Kytann

I've had a couple of private messages asking about the coilovers, and they show some confusion. So I'll try to clear up the confusion.

The 2.0 or 2.5 in the name of the FOX and Icon coil-over shocks are not a reference to the lift they provide. They are a reference to the shock diameter. The greater the diameter, the greater the heat dissipation and the greater the heat capacity of the shock. This benefits sustained high speeds over rough terrain. For reference the stock shocks and the Ranchos are slightly less than 2.0" diameter.

Generally if you are asking about lift, than you will not be running at high speeds, and therefore the Fox 2.0's would be fine for you.

If you look at the pictures you will see the coil-overs have a threaded shock body. This allows you to turn that bottom collar and adjust them to the height that you want. Whatever you want, in between 0" and 3". It actually looks like there is more adjustment than that, but I do not own them personally so that's just a guess.

So if you really wanted to level your truck you could get these and adjust in 0.1" increments until it's perfectly level.

Kytann

As someone just pointed out to me. The FOX shocks, both the 2.0 and 2.5 are adjustable from 0 - 2" of lift according to the FOX website. My mistake for the typo.

For some reason I cannot edit my original post. Mods?

sundogtune

all the info given on this site is very useful, but it has done nothing but confuse me even more. i just want to level the front of my truck and install 285/75/18 tires. i dont do alot of off roading ( just the beach, and slightly rutted dirt roads) was going to go with a spacer but thought that would put to much stress on my front end. so then was going with the bilstiens. now sounds like the lower perch, at highest setting, is crap.and the ranchos sound like they suck. and with the foxs i might be slamming my new big tires into the wheel well. so now i dont know what to get. ANY SUGGESTIONS???

Kytann

I would suggest going with the Ranchos. The diameter thing isn't going to matter at the speeds you're going, and the ease of installation is awesome. In other words you'll never build up enough heat in the Ranchos for their disadvantage to matter, on dirt roads and the beach.

Kamakaze10

Quick question. If I have a 2wd will the rancho quicklift work even if its listed as a 4x4 application? I'm getting yes and no answers, so wanted to see what y'all think or know.

NOLAGT

So the ranchos are the only ones you can adjust the ride comfort? I am looking to level mine and I like how the truck handles now. I had a rancho 4" lift with the adj 9500's on a 05 f150 and it was too soft...would the quick lift only do the same? So I am at a loss as to what to get...I dont really want the 5100's since I seen a few brake...not that i ever offroad really....just dont want that to be possible.

Kytann

I do not know the difference between 2WD and 4WD suspensions. Your best bet is to call and ask Rancho directly. Their phone number is on the GoRancho.com site.

Kytann

Well when I made this list they were the only ones that were adjustable. At least in the lower price range.

However just by virtue of it's triple tube design it's going to be harsher and less controlled at the same time than a Mono-tube design. Look up some videos on youtube comparing a twin-tube to a mono-tube. Then imagine the triple tube design, and you'll see why some people hate them.

What the Rancho does have gong for it are an extreme ease of installation. It's already assembled with the spring, so you just unbolt your springpack and bolt these in. It can be a 2 hour job max in your driveway (provided you have the strength to turn the 200 ft-lb bottom bolts). And they are good enough for most people.

The Bilsteins I would recommend professional installation. If not the whole thing than at least the changing of the spring packs.

It seems like the Bilstein failures were really limited to using the highest setting (2.5") and off-roading. Even gentle off-roading. If you plan on using a lower setting and staying on-road you should be fine with the Bilsteins.

If I had to do it over again I'd do the Icon Coilovers. If I couldn't afford that, I'd go with the Rancho, even though they are not a mono-tube design. I want to like the Bilsteins, as I've used them in the past and loved them. Loved them way better than the Old Man Emu shocks, if you are familiar with those. But just too many failure rates on the Bilsteins.

As for whether they'll be stiff enough for you or not, none of us can answer that. We can say that others have found the soft setting too soft and the hard setting too stiff. So there does seem to be enough adjustment.

Kytann

Also something to consider when we are discussing hard and soft shock settings. There is a distinct difference between high speed damping and low speed damping. Which has nothing to do with vehicle speed, but the speed the shock moves in and out.
Low speed is when the shock is moving slow, which is usually large movements. Like cresting a hill on the highway, controlling your cornering forces, things of that nature.
High speed damping is when the shock is moving fast. Like when you drive over expansion joints on the road. Harsh square edges that you drive over are the most extreme example of this.

Cheap twin tube shocks, or triple like the Ranchos typically have soft low speed damping and stiff high speed damping. The worst of them feel floaty and un controlled, while at the same time busy over the small stuff and harsh. This can rattle your teeth out on the dirt washboard roads, yet still have alot of body lean when cornering.

Well designed Mono-tube shocks like the Bilsteins, or especially the ones used by Icon, tend to have very stiff low speed damping. This makes them feel controlled at all times, like when towing, cornering, driving at high speed. Yet at the same time soft on the high-speed damping, so that all of the little business of say our dirt road example, just disapears underneath the truck.


If the Bilstiens were made more physically solid (so they didn't break), and sold in a kit form with the spring already attached, they would totally dominate the market.

Fx4_5.0Man

iTrader: (1)

Ive been trying to get Rancho to give me their spring rate for these, but they wont seem to budge. I don't want to end up with a one size fits all spring, so I havn't bitten the bullet yet.

I do know they list two applications, 2wd and 4wd. 4wd is probably stiffer, but FORD has a ton of spring rates for these trucks.