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You might look at the way you use your 3G Tundra and think a more basic entry level package with 2” body struts/coilovers and shocks will do the trick, and on paper you would normally be right.

In practice you typically have to take that next step up to a 2.5ish” body mid tier package to get the travel to get a decent ride at the lift heights most people are looking for and the ability to manage the weight of the tires most people want to run while still maintaining a comfortable ride.

And if you want to know what option is the best for you between things like the @arb4x4usa OME MT64s, @dobinsonsusa IMS, @ivdsuspension 2.5 EXPs, and old faithful the @bilsteinus 6112s and 6100s, Episode 3 of our Buyer’s Guide for Gen 3 Tundras drops this Friday at 3 Pm PST over on the tubes, so you’ll definitely want to lock in.

#3gtundra #shocksurplus #enthusiastgrade #shocktalk #shocks101 by @shocksurplus

If you’re ready to start your journey to upgrading the suspension on your Ford F-150, today’s your day to lock in, because we are going live with the Episode 1 of our Buyer’s Guide at 3 PM PST over on the Tubes.

This is just the beginning of this series where we teach all the basics you need to know about upgrading your suspension and what tires fit, as well as the more basic shock packages that still make a huge improvement on these trucks. So this is not a video you will want to miss by @shocksurplus

Tomorrow at 3 PM PST Episode 1 of our Buyer’s Guide series for Ford F-150s goes live and it’s not a video you want miss.

We are going over everything you need to know from variances in factory packages, how much lift you need to level your truck, what tires you can fit and even some of our favorite entry level coilover and shock packages to boot.

So if you haven’t already, now’s the time to get subscribed over on our YT channel so don’t miss out.

#fordf150 #fordsofinstagram #shocksurplus #shocktalk #14gf150 by @shocksurplus

Fitting 35s on a 2021 to current model Ford F-150 is the easiest part of the whole charade. Grab some 8-8.5” wide wheels with a +20 to +35 offset and you’re done. However even though you don’t need a lift to fit those tires, your stock and most entry level aftermarket suspension options are just not going to handle it.

Between constant dribbling, shuttering, topping out, the tires spending about as much time off the road as they are on it, adding too much tire with too little shock and spring is a recipe for bad ride quality, bad traction, and bad performance in general.

The solution?

Upgrade your coilovers and shocks to options that are at least a 2.5” body in the front and at least a 2” body in the rear, although the bigger the better, and thank us later. The extra damping force will keep those tires planted to the piste so you can ride in comfort and keep your truck under control.

Want to know more?

Make sure to head on over to our YT channel this Friday at 3 PM PST so you can catch Epsiode 1 of our Buyer’s Guide series for Ford F-150s as soon as it’s live.

#35s #fordf150 #shocksurplus #bigtires #lowlift by @shocksurplus

Whether your coilovers are 2.5” in diameter or larger, and especially if they have external reservoirs, you hit the trails hard, or have 34” or larger tires, after market upper control arms are going to be a must on your F-150, but which is our favorite?

@specialty_products_company Adjustable arms are what we run on our truck, and they have been great. They require absolutely no maintenance and seem to take a fair amount of abuse, and include the leveling bracket for those of you with the Dynamic Bending Headlight option.

@ivdsuspension Delta Joint Pros are the ultimate choice for serious off-road enthusiasts. The DJ Pro Ball Joints have the strength and smooth operation of a 1.25” uniball, but are sealed and greaseable like a more transitional ball joint. They also have the most articulation on the market at 90°, which is how their in house coilovers are capable of more lift and travel than most anything else. That also means these arms will work with just about every coilover out there.

But the Old Man Emu arms from @arb4x4usa are probably the best choice for the needs of the vast majority of drivers. They are super well priced, especially when you get them as a part of a complete BP51 or MT64 kit, low maintenance, long lasting, low NVH, and plenty strong enough.

Want to learn more? Episode 1 of our Buyer’s Guide series for F-150s goes live this Friday at 3 PM PST over on our YT channel so make sure to lock in.

#fordf150 #shocksurplus #uca #shocks101 #uppercontrolarms by @shocksurplus

If you have an F-150, chances are that “cheap” spacer kit you have been eyeing, ain’t going to be all that cheap, and it certainly won’t be cheerful. By the time you get the upper control arms you need ensure you retain the little bit of travel these front ends have with the stock struts, you could be as much as $850 in the hole, and still have a truck that rides like hot garbage.

There are a multitude of ride height adjustable struts with accompanying rear shocks that cost much less than that like the @bilsteinus 5100s. Which not only let you keep stock control arms, but offer a slight increase in travel, performance, and in some cases comfort along with a more level stance.

If spending less money to get something more of just about everything that matters with your F-150’s suspension is just as much a no brainer to you as it is to us, make sure to lock in with our YT channel this Friday at 3 PM PST for Episode 1 of our F-150 guide where we go over all the basics you need to know before you can start planning your upgrade as well as our top choices for entry level leveling strut or coilover, and shock sets from Bilstein, Eibach, and Fox.

#fordf150 #shocksurplus #shocktalk #shocks101 #leveled by @shocksurplus

We have scantily seen trucks with more rear high rake out of the factory that 2021+ Ford F-150s with the Max Tow Package and especially Tremors.

Many of these trucks have as much as 3.5” of rear high rake or more, with the vast majority of coilovers running out of steam at 2-2.5” over base 4WD height or 1-1.5” over Tremor height. Although some coilovers say you can go taller, few things offer much more than 2” more travel or extension than stock, which means anything over 2” of lift comes with a reduction in down travel and of course ride quality as well as overall performance.

Most is not @ivdsuspension though, who have coilovers that offer 2.75-3.5” more lift over base models and 2.5-3” over Tremor (3.5-4.5” over base with their uprights) with the extra travel to boot. Not only do these kits get you level, and then some, the ride and overall performance is insane. We could be biased but they still rank as our favorite option that is not position sensitive, making them worth every penny in our book.

But if you want more of these critical factoids about the suspension on your F-150 make sure to keep it locked on our YT channel because our F-150 Suspension Buyer’s Guide series is about to start very soon.

#levelingkit #leveled #fordf150 #shocksurplus #iconvehicledynamics by @shocksurplus

Just because your coilovers are adjustable, doesn’t mean you need to adjust them. In fact, most brands try to set up their coilovers so that the out of the box preload or lift height settings are around what they think is the right compromise in terms of performance and stance on the vast majority of vehicles they are designed for. If not perfect, at the very least they are worth installing before you need to mess with things.

So when are you almost guaranteed to have to make an adjustment?

Weight is the primary variable here, and to ensure most buyers do not have to change a thing, most brands develop their coilovers around the most popular package, powertrain option, and or sub model of a particular vehicle. The problem is the most popular stock weight package does not cover everything on the road, and F-150s are the perfect example of that.

The most popular combination on these trucks, and the one most manufacturers develop their shocks for is a Super Crew, short bed, 4WD with a 3.5 EcoBoost which weighs around 4800-5200 lbs. By chance that is basically the same weight as a 4WD 5.0 Coyote truck with the same bed and cab, meaning the vast majority of buyers have nothing to worry about.

The problem is those same coilovers are what you would use on a 4400 lb Regular Cab 2.7 EcoBoost and a 5700 lb PowerBoost Hybrid, which means those out of the box settings are likely to be wrong. That 2.7 truck will need significantly less preload and the Hybrid will need significantly more to achieve the same height that the coilovers were intended to come out at on the 3.5 EcoBoost or 5.0 Coyote trucks they were originally intended for.

But if you wanted more of those critical nuggets of knowledge for your F-150 make sure to keep it locked on our YT Channel because coming up next week we are dropping episode 1 of our Suspension Guide Series for F-150s so you don’t want to miss out.

And if you wanted more tips on how to adjust the preload on your coilovers, make sure to check out last weeks video where we give you a quick how to on the very subject.

#shocktalk #shcoks101 #fordf150 #shocksurplus #coilovers by @shocksurplus

15-20 F150 Assembled @bilsteinus 6112s back in stock. Inventory levels have been sparse on F150, these won't last until BFCM and more aren't landing until December. by @shocksurplus

If your really want to be technical about it, any change in ride height requires an alight but, there is a point you have to be realistic.

On almost any independent suspension set up your camber, caster, and toe change as the suspension cycles throughout its travel. Some of it is intentional, so of it is accidental or a consequence of some other desired geometry.

CAMBER:

Most vehicles lose camber or the camber goes more negative as the suspension compresses, (and vice versa) which is a feature not a bug. The theory is that when you take a turn and the outside of your suspension compresses, the decrease in camber fights tire rollover and retains a better contact patch throughout the bend.

CASTER

Most manufacturers build in anti dive geometry into their IFS designs which is a value that basically dictates how little or how much of the braking forces are transferred to the suspension. The greater the anti dive value the less of those braking forces make it to the suspension, and therefore the less brake dive you have. Thus the name.

This is a handy little trick for minimizing brake dive without making the front shocks and springs stiffer, however this is typically achieved by setting the upright/spindle/knuckle at a slight angle (top tilted back slightly towards the rear of the vehicle). The bug that comes with this feature is that means caster decreases as the suspension extends, and increases as it compresses.

TOE

Although not always intentional EVERY factory truck or SUVs bump steers a little bit, typically with the tires toeing out on compression and toeing in on compression. Some more than others, but bump steers is always present.

So What Does That Mean For You?

As you change ride height those geometric tendencies mean your alignment changes. As you go taller you gain camber, lose caster, and your tires typically toe in. And vice versa However on modern vehicles the change is not all that extreme.

If you are doing a different amount of adjustment from left to right, you’re going to need an alignment to keep from driving crooked, but if you do a 1/2” of change or less on both sides, chances are another alignment is a waste of time. by @shocksurplus

A lot of our customers get scared by the “black art” that is adjusting preload, but it’s a lot simpler than you might think. In fact our video on the topic just dropped, so if you have a set of coilovers you’ve been dreading adjusting, you definitely will want to check it out.

#coilovers #suspensionupgrade #preload #shocksurplus #shocks101 by @shocksurplus

Your coilovers or ride height adjustable struts probably have too much preload of:

1. It feels super “thumpy” over small bumps and cracks on the road as if your tires are slapping the pavement over ever minor impact.

2. You have next to no articulation on the trail even with your sway bars removed. If your coilovers or struts have more travel than stock, but your are lifting a tire more often than stock, it’s time to back off that preload and ride height to recover some down travel.

3. Topping out is probably the most common complaint we get from any aftermarket suspension system and the culprit id the set up and not necessarily the parts themselves. If your suspension crashes every time it rebounds or you feel like you are getting sucked into every hole or dip, you need some more down travel and that means less preload.

But if you want some tips and tricks on setting your preload, make sure to head over to our YT channel tomorrow at 3PM PST because we are dropping a quick tutorial on how to make those adjustments.

#coilovers #preload #topout #shocksurplus #shocks101 by @shocksurplus