FOX 987-24-022 Performance Series 2.5 IFP HTO Front Shock F-250/350 4WD 6-8"Lift

Vehicle Fitment

• 2005-2025 Ford F-250 Super Duty (4WD; all cab configurations - Regular Cab, SuperCab, Crew Cab; all bed lengths) - Confirmed fitment; front shock
• 2005-2025 Ford F-350 Super Duty (4WD; all cab configurations; all bed lengths) - Confirmed fitment; front shock
• Designed for vehicles with 6-8" of front lift - confirm your specific front lift height is within this range before ordering. FOX offers companion 987-series variants for other lift ranges: 0-1.5" (987-24-000), 2-3.5" (987-24-002), and 4-5.5" ranges. Match the correct lift range to your build for optimal damping geometry and performance.
• 4WD models only.

Application Notes

• The 987-24-022 is engineered and valved for the suspension geometry of a 2005-2025 F-250/F-350 front axle at 6-8" of lift - the longest lift range in the 987-series front shock lineup for this platform. At this lift range, suspension geometry is significantly altered from stock: caster angle, pinion angle, upper ball joint load angles, and IFS geometry depart substantially from factory specification. The 987-24-022's valving accounts for this by calibrating damping for the spring rates, motion ratios, and suspension geometry characteristics of a heavily lifted Super Duty front end.
• The HTO (Hydraulic Top Out) feature is particularly critical at 6-8" of lift. At this elevation above stock ride height, the front suspension's increased droop travel and altered geometry dramatically increase the frequency and severity of suspension extension (top-out) events during off-road use. HTO's progressive hydraulic resistance at the end of extension travel converts these events from harsh mechanical impacts into controlled decelerations - a meaningful ride quality and hardware protection benefit at extreme lift heights.
• This is a single shock - one unit per order. Two are required for a complete front axle replacement at this lift range. The companion rear shock for a complete 6-8" front/rear shock upgrade (2017+ F-250/F-350) is the 987-24-023.
• At 6-8" of front lift, aftermarket upper control arms (UCAs), extended brake lines, alignment correction, and potentially a track bar or radius arm relocation kit may be required in addition to shocks. Verify that all complementary suspension components are appropriate for your lift height before installation.
• Installation is a direct bolt-on replacement for the factory front shock absorber - no drilling or modification to the shock towers or suspension components is required for the shock itself.

Features

• 2.5" body diameter - the 987-series 2.5" body provides substantially more oil volume than the 985-series 2.0" body, delivering greater heat capacity and more consistent damping over sustained off-road use. The increased body diameter also allows for a larger main piston with higher flow capacity and more precise valving shim stacks, enabling more refined position-sensitive and velocity-sensitive damping control appropriate for the demanding geometry of a heavily lifted Super Duty front end.
• 6061-T6 aluminum body with Type II anodize - efficient heat dissipation vs. steel-bodied shocks, corrosion resistance, and long-term durability in the challenging environment of a heavily lifted work truck front suspension.
• Internal Floating Piston (IFP) - physically separates the shock oil from the high-pressure nitrogen gas charge inside the body, preventing aeration under aggressive or sustained use. At 6-8" of lift with large aftermarket tires, the front suspension works significantly harder than stock - an IFP is essential for maintaining consistent, fade-resistant damping performance in these conditions.
• Hydraulic Top Out (HTO) - when the shock approaches full extension, the HTO piston directs oil through a secondary shim stack that provides progressive hydraulic resistance to decelerate the shaft before it reaches mechanical travel limits. At 6-8" of lift, the F-250/F-350's increased front droop travel and altered suspension geometry amplify the intensity of top-out events during off-road driving. HTO converts these events - which would otherwise transmit a jarring mechanical impact through the chassis and steering - into controlled, cushioned decelerations. The HTO circuit is position-sensitive and activates only in the final portion of extension travel, with no effect on damping during the normal operating stroke.
• High-flow velocity-sensitive damping piston - the larger piston in the 2.5" body enables a wider flow range through the valving shim stacks, supporting more refined force curves across both low-velocity (slow body roll) and high-velocity (sharp impact) inputs than the 985-series 2.0" body can achieve.
• Vehicle and lift-specific valving - the 987-24-022 is valved specifically for the 2005-2025 F-250/F-350 front suspension geometry at 6-8" of lift, not generically across lift ranges. The valving accounts for the spring rates, motion ratios, and geometry changes that occur at this extreme lift height.
• 5/8" hard chrome shaft - the shaft resists bending under lateral loads generated by the altered geometry of a 6-8" lifted IFS front suspension, and the hard chrome surface provides wear resistance at the seal interface under sustained use.
• Bolt-on direct fit - installs to the factory front shock mounting hardware on the 2005-2025 F-250/F-350 without modification to the shock absorber mounting points.

Specifications

• Part Number: 987-24-022
• Series: FOX Performance Series 2.5
• Type: Smooth Body IFP HTO Shock
• Position: Front
• Vehicle Fitment: 2005-2025 Ford F-250/F-350 Super Duty 4WD
• Lift Range: 6-8"
• Body Diameter: 2.5"
• Body Material: 6061-T6 aluminum, Type II anodized
• Shaft: 5/8" hard chrome
• Reservoir Type: Internal Floating Piston (IFP) - smooth body, no external reservoir
• HTO (Hydraulic Top Out): Yes
• Valving: Vehicle/lift-specific; high-flow piston; position-sensitive
• Installation: Bolt-on direct fit
• Quantity: 1 shock per order
• Warranty: 1-year limited warranty

Included Components

• 1x FOX 987-24-022 Performance Series 2.5 Smooth Body IFP HTO Front Shock

Product Description

The FOX 987-24-022 is the Performance Series 2.5 Smooth Body IFP HTO front shock for the 2005-2025 Ford F-250 and F-350 Super Duty 4WD at 6-8" of front lift - the most extreme lift range covered in the 987-series front shock lineup for the Super Duty platform. At 6-8" of lift, the F-250/F-350's front IFS geometry is substantially altered from stock specification: caster angles, ball joint load angles, pinion angle, and suspension motion ratios all differ significantly from the factory configuration. A shock valved for a stock or moderately lifted truck would produce incorrect damping force at this geometry - the 987-24-022 is specifically valved for the spring rates, motion ratios, and suspension behavior of a Super Duty running 6-8" of front lift.

The 2.5" body is the critical upgrade from the 985-series 2.0" body at this lift and tire size. More oil volume means more heat capacity before fade onset, a larger piston for more refined damping force control across the full velocity spectrum, and more internal real estate for the IFP to maintain consistent oil/gas separation under the aggressive cycling that a heavily lifted, large-tired Super Duty generates during off-road use. The HTO feature earns its value at extreme lift heights where increased droop travel amplifies the severity of suspension top-out events - converting what would be harsh mechanical impacts into progressive, hydraulically controlled decelerations that protect steering components and reduce driver fatigue during demanding trail use.

The 987-24-022 is sold as a single shock; a complete front replacement requires two units. The companion rear shock for the same platform at this lift range (2017+ generation) is the FOX 987-24-023. At 6-8" of front lift, complementary hardware - aftermarket upper control arms, extended brake lines, potentially a track bar relocation kit - should be verified as part of a complete lift build before installing the shocks. FOX backs the 987-24-022 with a 1-year limited warranty.