Ride Review - Bilstein 5100 on a 2020 Ranger FX4

This is our stage 1 for the 2019+ Ford Ranger, we’ll be diving into many different suspension combinations; changing out the shocks, control arms, leaf springs, and other parts.

Shop your shock options: 2019+ Ford Ranger Shock Buying Guide

Backstory

As of this writing, most big brands have made something for the new Ranger; Bilstein, Fox, Icon, King, Rancho, Radflo, Eibach all have coilovers and shocks in varying feature-sets. The 2020 Ranger FX4 that we’ll be working with will eventually see some of these options, we’re aiming to compare similarly-classed shocks and coilovers against one another.

In other words, we wont be putting up a simple strut against an adjustable coilover with reservoirs. Budget considerations, use cases, best of the best are the things we’re considering.

Our goal is to deliver the real world results and experience around going from shock to shock; are there noticeable differences? What are they? What kind of driver are these shocks best for?

We sell over 20 brands of shocks, we’re not married to any of them, though some want a forced marriage. If you’re just starting out, check out our Ranger FAQ to get up to speed.

Starting Out - Stage 1

One of the main responsibilities of this 2020 Ford Ranger FX4 was pulling toys and other trailered equipment around, whether that's to King of the Hammers or the job site. The stock FX4 shocks weren’t doing so hot in that department, but we knew how to fix that real quick.

One of our biggest recommendations as a ‘stock upgrade’ will not only restore factory-handling, but greatly improve things like handling, nose dive, cornering, and rear-end stability. The Bilstein 5100 is just the shock to tighten up the cornering and rear end stability for cases like these - towing and hauling specifically.

The Bilstein 5100 isn’t a magic bullet for everything, and some even say it rides too firm for their liking, but what some call ‘firm’ we call ‘sporty’. Keep in mind who’s giving out free opinions.

For the tow-haul duties this Ranger sees, we had to get some first hand knowledge to understand how drastic (or non-existent) the difference would be between Ford’s top-of-the-line shocks for the FX4 package, and a basic off-the-shelf shock upgrade.

Checkout what Jeff and Steve had to say about the stage 1 suspension upgrade for the Ranger.