I think its time for some new shocks, I still have the stock ones and I'm a little over 98k. Any suggesstions on brand? I want good offroad performance but not too stiff on road.

 

I've always had good luck with Gabriel Gas Ryder LT's. That's what I'll use on mine when the time comes. AutoZone has a lifetime warranty on them too.

 

i just put some pro comps on mine and im not impressed. my front end still bounces up and down. they dont force themselves out. theyre more like a steering stabilizer.

 

I have had good luck with Bilsteins.

 

I figure anything will be an improvement from the stock shocks. I've heard good things about the Bilsteins.

 

I was thinking of going all out and getting Rancho's RS9000X 9-Way Adjustable Shocks. Going from stock shocks with 100K to those should be a godly change in the ride.

 

Ok so how do I chance my shocks? It may be a dumb question but I have never changed shocks in my life. I hear it is farily simple so how do I go about doing this?

 

Just nuts and bolts. It pretty easy. Just soak the threads with WD-40 or something fora few minutes to help them come off easier.

 

I like Bilsteins. It improved the ride of my truck

 

Fordman,

I can speak from experience (I changed mine today). It is not hard in any way. The hardest part for me was the upper rear mounts to the frame. It seems there is no way to get a deep socket in there so I used a combo wrench and since my hands are larger than the average bear, it took some time and two scraped knuckles. But after that, it was a piece of cake. I mounted my rear axle on jackstands, took the spare tire out and just soaked all of the threads in WD 40. I got the rears out and replaced in about a hour from first jacking my truck up. The fronts were about as fast, but I had a problem with the lower mounts fitting in the lower control arm brackets. I was getting close, but the holes weren't lining up. I used a screwdriver through the mounting holes to pry the shock into place. Whoever came up with the idea of mixing SAE and metric bolts on the same vehicle is a moron IMHO. Make sure you have 3/4" wrenches and sockets, 9/16" wrenches and sockets and a 13mm socket with an extension (front shock lower mount is hard to get to from one side and the nut and bolt are different sizes). I didn't have a low profile torque wrench, but I made due with what I had. I have heard good things about bilsteins too, but they were a bit too pricey for me. I got a set (4) of Rancho 5000's for $152.

 

erik_herrling-thanks for the info man I was actually looking at Rancho RSX because they are on sale, buy three get one free.


I dont have a torque wrench. Do i need one?

 

Bilstiens seem to be the best or some of the best although they cost more. I have Skyjacker shocks on my Ram and like them a lot also but not sure if you can get them without a lift or not. I also have some Monroe shocks on my other truck and they get the job done just fine also and were pretty cheap I would probably go with them again if I had to get shocks again. I have never done shocks on an F-150 but the trucks I have done them on they are simple. Basically the only problems I have had which I'm not sure if the F-150's are like this or not but is where the top of the shock mounts it is a shaft with two flat sides to put a wrench around it then loosen the nuts from it. Well they are usually all rusted together even after spraying PB blaster on them I haven't seen them come off too easily. Basically on the last truck I did I had to cut one side off and get the other side heated up with a torch and then got the nuts loose fairly easily. Not that hard though and I'm not sure you will have this problem last truck I Did was an 88 so old and had the nuts rusted on. You don't have to have a torque wrench just make sure they bolts are all tight. Really easy to change the shocks. Not sure if you will need a spring compressor on the F-150's or not.

 

Fordman,

I don't think it is absolutely necessary, but since I have one, I was using it. If you don't have one I don't think it is a big deal.

 

Fordman331, do you tow heavy loads very often? I have heard of people that have Bilstiens on the front, and Rancho rs9000's on the back. Sounds like a good set up because when you are towing you can make the shocks stiff than daily driving, and it saves some cash.
John
99 f-150 ext. cab(83k)
rear steel buper..grilleguard w/4 KC lights
tool box..bed linner
dual exaust..K&N air intake...<!-- / message --><!-- / message -->

 

How do you adjust the shocks?