IconicXLTsport
Well-known member
- First Name
- William
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2021
- Threads
- 2
- Messages
- 59
- Reaction score
- 68
- Location
- North Carolina
- Vehicles
- 2021 Ford F150 XLT
- Occupation
- Nuclear Operations
- Thread starter
- #1
I couldn’t stand how badly the truck handled with the stock shocks anymore so I gave up on waiting for Bilstein to release the fronts for the 2021s and ordered the rear shocks for my truck. I did not want a lift or level. I want a stock height truck that just rides and handles better.
I was worried the rear would be too firm and the front would still be bouncing around everywhere and the truck would still handle poorly. However, I was pleasantly surprised.
I have installed Bilsteins on several vehicles so I know they may still break in up to ~300 miles but the ride and handling improvement from the first day was much better than the stock shocks, and much better than I imagined.
On the stock shocks, it feels like the rear is just completely uncontrolled at times and each end of the truck was doing something different. With the bilsteins, the rear is actually well controlled and this allows the stock front shocks to actually work at controlling the front. The ride is still just as soft as the stock shocks but when hitting larger bumps or potholes, the bilsteins actually control the rear axle.
Side to side motions like pulling into the driveway or a low spot in a gravel parking lot used to cause the entire truck to rock side to side uncontrollably. Now, even with just the rear shocks, the truck will roll up into the driveway without drama.
I still want the fronts cause the truck still floats and bounces more than I want in the front but if you are thinking about just doing rears or you’re like me and are Waiting on Bilstein to produce the fronts, it’s 100% worth just getting the rears on the truck ASAP, wish I had done it sooner.
installation: 15mm bolt and 18mm nut at each end of shock. I left the truck on the ground to install at normal ride height. I put the top bolt in first to hang the shock and then either use a Jack to lift the rear (by the hitch or frame) or it is possible to compress the shock a couple inches by pushing up on the shock body. In either case, put the truck back to normal height before tightening either mounting bolt. Torque spec I found online was 66 ft lbs. Removal of stock shocks and install of new shocks took less than 1 hr but I was trying to get done quickly and I have done this job on other vehicles.
I was worried the rear would be too firm and the front would still be bouncing around everywhere and the truck would still handle poorly. However, I was pleasantly surprised.
I have installed Bilsteins on several vehicles so I know they may still break in up to ~300 miles but the ride and handling improvement from the first day was much better than the stock shocks, and much better than I imagined.
On the stock shocks, it feels like the rear is just completely uncontrolled at times and each end of the truck was doing something different. With the bilsteins, the rear is actually well controlled and this allows the stock front shocks to actually work at controlling the front. The ride is still just as soft as the stock shocks but when hitting larger bumps or potholes, the bilsteins actually control the rear axle.
Side to side motions like pulling into the driveway or a low spot in a gravel parking lot used to cause the entire truck to rock side to side uncontrollably. Now, even with just the rear shocks, the truck will roll up into the driveway without drama.
I still want the fronts cause the truck still floats and bounces more than I want in the front but if you are thinking about just doing rears or you’re like me and are Waiting on Bilstein to produce the fronts, it’s 100% worth just getting the rears on the truck ASAP, wish I had done it sooner.
installation: 15mm bolt and 18mm nut at each end of shock. I left the truck on the ground to install at normal ride height. I put the top bolt in first to hang the shock and then either use a Jack to lift the rear (by the hitch or frame) or it is possible to compress the shock a couple inches by pushing up on the shock body. In either case, put the truck back to normal height before tightening either mounting bolt. Torque spec I found online was 66 ft lbs. Removal of stock shocks and install of new shocks took less than 1 hr but I was trying to get done quickly and I have done this job on other vehicles.
Sponsored
Last edited: