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Testing Shocks

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Old Jun 23, 2019 | 08:26 PM
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Testing Shocks

Hey guys. So this isn’t a rant or complaint about how Super Duty’s ride- they are heavy duty trucks built to tow and haul and have E load range tires on them, etc. which all together contributes to a harsh ride when unloaded.

All that said, I think with 37k on my 2016 F-250 that my factory shocks are about dead and was wondering if it was a bad idea to pull one to verify. I’m looking at a new set of Bilstein 5100’s for $299 from Stage 3 Motorsports and just wanted to be sure before I pulled the trigger on it.
 
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Old Jun 23, 2019 | 11:38 PM
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I don't see why it would be a "bad idea" to pull one to test it, that said, I don't personally think it's worth the effort. If you look at them and you see oil; they're bad. Jump on the bumper. More than one or two up/down cycles means they're bad.

The factory ones are pretty cheap, and should last longer than 37k, but under tough conditions they could wear out prematurely.
 
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Old Jun 24, 2019 | 05:32 AM
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you could take a rear one loose and the axle and see how easy it is to compress.

I have 65K on my 2013 with the original shocks. No issues so I leave it alone.
 
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Old Jun 24, 2019 | 07:07 AM
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I took the driver side rear shock loose from the bottom mount this morning and it is toast. I can compress it fully with my hand without using too much force. New Bilstein’s from Stage 3 Motorsports should be here by the end of the week!

Just in time for a Florida trip I have coming up. We all know how horrible I-95 in South Carolina is!
 
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Old Jun 24, 2019 | 07:31 AM
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Originally Posted by Rob89
I took the driver side rear shock loose from the bottom mount this morning and it is toast. I can compress it fully with my hand without using too much force. New Bilstein’s from Stage 3 Motorsports should be here by the end of the week!

Just in time for a Florida trip I have coming up. We all know how horrible I-95 in South Carolina is!
Good call. The rears should be much stiffer than that. I had to use a jack to compress mine for install
 
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Old Jun 24, 2019 | 07:34 AM
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Originally Posted by A/Ox4
Good call. The rears should be much stiffer than that. I had to use a jack to compress mine for install
Oh wow! No jack needed this morning! Although thanks for the idea for installing the new ones!

I also noticed a couple other drivability things over the past couple months besides the rougher than normal ride which also led me to believe the shocks were no longer working.
 
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Old Jun 24, 2019 | 12:35 PM
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I was able to push in the rears by hand with some effort. it's more about how much resistance does it give you on a quick attempt to compress.
Mine were still good at 50k
 
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