So I saw an add on craigslist for some overload shock for a ranger... well they wouldn't fit my truck, but they got me thinking... I do a generous amount of towing and load on the bed of the truck... nothing over Ford specs, but if I can help the truck last longer... why not? so what are your thoughts on the shocks?
Monroe Sensa-Trac Load Adjusting Shock Absorbers - Ideal for Varying Loads or Tow Trailers

they are load adjusting, and designed for heavier weights... I'm not a fan of the air shocks, but I thought this could potentially be a nice upgrade for the rear of the ranger....

Thanks
Rafal

 

i can remember right, shocks dont hold any weight themselves. springs are what holds the weight. all those probably do is help keep it from excesive recoil.

 

Have you looked at the Roadmaster Active Suspension? I use it on my Excursion and it works great. They make it for the Ranger.

 

i dont go for the overload shocks, you are putting alot of stress on the shock mounts. i do like (and have) overload coils. mine are 1,200 pound rated. i know autozone has some 1,500 pound rated ones locally ( i put a set on the taurus to fix a weak strut spring issue) here is a pic of my ranger rear suspention. the coils dont touch the frame when the truck is unloaded. they come in contact with the frame at about when 200 pounds is in the bed. i think i paid about 25-30 bucks for the kit, comes with 2 springs and the u-bolts. the loop you see under the axle is a hose i slid over the bottom of the u-bolts to protect the threads. this set of springs i had on my first ranger, a '88 and i figure if i part ways with this truck someday, i'll keep the springs for the next one, again. and for those who are curious, heres a pic of my taurus suspention with a overload coil, in this case the spring is in constant contact with the underbody of the car, yes it rides rougher, but the headlight aim was horrible and the car was scraping its but over speedbumps. not now.

 

air shocks are fine for enabling minor adjustments in ride height, but overload/assist springs IMHO are best if you are towing something consistant that requires the additional capacity. Today's air shocks are much better than the originals in the 70's, which were basically "air sticks" (my terminology)- they typically caused a stiff ride, poor handling due to lack of give and during avaisive maneuvers where known to promote vehicle roll-over. Todays units use air to adjust the height but typically integrate a conventional shock assembly into the internals for general performance.

 

Keep in mind the shock mounts are designed to withstand far more load than you can imagine. I honestly cant say that i've seen any ever break off. I would not be worried about the extra load. Plus, the springs do not feel very stiff anyway. I've installed these in multiple vehicles. They work nice, but they are not as stiff as you would think.