Aftermarket suspension options for Lightning??

[Thunder240]

Hey Lightning owners, I’m wondering if anyone has tried putting aftermarket springs and shocks on the Lightning, and if do, what was your experience? Was it a simple bolt-on, or did it require any unusual modifications to make it all work? Did it mess up any of the built-in driver assist tech? Did your mi/kw-hr go south?

I understand that Fox is the go-to for Raptors, but I don’t see the Lightning listed as a fitment on any of their models . The only aftermarket shock manufacturer that lists a Lightning fitment that I’ve come across is Eibach.I’d love to know if the Foxes fit despite the absence of published info.

For context, I’m coming to the Lightning from a 4th gen Ram 1500. I found that Bilstein B8 shocks and springs gave my Ram a wonderful balance of on-road handling and off-road stability. It really elevated my driving experience. Coming to the Lightning, there is a lot I like more than the Ram, but not the handling! Compared to the Ram with Bilsteins, my 2025 Lightning Flash feels like a boat bouncing over a choppy lake.

Sponsored

 

[MichaelCA]

The Eibach kit (front/rear) and the Bilstein 6112 (fronts) are what most people post about on this forums. The Bilstein are actually the gas f150 part seems to work fine for those of us who have it on including me. I paid a shop to put it on for me but AFAIK the front is basically the same as the gas f150 installation.

 

[Thunder240]

Great info, thanks. The Bilstein 6112 front is what I ran on my Ram and was very satisfied.

Do the Bilstein 5160 or 5165 not fit properly on the rears? Or did you just not feel it necessary to put them on as well?

 

[MichaelCA]

Great info, thanks. The Bilstein 6112 front is what I ran on my Ram and was very satisfied.

Do the Bilstein 5160 or 5165 not fit properly on the rears? Or did you just not feel it necessary to put them on as well?

Unknown but the front end already makes a huge difference.
https://www.f150lightningforum.com/...pension-compilation-questions-lowering.25389/ Someone talked about it before but never committed, an older f150 front end shock may work for the rears. Alternatively, you can just buy the rears from the eibach unit if you really want to upgrade it.

 

[Firn]

Great info, thanks. The Bilstein 6112 front is what I ran on my Ram and was very satisfied.

Do the Bilstein 5160 or 5165 not fit properly on the rears? Or did you just not feel it necessary to put them on as well?

The rear of the Lightning doesnt use a standard "rear" shock, its actually much more like a front shock.

Some comments made it sound like it is just a front shock from a previous Gen f150 but others have said it is different. Im hopeful someone says a 2018 front 6112 would work

 

[Thunder240]

The rear of the Lightning doesnt use a standard "rear" shock, its actually much more like a front shock.

Some comments made it sound like it is just a front shock from a previous Gen f150 but others have said it is different. Im hopeful someone says a 2018 front 6112 would work

I see what you’re talking about. Found this photo of a Lightning rear suspension on Reddit (credit to u/csukoh78). It does indeed look like a typical front coilover.
I’ll probably end up going with Eibachs simply because the company that makes them says they fit the Lightning, but it would be cool to run Bilstein 6112s all the way around.

 

[Tedmister2]

Bilstein 5100 from a 2014 F150 work great on the front with the original springs. It took away the float feeling over speed bumps and leveled the truck with approx I.5 inch increase. No more raked look. It also does not dip when braking while cornering with speed. Very happy 21 months and 31,000 miles since install.

 

[djryan13]

I have no issue with the rake but would like to reduce the bounce and improve cornering. I get close to max load weight so wish there were more options…

 

[Firn]

I see what you’re talking about. Found this photo of a Lightning rear suspension on Reddit (credit to u/csukoh78). It does indeed look like a typical front coilover.
I’ll probably end up going with Eibachs simply because the company that makes them says they fit the Lightning, but it would be cool to run Bilstein 6112s all the way around.

Could try 6112s for the front abd 5100s for the back.

The back is already FAR better controlled than the front so if it doesnt work out its not a huge deal.
If it does work then you use the factory spring, not the replacement spring like the 6112s, giving you the same capacity.

....find a place that takes returns

 

[AZT9]

I went with Eibach lightning spicific stage one kit with Icon UCAs and couldn’t be happier. Two of my four OEM shocks were actually blown upon inspection when removed

 

[21st Century Truck]

I put the Eibach shocks on at about 81 thousand miles. All my OEM shocks were already garbage.

I kept the OEM springs and left the Eibachs at their lowest adjustable perch, to keep the OEM stance of the Lightning.

This solved everything that was imperfect with the suspension.

NOTE: the Lightning's rear suspension lower shock bolts take a very high 380 foot/pounds of torque to tighten. Don't start that job unless You have an appropriately high-range torque wrench on hand.

 

[Thunder240]

Thx to you all for sharing your experience,

@AZT9 are your 1st and 3rd pics of the front or the rear? Looking at the Eibach website, the shocks and springs aren’t pictured as coilovers, so I was imagining that they were mounted conventionally. Good to see from your pics that they work as coilovers. Which model Eibach shocks come in that kit? Does it come with 4 lowering springs as well? Are the UCAs necessary or optional?

@21st Century Truck are your Eibachs also mounted as coilovers using the factory springs? Which model shocks?
———
Edit: I realized that’s the spare tire visible in pic 3, which would mean we’re looking at a rear shock/springs

 

[21st Century Truck]

Thx to you all for sharing your experience,

@AZT9 are your 1st and 3rd pics of the front or the rear? Looking at the Eibach website, the shocks and springs aren’t pictured as coilovers, so I was imagining that they were mounted conventionally. Good to see from your pics that they work as coilovers. Which model Eibach shocks come in that kit? Does it come with 4 lowering springs as well? Are the UCAs necessary or optional?

@21st Century Truck are your Eibachs also mounted as coilovers using the factory springs? Which model shocks?
———
Edit: I realized that’s the spare tire visible in pic 3, which would mean we’re looking at a rear shock/springs

I chose the shock set listed for the Lightning. Eibach lists only one set.

Yes, I simply replaced every OEM shock with its equivalent Eibach shock. All four mount inside the OEM springs.

 

[itsjmod]

If you lift it at all and not just go for stock stance make sure to get the headlights adjusted.

It’s probably obvious but the current gen F150s are apparently awful for everyone else if you lift it any whatsoever. That’s what everybody that flashed me the first few nights thought at least

 

[digitaldad]

@Thunder240 - I suggest performing searches for "lifted" or "leveled" to read threads about shared examples (or "lowered" for the other side of things)...vs. this thread only, if you haven't already.

In regard to Eibach & Lightning (lift/level), below are all extended range option.

Stage 1 Lift (shock and springs) - https://eibach.com/product/E80-35-061-01-22?epsid=3316

Shocks only:

Front - https://eibach.com/product/E60-35-061-01-10?epsid=3316
Rear - https://eibach.com/product/E60-35-061-01-01?epsid=3316

Springs only:

Front - https://eibach.com/product/E30-35-061-01-20?epsid=3316
Rear - https://eibach.com/product/E30-35-061-01-02?epsid=3316

If you purchase anything above and keep stock height vs leveling, UCA should not be needed, if you do lift, highly suggest purchasing a set of UCA up front for the work already needed (vs. going back again afterwards).

Here's a few Eibach application examples (there are also many on the site with Bilstein as well):

Stage 1:

@Kohlblooded - Shared Thread

@digitaldad (me) - Shared Thread (@AZT9 shared a lot of his latest journey on my thread)

Shocks Only:

@HI Zeus - Shared Thread (he added front leveling puck on top of the Eibach shock)

@derelict - Shared Thread

Sponsored