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Langwilliams

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Kinda of in the same boat, OP. I didn't read all 6 pages yet but just wanted to mention that my truck is still new to me (2 months old) and I think the stock suspension has 2 sides to it.
1. Its floaty, which I love. What's wrong with a little Cadillac-like ride every now and then?
2. Its harsh over bumps, which I don't love.

Everybody says to get the Bilstein 5100's but I'm unsure how that will change things. [ people say things like, "it rides how it should've been from the factory" which doesn't really tell me much] I'd be really happy to somehow keep the float and lose the harshness but I'm unsure if there's a setup to accommodate me.
The rears only made a night an day difference IMO. It doesn't change the stiffness, it just limits the rocking side to side in my case. I'd leave my condo parking lot an it was a decent transition you took while turning. It would leave my truck rocking side to side 4 or 5 times before stopping. Changing the rears stopped the rocking after one rock each way.
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Rockhound

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My wife drives a taco and I can attest to the ride being better than my Ranger, so if you want a car like ride buy a Taco. The Ranger has more room and is comfortable compared to the Taco. They are both good trucks and both have pro's and con's..
Yep, I have owned both Toyota and Ford . A 1986 4x4 XtraCab from new till 2020, and 2000 F150 4x4 XLT Supercab from new to 2020. When I looked to replace the F150, I tested Taco's and the Ranger. The Ranger had more power and better gas mileage, so it won out this round.
 
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Kinda of in the same boat, OP. I didn't read all 6 pages yet but just wanted to mention that my truck is still new to me (2 months old) and I think the stock suspension has 2 sides to it.
1. Its floaty, which I love. What's wrong with a little Cadillac-like ride every now and then?
2. Its harsh over bumps, which I don't love.

Everybody says to get the Bilstein 5100's but I'm unsure how that will change things. [ people say things like, "it rides how it should've been from the factory" which doesn't really tell me much] I'd be really happy to somehow keep the float and lose the harshness but I'm unsure if there's a setup to accommodate me.
I switched to Fox rear shocks at the same time I upgraded to the Icon UCA's and the Fox 2.0 coilovers from @Stage3Motorsports. It gives more of a controlled feel to the ride.
People advise adding weight, or lowering tire pressure. Both hurt gas mileage and more weight slows acceleration.
Swapping rear springs to a multi leaf, in my opinion, will smooth out the rear and add articulation in the rough stuff.
 

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I switched to Fox rear shocks at the same time I upgraded to the Icon UCA's and the Fox 2.0 coilovers from @Stage3Motorsports. It gives more of a controlled feel to the ride.
People advise adding weight, or lowering tire pressure. Both hurt gas mileage and more weight slows acceleration.
Swapping rear springs to a multi leaf, in my opinion, will smooth out the rear and add articulation in the rough stuff.
Depending on the rear spring will depend on whether or not articulation will increase.
 

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Yep, I have owned both Toyota and Ford . A 1986 4x4 XtraCab from new till 2020, and 2000 F150 4x4 XLT Supercab from new to 2020. When I looked to replace the F150, I tested Taco's and the Ranger. The Ranger had more power and better gas mileage, so it won out this round.
A question about your handle, you're a Rockhound? So do I, curious where you go or what ya like, or are you a rock climber..
 


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I switched to Fox rear shocks at the same time I upgraded to the Icon UCA's and the Fox 2.0 coilovers from @Stage3Motorsports. It gives more of a controlled feel to the ride.
People advise adding weight, or lowering tire pressure. Both hurt gas mileage and more weight slows acceleration.
Swapping rear springs to a multi leaf, in my opinion, will smooth out the rear and add articulation in the rough stuff.
Are you worried about your lap times between each red lght or something?

If adding 200-300lbs of weight to the truck wll make someone worried abot mpg hit then why buy a truck in the first place? Sand bags will be a lot more effective at calming the rear suspension than leaf springs. Completely filled gas tank is around 95-100lbs or so...

These are heavy ass trucks, not cars man.
 
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A question about your handle, you're a Rockhound? So do I, curious where you go or what ya like, or are you a rock climber..
My favorite trails were at Los Coyotes, since closed. Then Hammers. Outer Limits was always a favorite. Now anything in the San Bernadino's.
My good friend, Hootman, always called me Maddog. When I wanted to build a rock crawler out of my '85 4x4 XtraCab, I joined Marlin's Forum @MarlinCrawler and had to come up with a handle. So the rock crawling Maddog became part rock, part dog....Rockhound, with a nod to geologists. They dig rocks and so do I.
 
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Are you worried about your lap times between each red lght or something?

If adding 200-300lbs of weight to the truck wll make someone worried abot mpg hit then why buy a truck in the first place? Sand bags will be a lot more effective at calming the rear suspension than leaf springs. Completely filled gas tank is around 95-100lbs or so...

These are heavy ass trucks, not cars man.
Not worried about lap times between lights. I'm not going in a circle. I think you mean elapsed time.

I bought a truck in the first place for work and I was getting 27 mpg loaded with tools. I'm getting great gas mileage and I want to modify the ride for off-road and highway.
The aftereffects of lowering tire pressure or adding weight isn't a quick fix I want to do to address the stiff rear mono leaf.
 

RedDakooter05

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Not worried about lap times between lights. I'm not going in a circle. I think you mean elapsed time.

I bought a truck in the first place for work and I was getting 27 mpg loaded with tools. I'm getting great gas mileage and I want to modify the ride for off-road and highway.
The aftereffects of lowering tire pressure or adding weight isn't a quick fix I want to do to address the stiff rear mono leaf.
Yes, I should have said elapsed time so you got me there.

But why not toss a few sand bags in the bed and see how it goes. $5 or so per tube, not a terrible price if you don't get the desired results.
 
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Yes, I should have said elapsed time so you got me there.

But why not toss a few sand bags in the bed and see how it goes. $5 or so per tube, not a terrible price if you don't get the desired results.
An old drag racing trick was to add weight over the rear tires for traction.

That seems to be the popular consensus. From my crawling days, more weight did help with compression when getting twisted and it smoothed the ride on the road.
I might have to accept the trade off for now. Keep less weight and rough ride for more acceleration or more weight for smooth ride and fewer G's. :)
 

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I have a 2020 Ranger XLT 4x4 Supercab with Fox 2.0 shocks and Icon UCA’s.
My wife doesn’t like riding in the truck because of the stiff ride.
I’d like to swap out the rear springs to smooth out the ride some.
I know APG Deavers, OME and Icon have aftermarket rears. I also have North County Spring that could build a pack.
All it takes is money.
I’m wondering if removing the stock bump stops will eliminate that hard hit the rear takes. Has anybody tried that?
What did you end up doing with the suspension? If you did something, did it help?
 
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Only swapped out bump stop to Icon bumps and added weight to bed. Still running stock monoleaf. Nothing changed.
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