folks putting all of the level lift at either the top or bottom, it levels but rides sacrificed. If your shock is always in the stiff zone there isn't much room for ride quality. I would set mine up the same way if I had to do it again. On my old Datsun 4x4 I had as a kid, we did a 2" body lift and added Rancho off-road shocks x4. It rode like a log wagon on the road but when you took a lil jump it stayed put when it came down. I had a company replace the in dash radio and when the truck touched down the radio popped out of the dash lol. I had that redone.

 

[Dereku]

Hi Derek,

Vehicle Ride and Handling tuning is such a contentious area. It depends on what you like for your normal driving. Most FX4 Rangers will see little off road experience, which is where the FX4 is tuned and results in somewhat under damped on road performance. The aftermarket shock manufacturers jump on this for incremental sales but they must recalibrate shocks so the custoer "feels" the change which justifies the customer's $ expenditure. Not sure if this is now the case, but Rancho Shocks were made by Monroe Manufacturing in Monroe Michigan. The OEM FX4 Shocks were also made by Monroe but painted black with a Ford Part number... So in reality, 4x4 Rangers should be ordered non FX4 if the owners wish for a more damped controlled "Boulevard" ride.

Make sense?

Best,
Phil

It actually makes complete sense. Thank you. This is why so many on the road complain of the bouncy nature of the truck.

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