I finally just replaced the rear shocks on my 2015 F-150 with a set of bilsteins. The annoying uncontrolled bounce and is gone, and the rear end is in much better contact with the road now. Noticed the rearend responds much better in off-road scenarios too. The ride is firmer, not cushy, but much improved overall. Fronts are next!
I have the same Bilstein Stage1 coilover leveling kit with the B8 6112 front end you have. I am looking at getting the BDS upper control arms as well. Nice truck.
@@jetboy770371 I ended up getting Rancho upper control arms. BDS or ICON are probably the best quality but I think the Rancho ones are pretty decent for the money. Yes if money was no object I would have gotten the BDS and that's my personal preference.
@@RebelViking912 thanks for your reply. Why did you change the UCA's, was it because your upper control arms had clearances problems with hitting the coils and you had to change the original UCA for one built with greater clearances ? Hence the BDS
@@jetboy770371 The geometry is off when you level or lift your front end using the same factory UCA's. After market UCA's will tell you if they are for a 2-3" lift or not to give you max articulation and won't have to worry about your UCA hitting the coil spring. I'm not a mechanic, I just researched it and asked my local mechanic who installed mine. The factory ones are not for off road in the standard F150 4x4 in my opinion. If all you are going to do is level your truck and daily drive it you probably don't need it, but keep in mind your factory UCA's will wear out faster with a level. If you are going to spend the money on the coilovers, may as well replace the UCA's too. It doesn't have to be BDS, like I said i got the Rancho's and they are working just fine.
Nice truck and setup. I have a 2011 f150 and I'm here because I need new shocks. I put the roadmaster active suspension on the rear of my truck and really like the way it rides. I needed it for towing too
Looks great. I love those Ford wheels - they're my favorite stock ones. I'm surprised you have a 1.5" wheel spacer. I thought 275's would look pretty flush without that.
@@arizonacolour8793 For what you ask? For when you haul stuff in the bed so your headlights don't point toward the sky and so you don't have that ridiculous squatted look. For that! 🤣
The front shocks are adjustable, the rear shocks don't look adjustable, but the rear looks higher too. Was there anything additional you had to do to get a higher height in the rear? Did the rear shock change alone raise the rear height?
Rears are never adjustable Get rear shocks depending on ur leaf springs or else they’ll can be fully extended and will ride harsh if they’re too short for ur leaf springs The height of the rear is always dependent on leaf springs since there are no coils
Hey man is your spindle cracked? look at the aluminum piece that the upper ball joint bolts into. In the video that looks like a pretty large crack in the spindle?
Thanks for pointing it out! Another comment pointed it out a couple of months ago and scared me, its actually just the mold line from when they cast it, looks like a crack though in the video. Cheers!
Nice video, exactly the setup I'm looking at for my 2018, but was possibly going to get the non res in the rear...but the res ones look better! Do you have it in the 2" lift position? And you are running spacers, no rubbing or trimming needed? I'm not going to run wheel spacers but aftermarket wheels I have been looking at with low offset all push out the tires almost by that same amount that your spacer did. I have 20" now and dropping to 18"
Thanks! Yeah I'm running in the 2" lift position. No need for any cutting or trimming. There hasn't been any rubbing, even in pretty extreme articulation. I had 20s but dropped to 18's because I wanted more rubber.
@@CMA212 I'm planning on 18" as well to get more sidewall. Probably staying 275 wide. What offset are your wheels? I'm trying to find some that aren't so low that they push the wheels way out, don't want to be spraying the side of my truck all the time and on the fence about adding fender flares. On your UCAs, did you do them at the same time as the rest of the suspension? I'm still trying to figure out if I really need them or if I can do them later if it turns out I run into any interference issues. I'm only doing a 2-in level so I'm hoping the factory ones will work.
2:10 it looks like the aluminum knuckle may be cracked where the ball joint clamps. Might wanna check on that. Definitely not something you want to break on you while driving.
Lol funny you saw that! When I first uploaded the video I thought the same thing and ran out to look at it! It’s actually just the line from the mold when they cast it. But thanks for pointing it out!
Hey man, no issues with the rear axle during full compression, and I also had to install them upside down. Haven’t seen if that will effect them at all...really doubt that it would given it’s just a charged reservoir, guess time will tell
As far as stiffness, what about a fully loaded truck? When you're loaded down with family and gear, does it still feel like a stiffer ride? I'd imagine it's a more controlled feel for the driver, but is it a comfortable ride for the family?
Sorry getting to this late…no binding at all. Ive had the front end at full stuff and stroke with no issues…now I was going slow through that without any aggressive turning, but as far as I can tell no issues with the CV angles
Great Video, did you add the KO2's at the same time you installed the shocks? I'm wondering if some the issues with the ride are coming from the tires? I installed E rated KO2's on my stock truck and there was a noticeable difference in the ride. I have since went back to a stock (summer) tire and the ride is exactly what I remember, nice and smooth. I am also very much considering these shocks. Thanks!
Actually already had the E rated KO2’s. I tow a 7k lb trailer so needed the extra ply sidewall so I do think that the ride is still slightly stiffer than stock. Overall these are great and I really doubt you’ll have any complaints once on. Good luck!
Just saw your video and it was well done and informative. I am thinking of going to a 4 inch BDS lift with spacer blocks up front, however I was thinking of replacing the OEM shocks with the Bilsteins. Would the 6112's and 5160s work on a 4 inch lift, if you know, if not thats fine. Thx
@@steveb1748 I'm so torn on lift or Bilstein level, I just don't wanna have to get big tires to make the lift look ok. Oem tires look stupid on a 6" lift, too tiny
I've got the exact same truck and am looking at doing this setup. My wife complains when she rides in the backseat because when we hit potholes and bumps in the concrete the back end of the truck is super rough and throws her up in the seat. Does this smooth out the rear end?
I wouldn't say that it smooths anything out, if anything the ride is a slight bit harsher on the road. But it does alot better off road, and is more stable at high speeds when you hit those potholes/bumps.
I just gotta ask, what are ya'll doing that your shocks and struts are worn out after less than 6 years? I've still got the original shocks and struts on my 2005 F150 and they're not close to being worn out yet! And my truck does it all: hauling, towing and off-roading.
I don’t think his shocks were ‘worn out’, but he wanted to level his truck for stance & put larger tires on it. So he put the adjustable coil overs in, and matched the rear shocks to the fronts. I’m going to hit a large bump with my wife in the truck and say “WOW did you hear that my shocks are worn and need to be replaced”. Will have new Bilstein’s coming shortly.. ;)
This was a perfect video and exactly what i was looking for. I have the exact same truck (even same color) and want to upgrade my shocks. Did you do the work yourself ? If not what did you pay out the door after install ? I heard you say around $1400, but was that with install or was that just parts ? If you had to do anything different, would you at all , if so what?
$1400 was just parts, did the work myself, had to borrow a spring compressor from a local auto hobby shop. I’ve put about 20k miles since this video and still love the setup, wouldn’t change anything. Good luck!
I think they’re worse on washboard roads than the stock setup, but anything that makes the suspension flex it’s amazing, I’d say really smooth on low speed crawling. It’s almost like once the suspension flexes more than an inch it’s in its element. If you get the truck above 40 mph on the washboard it really soaks it up.
CMA212 wow that’s good info! So would you say from 15-40 it’s a little firmer than stock while off roading on bumpy dirt roads? As in not as forgiving? I’m torn between the Fox 2.0 and this setup.
Actually the 5100 struts are listed as 2.1" but what this guy's got are the 6112 which are listed as up to 2.0". Either way, he doesn't seem to know what he's talking about unless there's a spacer on top that he forgot to mention.
So far I really like this setup, I'm not going to be changing up anytime soon. I honestly wouldn't do anything different at this time, i guess only time will tell!
What did you do with your 2020 F-150 ? Did you level it with suspension front and back ? I have a 2020 also and want it leveled with improved suspension like the Bilstein 6112 B8 to make it a modest off road truck.
Love the stock offroad look! Super clean!!
2016 without a spec of rust on the frame and underside. Impressive!
Nice looking truck!
Your video encouraged me to buy this set up for my 21 f150, has a good stance and they have a better drive that I prefer
Glad to hear that the rear shocks take care of the rear shimmy. I've noticed that on my 2020 f-series. I'll be buying this setup very soon.
I have a '13 F150 and my truck has a really bad bounce to the bed when going over bumps on the highway. Does your newer F150 do the same?
@@Daniel-pc1er it does depending on how big the bump is and how fast I'm moving.
I finally just replaced the rear shocks on my 2015 F-150 with a set of bilsteins. The annoying uncontrolled bounce and is gone, and the rear end is in much better contact with the road now. Noticed the rearend responds much better in off-road scenarios too. The ride is firmer, not cushy, but much improved overall. Fronts are next!
Wow a super detailed helpful video! Thanks man.
I have the same Bilstein Stage1 coilover leveling kit with the B8 6112 front end you have. I am looking at getting the BDS upper control arms as well. Nice truck.
Is the BDS upper control arm really necessary or is that your personal preference ? Would sticking with original be fine ?
@@jetboy770371 I ended up getting Rancho upper control arms. BDS or ICON are probably the best quality but I think the Rancho ones are pretty decent for the money. Yes if money was no object I would have gotten the BDS and that's my personal preference.
@@RebelViking912 thanks for your reply. Why did you change the UCA's, was it because your upper control arms had clearances problems with hitting the coils and you had to change the original UCA for one built with greater clearances ? Hence the BDS
@@jetboy770371 The geometry is off when you level or lift your front end using the same factory UCA's. After market UCA's will tell you if they are for a 2-3" lift or not to give you max articulation and won't have to worry about your UCA hitting the coil spring. I'm not a mechanic, I just researched it and asked my local mechanic who installed mine. The factory ones are not for off road in the standard F150 4x4 in my opinion. If all you are going to do is level your truck and daily drive it you probably don't need it, but keep in mind your factory UCA's will wear out faster with a level. If you are going to spend the money on the coilovers, may as well replace the UCA's too. It doesn't have to be BDS, like I said i got the Rancho's and they are working just fine.
@@RebelViking912 thanks, that explains a lot
Spindle is cracked!
Nice truck and setup. I have a 2011 f150 and I'm here because I need new shocks. I put the roadmaster active suspension on the rear of my truck and really like the way it rides. I needed it for towing too
That looks great. I’m looking at on copy what you have done. Thanks for the video!!
Damn good lookin truck Sir
Super clean truck! Thank you for being honest
Should be dirty.
Looks great. I love those Ford wheels - they're my favorite stock ones. I'm surprised you have a 1.5" wheel spacer. I thought 275's would look pretty flush without that.
Thank you boss
2.5" is what i have in my '21 fx4 as well, sitting on LT295/70/r18 Falken Wildpeak at3w's..i love look and dont need or eant a lift at all..
Looks like a nice setup. I personally would add a 1" lift to the rear so it sits ever so slightly higher.
For what.... 😂
@@arizonacolour8793 For what you ask? For when you haul stuff in the bed so your headlights don't point toward the sky and so you don't have that ridiculous squatted look. For that! 🤣
@@tag_76 Yeah good point. I actually installed bags after this video in the rear to get rid of that squat!
lol!!!
Can I asked if the front grill with LED lights on this truck is after market and if so where can it be purchased? Thank you and beautiful truck!
Nice looking truck love that setup🔥🔥🔥
A 2016 and the gas shocks already went bad? Wow
Looks great!
They’re supposed to be stiffer. That’s the idea. They have better handling but you give up ride comfort on road for a better ride off-road.
Thanks bro. Knocked me off a package from Stage 3, as well. Hope to get it in this week. 👍🏼
I love the setup! I’ve no doubt you’ll be happy with them! Cheers!
Definitely my next upgrade to my 2020 stx say goodbye to factory mushy skittery ride quality
Great video and great info! Thanks for posting
Whats going on with the crack at ball joint...integrity gone??? You can see it at 2:08..
The front shocks are adjustable, the rear shocks don't look adjustable, but the rear looks higher too. Was there anything additional you had to do to get a higher height in the rear? Did the rear shock change alone raise the rear height?
Rears are never adjustable
Get rear shocks depending on ur leaf springs or else they’ll can be fully extended and will ride harsh if they’re too short for ur leaf springs
The height of the rear is always dependent on leaf springs since there are no coils
Hey man is your spindle cracked? look at the aluminum piece that the upper ball joint bolts into. In the video that looks like a pretty large crack in the spindle?
Thanks for pointing it out! Another comment pointed it out a couple of months ago and scared me, its actually just the mold line from when they cast it, looks like a crack though in the video. Cheers!
Huge crack
You have your rear shocks mounted backwards. The reservoir is suppose to be facing the rear of the truck.
@@wjones5403 you can't mount it the other way without the resi hitting the crossmember.
@@CMA212 I see that now thank you
Hey Bud! What your vertical clearance after lift?! Thanks!
Nice video, exactly the setup I'm looking at for my 2018, but was possibly going to get the non res in the rear...but the res ones look better!
Do you have it in the 2" lift position?
And you are running spacers, no rubbing or trimming needed? I'm not going to run wheel spacers but aftermarket wheels I have been looking at with low offset all push out the tires almost by that same amount that your spacer did. I have 20" now and dropping to 18"
Thanks! Yeah I'm running in the 2" lift position. No need for any cutting or trimming. There hasn't been any rubbing, even in pretty extreme articulation. I had 20s but dropped to 18's because I wanted more rubber.
@@CMA212 I'm planning on 18" as well to get more sidewall. Probably staying 275 wide. What offset are your wheels? I'm trying to find some that aren't so low that they push the wheels way out, don't want to be spraying the side of my truck all the time and on the fence about adding fender flares.
On your UCAs, did you do them at the same time as the rest of the suspension? I'm still trying to figure out if I really need them or if I can do them later if it turns out I run into any interference issues. I'm only doing a 2-in level so I'm hoping the factory ones will work.
what is the warranty on this shocks?and how long did your "stock" shocks last- I have a '23 BUT I think this set up is what I'm lookig for
it's stiffer because you put a bunch of preload on the spring with the lift
2:10 it looks like the aluminum knuckle may be cracked where the ball joint clamps. Might wanna check on that. Definitely not something you want to break on you while driving.
Lol funny you saw that! When I first uploaded the video I thought the same thing and ran out to look at it! It’s actually just the line from the mold when they cast it. But thanks for pointing it out!
@@CMA212 Good, glad your truck is still solid
@mhmm I thought the same same thing. Good eye.
I was like wait wtf
Like Jeremy said these 6112's are a 2.1" max lift, did you add a spacer or is it just 2.1"?
1400 not installed ? I just got my fronts done installed and aligned for 1300. Doing the back soon.
David Wilson no 1400 was the total for just parts. Did the install myself, and paid $75 bucks for an alignment when I was done
Back is really easy, two bolts, won’t mess with the alignment. You can do it without lifting the truck
CMA212 I’m planning on it! Appreciate the replies!
Does your driver rear reservoir impact the rear axle during full compression? I had to install them with the reservoir facing down
Hey man, no issues with the rear axle during full compression, and I also had to install them upside down. Haven’t seen if that will effect them at all...really doubt that it would given it’s just a charged reservoir, guess time will tell
How many miles until your factory shocks took a shit
As far as stiffness, what about a fully loaded truck? When you're loaded down with family and gear, does it still feel like a stiffer ride? I'd imagine it's a more controlled feel for the driver, but is it a comfortable ride for the family?
I would say it’s not as stiff with gear, but still notable in comparison to stock…
In regards to ride comfort, my wife didn’t notice a difference, I think only I did as the driver
Nice looking truck! Have the wheel spacers caused any issues with rubbing?
No issues rubbing, even at full flex/stuff
Nice truck dude!
My last truck i had fox 2.0 all the way around and they were not great for the money. Guess next time ill try these
whats the idea of the BDS Upper control arms? are they really necessary or can i not do it right away?
What about normal highway riding, how comfortable is the ride over stock?
How did you get this to lift to 2.5”? I thought 6112s only go to 2”
After installation you might see higher than 2" but once the shocks break in after a few hundred miles of driving, they will go down to 2" in height.
Still holding up nicely? Do the Upper control arms make a difference? Worth it?
Just ordered the same shock setup. Do you think I’d be able to fit a 285 75 17 tire?
Do you get any binding in the cv axle when using 4x4?
Sorry getting to this late…no binding at all. Ive had the front end at full stuff and stroke with no issues…now I was going slow through that without any aggressive turning, but as far as I can tell no issues with the CV angles
Great Video, did you add the KO2's at the same time you installed the shocks? I'm wondering if some the issues with the ride are coming from the tires? I installed E rated KO2's on my stock truck and there was a noticeable difference in the ride. I have since went back to a stock (summer) tire and the ride is exactly what I remember, nice and smooth. I am also very much considering these shocks. Thanks!
Actually already had the E rated KO2’s. I tow a 7k lb trailer so needed the extra ply sidewall so I do think that the ride is still slightly stiffer than stock. Overall these are great and I really doubt you’ll have any complaints once on. Good luck!
Just saw your video and it was well done and informative. I am thinking of going to a 4 inch BDS lift with spacer blocks up front, however I was thinking of replacing the OEM shocks with the Bilsteins. Would the 6112's and 5160s work on a 4 inch lift, if you know, if not thats fine. Thx
Yes they'll work. Just have the spring perch set at factory ride height
@@busared06 Thank you. The change over was costly for the lift so I'll wait abit and change the factory shocks and coil overs later this year.
@@steveb1748 yeah bds isn't cheap. Do you have any vids of your truck after the lift
@@busared06 No just still pictures.
@@steveb1748 I'm so torn on lift or Bilstein level, I just don't wanna have to get big tires to make the lift look ok. Oem tires look stupid on a 6" lift, too tiny
I've got the exact same truck and am looking at doing this setup. My wife complains when she rides in the backseat because when we hit potholes and bumps in the concrete the back end of the truck is super rough and throws her up in the seat. Does this smooth out the rear end?
I wouldn't say that it smooths anything out, if anything the ride is a slight bit harsher on the road. But it does alot better off road, and is more stable at high speeds when you hit those potholes/bumps.
This is what i'm considering - 2017 version of same truck. Could you get a higher tire?
Look really good nice video
I just gotta ask, what are ya'll doing that your shocks and struts are worn out after less than 6 years? I've still got the original shocks and struts on my 2005 F150 and they're not close to being worn out yet! And my truck does it all: hauling, towing and off-roading.
I don’t think his shocks were ‘worn out’, but he wanted to level his truck for stance & put larger tires on it. So he put the adjustable coil overs in, and matched the rear shocks to the fronts. I’m going to hit a large bump with my wife in the truck and say “WOW did you hear that my shocks are worn and need to be replaced”. Will have new Bilstein’s coming shortly.. ;)
What size block at the rear?
Looks nice
Did you have to trim any studs or anything for those bora spacers?
Nope, fit without any mods
Also - do i need to replace the upper control arms or can i stay with stock?
This was a perfect video and exactly what i was looking for. I have the exact same truck (even same color) and want to upgrade my shocks. Did you do the work yourself ? If not what did you pay out the door after install ? I heard you say around $1400, but was that with install or was that just parts ? If you had to do anything different, would you at all , if so what?
$1400 was just parts, did the work myself, had to borrow a spring compressor from a local auto hobby shop. I’ve put about 20k miles since this video and still love the setup, wouldn’t change anything. Good luck!
How much lift did you get in the front at 2" setting? Looks like more than 2"?
What is the front height vs. the ground height? Or is it exactly level?
Does the 5160 rear fit 2022 models?
You said you had already worn out your stock suspension. How many miles did you have on it?
80ish when they went out.
So I too live in AZ, how do these feel at the slow stuff while off-roading, stiff and harsh or smooth? Thank you so so much!
I think they’re worse on washboard roads than the stock setup, but anything that makes the suspension flex it’s amazing, I’d say really smooth on low speed crawling. It’s almost like once the suspension flexes more than an inch it’s in its element. If you get the truck above 40 mph on the washboard it really soaks it up.
CMA212 wow that’s good info! So would you say from 15-40 it’s a little firmer than stock while off roading on bumpy dirt roads? As in not as forgiving? I’m torn between the Fox 2.0 and this setup.
@@dad3562 I'm town between this setup and the fox's as well.
@@jordanbordelon1564 so what did you go with?
@@dad3562 fox's
How do you like them after a year?
My icon are stiff and the front both leak oil.
How stiff is stiff?
Did you add a spacer? The Bilstein only go up to 2.1"
Actually the 5100 struts are listed as 2.1" but what this guy's got are the 6112 which are listed as up to 2.0". Either way, he doesn't seem to know what he's talking about unless there's a spacer on top that he forgot to mention.
How many miles did you get out of the FX4 shocks?
approx 80K
@@CMA212 thanks for the reply! I’m at 90k now, I guess I should start getting ready to get those Bilsteins
How is this setup treating you? I’m thinking of the exact same thing for my 2020 f150 with stick 20” rims. Any words of advice?
So far I really like this setup, I'm not going to be changing up anytime soon. I honestly wouldn't do anything different at this time, i guess only time will tell!
Awesome. Could you have put 285 width tires with no spacer? I love the flush look like yours.
What did you do with your 2020 F-150 ? Did you level it with suspension front and back ? I have a 2020 also and want it leveled with improved suspension like the Bilstein 6112 B8 to make it a modest off road truck.
I subscribed
Those wheels look like 20inch
Ford trucks really age well