Suspension upgrades - kinda hard to find..

[Speedboosted]

Attached is that spec sheet I mentioned earlier.

Thanks, guess mine is the 19mm actually. Wonder what got the 21mm?

 

[OneTonWonton]

I have KYB Strut-Plus assemblies and Michelin LT Defender tires. I 'feel' the road much more than the mushy stock setup. Probably more like an F-150. I am happy!

Fronts and rear KYBs? Noticeable improvement over stock?

 

[papaweely]

Fronts and rear KYBs? Noticeable improvement over stock?

My front and rear stocks were worn out, so I can't give an accurate comparison to 'stock'. The fronts were starting to leak and rear would hobby-horse over humped railroad tracks and looked to be sagging. I bought spacers for towing purposes, but, after installing the KYB's, the rear leveled up and I did not need the spacers. I am very satisfied with the KYB assemblies! Feels VERY controlled over the humped railroad tracks, and handling is great. I am a Bilstein fan, but read that some owners thought they were too firm. If I drove at least 75% offroad, I would want the Bilsteins.

 

[sandbuster]

My front and rear stocks were worn out, so I can't give an accurate comparison to 'stock'. The fronts were starting to leak and rear would hobby-horse over humped railroad tracks and looked to be sagging. I bought spacers for towing purposes, but, after installing the KYB's, the rear leveled up and I did not need the spacers. I am very satisfied with the KYB assemblies! Feels VERY controlled over the humped railroad tracks, and handling is great. I am a Bilstein fan, but read that some owners thought they were too firm. If I drove at least 75% offroad, I would want the Bilsteins.

Good report sir - thank you!

 

[MooseSquatch]

Fronts and rear KYBs? Noticeable improvement over stock?

I used my personal Expedition to serve warrants up until 2021 and needed a small lift to properly jump curbs and prevent my front fender from dragging on absolutely EVERYTHING. It is in my opinion that a puck lift is a puck lift, so I cheaped out on spacers - no issues there. I increased my tired to a firmer, larger, 33” Falken WildPeak AT3W - as rain, snow, and dirt were normal for me back in California.

For shocks, I ended up comparing the Fox, Bilstein, KYB, and the (stock) Monroe’s. Fox’s were a bit too expensive and mostly out of stock nationwide during the C-Word epidemic… ******* me off. I could only find fairly-priced KYBs (essentially tow shocks - like an F250 unloaded), and Monroe’s (which ride like a frikin boat… making cornering/merging about 35mph nearly impossibly… a big no-go in my profession.

I settled for the KYBs, with a 2-3” front/rear lift which makes it sit level with a slight kink in the CV shafts, but 2 years later and they’re still fine.

The shocks are STIFFFFF, and honestly, are a bit too stiff for daily comfort. I’m now in Hawaii with my vehicle and honestly don’t like driving other people in my vehicle as much as I used to simply due to how bumpy the roads are here - paired with the stiffness - just make for a “jiggily” ride that makes you feel fatter than you should on a Monday morning commute. I still love the fact that I can tow HEAVY and “hypothetically” drive around 100mph without fear of the wind/other elements negatively-affecting my suspension like it used to.

KYB shocks would be best suited for frequent towing/high-speed driving on decent roads, NOT so much for daily-driving whilst unloaded on bumpy roads.

Extra: The Falken WildPeak AT3Ws (tires) have been punctured multiple times which is somewhat shocking as I picked them specifically due to their higher ply-rating, but probably 2-3 plugs later per tire and they still look brand new 30k miles and 2 years later. I also frequently still partake in old (bad habits) and drive over curbs to avoid traffic jams here as the lights take 5+ minutes where I live… and there are noticeably-large chunks taken out of my sidewall on both front tires now.

 

[OneTonWonton]

Extra: The Falken WildPeak AT3Ws (tires) have been punctured multiple times which is somewhat shocking as I picked them specifically due to their higher ply-rating, but probably 2-3 plugs later per tire and they still look brand new 30k miles and 2 years later. I also frequently still partake in old (bad habits) and drive over curbs to avoid traffic jams here as the lights take 5+ minutes where I live… and there are noticeably-large chunks taken out of my sidewall on both front tires now.

Good to know. I'm not looking to hop any curbs around town. I will need new tires by next spring, but looking at Kumho Road Venture 52 or Firestone Destination X/T LT tires. I need the snow rating for ND winters and like to venture off road every now and then, and they're both quite affordable sets of tires. Thanks for the update on the KYBs. Good to know about how those ride.

 

[JasonH]

Good to know. I'm not looking to hop any curbs around town. I will need new tires by next spring, but looking at Kumho Road Venture 52 or Firestone Destination X/T LT tires. I need the snow rating for ND winters and like to venture off road every now and then, and they're both quite affordable sets of tires. Thanks for the update on the KYBs. Good to know about how those ride.

I have KYB on the rear. Can't compare to OEM because they were worn out and barely damped on rebound. I have no complaints about the KYB. On the tire front, I've been running Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT for over 40,000 miles, including light snow. No complaints, but they do get louder when the tread wears. Part of the motivation for the upgrade was puncture resistance since changing tires is a pain when towing. No punctures yet and I am very happy with the Coopers.