Anyone test drive or have any experience as to rather an Fx4 or standard 4x4 suspension rides better?

[crawford]

I had the same question about ride but bought a 25 Lariat with fx4 and never tried a non fx4 so I can't really answer your question but fx4 gets the differential locker as part of the package and that was why I picked the truck I did. You can get differential locker as a stand-alone option but is a good chunk of the fx4 price and the other color on the lot that I liked didn't have it. I find the differential locker valuable when getting in my snowy driveway and usually does the trick and I don't need to shift to 4h.

Glad I read this thread. My ranger is a 2.7 and I have the bigger shifter and always wondered why I see some pictures with the smaller electronic shifter.

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[flcnplt]

Anyone test drive or have any experience as to rather an Fx4 or standard 4x4 which suspension rides better / smoother?

I am looking at buying 2 Ranger 2.7L 4x4s and was curious if the standard suspension or the FX4 would ride better. These are really just going to be trucks for my sales guys so they will more than likely never get used off-road not more than say a dirt road or an occasional construction jobsite.

So, comfort would be the better or preferred choice.

Personally I prefer the FX4 for a couple of reasons reasons. Just drove my new Ranger FX4 from Virginia to the PNW and I prefer the ride over the 4x4 model because of the better suspension. It also gives me protection from decent skid plates if there is rubber from semis on the road and protection when I go on forest service roads and construction sights. To add skid plates and better shocks to a 4x4 model cost more than the price difference of the two models. According to many sources the FX4 will also have better resale value. If I were buying for my sales team I wouldn't put them in leather seats. Ford makes a really tough and nice looking cloth seat that will look better longer than leather. All subjective, but real life experience for my needs.

 

[Truckishparts]

Personally I prefer the FX4 for a couple of reasons reasons. Just drove my new Ranger FX4 from Virginia to the PNW and I prefer the ride over the 4x4 model because of the better suspension. It also gives me protection from decent skid plates if there is rubber from semis on the road and protection when I go on forest service roads and construction sights. To add skid plates and better shocks to a 4x4 model cost more than the price difference of the two models. According to many sources the FX4 will also have better resale value. If I were buying for my sales team I wouldn't put them in leather seats. Ford makes a really tough and nice looking cloth seat that will look better longer than leather. All subjective, but real life experience for my needs.

What's better about the ride? Softer, firmer, less sway, how is it over concrete expansion joints? Just trying to decide myself. TIA

 

[Scooter]

I could have built a cheaper XL truck. Did not put a lot of electronics on my XLT.
The ride quality with the FX4 is good. Does well running over speed bumps.
Happy I have the FX4. I have the General Grabbers on it.

 

[BriSco]

The ‘24 shifter is electronic & had to be to utilize the auto park system. For 2025 Ford dropped the auto park and went back to the mechanical shifter.

My '24 has the mechanical shifter and auto-park with 2.7L V6.

 

[waffleso_0]

Odd that your shifter isnt the electronic shifter like i have in my 2024 lariat. I thought this was standard with the lariat package. Apparently i was wrong. I do want the blacked out rims your getting on your lariats !!! The only thing i do not like on my 2024 is the rims. Would assume the bolt pattern is identical. If anyone could post a part number to those rims i would be highly appreciative !

I have the v6 with the bigger shifter and enjoy it as its height is perfect to rest my hand..i wish it had light indicators like the electric one but who cares.. it shows all this on the dash

 

[Scooter]

I would look at a parts Diagram if there is a different part # for the FX4 to just the 4X4 leaf springs.
Besides the shocks and maybe a different Gross vehicle weight everything else should be the same. Maybe the front struts have a different spring rate.

This posting gives you good insite to the ride quality of both.

(28) 2025 Lariat: Sport 4x4 or FX4 for Highway | Ranger6G - 2024+ Ranger & Raptor Forum, News, Owners, Community (6th Gen)

I just received my 2025 XLT FX4, 2.3L MPC.
The truck is a pleasure to drive. So refined. With no load I do not find it bouncy.
I would say both equipped will drive better with a bit of weight in the back.
My 4G Ranger XL no 4x4 was firm in corners and confident inspiring with Michelin Defender tires.
I am just trying to find the limit of the OWL General Grabbers on pavement wet and dry. I like hitting a corner off the Hwy fast. I went with the 17" rims for offroad use. Higher side wall ill also absorb the bumps.

Another thing to consider is oil changes. Much easier on 4x4 without skid plate.
I purchased the FX4 for the protection underneath. I am unable to raise the Ranger up higher as I park my truck in an under ground parking. 6'6" max.
The crawl and drive modes interests me as i will take it up to the Mnts in the Winter and light off roading in the Summer. Its a brand new truck.

 

[Kevindust]

What's better about the ride? Softer, firmer, less sway, how is it over concrete expansion joints? Just trying to decide myself. TIA

Thank you for posing these questions, this information is what I really want to know and I hope that we get some more detailed responses..

I wish people would stop using the word "better" when describing ride. What is better for some people is not better for others. If you do mostly highway driving plus some light off roading, a softer ride is probably what you would consider better. Personally, I drive spiritedly around corners and I use my truck to tow and haul so a stiffer suspension is better for me. Remember, most options that make a good off roader (soft suspension to allow articulation, tall sidewalls, lift, smaller or no sway bars) are negatives for handling and towing. While the two (non-Raptor) Ranger suspensions have the same max tow rating, whichever suspension is stiffer will offer an improved on road towing experience.

I've said this before but I really wish that Ford would clarify the suspension tuning differences in the FX4 package. Is the FX4 set up stiffer to prevent G outs on high speed bumps? Or is it set up softer to allow for better articulation? For example, Toyota sets up the TRD Off Road to be much softer than the TRD Sport. Many would say that the Off Road rides "better" but I find it to be the exact opposite. While the Off Road doesn't necessarily float around like a '70's Cadillac, I find it way too soft.

 

[cc1999]

Thank you for posing these questions, this information is what I really want to know and I hope that we get some more detailed responses..

I wish people would stop using the word "better" when describing ride. What is better for some people is not better for others. If you do mostly highway driving plus some light off roading, a softer ride is probably what you would consider better. Personally, I drive spiritedly around corners and I use my truck to tow and haul so a stiffer suspension is better for me. Remember, most options that make a good off roader (soft suspension to allow articulation, tall sidewalls, lift, smaller or no sway bars) are negatives for handling and towing. While the two (non-Raptor) Ranger suspensions have the same max tow rating, whichever suspension is stiffer will offer an improved on road towing experience.

I've said this before but I really wish that Ford would clarify the suspension tuning differences in the FX4 package. Is the FX4 set up stiffer to prevent G outs on high speed bumps? Or is it set up softer to allow for better articulation? For example, Toyota sets up the TRD Off Road to be much softer than the TRD Sport. Many would say that the Off Road rides "better" but I find it to be the exact opposite. While the Off Road doesn't necessarily float around like a '70's Cadillac, I find it way too soft.

Well said !

The FX4 is one I would think would ride smoother / Softer since it is supposedly the offroad version or tunning. But I have had seen the replies and seen it mentioned in video reviews that the FX4 is stiffer. I hope that it is not since both the trucks I got the best deals on were both Fx4s.

 

[cc1999]

Ok , update: I got a bit of a surprise yesterday when we were picking up the trucks I bought last week. I am still not sure if the dealer sent me a link to a sticker of a different truck, or if I mixed up the picks of the stickers at some point. I was looking at over a dozen different trucks and had a lot of window stickers I was comparing specs with.

Long story short , one of the trucks was not an FX4.
So over 500-600 mile road trip yesterday I did get to put at least 200+ miles behind the wheel of each truck, with FX4 pkg and without..

I can really see why there has been several different options on how they compare.

There is some difference in the shock, tunning. However it is really hard to really get a firm grasp of exactly what it is and how to describe it.

After driving both trucks back to back and switching back and forth a couple different times on the 400+ mile trip home. Myself nor my buddy that was driving the other one could really pin down exactly how to describe it but he thought the FX4 road slightly smoother, I agreed over certain types of bumps the FX4 seemed slightly smoother, however I thought the std 4x4 non FX4 was slightly smoother overall. I do mean slightly. At the end of the trip I was still struggling to really pin down what the differences were and how to describe what I experienced with each of them.

I would say high speed handling the FX4 had a little bit less float, which makes me want to simply say the FX4 is the firmer ride of the two, but yet on certain types of terrain like a rough busted up concrete parking lot at a truck stop, the FX4 seemed smoother over that rough ground at low speed. Then over certain sections of highway, I think the 4x4 non FX4 was slightly smoother.

For me, after hundreds of miles switching back and forth every couple hundred miles.
I think I would really be splitting hairs to pick which one rides better, or smoother.
I do think the high speed handling is slightly better on the FX4.

Overall in my opinion, buy the FX4 if there is something other then shock tuning your needing, like skid plates or what ever else the pkg gets you. Shocks or ride difference is so minimal it’s hard to distinguish how they differ.

Bottom line for me, for future Ranger purchase , it’s not going to be playing any sort of factor as to which I would buy for my business. If the truck with the best deal has the FX4 pkg or doesn’t have it.

If I am ordering the trucks, where I would be guaranteed to be paying more to get the FX4 pkg, I would’t order the FX4 pkg. But I don’t need skid plates or much off-road goodies for our needs.

Muddy job sites, safety In adverse seasonal weather and resale value is why I buy 4x4s for the company. Rock crawling mountain trails not really a use case for our needs.

 

[Truckishparts]

Ok , update: I got a bit of a surprise yesterday when we were picking up the trucks I bought last week. I am still not sure if the dealer sent me a link to a sticker of a different truck, or if I mixed up the picks of the stickers at some point. I was looking at over a dozen different trucks and had a lot of window stickers I was comparing specs with.

Long story short , one of the trucks was not an FX4.
So over 500-600 mile road trip yesterday I did get to put at least 200+ miles behind the wheel of each truck, with FX4 pkg and without..

I can really see why there has been several different options on how they compare.

There is some difference in the shock, tunning. However it is really hard to really get a firm grasp of exactly what it is and how to describe it.

After driving both trucks back to back and switching back and forth a couple different times on the 400+ mile trip home. Myself nor my buddy that was driving the other one could really pin down exactly how to describe it but he thought the FX4 road slightly smoother, I agreed over certain types of bumps the FX4 seemed slightly smoother, however I thought the std 4x4 non FX4 was slightly smoother overall. I do mean slightly. At the end of the trip I was still struggling to really pin down what the differences were and how to describe what I experienced with each of them.

I would say high speed handling the FX4 had a little bit less float, which makes me want to simply say the FX4 is the firmer ride of the two, but yet on certain types of terrain like a rough busted up concrete parking lot at a truck stop, the FX4 seemed smoother over that rough ground at low speed. Then over certain sections of highway, I think the 4x4 non FX4 was slightly smoother.

For me, after hundreds of miles switching back and forth every couple hundred miles.
I think I would really be splitting hairs to pick which one rides better, or smoother.
I do think the high speed handling is slightly better on the FX4.

Overall in my opinion, buy the FX4 if there is something other then shock tuning your needing, like skid plates or what ever else the pkg gets you. Shocks or ride difference is so minimal it’s hard to distinguish how they differ.

Bottom line for me, for future Ranger purchase , it’s not going to be playing any sort of factor as to which I would buy for my business. If the truck with the best deal has the FX4 pkg or doesn’t have it.

If I am ordering the trucks, where I would be guaranteed to be paying more to get the FX4 pkg, I would’t order the FX4 pkg. But I don’t need skid plates or much off-road goodies for our needs.

Muddy job sites, safety In adverse seasonal weather and resale value is why I buy 4x4s for the company. Rock crawling mountain trails not really a use case for our needs.

Thank you for that awesome review!

 

[Reddog99]

When judging the cause of the ride differences be sure to investigate the kind of tires & inflation pressures used. Some Rangers come with the General Grabbers (LT tires), which have an inflation pressure of 39 psi, while the Firestones only go to about 30 psi. That can make a big difference in the ride quality that may not involve the FX4 package or shocks.

 

[cc1999]

When judging the cause of the ride differences be sure to investigate the kind of tires & inflation pressures used. Some Rangers come with the General Grabbers (LT tires), which have an inflation pressure of 39 psi, while the Firestones only go to about 30 psi. That can make a big difference in the ride quality that may not involve the FX4 package or shocks.

Good point.
A lot of the reviews I read and watched on the Ranger both FX4 and standard 4x4 they mentioned them having different tires.
‘Both of these trucks had identical Goodyear Territory tires.
They are not really an aggressive tread at all, seem more like a typical all season tire with off-road sculpting done on the sidewalls for a slightly more aggressive look to them.

If I were driving one of these two trucks, I would be upgrading the tires right now.
‘I will likely upgrade these tires after my guys get 20-30k on them.
I think these trucks could really use a little bit larger tire which more sidewall should improve ride quality, just have to mindful of the weight and not get real aggressive with the tread or fuel milage will suffer more then I would like.

Now all I can say for sure about tire pressure is they had to be within the safety range of the TPMS system, I didn’t check or compare them, but I will. I just know neither had any TPMS warning lights.
So I I do know both were within spec range of the TPMS .

 

[cc1999]

These are likely the tires I would be upgrading from the tiny 255/65R18 31” X 10” tires to.
Either this P275/65R18 SL 32” x 11” tire.
I am thinking this tire would or should fit without any issues with ease .
Would give the trucks a much netter stance and improve the overall looks of the trucks.
It’s the same tires I have in both my Ranger Raptors only in 33x11.5 p285/70R17s.

Or possibly these if research were to prove out they would fit the stock rim width, as well as fit on the trucks without rubbing. P285/65R17 32.6 x x 11.5” tire. .

 

[Scooter]

Good Clarification. I think it comes down to how you will use the truck.

If you will be taking the Ranger off road and wish to get into the great out doors get the FX4.

Hwy, City driving, on road mainly, maybe wishing more confidence in snow covered roads get the 4X4. Save your money. You can save even more money building a XL 4X4 with locker.
I wonder how firm the 2 wheel drive one is. My 4G XL was great hammering it into corners with the stiff suspension.

I did climb under my XLT FX4. Good to see it had an All Terranean Tire as a spare. All be it a cheaper brand. I think the OWL tire upgrade is good value. I have the General Grabbers.

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