I was wondering since ford made the 08+ 4x4's sit lower in all. I know they changed the keys out and i have already fixed that issue. So my other thought was maybe they put a shorter shock on it also since they took 2in of height out. Does anyone think this could be a possibility i haven't compared my shocks to any 98-07 4x4's yet.

So if anyone has a 98-07 4x4 non-lifted would you mind measuring one of your front shocks?

I know this is a random thought in all but who knows.. I never thought about this until i tried cranking my torsion bars and i was halfway cranked and my shocks where maxed out.

(and Yes they are the stock rancho's that came on my Ranger)

Thoughts anyone?

 

I didn't think they were any shorter... but if no one replies I can measure my stock Bilsteins tomorrow night. It's too dark in shed out back to find them!

 

alright i was hoping for some one who had a fx4 with stock rancho's 07 or older..
because some shocks made by a different manufacturer may be a hair shorter or longer but ya ur bilsteins may give me an idea i havent got to pull one of my ranchos off yet. I will be pulling them off tomorrow for sure to get a fully extended measurement.

 

I think Ranchos are just 08+ aren't they?

 

oo see i dont know maybe they are just 08+
Well i guess well see when some other people start chiming in. Who knows i may have unlocked the second mystery of the 08+ lowered 4x4 rangers... lol

 

i wouldnt put anything past ford. if it was cheaper to put smaller shocks you know they would have tried to do it

 

Ya i know that's exactly what i was thinking! They just made it sound cool and supposedly "better" because their Rancho offroad shocks. Lol

 

I believe pre 08 also had ranchos, only level IIs had the bilstiens. I was also intrested in knowing this, so I went to fords site and looked up the different years, but they gave so many choices. I went to autozones website, and looked up rear shocks for an 06 4wd ranger, then an 08 4wd ranger, and it gave me the same part number for both years, so I dont think its any big deal.

 

but the ordeal is the front shocks, not the rear. The rear only lost 1in while the front lost close to 2inches of height. Ford may have put shorter shocks on the 08+ 4x4's to compensate for the lower center of gravity. I'm not saying they did, this is all in theory so well see what the results are when someone pre-08 4x4 measures one of their "front shocks" for us. Till then my question hasn't been answered lol. no offense mj.

 

i checked the autozone website and a 2005 4x4 ranger 4.0l sohc has 2 bilstein front shock part numbers F4BE52791H0, F4BE5E675H0 and the 08 4x4 4.0l sohc with a bilstein front shock has one matching part number... F4BE52791H0. Im going to research in deph a little more as to what is the difference in the two shocks.. idk why they wouldnt offer the same front shocks for the 08 as they do for the 05. ill do some research i guess.

 

Intresting, im curious to know this to now, as I am prekeyd, with adjusters at stock setting.

Edit, I just looked up an 06 on autozones site, and I got this part number F4BE52791H0.

 

on the bilstein site i compared the 05 to the 08. and well needless to say i got the same results they both are offered they same shocks with same part numbers.. accept the 05 is offered the 5100's fr/rr while the 08 is not as blessed to to be offered the 5100's... ( we know they will fit of course ) but kinda makes me wonder why their not offered for the 08 4x4's.... WE NEED MEASUREMENTS... lol which is something i have yet to find on any of these shocks yet lol..

 

Yeah, my concern was just being able to leave mine on there with the prekeys, which seem to be doing fine so far lol. As long as 06s take the same shocks as the 08, theres no reason they shouldent work, since 06's have the prekeys.

Edit, I was looking at theyre site to, but even on an 05 I dont see the 5100s offered for a 4wd, only 2wd. All the 4wd ones are the same though 08 it looks like.

 

Hey Richard they actually only lowered the 08+'s 1". So I would see no reason to go to a shorter shock. They reason for lowering was a more comfortable ride.

 

Yeah, and like we've found out, when you buy replacements, they are the same part numbers for previous years.

 

Yeah.... back in the discovery of the reason for the "slammed" '08's, I did alot of part number checks and came to the conclusion that the only difference between 07's and 08's are what we already know: keys and blocks.


PreKey'd usually = totally level ride height.
Prekey'd + Shackle = stock-like rake, only taller.
PreKey'd + Tbar crank + Shackle = level tall, NORMAL HEIGHT. lol.

I know the big variable here is the tbar crank. DisturbedESV's '08 is stock rear, prekey'd front, very very minimal crank and it does sit lower than other trucks of the same build. But it sits dead level and she's got ton's of crank room left.

 

Ya its weird tho cause i tried max my bars out for curiosity of seeing how much height itd give. My shocks limited it and only gave me barely a inch of lift before it just would'nt go up anymore with about a 1 1/2 inch's of thread left.. O didnt pre-key i used readylift keys before the discovery of pre-keys.

sad to say i wasted some cash..

Could be that the previous owner put the wrong length shocks on but who knows. I think ill just measure them when i get the chance and buy a set of shocks that are a inch or so longer. Maybe that will cure my issue.