I have a question as to the true reason that our new F150's have outboard mounted shocks. All the answers I get from searching and talking with the dealer is all the same...."better handling and performance." My question is if this construction is so much "better" why are the other companies not doing this as well and why does Ford not do this in their Super Dutys?

Don't get me wrong, I can definitely feel the handling difference in my truck compared to my friends Ram and Z71...but every time I am driving down the road and get behind a Super Duty, I notice that their shocks are still mounted roughly in thirds inside the frame. I just makes me wonder if we are sacrificing towing/hauling performance for a "better" ride...

Any insight on this?

 

Shocks don't have anything to do with towing/hauling capacity. All shocks do is damp up and down motion to smooth out the ride. Go to Ford's website for the F150 and look for the section titled "The truth about trucks" and it has a section that explains it better than I ever could. You know, pictures vs. thousands of words, etc.

 

Well, I have seen all that promotional junk that Ford has put out to help sell this truck (buy the way...as corny as that DVD was...it really makes you think twice about considering to buy any other brand). I am more just curious as to why Ford only mounts their shocks like this in the F150 and not their Super Dutys. If this configuration is as superior as they say it is in there marketing propaganda...why do they not do the same in all their trucks?

 

Mounting them further out (closer to the wheel) increases their effectiveness by reducing the mechanical advantage of the axle. In short, decreasing the length of the lever (axle) lets them damp vibration better. That video I mentioned has a clear demonstration of this. As to why Ford doesn't do it across all their truck lines, I don't know. Probably too costly to redesign them all at once. Maybe some of the Ford workers can chime in here and enlighten us?

 

The outboard mounted shocks are the best way to go. The reason that you don't see this on anything else is the platform for new F150 just came out in 2004. The frame for the F250 goes back to '98 minus the new front end for the coil springs in 2005. I am sure that when they bring out the new F250 in 2007 it will have the outboard shocks. As for the other trucks out there...they will never have it all together like a Ford.

 

The other Truck that has the outboard mounted shocks is the Nissan Titan. That was a new Truck also like the F150. As for the other pickup trucks, they are still using alot of their old designed equipment, especially GM. For now Ford and Nissan are ahead of the curve, just Nissan is having a little trouble with their first full sized truck.

 

as for other manufacturers...I am pretty sure that the Nissan Titan has outboards in the rear, and also the new Toyota Tacoma.

 

You are correct. I didn't know that Toyota had the outboard mounted shocks as well. Maybe they were first? I really never cared for the looks of the Toyota, so I never cared what Toyota had!

 

Thanks for the info Jak and Les. I guess since I bought my truck I haven't looked at any of the other 'new platforms'. Seems like this is way way all trucks will be. I bet the 4 door regular cab is going to become a standard as well when Chevy and Dodge upgrade their trucks.

 

Other reasons (for a more comfortable ride):

• The F150's designation as light duty implies that it is also well suited for other than hauling and towing chores.
• An alternative to an SUV for use as a daily driver, family hauler.
• Capturing the female consumer.
• Capture buyers who would not normally buy a truck based on their past experiences with trucks.

I'm sure there's a lot more.

 

I don't think they are outboard in the Tundra, just in the newly redesigned Tacoma. Which, BTW, is SUBSTANTIALLY larger than the outgoing Tacoma. I'd say the new Taco is virtually right up there with the Dakota. My friend just got one and from the little I have seen it appears to be quite nice......

 

I was just thinking the exact same thing.

 

really? funny because they tried to make it look like an F150 (they even wanted to name it the T150 until Ford sued them)

 

Well I guess it didn't hurt for them to TRY to make it look like the #1 selling vehicle in the US. To me, it is a ugly looking attempt at replicating the F150, just IMO. Also les017, you are correct about the Tundra not having outboard mounted shocks. I had forgotten that the Tacoma was a redesign.

 

never hurts to try and take business from #1.