FOX 3.0 Rear Bypass Settings

Alright, I know I am brand new to the forum and here I am already asking for help.......This is what I got going on, I upgraded my suspension to the FOX 3.0's on all four corners and being the idiot that I can be sometimes decided to open the bypasses all the way up before the install (thinking they would be really smooth riding) of course that was way wrong and the truck road like a **** and I was hitting the internal stops at the slightest bump in the road. After a couple of months of playing around with the bypasses I have got it set up as follows:

Both compression tubes = 12 clicks (3 turns from closed)
Rebound tube = 8 clicks (2 turns from closed)

The truck rides OK but I think it could ride better! Anyone got a good setting for the street? I am still running stock springs as well.

Hey FOX, what are the factory settings that I messed up???

I was talking to the Fox tech at the Overland Expo this weekend in Flagstaff and was getting some pointers on adjusting these shocks. The rule of thumb for adjustable shocks is to put them in the middle setting on each of the tubes and then adjust out from their. Work on Compression first then rebound. Adjust to min and max and take it for a drive to understand the feeling and what you are looking for.. knowing exactly what each tube does to the adjustment is helpful also.
So the two compression tubes work different sections of the shock. The shorter one will adjust the lower end of travel. The longer one adjusts more of the end travel. The longer one will adjust the entire range of movement also. The rebound you need to adjust on a road that has some dips that you can feel if the back end of the truck acts like a pogo stick or not. If you start out with it in the middle and it pogos, then tighten the rebound up. Each adjustment for any of the tubes should be 1 click at a time. so click it tighter until it stops pogoing. it should go down and back up and not go down any more on landing. If you have it to tight then it will stay down longer in the down travel and slowly come back up. You don't' want it coming up to slow because it needs to recover for the next bump. If it doesn't then that is what they call packing the shock. Same concept as off road motorcycles. it takes time to do adjustments and the right kind of terrain.
For street it will not be as critical but I will say that if you get a good ride quality from adjusting in the dirt then your ride on the street will probably be good for you as well.
Good luck.
Mil T

Thanks MIL T! Good info for sure......

I asked Fox the same question a month or so ago and this was their response:

Long Compression Tube | 2.25 turns open
Short Compression Tube | 2.25 turns open
Rebound Tube | 3.00 turns open

Thats how they ship them out new.

I am not happy with my fox 3.0's. I have done multiple adjustments and just not very happy with the truck's performance vs. Stock. I am currently running long and short tubes at 4 turns from close and rebound at 1.5 turns from close.

I was at KHC and thinking about changing the lower control arms and switching to icons. Now I am unsure on how I want to go.

I am most bothered with the rear of the truck feeling like it is kicking out side ways when I take any bumps at speed both on and offroad.

I just got my stock shocks back from Fox after being rebuilt and am thinking of just putting them back on.

cbs001 said:

I am not happy with my fox 3.0's. I have done multiple adjustments and just not very happy with the truck's performance vs. Stock. I am currently running long and short tubes at 4 turns from close and rebound at 1.5 turns from close.

I was at KHC and thinking about changing the lower control arms and switching to icons. Now I am unsure on how I want to go.

I am most bothered with the rear of the truck feeling like it is kicking out side ways when I take any bumps at speed both on and offroad.

I just got my stock shocks back from Fox after being rebuilt and am thinking of just putting them back on.

Click to expand...

sounds like it's packing to much on rebound. Try adjusting the rebound to allow more fluid to flow. Take it to the point that it feels like it bottoms out then tighten 1 turn. Rebound slows the shock way down so it is kind of like a stiff rod in the place of the shock. That's why it probably feels better with stock shocks. It's softer all around but the back end WILL dance around on you at speed and washboard so be careful. That's what the 3.0's stop is the dancing around in the back end. Are you running any weight in the bed at all?
Mil T

Are you kicking sideways or just kicking up? How much more speed are you hitting the bumps at vs. your stock suspension?

Not to open a can of worms, but once you make a change from an engineered system this is what happens. With any luck you can find satisfaction by adjusting around. You now have become the new engineer. payload, leaf springs are likely factors in finding that sweet spot. Several people are not happy with the 3.0's. I guarantee you it isn't the shock. That said, Fox likely didn't put in the Raptor specific R&D on these that they did the OE'S.

3.0"s don't handle small bumps and expansion joints as well as the stock shocks do. Known fact. It's for larger stuff when they shine. If it's jumping close the rebound tube all the off. Try that. It's all personal preference.


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Mil T said:

sounds like it's packing to much on rebound. Try adjusting the rebound to allow more fluid to flow. Take it to the point that it feels like it bottoms out then tighten 1 turn. Rebound slows the shock way down so it is kind of like a stiff rod in the place of the shock. That's why it probably feels better with stock shocks. It's softer all around but the back end WILL dance around on you at speed and washboard so be careful. That's what the 3.0's stop is the dancing around in the back end. Are you running any weight in the bed at all?
Mil T

Click to expand...

I am running approx 400 pounds in the bed which hasn't changed. I have National springs which were 2+ but have dropped some since their re-arching 1 year ago.
I will open up the rebound to see if it makes a difference.

I was shocked when I took the first offroad hits and felt the whole rear kicking out sideways. I adjusted the 3.0's to my current setting based on another thread that Jarred from SVC recommended.

On the street is even worse then offroad. Regardless of speed ,I feel like the back end wants to kick out on small bumps in the road or railroad tracks.

I did do my homework and am aware that the road handling would not be as plush and that the shocks make a lot of noise, but right now any high speed offroad driving is unsafe the way the truck is behaving .

---------- Post added at 12:24 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:20 AM ----------

1stSFG said:

Not to open a can of worms, but once you make a change from an engineered system this is what happens. With any luck you can find satisfaction by adjusting around. You now have become the new engineer. payload, leaf springs are likely factors in finding that sweet spot. Several people are not happy with the 3.0's. I guarantee you it isn't the shock. That said, Fox likely didn't put in the Raptor specific R&D on these that they did the OE'S.

Click to expand...

Agree 100%. I have driven other Raptors with the 3.0's from Fox and Icon and they did not behave this way. I find it hard to imagine that since my springs and what I carry in my bed didn't change from installing the Fox 3.0's that it has to be the shock adjustment.