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Bottom line up front: Success and huge improvement over (spacer) Hitachi suspension.


I’m a First Edition/OuterBanks owner so I knew firsthand that the ride quality of the Outer Banks with spacers front/rear and 35’s was not as good as the Hoss 2.0 Bilsteins on the F.E. I purchased my second Bronco used and got a great deal. It’s a 2021 Outer Banks with a spacer lift font/back and Nitto Ridge Grapplers (35 x 12.5 x 18 LT).
For newcomers to lifts/tires, the Bronco’s come with individual spring setups based on packages/weight etc. Outer Banks supposedly has a more cushioned spring rate. You can easily put a spacer or similar to lift and clear 35” tires. However, something to consider is that the Hitachis on my Outer Banks are paired with smaller wheel/tire packages. When you have a heavier tire like mine has, the suspension is handling that weight being bumped and dropped constantly. Couple that to my spacer lift, my ride quality was fine enough but not like the First Edition setup. The more you dig into these, you do realize the level of specification that went into the drive train and suspension packages. Do your homework on the forum, there are some smart resources here.


I bought the Fox coilovers (Hoss 3.0) from an amazing member here on the forum. They came off of a brand new Wildtrak. Something to note…because the springs are specific to the Trim, Engine, Trailer Package, etc. the “ideal”scenario is to have a “similar” equipped Bronco to the donor Wildtrak or if you are ordering new parts from Ford. Not a deal killer…but recommended.




My dealership was happy to do the suspension swap/alignment and a procedure that took two technicians according to their instructions from Ford.
One small thing to note is that the portal bolt (my word) at the bottom of the Fox strut is slightly different than the Hitachi. The hitachi bolt works fine but we are ordering the Hoss 3.0 bolts. My technician mentioned that this would allow for a perfect alignment. I will post part numbers when I get them.




It was IMMEDIATELY obvious what an improvement over my spaced Hitachis the Fox shocks were. I can say with certainty that It also rides better on the highway than my First Edition. I love the Hoss 2.0 Bilsteins but Fox soaks up the road. I’ll update with off pavement feedback when possible.
There are other guys on the forum currently working on solving the Hoss 3.0 steering rack and creating a guide for others. I figured I would step up on the suspension side of things and take one for the team. For the sake of science and all.
Also of use, perhaps…the front Fox shocks (out of the box) by themselves measure 23 inches long for the front ones and measure 26 inches long for the rear ones.
I hope this helps someone!
Rip sends


I’m a First Edition/OuterBanks owner so I knew firsthand that the ride quality of the Outer Banks with spacers front/rear and 35’s was not as good as the Hoss 2.0 Bilsteins on the F.E. I purchased my second Bronco used and got a great deal. It’s a 2021 Outer Banks with a spacer lift font/back and Nitto Ridge Grapplers (35 x 12.5 x 18 LT).
For newcomers to lifts/tires, the Bronco’s come with individual spring setups based on packages/weight etc. Outer Banks supposedly has a more cushioned spring rate. You can easily put a spacer or similar to lift and clear 35” tires. However, something to consider is that the Hitachis on my Outer Banks are paired with smaller wheel/tire packages. When you have a heavier tire like mine has, the suspension is handling that weight being bumped and dropped constantly. Couple that to my spacer lift, my ride quality was fine enough but not like the First Edition setup. The more you dig into these, you do realize the level of specification that went into the drive train and suspension packages. Do your homework on the forum, there are some smart resources here.


I bought the Fox coilovers (Hoss 3.0) from an amazing member here on the forum. They came off of a brand new Wildtrak. Something to note…because the springs are specific to the Trim, Engine, Trailer Package, etc. the “ideal”scenario is to have a “similar” equipped Bronco to the donor Wildtrak or if you are ordering new parts from Ford. Not a deal killer…but recommended.




My dealership was happy to do the suspension swap/alignment and a procedure that took two technicians according to their instructions from Ford.
One small thing to note is that the portal bolt (my word) at the bottom of the Fox strut is slightly different than the Hitachi. The hitachi bolt works fine but we are ordering the Hoss 3.0 bolts. My technician mentioned that this would allow for a perfect alignment. I will post part numbers when I get them.




It was IMMEDIATELY obvious what an improvement over my spaced Hitachis the Fox shocks were. I can say with certainty that It also rides better on the highway than my First Edition. I love the Hoss 2.0 Bilsteins but Fox soaks up the road. I’ll update with off pavement feedback when possible.
There are other guys on the forum currently working on solving the Hoss 3.0 steering rack and creating a guide for others. I figured I would step up on the suspension side of things and take one for the team. For the sake of science and all.
Also of use, perhaps…the front Fox shocks (out of the box) by themselves measure 23 inches long for the front ones and measure 26 inches long for the rear ones.
I hope this helps someone!
Rip sends
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