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I have a 2001 Ford Ranger, and recently I had to put some stuff in the bed of the truck for work and noticed that the shocks seemed soft. I had maybe 250-300 lbs in the bed and the truck started to squat. I weigh about 260 lbs and if I ever have to climb in the bed the truck starts bouncing and squatting like I weighed 800 lbs. Heck, my neice weighs about 100 lbs and it even starts bouncing with her in it.
My question is, do I need new shocks? Maybe stiffer ones instead? I know this is just a little Ford Ranger but I feel like I should be able to carry more than a few hundred pounds without any issue. I looked at the shocks and I didn’t see any physical damage (no dents, cracks, or leaking) but maybe there is something internally that is wrong? Any help or suggestions would really be appreciated.
2001
Ford Ranger Edge
Standard Cab, 2 Door
Automatic Transmission
2WD, RWD
Bought in the USA
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If as you say the truck is squatting with a few hundred pounds loaded in the bed.
You really should be looking at your springs.
The shocks only absorb / control motion, while the springs are meant to support weight loads.A bushing provides an interface between two parts, damping the energy transmitted through the bushing. A common application is in vehicle suspension systems, where a bushing made of rubber (or, more often, synthetic rubber or polyurethane) separates the faces of two metal objects while allowing a certain amount of movement.
Though they can cause issues in a suspension system, the inability to support the vehicle weight and additional load is more directly related to the operation and performance of the springs, being coils or leaf style.
Thanks again for your help Night. I’ll have someone take a look at the leaf springs and see what’s what.
Do you live in the salt/rust belt?
Check the condition of your leaf spring shackles/hangers. I’ve seen them completely rusted off, with that end of the leaf spring no longer attached to the vehicle. It’ll definitely produce the symptoms you describe.
Nope, I don’t live in the rust belt, I’m down her in MD. I went a head and had a local mechanic take a quick look, he said everything is fine though the bushings are showing some signs of wear, but the leaf springs and shackles are in pretty good shape.
I guess the truck is just very light duty and I’m just not used to it? The only other trucks I’ve been around have been Ram 2500’s and F250’s, that’s kind of what I was using as a reference point.
Thanks for the reply =)
One item to note:
Considering the springs are 16 years old.
They do have a tendency to weaken and lose their ability to support a load over time.
There are after market solutions available.
Air bags / springs
Air shocks
Add-A- Leaf
Coil over load shocks
You can also have your leaf packs rebuilt, re-arced and have an additional leaf installed.But with any method chosen, you’ll still need to be mindful of the maximum carrying load your specific vehicle can safely handle.
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