Must do Mods to OE Raptor shocks

JACKSONRALLYINC

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What are some must do modifications to OE Raptor (Fox) shocks.

I am in possession of a 2013 Raptor for about a year and will be slowly going through some much needed maintenance on it for a good friend of mine. It is sitting at 140k on the clock and is all stock. The suspension feels terrible. I have gone through plenty of shocks in the past but I have not touched Raptor shocks. I figure this would be a good barometer for other looking to do much needed mods when the shocks are apart. I do have a set of front take off's so I can at least mess with those without the truck being down for long.

Must do's?

-Add Schrader valves?
-Valving mods?
-Different/better seals?
-Oil type/capacity?
-Nitrogen pressure?
-Specialty tools?

-Toss in trash?
 
-Ditch the factory coils on the front shocks for some Eibach or Geiser springs. keep them on low perch.
-Shockseals.com has all the seal kits and Schrader valve kits you'll need.
-Maxima 7wt shock oil.
-200 psi.
-Kevin at Dialed Shock Prep can set you up with a good base valving tune.
-Kartek sells about every replacement part for these shocks.
-No specialty tools, but it can be tricky getting the snap ring pulled and set for IFP. There's a certain procedure to set IFP but once you do one they are not that bad.
-I wouldn't toss em. good to have around if you go different shocks and dont want down time in the future.
 
-Ditch the factory coils on the front shocks for some Eibach or Geiser springs. keep them on low perch.
-Shockseals.com has all the seal kits and Schrader valve kits you'll need.
-Maxima 7wt shock oil.
-200 psi.
-Kevin at Dialed Shock Prep can set you up with a good base valving tune.
-Kartek sells about every replacement part for these shocks.
-No specialty tools, but it can be tricky getting the snap ring pulled and set for IFP. There's a certain procedure to set IFP but once you do one they are not that bad.
-I wouldn't toss em. good to have around if you go different shocks and dont want down time in the future.
Nailed It.
 
Besides what is covered, it takes 2 min to clamp and pull the top cap off the front shocks to gain easy access to the IFP piston, plus you can replace the usually weeping top cap seal as well (i guess technically it would be the lower arm side of the shocks) Just mark the cylinders left and right so you know which top cap is clocked for which cylinder.

A lot of parts are av for them, and the factory rears are becoming popular as a universal IBP 12” shock for other applications. Valving wise the stock stacks are garbage, but I’ve deviated from Fox’s valving chart years ago. My valving stacks improve street ride quality and dirt performance, and being a fully tuneable shock I’ve had 2 guys bring them back to fine tune them even further.
 
Besides what is covered, it takes 2 min to clamp and pull the top cap off the front shocks to gain easy access to the IFP piston, plus you can replace the usually weeping top cap seal as well (i guess technically it would be the lower arm side of the shocks) Just mark the cylinders left and right so you know which top cap is clocked for which cylinder.

A lot of parts are av for them, and the factory rears are becoming popular as a universal IBP 12” shock for other applications. Valving wise the stock stacks are garbage, but I’ve deviated from Fox’s valving chart years ago. My valving stacks improve street ride quality and dirt performance, and being a fully tuneable shock I’ve had 2 guys bring them back to fine tune them even further.
Have you seen any on a 11-16 super duty? The rear should match but I'm wondering about the front without the coil. Is there a way to make it a pintop mount?
 
Have you seen any on a 11-16 super duty? The rear should match but I'm wondering about the front without the coil. Is there a way to make it a pintop mount?
I have not seen any on a super duty but I’m sure someone somewhere has them on there. The fronts are kinda an oddball with that giant lower end that uses something like a 32mm bolt, i can’t remember exactly but it’s big. And the top could be made into a pin top of sorts? But probably not very well as it doesn’t have much space for two bushings. MAYBE if you welded a uniball cup in your coilbucket and just bolted the shaft through the uniball it could work? I’d rather just run another pair of the rears up front
 
Not my favorite thing, but I have done pin top conversions. Must have new top machined. In the photos below the new top screws into the body and then is welded.

20150306_104521 (1).jpg20150306_104049.jpg20150306_102638 (1).jpg
 
It’s doable on a standard style shock but the Fox fronts use the rod end looking part as a resi can.. You will see when you take it apart but the blue end has a small cylinder on the end that houses the Ifp and nitrogen chamber. You would have to convert the shaft end to the pin top portion. Again, very doable with a custom shaft but I’d rather use another set of rears
 
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