Someone school me on different suspension setups
#1
02-09-2015
Someone school me on different suspension setups
Ive been looking into getting new shocks for my 2wd ranger. right now the shocks are pretty stiff and i feel just about every pebble on the road. when I'm on trails or something it gets to be a pretty bumpy ride. I've been looking at bilsteins and rancho. those seem to be pretty popular around here. my friend was telling me about coilovers, but i don't have money for that and i really don't know what those are lol. i would like to stay somewhere around $200-$300 for all four shocks. they would mainly be for on-road driving (probably 70% pavement, 30% trail). also i have some 3" spindles up front and what i think are 2" shackles, i don't know if this makes a difference or not in the size of shock. i'd just like to here some suggestions and your suspension setup or what works best or brands to stay away from. thanks guys
#2
02-09-2015
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Placentia, CA
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You will get lots of different opinions on here, but the general consensus is that bilsteins are ONE of the best shocks you can buy for the ranger. You can get all 4 in the $300 price range. You are going to want the yellow 4600s for the front. Your 3" spindles keep the shocks in the stock location so a stock length shock will work just fine. With the 2" shackles you will need longer shocks. I would put the silver 5100s in the back, you can get these for rangers with a 2" lift doing a quick search. By putting the 5100s in the back you will be in the $350 price range.
Personally, I have the 4600 yellow HD bilsteins and I absolutely love them. I will not put another shock on my truck. Again, just my opinion.
If you want to know more about coilovers search "coilover conversion" and "coilover bracket". This should yield you plenty of threads to learn about coilovers.
Personally, I have the 4600 yellow HD bilsteins and I absolutely love them. I will not put another shock on my truck. Again, just my opinion.
If you want to know more about coilovers search "coilover conversion" and "coilover bracket". This should yield you plenty of threads to learn about coilovers.
Last edited by redranger04g; 02-10-2015 at 11:33 AM.
#3
02-10-2015
Let some air out of your tires............softer ride
Shocks don't support the vehicle, torsion bars and/or springs do(not counting "air inflatable" shocks for load leveling)
Shocks are there to dampen the bouncing of the 'springs'.
This dampening is determined by the valving in the shocks, the "rebound" and "compression" numbers are the valving, but most shock makers don't publish these numbers, lol, go figure.
It all depends on what the driver wants, softer ride which also effects cornering, or stiffer ride which can blur the vision and jar the kidneys on a washboard road, lol.
Shocks can't over come "too much spring", pickup trucks need to have heavier springs in the rear to accommodate maximum load(1/2 ton), making an unloaded truck very stiff in the rear, the shocks don't even come into play on small bumps most of the time, springs don't move/flex at all, bump is just transferred directly to the frame, and you.
If there is too much spring in the rear there is not much you can do about it except change the springs, adding a load at the rear of the bed can help, and lower tire pressure.
Torsion bars up front are adjustable, so you can soften and stiffen the ride.
Bilsteins are a good choice, they tend to run over 300psi of pressure which reduces the chance of losing rebound effect on multiple quick compressions.
Shocks don't support the vehicle, torsion bars and/or springs do(not counting "air inflatable" shocks for load leveling)
Shocks are there to dampen the bouncing of the 'springs'.
This dampening is determined by the valving in the shocks, the "rebound" and "compression" numbers are the valving, but most shock makers don't publish these numbers, lol, go figure.
It all depends on what the driver wants, softer ride which also effects cornering, or stiffer ride which can blur the vision and jar the kidneys on a washboard road, lol.
Shocks can't over come "too much spring", pickup trucks need to have heavier springs in the rear to accommodate maximum load(1/2 ton), making an unloaded truck very stiff in the rear, the shocks don't even come into play on small bumps most of the time, springs don't move/flex at all, bump is just transferred directly to the frame, and you.
If there is too much spring in the rear there is not much you can do about it except change the springs, adding a load at the rear of the bed can help, and lower tire pressure.
Torsion bars up front are adjustable, so you can soften and stiffen the ride.
Bilsteins are a good choice, they tend to run over 300psi of pressure which reduces the chance of losing rebound effect on multiple quick compressions.
Last edited by RonD; 02-10-2015 at 12:13 PM.
#4
02-10-2015
Let some air out of your tires............softer ride
Shocks don't support the vehicle, torsion bars and/or springs do(not counting "air inflatable" shocks for load leveling)
Shocks are there to dampen the bouncing of the 'springs'.
This dampening is determined by the valving in the shocks, the "rebound" and "compression" numbers are the valving, but most shock makers don't publish these numbers, lol, go figure.
It all depends on what the driver wants, softer ride which also effects cornering, or stiffer ride which can blur the vision and jar the kidneys on a washboard road, lol.
Shocks can't over come "too much spring", pickup trucks need to have heavier springs in the rear to accommodate maximum load(1/2 ton), making an unloaded truck very stiff in the rear, the shocks don't even come into play on small bumps most of the time, springs don't move/flex at all, bump is just transferred directly to the frame, and you.
If there is too much spring in the rear there is not much you can do about it except change the springs, adding a load at the rear of the bed can help, and lower tire pressure.
Torsion bars up front are adjustable, so you can soften and stiffen the ride.
Bilsteins are a good choice, they tend to run over 300psi of pressure which reduces the chance of losing rebound effect on multiple quick compressions.
Shocks don't support the vehicle, torsion bars and/or springs do(not counting "air inflatable" shocks for load leveling)
Shocks are there to dampen the bouncing of the 'springs'.
This dampening is determined by the valving in the shocks, the "rebound" and "compression" numbers are the valving, but most shock makers don't publish these numbers, lol, go figure.
It all depends on what the driver wants, softer ride which also effects cornering, or stiffer ride which can blur the vision and jar the kidneys on a washboard road, lol.
Shocks can't over come "too much spring", pickup trucks need to have heavier springs in the rear to accommodate maximum load(1/2 ton), making an unloaded truck very stiff in the rear, the shocks don't even come into play on small bumps most of the time, springs don't move/flex at all, bump is just transferred directly to the frame, and you.
If there is too much spring in the rear there is not much you can do about it except change the springs, adding a load at the rear of the bed can help, and lower tire pressure.
Torsion bars up front are adjustable, so you can soften and stiffen the ride.
Bilsteins are a good choice, they tend to run over 300psi of pressure which reduces the chance of losing rebound effect on multiple quick compressions.
#5
02-10-2015
#6
02-10-2015
#7
02-10-2015
#9
02-10-2015
Thanks again.
No never worked for Ford, I like their trucks especially Rangers, I am tall and rangers have more head room than most 'smaller' trucks.
I do drive GM cars though, I like them better than Ford cars, for the same reason, Fords cars just don't have the head room GM does, I know it is model specific but it just seems that the models I like in Ford cars just don't have any head room for me.
I am just a general wrencher, been one since I got my first bicycle and then mini-bike, my grandfather worked as a mechanic all his life, independent shop.
He told me if I wanted to ride'm or drive'm I better know how to fix'm, lol, words to live by.
I went to his shop after school almost every day, cleaned up mostly, but did learn alot of the basic, that was back in the '60s, yes I am old, lol.
I have never made a living as a mechanic just worked on cars and trucks all my life, and enjoy it.
I know some stuff about rangers because I have owned a few, but most of the stuff I know is just general knowledge about vehicles.
No never worked for Ford, I like their trucks especially Rangers, I am tall and rangers have more head room than most 'smaller' trucks.
I do drive GM cars though, I like them better than Ford cars, for the same reason, Fords cars just don't have the head room GM does, I know it is model specific but it just seems that the models I like in Ford cars just don't have any head room for me.
I am just a general wrencher, been one since I got my first bicycle and then mini-bike, my grandfather worked as a mechanic all his life, independent shop.
He told me if I wanted to ride'm or drive'm I better know how to fix'm, lol, words to live by.
I went to his shop after school almost every day, cleaned up mostly, but did learn alot of the basic, that was back in the '60s, yes I am old, lol.
I have never made a living as a mechanic just worked on cars and trucks all my life, and enjoy it.
I know some stuff about rangers because I have owned a few, but most of the stuff I know is just general knowledge about vehicles.
#10
02-11-2015
Thanks again.
No never worked for Ford, I like their trucks especially Rangers, I am tall and rangers have more head room than most 'smaller' trucks.
I do drive GM cars though, I like them better than Ford cars, for the same reason, Fords cars just don't have the head room GM does, I know it is model specific but it just seems that the models I like in Ford cars just don't have any head room for me.
I am just a general wrencher, been one since I got my first bicycle and then mini-bike, my grandfather worked as a mechanic all his life, independent shop.
He told me if I wanted to ride'm or drive'm I better know how to fix'm, lol, words to live by.
I went to his shop after school almost every day, cleaned up mostly, but did learn alot of the basic, that was back in the '60s, yes I am old, lol.
I have never made a living as a mechanic just worked on cars and trucks all my life, and enjoy it.
I know some stuff about rangers because I have owned a few, but most of the stuff I know is just general knowledge about vehicles.
No never worked for Ford, I like their trucks especially Rangers, I am tall and rangers have more head room than most 'smaller' trucks.
I do drive GM cars though, I like them better than Ford cars, for the same reason, Fords cars just don't have the head room GM does, I know it is model specific but it just seems that the models I like in Ford cars just don't have any head room for me.
I am just a general wrencher, been one since I got my first bicycle and then mini-bike, my grandfather worked as a mechanic all his life, independent shop.
He told me if I wanted to ride'm or drive'm I better know how to fix'm, lol, words to live by.
I went to his shop after school almost every day, cleaned up mostly, but did learn alot of the basic, that was back in the '60s, yes I am old, lol.
I have never made a living as a mechanic just worked on cars and trucks all my life, and enjoy it.
I know some stuff about rangers because I have owned a few, but most of the stuff I know is just general knowledge about vehicles.
#11
02-11-2015
That's cool, Ron. We're certainly glad to have you around. Folks like yourself that join forums to pass on so much knowledge without expecting anything in return are few and far between. Like Ryan said, you remind me a lot of Bob as well. Bob still logs on, but doesn't post as much as he used to. He's a wiring and motor swap guru.
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General Ford Ranger Discussion
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