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I am fairly new to this site, and recently got an '06 4x4 xlt. It is pretty basic, crank windows and all that stuff. My last one was an '05 fx4 lvl II, so this was a bit of a step down in terms of features, but it's still a good truck. I do some moderate off-roading on the side, and was looking for a good set of shocks.
I liked how the Bilstein's on the lvl II felt, and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions that weren't too expensive. The ones on the xlt hit bumps pretty hard, and I was looking for something that wouldn't break my budget with a part time job and school to finish. The truck is the stock height, and I don't really want to crank the T-bars at all so the ball joints and other things are not affected. Anyone have any recommendations that are good both on and off-road?
I have ridden in many Rangers and, IMO, the best OE Ranger shocks by far were the Level II Bilsteins. Worth the price; worth the wait if necessary.
Something to watch out for: the Bilsteins that Ford used as original equipment were valved to Ford's specs. Off-the-shelf replacements from the Bilstein catalog may or may not have similar valving and performance. I can remember posts by LII owners who had used replacement Bilstein shocks that looked exactly like the originals but did not deliver the ride of the originals. I don't know how you would guarantee that Bilsteins from the aftermarket are what you're looking for.
You could try to order OE-spec Bilsteins from a Ford dealer but expect to pay a LOT more per shock. That would assume, of course, that they are still in the Ford parts system after so many years .... maybe not.
I really liked the lvl II Bilstein's as well, but know they are hard to find. Have you had any experience with any good aftermarket shocks, like Rancho's, or other Bilstein's?
I really liked the lvl II Bilstein's as well, but know they are hard to find. Have you had any experience with any good aftermarket shocks, like Rancho's, or other Bilstein's?
I’ve got Bilsteins on my 2010 and wish I’d have just got them the 1st time around.......I cheated out the 1st time and bought monroe Oe Spectrum complete waste of my time and $$$$$$$$$
I’ve got Bilsteins on my 2010 and wish I’d have just got them the 1st time around.......I cheated out the 1st time and bought monroe Oe Spectrum complete waste of my time and $$$$$$$$$
What series of Bilstein's do you have, and do you do anything offroad with them?
I've always put bilstein 4600s on all my trucks. Like everyone else said they are worth the extra money and I think they are actually priced pretty good for their quality. If your really on a budget the Monroe sensa-trak light truck shocks are cheaper and not bad shocks IMO but not anywhere as good as the bilsteins.
What series of Bilstein's do you have, and do you do anything offroad with them?
I have the 4600s’ as they don’t make the 5100 series for a 4x4......cant say I do any off-road, unless u consider driving on these shitty Michigan roads as such.......I will say with these and the horrible roads we have the trk is much more predictable.......and smoother riding.....Truly was nerve racking when I had the Monroe’s as the trk liked to bounce All over the road!!!!
The 4600 and the 5100 series Bilstein shocks are exactly the same shock, the difference is the 5100 series is for lifted trucks from 0 to 4 inch of height increase.
I always felt the Ford tuned Bilstein shocks that come on my 02 FX4 were a little too soft for serious off-road. I installed new Bilstein tuned shocks at around 100K miles and they were better. I think they are just as smooth on pavement but have better control off-road. I have always used Bilstein shocks on every vehicle that Bilstein had shocks for. I even had them on a 73 Pinto wagon, and it was very impressive in corners.
Bilstein did not have shocks for my 73 FJ55 Landcruiser. I found KYB Gas-A-Just shocks work well on it but would have switched to Bilstein in an instant if they were available. KYB are less expensive than Bilstein and are similar in design and performance but are about a 1/2 step down from Bilstein.
I always felt the Ford tuned Bilstein shocks that come on my 02 FX4 were a little too soft for serious off-road. I installed new Bilstein tuned shocks at around 100K miles and they were better. I think they are just as smooth on pavement but have better control off-road. I have always used Bilstein shocks on every vehicle that Bilstein had shocks for. I even had them on a 73 Pinto wagon, and it was very impressive in corners.
Bilstein did not have shocks for my 73 FJ55 Landcruiser. I found KYB Gas-A-Just shocks work well on it but would have switched to Bilstein in an instant if they were available. KYB are less expensive than Bilstein and are similar in design and performance but are about a 1/2 step down from Bilstein.
Hey could you tell me the model number you got? I've been trying to find the right Bilsteins for off-roading in my 06' FX4 Level II, thanks!
I’d honestly just go with Bilstein 4600s and not overthink it 😄 For a stock-height 4x4 Ranger, they’re probably the best balance of comfort, handling, and price. A lot of people on forums and Reddit say the difference compared to cheap Monroe shocks or worn factory ones is huge — less bouncing, better control on dirt roads, and way nicer behavior on the highway.
If your budget is really tight, you could also look at KYB Gas-a-Just or Rancho RS5000s, but the Bilsteins still tend to feel more “premium” overall. And honestly, you’re making the right call not messing with the torsion bars — for a daily-driven truck, that usually causes more front-end wear than it’s worth.
