[Evo8John]

Hey, everyone!

First time posting here. I have a '13 Screw XLT with 258k on it (mostly highway miles, was a company truck prior to my ownership) and I feel like the truck has some excessive dive when braking, and the suspension seems to have a bit of bounce to it when going over some bumps.

With knowing the mileage and symptoms, I think it's time for some new shocks. I tow a small (sub-3,000 lbs) camper every couple weeks and also a car trailer with my drag car on it a couple times a year. I've been looking at some Bilstein 5100s with the front raised a bit to level it, and was wondering if there are any other things you guys would suggest replacing at this mileage. Steering is tight, and front/rear diffs will get fluid changed soon with Amsoil products.

Thanks!

 

[snakebitten]

Bilsteins are hard to beat as a value equation.

Congratulations on a high mileage Ecoboost!

 

[bentruby]

Tie Rod Ends
Upper and Lower Ball Joints/Control arms
Sway bar links

Just so happens you have to remove most of those while you're replacing the front shocks!

Don't mess up your IWE 4x4 actuators while you're in there! Check your CV axle boots for any cracking or damage.

 

[Scott91370]

I like the 5100's a lot! Tamed it a bunch on washboard surfaces. It is still a solid rear axle so there is only so much you can do, but it'll be better.
I agree with checking the tie rod ends, and ball joints while you're in there and have it apart.

 

[Evo8John]

Bilsteins are hard to beat as a value equation.

Congratulations on a high mileage Ecoboost!

Thanks! This thing has been fantastic. I got it right before used vehicle prices shot through the roof too. It has taken my family on multiple long trips of over 8 hours each way and hasn't missed a beat. Spark plugs, coil boots, and oil changes are all I have had to do in the 30k I've owned it.

 

[Stage3Motorsports]

Welcome and nice truck. As already stated the bilsteins are a great investment and def the best bang for the buck in the suspension world. As far as replacement parts, nothing i would just replace for the sake of replaceing, but make sure upper/lower balljoints and control arm bushings are good, tie rod ends and sway bar links, as long as everything is in good working order youll be good to go.

 

[Arkansas Eco]

Bilstein 5100's on +.75".

 

[F150RTR]

Nice truck. Bilsteins are best bang for buck IMO, but it all depends on your intended usage. Concur with aforementioned suspension components' review/replace if needed.

Rob

 

[Tom-Dirt]

That's some corrosion right there. At that point maybe at least clean off what you can & spray on some POR or other rust inhibitor? My 2012 had rust on the LCA's when I bought it in 2018, so I looked around and found a new pair for $150 (back before everything went crazy).

 

[snydmax]

You can do the shocks without taking anything else apart, for sure can spare yourself the iwe disassembly for just shock replacement, but you’ll have to have the springs mounted on the new dampners… at 250k, new springs too might not be a bad idea. It’s likely all the lbj, ubj, tre’s are also at the end of their lifecycle.

Definitely check all those boots for tears, grease being lost, etc. If you have to take them apart or remove them to check, id just replace at your mileage… but thats me. I like to spend all the money I save doing it myself on extra parts!

 

[Upshifter]

How do you replace the struts without taking everything else apart?
Get a spring compressor on there while its on the vehicle somehow?

Was thinking of removing the lower A arm this time.

 

[Justinjs]

I believe you just need to remove the sway end link to remove/replace the struts I don't recall if you need to undo the axle nut or anything else, I thought you did though. On the 13, the bottom of the strut sits in a kind of..cup that you can pry in and out and torque the nut to 5 billion ft/lbs

No way you should DIY the spring replacement, I rented the clamp from AutoZone twice, it's just dangerous. Just pay to have new springs put on.

Agree on the rear shocks, those are stupid simple.

 

[bluelight]

When I did mine, I left the drive shaft alone. I undid the upper ball joint and tie rod ball joint to swing the knuckle out of the way. I had to undo the sway bar end link to get the lower A-arm to drop low enough to get the shock assembly out.

You can use locktite, but they are cheap enough that I replaced every nut I took off.

Mine is also a 14 so I have the pin bar style shock instead of the giant bolt style shock.