Best Shocks For Ford F150 4×4

Best Shocks For Ford F150 4×4

1. Rancho RS999910 – Best All-Around Ford F 150 4×4 Strut & Spring

Rancho RS999910 is a hybrid of piston and spring, offering some of the advantages of both.

It’s a nice middle ground between two rivals, and we like the fact that it comes ready-to-install in a single piece.

With nine different settings, it can be dialed in with great precision and looks very nice overall.

This is the most expensive type of shocks on our list, so it’s not the best option for everybody.

Also, these shocks are unsuitable for tires larger than 35 inches, so it’s definitely not good for those who like their oversized mud tires.

2. Rough Country 57030 – Great For The Cold 2.5″ Lift Kit

Rough Country 57030 is a dual gas piston kit, which gives you everything you need at a fairly reasonable price.

These things are charged with nitrogen gas, which has some helpful qualities.

First of all, it’s rated to handle temperatures as cold as -40. Unless you’re planning to take an arctic expedition, that should be more than enough.

Being a gas system, this one should have no problem with aeration at all (more about the problem of aeration below).

The lifetime warranty is a nice touch, but the complicated installation is a serious pain.

This one might require professional installation, and it only fits Ford F 150 trucks that were made between 2004 and 2008.

3. Bilstein 33-187501 – Most Affordable Shocks for Ford F150 4×4

Bilstein 33-187501 is the only monotube shock absorber on our list, and we have included it for several reasons.

First, this model is pretty cheap for a monotube suspension system. They usually cost a little more. As per its design, it is very reliable and experiences no aeration.

They have attempted to deal with the stiffness of these shocks by engineering them to be pressure-sensitive.

The idea is that they will adapt to road conditions, and they do this to a certain extent.

At the same time, these shocks don’t offer a high lift, and so it won’t suit all tastes.

Also, these types of shocks are more prone to a blowout leak, simply because they put more pressure on the seals that hold it together.

4. Rough Country 52230 – 2-Inches Ford F150 4×4 Lift Kit

Rough Country 52230 is another complete shock kit, much like the one we examined earlier.

It is charged with nitrogen gas like the other one, and also comes with the same lifetime replacement warranty.

We like the fact that this one is intended to give a little more ground clearance, as this makes it ideal for off roading.

On the flip side, This one doesn’t fit anything older than 2009, and its composite construction just isn’t as trustworthy as solid steel.

5. Detroit Axle 171141-DA x2 – Simple And Strong Ford F150 4×4 Strut & Spring Assembly

Detroit Axle 171141-DA x2 is another coilover spring shock absorber, and it’s a great choice for those who can afford its high price.

It’s almost as expensive as our first choice, but it is very easy to install and offers a supremely comfortable ride.

Some have complained that this company doesn’t have the best customer service around, but most of the reviews seem to be positive.

Still, it might be a good idea to read that warranty carefully, just to be on the safe side.

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Best Shocks For Ford F150 4×4 – Buyer’s Guide

If you are like most people, you probably don’t know much about the different types of shock absorbers.

For some people, this information would seem to be unnecessary, but it is essential knowledge for anyone who is looking to buy a new set of shock absorbers.

Let’s look at the three most common types of shock absorbers.

Coilover Shocks

These are the ones with the spring coiled around the outside, as the name suggests.

The use of a thick steel spring gives these shock absorbers an unparalleled level of durability.

The strength of this steel is a great advantage when you are hauling heavy loads.

Another good thing about a coil-over spring shock absorber is the fact that most of them are adjustable.

You can dial them in for different heights and dimensions, which is very nice.

These are also simple devices that can usually be rebuilt when they fail.

The only downside of these shocks is their high cost. Spring steel is not cheap, which is probably the reason for this issue.

Twin-Tube Shocks

These are so named because they basically consist of a small tube inside of a larger tube.

They are probably the most common shocks on the market, and they don’t tend to be very expensive.

As you have already seen, you can often get two of these for the price of a single coil-over shock.

That’s a significant advantage to your wallet.

Twin-tube shocks produce less friction and a smoother ride than monotube design shocks (more on those below).

They also operate with less pressure, which is good because their inner tubes don’t tend to be very thick.

However, this type of shock absorber is susceptible to aeration.

Aeration occurs when the liquid inside of the shock absorber gets mixed with air, creating a little bit of bubbly foam.

Since this foam does not have the same properties as the liquid, it can reduce the effectiveness of the shocks.

These shocks also don’t have great heat dispersion, which puts more wear and tear on their external surfaces.

Also, those that are charged with oil can experience performance issues if the oil becomes too hot.

Monotube Shocks

Monotube shocks were invented to overcome one of the most common problems with twin-tube shocks.

You already know that twin tube design shocks consist of a small tube inside of a larger tube.

Although this design works well, it has one significant flaw. When the oil or liquid flows from one chamber to the other, it will often build up a certain amount of foam. This is just a natural phenomenon that happens because of air that is trapped in the tubes.

A monotube design shocks overcome this problem by using a single tube with a free-floating piston rod.

One half of the tube is filled with liquid while the other is filled with gas. There is no empty airspace to make foam bubbles, and the gas and liquid are completely unable to mix.

Many off-roaders prefer these shocks for their reliable performance.

The only real problems with these shock absorbers come from their increased stiffness and resistance.

They don’t have a springy feel and provide a less comfortable ride.

Also, the design puts a lot more stress on the seals that hold it all together, increasing the chance of failure.

Oil-Charged Shocks Vs. Gas-Charged Shocks

As we have already mentioned, all shocks work through the use of an internal liquid.

However, we should explain this more thoroughly.

When we say “liquid,” we are using it as a general term since there are several things that can be used to create the resistance that is needed.

In general, though, all piston shocks are powered by one of two things: Oil or gas.

Originally, nearly all vehicle shocks functioned with hydraulics: That is to say, with a tube of oil.

Gas was introduced to combat the foaming problem and because it is less sensitive to temperature.

At the same time, gas is a little harder to contain than oil, so the seals on these pistons have to be much stronger. Even the tiniest of leaks can ruin a gas shock in a second.

Conclusion

In some ways, your choice is not entirely your own. Most of these parts will only fit a certain range of Ford F 150 models, with most of them not being suitable for older trucks.

Still, we hope that we have given you a better idea of how these things work and how you can select the best shocks.

Before choosing any of these shocks for Ford F 150, you need to ask yourself the question: Which of these will suit the way that I use this vehicle?

We thank you for reading to the end, and we wish you the best.