Front shocks for my lifted 2003

03FX4 · Jun 12, 2011

I have my torsion bars cranked in the front of my 2003 ford ranger FX4.. what is the best shock I should put in the front? I'm looking for something longer.

Thanks

03FX4 · Jun 15, 2011

03FX4 · Jul 31, 2011

bump.. still curious.. need an extended length shock for the front.. torsion bars cranked a couple inches up

cstishenko · Aug 2, 2011

if you have Bilsteins, keep them and put shock spacers in. (custom or aftermarket)

If you have whatever other crap shocks the truck came with, Rancho makes extended length shocks for a reasonable price.

your ride will increase 200%

as far as I could tell Rancho was the only company making extended length specific shocks.

85_Ranger4x4 · Aug 3, 2011

Summit shows Skyjacker in various lengths too... or they did for my truck anyway.

I just put a pair in the front of my truck and I like them. They are kind of on the cheap side at $43 per nitro so I don't know if they are the ultimate best thing out there. After driving with them for 4 days I love them though. :dunno:

cstishenko · Aug 3, 2011

We've got an odd lower mount on our IFS - Torsion Bar trucks. Rancho was definitely the only ones I could find with a longer stroke.

85_Ranger4x4 · Aug 3, 2011

If you haven't, measure it out to be sure you actually need a different shock. I just poked Explorer springs in my '85, it sits about 2" higher than it did. When I measured it out I was still within the spec for a stock shock.

http://www.ehow.com/how_7271090_measure-shock-absorbers.html

tanbuddy · Aug 4, 2011

That e how site doesnt make much sence to me unless i missed something. The shock is gonna need more travel than the bumpstop on the front because of the geometry of the suspension. In the back it will get u close.
For down travel, you need to unhook the shock and measure how far it comes from the mount, the shoclk is what limits downtravel in the front.

cstishenko · Aug 4, 2011

Fact of the matter is: The OE specified shocks on the IFS Torsion Bar trucks are barely long enough at stock height.

I went to full crank, and backed off 5 turns... My Bilsteins were fully extended. I then took off the lower shock mount nuts, and the front end popped up! The shocks were actually limiting the ride height. The torsion bars were pulling the shocks against their fully extended stops!

I put shock spacers in, my ride quality came back, suspension droop and travel came back. I then was able to go right upto one turn off of full crank.

I then pulled off one swaybar endlink, and turned it into a disconnect.

ON-ROAD capability of my truck is smoother, and handles better than stock - with no negative effects.

OFF-ROAD capability is incredible with the swaybar endlink off. The ride is SO SMOOTH, it feels like a Cadillac.

I went out with a guy on the weekend with a stock FX4, upto the local radio tower, It was 14km of rough, washboard, shale, rocky road. I had to keep waiting for him.. I took him for a ride, and he was in AWE at the ride quality of the truck.

VH5150 · Aug 4, 2011

What did you use for spacers and where did you get them???
Thanks
MikeR

cstishenko · Aug 5, 2011

made them out of steel on the lower, and then made a set for the top stud mount out of a stainless steel sleeve.

that is exactly how ride-right can boast that their aftermarket keys don't negatively affect the ride. They include front shock spacers in their kit. Once I put the shock spacers in, the truck feels like stock on and offroad.

cstishenko · Aug 5, 2011

out of my torsion twist and shock spacers, I got enough lift that mytruck sits almost level with belltech shackles!! And those brought up the rear by almost 2 inches (and gave me so much flex, along with a smoother ride all over)

VH5150 · Aug 6, 2011

Any way you can post some pics of the spacers that you made?
Thanks
MikeR

cstishenko · Aug 6, 2011

I have no pics, and I won't be near the truck again for a little while...

If you pull the shock off and look at it, you'll see that your lower mount has two 10mm bolts/studs sticking out of the shock. These go through your lower control arm. You should be able to shim them up with washers, or 10mm nuts and then put them back on. If your lower bolts are removeable out of the shock, like the shock shown below install longer bolts once it is shimmed up and re-install.

As for the upper, between the shoulder of the shock shaft (top of the blue boot) and the lower washer you should also be able to use something like a 9/16 nut or two and put it back together. I milled mine out of stainless, but almost anything will work. This is not needed if your lower bolts come out of the shock.

Front shock:

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

suzuki14258 · Aug 8, 2011

Wow im soooooo glad i read this, im going to add some spacers to mine tomorrow, if i could gain a inch back on my bilsteins that would be awesome! They downward travel always bottoms out on mine with the t bars cranked. Especially offroad

Front shocks for my lifted 2003

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