F250 FX-4 shocks

[waiting2retire]

I bought a new 2016 8 foot bed F-250 FX-4 last Aug. I hauled my fifth wheel from NY to Florida. While I was there I noticed the ride had gotten real bouncy. I had to take a trip back to NY without the fifth wheel and the ride was terrible. Is it possible the shocks went bad after just 5000 miles? I have done a little reading about the quality of the Ford Rancho shocks on the FX4 being junk. Has anyone else had this same problem? Recommendations?

[ford_truck_guy]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

rhagfo wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Russ can answer also but the 4600 is for stock ride height. 5100's are for stock and up to a 2" lift. The shocks are exactly the same besides color.

I am a firm believer in them!

I got the 5100 based on a possable firmer ride, but in reality the same shock, just mine are nice silver tubes. :B

When I buy shocks for my future 2019 RAM they will be the Silver and black 5100's based on COLOR!

I just ordered 4 of the 5100 from SD Truck Springs... told them Amazon beat them, they matched and no tax or shipping...$289.00 for 4 out the door

[Cummins12V98]

rhagfo wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Russ can answer also but the 4600 is for stock ride height. 5100's are for stock and up to a 2" lift. The shocks are exactly the same besides color.

I am a firm believer in them!

I got the 5100 based on a possable firmer ride, but in reality the same shock, just mine are nice silver tubes. :B

When I buy shocks for my future 2019 RAM they will be the Silver and black 5100's based on COLOR!

[Cummins12V98]

waiting2retire wrote:
Thanks for the info. I found the 5100's and the 4600's on Amazon. But any place I look they dont specify the FX-4 model, just the XLT. The 4600 and the 5100 about the same price, just want to make sure I get the right shocks. Its a stock truck no added lift.

Go under your truck and write down the shock numbers. Call Bilstein, they will give you the correct shock number.

[cpaulsen]

I put Fox BDS shocks on my F250.

[taken]

mich800 wrote:

??? Yes, that is how it works in the automotive world. Tires, shocks, engines, trans, etc. They are spec'd to the OEMs requirements. Would you say the "brand" tire spec'd to the OEM is not really a "brand" tire because it is not the exact same one you could buy at Tire Rack?

No, I would say "branded" just like Ford does. The Rancho shocks are "Rancho Branded" and not a brand. They have nothing whatsoever to do with Rancho shocks which is actually a really good "brand" of shock. They are Ford spec shocks painted Rancho colors for marketing reasons. Rancho themselves wants nothing to do with this particular product but take their royalty check and swallow hard. I think think this deal actually hurts Rancho as a brand because folks who don't know better that get the horrid Ford FX4 shocks think they are getting a Rancho product. Then, when the fail in short order, they swear off a brand that has nothing to do with the product that fails them...

[mich800]

taken wrote:

mich800 wrote:


Tenneco owns the Rancho Brand. So they are Rancho shocks.

BMW makes Mini Cooper. Is a Mini Cooper an X5 or 7 series? Yes Tenneco does make Rancho as well as the "Rancho Branded" shocks. One still has nothing to do with the other. The shocks are built to Ford specs with a Ford part number like the rest of the shocks Tenneco makes for Ford. They also have completely different valving than the standard black painted Ford shocks that come on non FX4 trucks. This has all been confirmed by a Rancho rep that posts on FTE.

??? Yes, that is how it works in the automotive world. Tires, shocks, engines, trans, etc. They are spec'd to the OEMs requirements. Would you say the "brand" tire spec'd to the OEM is not really a "brand" tire because it is not the exact same one you could buy at Tire Rack?

[taken]

rhagfo wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Russ can answer also but the 4600 is for stock ride height. 5100's are for stock and up to a 2" lift. The shocks are exactly the same besides color.

I am a firm believer in them!

I got the 5100 based on a possable firmer ride, but in reality the same shock, just mine are nice silver tubes. :B

I went for the 5100 for the same reason.

[rhagfo]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Russ can answer also but the 4600 is for stock ride height. 5100's are for stock and up to a 2" lift. The shocks are exactly the same besides color.

I am a firm believer in them!

I got the 5100 based on a possable firmer ride, but in reality the same shock, just mine are nice silver tubes. :B

[taken]

mich800 wrote:


Tenneco owns the Rancho Brand. So they are Rancho shocks.

BMW makes Mini Cooper. Is a Mini Cooper an X5 or 7 series? Yes Tenneco does make Rancho as well as the "Rancho Branded" shocks. One still has nothing to do with the other. The shocks are built to Ford specs with a Ford part number like the rest of the shocks Tenneco makes for Ford. They also have completely different valving than the standard black painted Ford shocks that come on non FX4 trucks. This has all been confirmed by a Rancho rep that posts on FTE. One supplier providing products for two different brands doesn't make them the same brand...

[mich800]

taken wrote:
Good decision on the Bilsteins. The OEM Ranchos are not a Rancho product at all. They are technically called "Rancho Branded" by Ford and are made by Tenneco like all other Ford shocks. Ford just pays Rancho for the right to paint them rancho colors and put a sticker on them. And, as others have stated, are complete garbage. On my 2012 I had 3 of 4 blow out with under 900 miles on them. FTE forums are littered with threads about the same. Getting them replaced by a dealer with another set of sub par shocks for free under warranty on principal would be foolish as it would produce the same result. So, I went with Bilstein 5100's and was treated well for the next 47k miles until I traded.

Tenneco owns the Rancho Brand. So they are Rancho shocks.

[taken]

Good decision on the Bilsteins. The OEM Ranchos are not a Rancho product at all. They are technically called "Rancho Branded" by Ford and are made by Tenneco like all other Ford shocks. Ford just pays Rancho for the right to paint them rancho colors and put a sticker on them. And, as others have stated, are complete garbage. On my 2012 I had 3 of 4 blow out with under 900 miles on them. FTE forums are littered with threads about the same. Getting them replaced by a dealer with another set of sub par shocks for free under warranty on principal would be foolish as it would produce the same result. So, I went with Bilstein 5100's and was treated well for the next 47k miles until I traded.

[ford_truck_guy]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Russ can answer also but the 4600 is for stock ride height. 5100's are for stock and up to a 2" lift. The shocks are exactly the same besides color.

I am a firm believer in them!

Thanks...

The 4600 it is...

[waiting2retire]

Thanks for the info. I found the 5100's and the 4600's on Amazon. But any place I look they dont specify the FX-4 model, just the XLT. The 4600 and the 5100 about the same price, just want to make sure I get the right shocks. Its a stock truck no added lift.

[Cummins12V98]

Russ can answer also but the 4600 is for stock ride height. 5100's are for stock and up to a 2" lift. The shocks are exactly the same besides color.

I am a firm believer in them!