The Great Suspension Debate; the F150 Version

We are frequently asked what the differences are between the Bilstein 6112/5160, Eibach Stage 2R, Ford Performance Kits, and the Fox/Roush 2.0 suspension lifts for the Ford F-150. They have become our most popular kits as they have grown in popularity across the F150 platform as a whole. These are some of the best performing kits you can get for the money, and they land around the same price point. Like any other kit out there they each of their differences, and that is what we are tackling here in this article. We want to be able to let customers be able to decide which of these kits fits their needs the best and not be persuaded by someone else’s opinion. Keep in mind these are details and specs that the manufacturers lay out. We are always happy to help answer questions and give customers our own opinions on kits. But the focus of this write up is to lay out the facts so that you can get the kit the is right for you!

Also within this article are some key terms that you may (or may not) have seen before. We have broken down their meanings to help clarify and create a better understanding. Without further ado, lets dive into each kit below!

Fox 2.0

• 2.0” Shock Body

• Aluminum Body Shock

• True Coilovers (ships fully assembled)

• Ride Quality
  • Progressive Valving
  • Daily ride zone is more forgiving but with slightly less handling like a digressive shock. Expect it to be better at small bumps, but less capable with larger inputs.
  • Can absorb day to day riding and terrain bumps

• Coil Springs can be changed out

• Preload/Height can be adjusted via threaded body with a spanner wrench

• Not advised to adjust the height of these while on the vehicle/under tension

• IFP Smooth body rear shocks (non reservoir)

• Need to be serviced between 30-60k miles for optimal performance depending on driving use

• 1 year Fox Warranty
• Product Link: https://hotshotoffroad.com/collecti...ucts/stage-1-suspension-package-4wd-2021-f150

Eibach Pro Truck Stage 2R Kit

• 2.0” Shock Body

• True Coilovers (ships fully assembled assembled)

• Ride Quality
  • Digressive Valving
  • Between Fox and Bilstein in terms of ride comfort, firmness, and daily driven performance
  • Creates a great on and off-road ride quality that can absorb small to mid-size impacts yet maintaining a great on road feel
  • Longer Shock Body than other options (more travel and lift maximums)

• Durable Zinc Coating

• Coil Springs cannot be changed out

• Preload/Height can be adjusted via threaded body with spanner wrench

• Can be adjusted while on the vehicle due to the steel threads. However, adjusting with springs not under tension is advised.

• Reservoir Rear Shocks (on 2R kits)

• Not serviceable

• Eibach “Million Mile” Warranty
• Product Link: https://hotshotoffroad.com/collecti...pro-truck-stage-2r-coilover-kit-4wd-2021-f150

Bilstein 6112/5160

• 2.6” Shock Body

• Un-assembled shock – Bilstein intends on you reusing OEM top hats so assembly is required (can be purchased assembled from some vendors such as us here at Hotshot Offroad)

• Must be assembled to desired circlip setting for height options
• Cannot be adjusted while on the vehicle. You must remove and disassemble and reset the clip if you want to adjust the height/preload

• Ride Quality
  • Mono-tube digressive shock, resistance at the beginning but softens up the faster you go
  • Better control on harder hits and tougher terrain
  • Best Towing/Hauling performance of the bunch due to better weight resistance
  • Tight, controlled valving for minimized body roll
  • Firmest valving profile and highest spring rate of all options

• Corrosion resistant zinc-plated finish with a clear coating

• Coils Springs cannot be changed out

• Reservoir Rear Shocks

• Bilstein limited lifetime warranty
• Product Link: https://hotshotoffroad.com/collecti.../products/6112-5160-stage-2-package-2021-f150

Ford Performance

• 2.6” Shock Body

• Assembled Coilovers (ships fully assembled for 2” of lift – disassembly required to achieve 2.5” of lift)

• Ride Quality
  • Digressive Valving, tuned by Ford
  • Nearly identical to the Bilstein 6112/5160 in terms of ride quality

• Cannot be adjusted to provide less than 2” of lift

• Painted and clear coated shock bodies on both 6112 and 5160Remote reservoir on 5160 is mounted with hard line vs braided remote reservoir hose on standard 5160

• 3 year/36k mile warranty (through Ford Performance)
• Product Link: https://hotshotoffroad.com/collecti.../ford-performance-off-road-system-2021-f150-1

Key Terms:

• Preload: The amount of compression that a coil spring experiences when the shock is fully extended. This is often measured in inches.

Digressive shocks

• Restrictive oil flow

• Greater resistance at the beginning motion of movement and with normal driving like pavement driving, day to day, light off roading, towing, etc

• Superior handling during most highway conditions due to body roll resistance (exception would be something like a segmented concrete highway)

• Soften up the faster you go

• Smaller ports for oil flow (stiffer at first, softens up)

• More firm with singular small bump & large bump inputs, but perform well on continued broken ground

• Provides increased control over unwanted body movements with an increased bump compliance

Progressive shocks

• Starts off soft and stiffens up more during extensive use/travel

• Good at small and big hits, but not great at handling and resisting body roll

• Can feel out of control when towing/overloading the suspension due to how quickly the suspension will bottom and then spring back up easily

• Middle ride zone aka pavement ride zone: beginning motion of the vehicle and light duty driving such as pavement, light off roading, towing, etc

FAQs

1. What size wheel/tire can I fit with a lift?
   1. This answer can vary. All of these kits can help you run 33/34s without issues. They can even run 35s, but it all comes down to your wheel and tire combo. Certain wheels have offsets that may not work with these kits unless you do some modifications such as removing crash bars, some plastic trimming, etc. Short answer is you can fit up to 35s if you understand that some modifications may be needed
2. Which kit is the best for every day driving?
   1. This still is a tough question as it is an opinionated question. The article above should help answer this for you, but if you were to ask what kit we sell the most of then it would be the Eibach Stage 2R. And we do agree its arguably the best bang for your buck if you are just daily driving with some light off-roading. If you do more aggressive driving on trails/service roads more often, the Bilstein really shines in this department over the Eibach.
3. Do I need new Upper Control Arms with this kit?
   1. If you do not plan to go over a 2.5" lift on your set up, then you are ok to run factory control arms. When you begin going to the 2.5"or higher mark, you start to have complications with the factory UCAs and CV axles. The factory components cannot handle that much lift and start to prematurely wear out or break. That is when we suggest you upgrade your Upper control arms to something that can handle the new lift.
4. Can I run factory wheels and tires with this kit?
   1. You can run factory wheels and tires just fine with these kits. However, please note that if you do go to 2.5" or higher on lift, then you have to swap out your control arms, which then you MAY NOT be able to run factory wheels and tires without some modifications. We have found that most that try and run factory wheels with aftermarket control arms have a chance of tire rub on the UCA. There are a lot of factors that come into play with this. Our best advice is to get a UCA that can work with factory specs, or be prepared to add a small 1/4 to 1/2" wheel spacer to your set up. We have ran both of these wheel spacer sizes on our trucks and have had zero issues. They are safe to run even off roading. You can also swap your lug nuts to a set of deep spline to get that extra grip back on the studs if desired.
5. Do I need a rear reservoir or will a smooth body be fine?
   1. Some of these kits have a kit version that has a rear reservoir shock or a non reservoir shock. Rear reservoirs do have their benefits such as better heat dissipation, usually a longer lasting shock life, and just better comfort all around when putting the shocks to work more (such as offroading, towing, etc). Although a rear reservoir version is not necessarily needed, we find that having that rear reservoir shock on these particular trucks does make quite a difference overall. The F150 rears from factory just seem (in our opinion) sloppy and have too much roll. Adding a rear reservoir shock makes a big difference.

We hope this quick write up helps folks out. Of course there is always more fine tuned details for specific styles of builds. But this article should be able to help everyone understand for the most part the differences. In our profession we know picking out a suspension kit can be a difficult choice. The reality is that how one kit rides/performs for one person may not be the perception of how the next person see's it. But we have tested enough kits to be able to give honest and transparent feedback to help our customers decide what is truly best for them. But as always if you have any specific questions please do not hesitate to reach out to us anytime! We are more than happy to assist and get your truck set up with the right kit.

-Hotshot Offroad