Correct Shock Size for 1975 Ford Bronco?

[MerganserMaster]

I was driving the other day and noticed that going up and down a small hill & curve at 25 mph felt like going on a roller coaster so I figure it is my 25+ year old shocks that are to blame. However, I have no idea what shocks are currently on my Bronco so I am unsure what would be needed to replace them. I am unsure if my Bronco is lifted at all but it does have 31x10.5 R15 tires on it. I tried searching for the numbers that I found on the shocks but was unable to find any specific data. Am I able to just buy stock height shocks and put them on my Bronco or does it have to exactly match the ones that are currently installed (in terms of height)? Any recommendations for shock types/brands? I currently just use my Bronco for cruising and going down dirt roads so I do not need anything fancy. Attached are pictures of the front and rear shocks (respectively)

https://flic.kr/p/2qe65Xm

https://flic.kr/p/2qe526y

 

[DirtDonk]

They do look like stock replacements, but not sure exactly what. Given their cosmetic condition, they sure do look 25 years old!
You can verify your ride height by measuring between the top of the axle tubes and the bottom of the frame rails. Then choose your shocks from there.
Stock is expected to be approx. 7" in the front, and 6" in the rear. Anything above that is your lift, or anything below that is the amount that your springs have sagged over the years.

For recommendations, you can literally get anything you want. From the sound of your use, any standard shock from the local parts store would get you by just fine. A lot of us use Bilstein as the upgrade shocks du jour these days. But there are certainly many good ones.
I would tend to stay away from the off-road oriented shocks, like Ranch. And I sell Rancho shocks, and they work great for their expected use. They might be a little stiff for you, but then again, with soft-is stock springs, a stiffer shock is not a bad thing. Just that your ride comfort might suffer in favor of handling and off-road going adventures.

Shocks are a very personal decision. Almost like cosmetic changes!

Paul

 

[MerganserMaster]

Ok, so I measured the distance between the front and rear axles and came up with 8" in the front and 6" in the back. From what I can tell this is at best a 1" lift in the front and no lift in the back. Would it be ok to replace all 4 shocks with factory height ones? I have seen a few listings for stocks advertise that they work between a 0-1" lift range. Also does it pay to replace the steering stabilizer shock while I am doing all this?

Also, sorry to add this question on but while underneath my Bronco I noticed that soft rubber hose brake lines are starting to go bad and I have two "new" ones that I found in their packaging in my Bronco and after sizing them up it appears all four soft brake lines (2 for the front wheels, and one for each axle) are the same size/length. Is this correct or I am just mis-measuring things? If it is correct I am able to just order two more soft lines and replace all four without worrying which one goes where?

Thanks again for your help!!


https://flic.kr/p/2qgnuqk Front Distance - Approximately 8"


https://flic.kr/p/2qgnus4 Rear Distance - Approximately 6"

 

[DirtDonk]

Yep, sounds stock-ish, or maybe lifted in the front with 1" coils to level it out like a lot of people wanted to do.
Yes, stock replacements should work just fine.

On the hoses, good question! I don't know if they're all the same length or not, but they're probably close.
The key however is how they are terminated. The hoses only go in one place. Front axle is one design, rear axle is another, front brakes are different again. Length aside, they only fit one way.
So check them out while you're at each section.

Paul

 

[DirtDonk]

Also, if you are planning to lift the suspension at all, now might be the time to think about different length shocks and brake lines from the frame to the axles.
Sounds like you're keeping it this way at least for the time being, but now is still the time to think about it and confirm it in your head.

Paul

 

[73azbronco]

obviously at rest sitting there, measure from mount to mount on shock front then rear. Then go look at shock chart for manufacture you want and find a shock that puts your number at top of shock range minus 2-4 inches.