Just installed a Ranch Quick Lift onto my '05 F-150 HD 4x4 and thought you'd like a report. It lifted the front exactly 2 inches on my truck (they list a range between 1 and 2.5 inches), which will allow the fitment of 285/75R-17 tires. They say you can fit up to 35s. It didn't quite level the truck, but the 8200 GVW trucks sit about a half inch higher in back than the regular trucks, so no foul. I like a little rake! Not that "constantly downhill" stock look, though.

I got the RS9000XL shocks in back too. Both the front and back shocks are adjustable, so you can tune the ride. They have a remote adjustable unit for them but it's the old generation, clunky, and I figured I could do without. There is a new version of the remote setup coming out, I hear, that might be better.

Anyway, the Quick lift comes with new struts up front that you install the original springs onto. They come with the special pivoting bushings you gotta have for the bottom attachment. With a spring compressor it was an easy insto.

The ride is a night-and-day improvement... awesome. Even better now that I have been playing with the adjustments. My original shocks and struts only had 9K on them so I got to see how much better than "Good OE" the Ranchos are. I had a set of the old-generation Rancho 9000s on another truck and they were 10 years old when I sold the truck and still going strong.

 

Can you explain the improvement in ride. Harder softer, better rebound etc.. I dont like a jarring ride that rattles the steering wheel ever time you contact a bump.

 

Better ride to me is smoother. Less oscillation after a bump. The Ranchos help smooth out those small bumps that makes it kinda "skitter." The suspension frequency seems lower, like it's dampening better on compression and rebound. I like that you can tune the front and rear individually. Right now the front is on 3 and the rear is 2. I may bump the front up to 4 and the rear up to 3. It will always be a truck but my opinion is that the ride quality (in the way my own "butt NVH detector" judges it) has improved measurably from stock. Combined with my tuning the tire pressure via a load inflation chart, this truck is riding as good as a low GVW truck. Not as good as a car but light years above my F250HD. The stock Load Range E General Grabbers (with nylon cords that go bumpita-bump when cold) aren't helping ride quality much but those are soon to change and after I retune the shocks and tires, it'll be as "Caddy-like" as I can make it and still call it a truck.

 

So how much is the total price?

 

That varies, of course. I'll leave it to you to shop and find your best deal.

 

Thanks Jim, I've been trying to decide between the Rancho or Bilstein adjustables but haven't had any luck finding opinions on the Quick Lifts. This helps, thanks for the review.

 

I heard that rancho came out with this, but you're the first person I see running them.

I've got the adjustable 9000s myself, and they're great. Really like them when towing.

Keep them around 4 when driving. I usually do light towing and hauling often, so don't want them to be to soft (1 or 2 setting).

 

The Bilstein is also a fine product and I agonized a bit over the choice. The tunability of the Rancho really is a plus to me, because you can set up for changes in load or tire changes in the future. I have found Bilstein valving to be on the stiff side. That may not apply to their F150 products, but most of the other Bilsteins I have owned or tested definitely used "sport" valving. I'm at that mid-50s stage of life where I like a little more comfort when I can get it.

I also like Rancho products because they are a part of Tenneco, who produce Monroe shocks and many shock and suspension components for the OE. They have a very large, accomplished, capable and modern R&D lab to do all the OE shock tuning and their aftermarket Rancho products also benefit from this capability.