Tremor Rear Shock Options

[bigredaggie]

Well, in support of Ford here (cant believe I am doing that), I dont know of ANY 1/2 ton pickup that is really built for towing, except maybe the F150 with Max Tow and HDPP. On both of my previous 2 F150s (13 FX4 and 17 Lariat) I had to add air bags to really feel comfortable towing. I have a Jeep on a 16' tandem axle trailer, total weight ~7k lbs.

Shocks alone are not going to solve your issues. I have never tried the RAS as I didnt want the additional rear lift created by it and didnt want to take it on and off all the time. Those who use it swear by it though. I just installed the AirLift air bags yesterday on the Tremor, and after some help on here to get the brackets situated correctly, it was just as easy to install as any other system. Havent towed with it yet, so cant report on that, but I have always been a fan of towing with them in the past, and cant see why it would be any different on the Tremor. I also have never noticed a difference in driving with them daily at 3-5 lbs

I’d like to hear your thoughts on the bags after you’ve put them through their paces. Maybe on a PM or different thread as not to detail this one.

To your example, I drove my buddies ‘22 lariat fx4 with 6.5’ bed with Max Tow package about a month before I bought my truck. We were pulling a 16’ enclosed trailer with about 1000lbs in it, so maybe 3500-4000lbs total. Just bumper pull no WD hitch or sway control. That truck was totally and completely planted at Highway speed with no sway. I barely felt it back there. It was a major influence on my decision to go get a F150.

Granted I didn’t buy that same truck, but the difference I felt yesterday was huge - more than I was expecting given the advertised towing prowess of the Tremor. Again it was super windy and I know that is a big factor. I’m willing to accept I should try again under different conditions before throwing parts at it.

 

[b-real]

I’d like to hear your thoughts on the bags after you’ve put them through their paces. Maybe on a PM or different thread as not to detail this one.

To your example, I drove my buddies ‘22 lariat fx4 with 6.5’ bed with Max Tow package about a month before I bought my truck. We were pulling a 16’ enclosed trailer with about 1000lbs in it, so maybe 3500-4000lbs total. Just bumper pull no WD hitch or sway control. That truck was totally and completely planted at Highway speed with no sway. I barely felt it back there. It was a major influence on my decision to go get a F150.

Granted I didn’t buy that same truck, but the difference I felt yesterday was huge - more than I was expecting given the advertised towing prowess of the Tremor. Again it was super windy and I know that is a big factor. I’m willing to accept I should try again under different conditions before throwing parts at it.

Its going to be a few months before I tow. It has been a heavy winter here so the Jeep isnt getting out anytime soon. Trailer is just bumper pull, no WD hitch. But, just driving the Tremor daily as compared to regular F150s, it definitely has a softer rear suspension and feels more floaty, so I knew I wanted those bags on before I towed anything.

There are some others on here who have done the bags and had good results. The only negatives I have heard is that some feel it stiffens up the daily drive (not my experience), and they will limit your articulation off road. I bought this truck to DD and maybe take down a graded dirt road, so the articulation limitation wont be an issue for me.

 

[Jim Tremor]

Placed an order today, Bilstein 5165 (25-187748) sure hope they do the trick as the stock rear shocks are scary high speed dirt washboard roads!

 

[bigredaggie]

I just bought a 22 Tremor two weeks ago. Love most things about it, but noticed the spongy rear suspension the first time I stepped into the bed. I’ve never owned a “lifted” truck before, but I was not expecting the amount of vertical and especially horizontal play induced by just wiggling around standing in it.

I bought the truck primarily to be a better tow vehicle for hauling my RZR than my 2018 navigator as I want to take it cross country. I towed it about 180 miles this weekend and was VERY unhappy with the stability. Granted it was very windy, but the trailer was oscillating left and right and shaking the truck. Not a violent death wobble but enough to make me uncomfortable for the entire 90 minute drive. And this is with a heavy U-Haul auto transport open trailer. Never experienced this with the Navigator and same trailer.

I was really hoping that with a little tongue weight it would settle and find it’s stride, but with about 4500 lbs on the ball (call it 450lbs tongue weight) I could easily place my foot on the ball and wiggle the entire rear end left and right.

My plan is to buy a 20’ enclosed trailer, which will be much more of a sail, so I have to figure something out to counter sway (I’ll also get a WD hitch with sway control). Most of my non towing driving will be on pavement, so I guess my main focus is on getting more towing performance without losing off road prowess I paid extra for.

Anybody else experienced this while towing? Had improvements with new shocks alone?

I towed the exact setup again this weekend with significantly less wind and it was a much better experience. While I still can’t say that I “forgot the trailer was back there”, there was significantly less trailer sway and feeling that I might lose control. It also turned in 2 mpg better (11.2 vs 8.9) on the exact same commute, if that shows how much of a wind load it was under last time.

Still though, I think the rear suspension is too soft (for me) for routine or long haul towing. There were multiple times when I hit minor grade changes (ie going over a highway on a bridge) that proved enough to really compress the rear end and when it rebounded it started a sway/oscillation effect between truck and trailer that was unnerving. I think it was this oscillation effect that was happening with every wind blast last time I towed that had me so put off.

FWIW I had about 1.75” of squat with the trailer connected.

Planning a long drive to Utah soon, so I will plan to pull the trigger on something soon. Att the moment I’m leaning towards starting with the Billstein 5165 and then adding RAS if still needed.

 

[metallikatz3]

I just ordered up a set up Icon 2.5 CDVC Shocks. I've been bottoming out my Halolifts shocks in places where I quite frankly don't think I should be bottoming out (such as on interstates).

I'll post a comparison of lengths of stock vs. Halolift vs. Icon when i get them installed.

 

[FaKtor34]

I just ordered up a set up Icon 2.5 CDVC Shocks. I've been bottoming out my Halolifts shocks in places where I quite frankly don't think I should be bottoming out (such as on interstates).

I'll post a comparison of lengths of stock vs. Halolift vs. Icon when i get them installed.

Are you talking the rear shocks or the fronts? And also the 2.0 or the 2.5

 

[metallikatz3]

Are you talking the rear shocks or the fronts? And also the 2.0 or the 2.5

Just the rears. I currently have the halolifts 2.0 front and rear.
The fronts ride quite nicely but the rears are bottoming the shock out before the bump stop even contacts the axle it looks like for some reason

 

[FaKtor34]

Just the rears. I currently have the halolifts 2.0 front and rear.
The fronts ride quite nicely but the rears are bottoming the shock out before the bump stop even contacts the axle it looks like for some reason

Ok the 2.0 is not as stiff of a rear shock as the 2.5 is, on top of that you very well could be bottoming the shock out before the bump stops because our bump stops are set for a shock that has a compressed length of 18" and if I remember correctly the are in the 18 3/4" range compressed. So if carrying weight and hitting a decent size bump you could bottom the shock out.

 

[metallikatz3]

Ok the 2.0 is not as stiff of a rear shock as the 2.5 is, on top of that you very well could be bottoming the shock out before the bump stops because our bump stops are set for a shock that has a compressed length of 18" and if I remember correctly the are in the 18 3/4" range compressed. So if carrying weight and hitting a decent size bump you could bottom the shock out.

Exactly. The icons are about 17.9" compressed from what I can find online so that should elimate that problem. Plus with the adjustability i hope will give me a more controlled ride

 

[FaKtor34]

Exactly. The icons are about 17.9" compressed from what I can find online so that should elimate that problem. Plus with the adjustability i hope will give me a more controlled ride

Should, honestly though I would have contacted Halolift and explained what problem I was having they may have given you some on a set of the 2.5's, of course that's me and what I would do so maybe they could have Elka correct it in the future, maybe you got a bad unit as well because regardless you shouldn't be bottoming on the interstate.

 

[metallikatz3]

Should, honestly though I would have contacted Halolift and explained what problem I was having they may have given you some on a set of the 2.5's, of course that's me and what I would do so maybe they could have Elka correct it in the future, maybe you got a bad unit as well because regardless you shouldn't be bottoming on the interstate.

Yeah I will do so too. I wanted to pull the shock off and see if it is blown out or anything before I contacted them.

 

[ksheldon63]

Just as an FYI for squat vs weight. I have Halo rear shocks and had to haul 900 lbs of raw trifold covers to Bak Industries for inspection, we're building a system to automate this process for them. Truck was 42 1/8" no load full tank and dropped to 39 3/8" loaded (2 3/4") squat. squatted more than I thought it would to be honest.

 

[Jmpow79]

BDS/FOX 98224828 you'll need a spacer for your bump stop. @Captain fabricated his own I ordered a 1" spacer from Timbren.

Which spacer did you use from Timbren?

 

[Nomad]

Which spacer did you use from Timbren?

I have the same setup & used the 1” spacer from the Timbren SKU# SPCRFR1504E kit.

 

[Jmpow79]

I have the same setup & used the 1” spacer from the Timbren SKU# SPCRFR1504E kit.

How do you like the ride vs stock? Did you do anything up front?

 

[Nomad]

How do you like the ride vs stock? Did you do anything up front?

IMO worth every penny spent! The rear end tracks straight now down washboard gravel roads, no more “checking out.”
I originally was running the AS 2.5 pucks, but have switched to the Fox snap rings & am very happy with the ride. Truck feels more planted/ controlled & absorbs big & small bumps much better. The end results gave me about 2” of lift in the front, leaving about an 1.5” of rake.

 

[Jmpow79]

IMO worth every penny spent! The rear end tracks straight now down washboard gravel roads, no more “checking out.”
I originally was running the AS 2.5 pucks, but have switched to the Fox snap rings & am very happy with the ride. Truck feels more planted/ controlled & absorbs big & small bumps much better. The end results gave me about 2” of lift in the front, leaving about an 1.5” of rake.

I’m running the readylift 2.0 now and would like to keep the same stance if I go to the snap rings

 

[Nomad]

Here is a pic on “Almost” flat ground with the Snap rings.

 

[Jmpow79]

Here is a pic on “Almost” flat ground with the Snap rings.

Which setting? Also what size tires are you running?

 

[Nomad]

2nd from top for 2” (Fox recommended setting) Still running the stock tires until they are done.