Fox 2.5 DSC Suspension - A Brief Overview, Procedure, and Review of Proper Suspension Setup

[Ready Go]

That's what I really want, but overkill, not that my lifted 1500 isn't already

True, so true
(so tired of spellcheck f-ing up my words!!)

 

[boogielander]

Well, I hope it was a personal preference and not that the FOX setup sucks. I picked them up too...View attachment 209462

can't really go wrong with them.
they are one of the two top tier "off-the-shelf" options out there (the other one is King)

though because of my use case and me being lazy to do the calculations regarding spring rates and calculating the shim stacks when I eventually rebuild and revalve, my top choice would be Thuren King (so Thuren will do the calculation for me) and hence why I said if Thuren had Kings in stock or with solid ETA i'd get those instead.

 

[FrostyGym]

can't really go wrong with them.
they are one of the two top tier "off-the-shelf" options out there (the other one is King)

though because of my use case and me being lazy to do the calculations regarding spring rates and calculating the shim stacks when I eventually rebuild and revalve, my top choice would be Thuren King (so Thuren will do the calculation for me) and hence why I said if Thuren had Kings in stock or with solid ETA i'd get those instead.

I'm of the mind to address the rear suspension to support a one-inch lift rear spring. It may not be necessary to do an adjustable track bar from Freedom Offroad and sway bar end links from Thuren, but I'm getting those too.
BTW, thanks for trashing on Falcon as they were 1st on my list for a shock upgrade.

 

[boogielander]

I'm of the mind to address the rear suspension to support a one-inch lift rear spring. It may not be necessary to do an adjustable track bar from Freedom Offroad and sway bar end links from Thuren, but I'm getting those too.
BTW, thanks for trashing on Falcon as they were 1st on my list for a shock upgrade.

yeah the track bar are completely unnecessary but the rear end links are must when you add height.

hahaha my comments about Falcons hit quite a few nerves on the forum and in FB groups, but that's only because I got extensive seat time by test driving customers' trucks with those (and all major brands out there) before. then i let the customers drive my Fox and that's how I sold a few sets lol
glad i was able to help!

 

[FrostyGym]

yeah the track bar are completely unnecessary but the rear end links are must when you add height.

hahaha my comments about Falcons hit quite a few nerves on the forum and in FB groups, but that's only because I got extensive seat time by test driving customers' trucks with those (and all major brands out there) before. then i let the customers drive my Fox and that's how I sold a few sets lol
glad i was able to help!

I've seen you running the Clayton rear springs. I have a rack and tent from previous trucks; would you recommend preemptively getting those springs? I'm getting an expedition style bed cap plus my RTT together and don't want to run the gambit of spring upgrades like many do.

 

[boogielander]

I've seen you running the Clayton rear springs. I have a rack and tent from previous trucks; would you recommend preemptively getting those springs? I'm getting an expedition style bed cap plus my RTT together and don't want to run the gambit of spring upgrades like many do.

well i recommend giving yourself a rough estimate of the constant weight you will have, assuming the rack and tent are staying on the truck.
If you're going over 500lb constant, then the Clayton rear springs are good fit.
if you will have under 500lb over the rear axle, i'd go with Carli Rebel HD.

also, the Clayton I got are actually 2.5" for Jeep JT application, though I did find it also gained me around that much height as well. If you're looking for 1.5" (IF you're going for ~2" over non rebel/ ORG height in the front and looking to get it leveled and not raked) then the Carli Rebel HD will be a better choice.

 

[FrostyGym]

well i recommend giving yourself a rough estimate of the constant weight you will have, assuming the rack and tent are staying on the truck.
If you're going over 500lb constant, then the Clayton rear springs are good fit.
if you will have under 500lb over the rear axle, i'd go with Carli Rebel HD.

also, the Clayton I got are actually 2.5" for Jeep JT application, though I did find it also gained me around that much height as well. If you're looking for 1.5" (IF you're going for ~2" over non rebel/ ORG height in the front and looking to get it leveled and not raked) then the Carli Rebel HD will be a better choice.

Honestly, I like having a little rake on a truck. As soon as I add any extra weight it would no longer be level when leveled. My OCD wouldn't like that. I'm still adding weight unfortunately, but I don't plan on drawers or anything to that extent. Definitely a fridge and inverter as nobody has an in-bed outlet kit for sale. That's an issue for another forum.

 

[boogielander]

Honestly, I like having a little rake on a truck. As soon as I add any extra weight it would no longer be level when leveled. My OCD wouldn't like that. I'm still adding weight unfortunately, but I don't plan on drawers or anything to that extent. Definitely a fridge and inverter as nobody has an in-bed outlet kit for sale. That's an issue for another forum.

electrical? you're talking to the right guy lol
simply just run a 2AWG power and ground to the bed, you can feed the cables up from the front holes.


Version 1

2 years later, Version 2

if you have bed rail then just make a plate, doesn't matter 3/8 or 1/2 in plywood or metal, attach it to the bed rail, and attach everything to the plate. problem solved.
You can replace the Renogy/ Redarc with an inverter, though I don't really see the need for an inverter as you will need to have the engine running to use the inverter, and most car fridges (ARB/ Iceco/ Ecoflow, etc) are all powered by 12v, so if you run an inverter you gotta convert it from DC (starter battery) to AC (inverter) then convert it back to DC (fridge AC converter). AC to DC you're looking at 30% efficiency loss too.
If you're looking to charge laptop, if your laptop uses USB-C for power, you can just get a 12V socket and a 100W ciggy plug and run it off that.

Unless you're charging your tool battery... in that case, i'd say get a power station with built in AC over inverter (like a delta 2 for $399) with more features (1kw capacity, multiple USB outlets, 1 ciggy plug DC outlet, 6 AC outlet up to 1800w output) and a DC-DC charger. That way you have a system that works independent to your ignition and can run your fridge and charge your tool battery even when the truck is off.

 

[boogielander]

Honestly, I like having a little rake on a truck. As soon as I add any extra weight it would no longer be level when leveled. My OCD wouldn't like that. I'm still adding weight unfortunately, but I don't plan on drawers or anything to that extent. Definitely a fridge and inverter as nobody has an in-bed outlet kit for sale. That's an issue for another forum.

oh so for the clayton one, it's actually 3 rate. so with enough weight it sits level just like with no or not enough weight.

optical illusion (wide angle lense) makes it look weird but it is dead level.

 

[FrostyGym]

electrical? you're talking to the right guy lol
simply just run a 2AWG power and ground to the bed, you can feed the cables up from the front holes.

View attachment 209842
Version 1
View attachment 209843
2 years later, Version 2

if you have bed rail then just make a plate, doesn't matter 3/8 or 1/2 in plywood or metal, attach it to the bed rail, and attach everything to the plate. problem solved.
You can replace the Renogy/ Redarc with an inverter, though I don't really see the need for an inverter as you will need to have the engine running to use the inverter, and most car fridges (ARB/ Iceco/ Ecoflow, etc) are all powered by 12v, so if you run an inverter you gotta convert it from DC (starter battery) to AC (inverter) then convert it back to DC (fridge AC converter). AC to DC you're looking at 30% efficiency loss too.
If you're looking to charge laptop, if your laptop uses USB-C for power, you can just get a 12V socket and a 100W ciggy plug and run it off that.

Unless you're charging your tool battery... in that case, i'd say get a power station with built in AC over inverter (like a delta 2 for $399) with more features (1kw capacity, multiple USB outlets, 1 ciggy plug DC outlet, 6 AC outlet up to 1800w output) and a DC-DC charger. That way you have a system that works independent to your ignition and can run your fridge and charge your tool battery even when the truck is off.

Holy Crap, that's a lot Dude! So, in all honesty I just need a 12 Volt plug run to the bed and from there I can plug in a Jackery or Goal Zero?

 

[boogielander]

Holy Crap, that's a lot Dude! So, in all honesty I just need a 12 Volt plug run to the bed and from there I can plug in a Jackery or Goal Zero?

yes in theory but not entirely correct in practice.
You will want a very least:

• A disconnect
  • This way, you can disconnect it when the truck is off to prevent starter battery drain.
  • Historically, this is done via a relay or a solenoid and triggered by IGN.
  • In 2025, most of the DC-DC smart chargers have this function built in.
• A DC-DC charger
  • This way, you can manage charging current/ speed
  • You can also step up the voltage and amperage to allow faster charging (basically what a DC-DC charger is - a step up tool)
  • Without a DC-DC charger, it is pretty much the same as plugging it into a 12v ciggy plug - you will only get slow charge that cannot keep up with high demand discharge (ie, charging tool batteries or running fridge overnight in hot environment)
  • A Smart DC-DC charger will allow you to set and forget, and you won't even have to mess with adding another disconnect. Though, a "dumb" DC-DC can work since your Jackery or Goal Zero have built-in BMS, so the "profile" aspect of those smart chargers are not as important. But just make sure it has voltage sensing or ign sensing capabilities so you won't have to do a disconnect.

So, recap:

1. If you don't care about slow charging, even with the engine running, no DC-DC charger is needed.
2. If you want fast charging AND eliminate the need to wire in a relay or a solenoid, then DC-DC is needed.
3. Regardless of what you do, you will want to run a circuit breaker (instead of just a simple fuse) so you can manually turn the whole system off when needed, and you won't have to mess with the ring terminals on battery should you need to work on the system or replace any components.
4. If you choose to run DC-DC, spend the money and get a Victron or a Redarc. Those two are the golden standard.
5. If you haven't bought the power station yet, consider Ecoflow Delta 2 with their DC-DC charger. The charger is optimized for the Delta 2/ 3 series, and can be monitored via app. It is one integrated ecosystem.

What I am running:

• Cab - Ecoflow Delta 2 Max (currently, took from friend as my Delta 2 is being replaced) plus Delta Max add-on battery (first gen). Totaling about 4000wh of capacity. Charged with a Victron 12//24-15A DC-DC charger. Constant output at 350w (compare to ~100W of regular ciggy plug).
• Bed/ Camper - 100AH LiFEPO4 with built in BMS with bluetooth, about 1200wh of capacity. Charged with a Redarc Alpha50 from both alternator and 2x 200W BougeRV Yuma solar panels. Getting about ~375w output combined (and that's me throttling it)

Feel free to visit this little handy PDF I made a while back for someone else, though I need to update the component list lol:
Cheat Sheet

 

[FrostyGym]

Great break down. I will eventually need power for accessories, and you have it figured out. I miss my Power Wagon for size and starting with a bed outlet.

 

[boogielander]

Great break down. I will eventually need power for accessories, and you have it figured out. I miss my Power Wagon for size and starting with a bed outlet.

fuh i wish i have a power wagon now lol