Ford Offers F150, Ranger Owners Factory-Backed Performance Improvements

For years, if you have wanted to improve the ride or handling of your Ford F150 or Ranger by adding a bit here and a bit there, you had to go to the aftermarket. Indeed a considerable aftermarket has developed that deals with performance-enhancing parts. If you had wanted factory-made and backed parts, you were out of luck. You had to turn to the aftermarket to obtain things like lift kits, lighting, and other specialty items.

First-Ever Ford F150, Ranger Offering

Now, that position has changed as Ford, in a first-ever offering, will let you buy performance pieces directly from the factory. Run by Ford Performance Parts, the new program will allow you to purchase leveling kits, coilover shocks, and more directly from the factory.

“Ford Performance Parts developed these kits to make the off-road experience even better for our Ranger and F150 customers,” Eric Cin, global director of Ford Vehicle Personalization and Accessories. “Truck customers are asking for options for increased capability and customization, and the new leveling suspension kits for Ranger and F150 deliver on that need.”

The reason Ford has entered the after-sales parts market is simple: The majority of Ford F150 and Ranger pickups sell with four-wheel-drive. Buyers eventually want to upgrade their vehicles, so Ford is offering them factory-backed equipment. For example, suppliers have that buyers wish to, as first-time upgrades, off-road leveling kits that consist of FOX™ shocks and two-inch front lift kits. The leveling kits offer better off-road capability with more front ground clearance and improved approach and breakover angles. Buyers often want new front coil-overs plus vehicle-specific upper front mounts and locking spring pre-loaded rings.

Ford F150, Ranger Kits A Collaboration

Ford Performance engineers worked closely with FOX to develop the specialized internal valving in the shocks so that off-road handling becomes more predictable whether off-road or on-pavement. The new equipment features:

• New aluminum FOX shock bodies designed to provide ample cooling capacity over rough terrain
• Optimal spring rates for new front coil-over springs
• Vehicle-specific upper front mounts with polyurethane bushings that work to help isolate noise and vibration
• Two-inch front lift levels the truck from front to rear

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Ford F150, Ranger Kits Tested Off-Road

Development and testing for the leveling kit included high-speed off-roading in Borrego, Calif., and low-speed, rock-crawling in Arizona. Engineers were able to optimize the kits for a variety of off-road driving experiences.

Ford’s Cin said that the “elevated off-road geometry, paired with For Performance tuning makes this a unique offering. The ‘secret sauce’ [for] this kit is in the Ford Performance tuning. This suspension and its tuning are designed to improve off-road handling and responsiveness, specifically for the Ranger and [Ford] F150.”

The technical specs show that with kit installation, both Ranger and Ford F150 see improvements to front ground clearance, approach, and breakover angles, based on internal Ford computer-generated engineering simulations. The Ranger sees an approximate 21 percent increase in approach angle and a 10 percent increase in breakover angle. With a 145-inch wheelbase, the Ford F150 sees about a 22 percent increase in approach angle and a seven percent increase in breakover angle.

Ford F150, Ranger Kit Pricing

Available through Ford dealers, the $1,495 kits, before installation, are designed for 2015-2019 Ford F150s and 2019 Ford Rangers. A limited warranty covers the kits that will be available later this fall. For more information, visit: the Ford Performance Parts website.

About The Author
Marc Stern has been an automotive writer/columnist/editor/professional for more than 45 years. He began writing a weekly column “You Auto Know” in 1971 and continued writing it for 32 years. Now, semi-retired, Marc spends his time finding pieces for Torque News as the Volkswagen – and subsidiary – reporter, as well as pieces on pickups and SUVs. He has also been known to write a race report or two. Also, he covers more generalized auto news pieces as well. Marc has also written for the Examiner.com, Fixya.com, Gearheads.org and others, including some smallish publications -- Popular Mechanics, Mechanics Illustrated, AutoWeek, Automotive News, and Automotive Age. You can follow Marc on Facebook and Twitter.

Source: Ford Motor Co. Oftentimes, when we need information, we turn to news releases from manufacturers.This was the case for this story. We did a thorough review of the release, added some information of our own, and viola, the story you see was finished.