Suspension Lift or Spacers?

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Keith S

Keith S

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Which would be better suited for the Gen 2 ST (smoother ride quality, better height/performance); a Rancho Quick Lift Suspension or a Truxx Leveling Kit?



Rancho Quick Lift Suspension:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bx5j-Ky3KU
 
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I have the Ranchos on my 07 and they not only improved the ride and handling but also increased tire clearances for the oversize BFGs. A lift by itself cannot do everything that the Ranchos can.
 
@Jimmy - what size is it? Brand? And is it for the 1st or 2nd gen?



@blksn8k - Just regular Rancho shocks or the quick lift ones?
 
I don't see a Truxxx Leveling Kit on their website (there is a suspension lift kit).



If ride quality and performance are goals, keep in mind that the Rancho QuickLIFT raises the resting ride height which reduces the suspension down travel (as will any kit that raises the resting ride height via suspension change).



The practical implications are the wheel cannot travel down as much to follow dips which can cause a sudden top-out, loss of traction and subsequent body roll upon recovery. It also can inhibit ground tracking on bumpy roads when the vehicle is rebounding upward (suspension is expanding) after driving through a dip, also causing loss of traction.



This is particularly problematic at the front with the open differential (one spinning wheel powered).
 
I have the Rancho quick-lift shock/spring combination. The truck handles better than stock. I had a four-wheel alignment done after installing the quick-lifts myself. No ill affects in real world driving. It's not a race car. The BFG All-Terrain T/As apparently make up for any assumed traction issues.
 
One would have to define what is "real world driving"; could be different for each person.



I have the Rancho RS9000XL. That one change made a huge positive difference in handling, on- and off-road.



I previously had a truck with the front lifted about three inches leaving only two inches of down travel. Off-road, fast in a turn, hitting bump would cause the front suspension to top-out, the wheels to be pulled off the ground and the front to slide. Not a good outcome.



Maybe for a given driving style, a certain setup is fine, but there is no guarantee this will be the case for any other setup.



Same is true for my earlier post - might not be the case for every setup, but suspension geometry and physics don't fail. Simple fact - to have optimal traction, the tires have to stay on the ground.
 
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"The Truxxx 102010 lift kit raises the front of your truck 2.5" and the rear 1.25" to achieve a balanced level ride height."



https://truxxx.com/2006-2010-ford-explorer-2wd-4wd-sport-trac-lift-kit-102010.html



The page says lift kit but the description says leveling
 
6 at front; 3 at rear. Big difference from 6 to 7 (jaw jarring at 7).



So easy to adjust; you could have them dialed-in in a half hour. Easy to adjust for long road trips, too (soften them a bit, if you want).



Rancho doesn't make the MyRide remote control any more (because of leaks, I think), but that would be a nice convenience if transitioning from on- and off-road often.



The 102010 is a suspension lift because it doesn't only level the front to the rear, it raises both front and rear (and levels).
 
Only the shock damping (both rebound and compression) is changed. The damping is what slows movement by converting the kinetic energy of movement to thermal energy (forcing oil through orifices) which is then dissipated to atmospheric air.
 
Given that I don't care for lifts ...



Maybe. It depends on your goal, and your wallet.



The RS9000XL retail for about $99.00, but I have seen them in the mid $80.00 (Amazon). Assuming $85.00 each and $348.00 for the lift, that's 4($85) + $348 = $688.00. The Rancho QuickLIFT looks to be about $160.00 each, that's 4($160.00) = $640.00. To me, $48.00 should not be the determining factor. Then I look a versatility.



You can change shocks with the Traxxx product with no other change needed, but should you want to change shocks with the Rancho QuickLIFT, this means you lose the lift and you're stuck with another Rancho, some other shock-lift combination or some sort of Traxxx product.



Something else to consider is that the that particular Traxxx product is a fixed lift and not height adjustable, as is the Rancho QuickLIFT.



I do not see a Rancho QuickLIFT application for the 2007 ST. Perhaps the Explorer application will work, but I don't know. If not, your decision is made for you.



So, on one hand there is the height adjustment of the Rancho QuickLIFT, but you may feel stuck with the product (okay if you like it), if there is an application. On the other, the versatility of simple shock changes with the Traxxx. Either way, you'll have the damping adjustment of the RS9000XL.
 
Yes the QuickLift is for both the ST and Explorer. My goal is to improve ground clearance for work. I drive a lot of poorly maintained two-track trails. Currently the stock ride seems to rebound quite rapidly which makes it feel as if the front of the truck is jumping. But am glad that she comes stock with skid plates :p
 
Do you need more ground clearance to reduce the bounce? Is ground clearance the issue? Seems that controlling the movement would get what you want; you my want both.



That bouncy feel you have I like to refer to as "porpoising". This happens when the shocks can't control (slow) the movement. The RS9000XL will help with that.



Ground clearance for things like the transmission, engine, fuel tank can be increased with a lift, but not for the lower suspension parts (LCAs). Ground clearance for the lower suspension parts can be increased only with taller tires, which can have its own set of challenges to set up properly.
 
I need more ground clearance down the middle of the ST. The trails I drive on are established to the point that there are tire trails. So I am not to worried about the lower control arms, just worried about bottoming out on the middle of the trail between the tire ruts. And as for it bouncing or rebounding harshly, I can drive 5mph over a speed bump and it feels like by the reaction that I was doing 30mph.
 
Thank you Yardsale for the help :) I appreciate it. Hopefully will be able to afford these upgrades before spring, have some other things that take priority :p
 
That's why we're here!



Here's another possibility. If you are leaning toward the Traxxx, you could install the Rancho shocks now (or soon) and the Traxxx later (you probably need shocks anyway). You could check-out the ride in the meantime.



I would not do this unless I had decided on the Traxxx because of the additional cost of the QuickLIFT.
 

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