So yea, I've been wanting to add a 2" front leveling spacer since my '04 FX4 sits so damn low in the front...or high in the rear - whatever.

I buy the 2" spacers (Autospring)... didn't want to go too extreme, so I settled with the 2" because I figured it was a nice medium.

Anywayyy.. I figured I might as well do my struts too while Im at it. Dont know if they were really shot or not, but the truck has 75k on it soooo, why not?

I bought the Monroe Quick-Struts (complete cartridge/spring assembly). Installed one side (with the spacer), and lowered the truck back down. It made absolutely NO difference in height from what I could tell.

I do the other side, but this time I measure and compare the old strut to the new strut. From the top of the strut to the eye, the new Monroe struts are a full 1" shorter than my old used stocks!

So basically, I just went through all that crap to gain 1" (which you can't even tell any difference at all with the naked eye). And to top it off, It doesnt even ride any nicer so Im sure my old struts were just fine.

Just had to vent I guess. I really was looking forward to a more-level looking truck...no such luck!

 

Been cheaper to just remove the 2" (or 1-5/8" blocks as the case may be) from the rear.

 

Put your stock strust back on. I'm sure where ever you bought them from has some kind of return policy.

Did you get 2wd struts by chance?? Maybe you were sent the wrong ones...

 

Yea now I'm wondering if they sent me 2wd struts by accident...damnit. >

Nothing can be easy.

Anyone else have these struts? Did they lower your truck too?

 

2 WD struts / shocks / whatever are near an inch shorter than the 4WD ones overall.
Monroe Struts .............. 4WD 17361 .............. 2WD 17362
Body Length .................... 16.875" ....................15.200"
Compressed Length .......... 17.330" ....................15.700"
Extended Length ............ 21.940" ....................20.950"

17361 for 4WD



17362 for 2WD




4WD shocks / struts have the nearly 2" long lower "stalk" between the eye and the shock body, the 4WD has shorter travel because while it raises the front of the truck, it still works within safe angles of the suspension arms and ball joints that are common to both 2WD and 4WD front suspensions on these trucks. The stalk also provides more room around the axle shaft which is close to the shock lower end.

 

My receipt says 171362.

Awesome! Looks like they sent me 2wd struts!


Thank you sir for the info!

Wondering....are these not only shorter, but softer too?

 

I would imagine they would be softer. They're sprung and valved to work without the weight of a front axle.
Pull em out dude. You'll thank yourself as soon as you get it all done.

 

shibby2 ..... Yep, looks like they shipped 2WD shocks / struts. And now you have a mess of labor and etc and return hassles .... that's a lot of hassle. Not sure if you still have originals to put on while posting wrong ones back and waiting on correct ones?

On the "plus side" (trying to paint a rosey pic, I know it's not what you wanted, but something to think about?) ...
... you could still remove the 2" spacer you added, remove the rear suspension block and use shorter U bolts, and have a mildly lowered 4WD truck that is easier for the lady to get in and out, easier to clean at wash time, easieer to check oil in, easier to load, easier to unload. It will be like a 1 or 1.5" frt / 2" rear drop? It'ld be a bit more level than mine is as I dropped front a hair over 2".

As to front axle weight added, the only added weight in the front suspension with 4WD vs 2WD is the IWE and outer CV joint and part of the thin axle shaft's weight, not much at all. The center with the gears and all that is mounted to the frame and is not sprung weight. My guess is valving is same and 2WD actually has more travel.

Down side, dropping it to 2WD level does mean camber is way off with tires leaning in at top and toe is toed way out at front, and unless alligned, will eat frt tires off the inside.

 

Yea they gotta come out. What a waste of time (and knuckles)!

Problem is, I bought them a year ago from Amazon. Theyve been sitting in my garage since I havent had time to install them. Hope they take them back!

 

Yeah, I think that's gonna be a problem. I'ld sure find out before I pull them back out if you're counting on it.

Just looking at it from their perspective ..... the obvious scratching / scars, etc that happens on an install, seeing as it's a year old order ...
... good chance they won't take them back (or can't if it was a merchent listing through Amazon) ...
... and likely neither would you if you were the merchant.

Not trying to tell you how to like your truck. I just thought you just wanted a more level truck, that height didn't matter? It sounded like you just didn't like the "rake" affect which is why I suggested living with lower?

If you don't like it .... then yeah .... fix it. I would if it were mine to make me happy and chalk any costs or seemingly wasted effort up to "learning expense". Then again, I would maybe "give it a try" depending on how strong I felt about it?

Amazon is OK, I order from them often, some stuff is stockled and sold by Amazon, some stuff is stuff listed by Merchants and you actually are buying from the merchant who ships to you direct, Amazon get's a listing fee.

I know .... it sucks, and I'm just "guessing" about Amazon (or the merchent that listed with Amazon as the case may be). They might be able to help ...
... but your current problem is why I always check orders ASAP when recieved as that's the best time to address any problems. BT-DT many many years ago.

 

Im waiting to hear back from Amazon. True, I should have opened and expected everything before storing them away. Guess I just trusted that they were the right parts, since that's what I ordered. But also, they should have sent the right parts.

Can't count on anyone doing their job correctly these days. Seems like every single thing I buy, no matter what it is, has to be returned atleast a couple times. Hell, everytime I order food at the drive-thru, something is missing or wrong...everytime!

Quality and professionalism is just not what it was once anymore in this country. Guess that's a big reason why we're in the trouble we are. People just don't care about doing a good job anymore.

Oh well, I'll see what they say. Either way, they're coming out. If anything I'll re-sell them as 'almost new, never used', and then just buy the proper ones.

 

Oh, I agree! 100%
Well .... I can't say the same. Once in a while maybe, but not very often. I usually I get what I order, even at drive throughs .... but I still check because those times it's wrong, I'm really pi55ed if I get home and find it then.
Good luck .... and a month ago I'ld have made you an offer.

 

2 things:
1) lowering a 4x4 is sacrilege.
2) 4x4 vehicles have heavier front ends than 2wd vehicles, no matter what you've read on the internet about sprung weight... :P

 

Then in your eyes, on the first point, I'm guilty on my '07 (though the '77 is still stock height ... so can I get 1/2 credit for that?
).


I was already 45 before I had the net, I've never considered looking up sprung or unsprung weight on the net.

Sure, 4WD truck's front ends are heavier, but then shocks don't support vehicle weight ...
... they dampen springs in rebound mostly and only a little resistance in compression. The 2WD and 4WD 04-08 F150s use the same front spring. There are wide variations in the valving of different brands and models within brands of shocks but when you narrow it down to simply 2WD vs 4WD Monroe Quick Struts ..... possible, but I just don't see it being likely.

Later .............

 

agree......