Need 1978 Ford F-150 shocks or struts? This page is catalog-backed ride control for the older Ford F-150 (1978), including 1978. It is not F-250/F-350 Super Duty, and it is not Raptor-specific unless a row says so.
KYB Excel-G / Gas-a-Just / MonoMax and Gabriel Ultra / Guardian / HiJackers numbers below come from the U.S. KYB shocks & struts catalog and Gabriel 2018 application guide. Do not mix KYB Europe SKUs onto these rows. 2WD vs 4WD (and air vs coil on some trucks) still change the corner.
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older Ford F-150 (1978) shock shop notes — 1978
1978 Ford F-150 shock/strut — 6th-gen-era F-150 shop focus
Model-year 1978 sits in the 6th-gen-era F-150 Ford F-150 window (1975–1979). It is not Super Duty.
Catalog applications for 6th-gen-era F-150 (1975–1979) often repeat the same SKUs across adjacent years in this generation — that is expected. This URL stays year-specific for 1978 with a self-canonical and year-locked heading/links. On-page catalog SKUs called out here include KYB 344272, KYB KG5406, Gabriel G63396, Gabriel 61551, Gabriel 491787, KYB 344264, KYB KG5421, Gabriel G63398 — use only these rows (and the lists below), not torque charts we do not publish. Cross-shop the same model year: 1978 Ford F-150 suspension parts.
These are ride-control shop notes for the older Ford F-150 that includes 1978. Numbers come from the KYB U.S. shocks/struts book and the Gabriel 2018 application guide we host under Catalogs — not from torque charts, and not from the KYB Europe PDF.
What usually brings people here
- Nose dive, hollow ride, or a wet shock body → front damper worn out. Start with the Front list on this page and match 2WD/4WD (and air vs coil on Rams) before you order.
- Rear sag under tow, cargo squat, or a floaty highway feel → rear shocks first. If Gabriel lists a HiJackers air shock for this truck, that is the load-assist path — not a substitute for broken leaf springs.
- Clunk that is not a ball joint or sway link → check upper strut mounts / bearing plates when the catalog lists them beside the strut row.
KYB vs Gabriel — how we pick a line
KYB Excel-G 344272 is the OE-style twin-tube daily driver; Gas-a-Just KG5406 is the firmer high-pressure monotube when both appear for the same corner — pick one philosophy, don’t mix left/right. Gabriel Ultra G63396 is the premium twin-tube path; Guardian/ProGuard 61551 is the value / fleet alternative when both show up. Gabriel HiJackers air shock 491787 is load-assist for tow/sag — air hose kit footnotes in the book mean pair packs; confirm before ordering.
While you’re in there
Replace dampers in axle pairs. Inspect bump stops and dust boots while the corner is apart. If the truck also clunks or wanders, see 1978 Ford F-150 suspension parts. If brakes are next, see 1978 Ford F-150 brake parts.
Shop notes only — not a service manual. Use the factory procedure or a Haynes/Chilton manual for wrench work, torque, and safety steps. Leave a comment with 2WD/4WD (and air vs coil if equipped) plus the symptom if you want a part-number check.
Works Kit — 1978 Ford F-150 shocks/struts (air callouts on page) (1970s F-100/F-150 shocks · confirm 2WD/4WD)
Under a 1978 Ford F-150, the one-trip damper cart is KYB 344264 / Gabriel G63396 + Gabriel G63387 / Gabriel G63447. order it all once, do it right. Model-year 1978 is the only year this damper kit is written for — neighboring years may share numbers but not this page’s 2WD/4WD forks. Air/load-assist rows on this page are called out separately from coil dampers. Year page 1978 stays distinct from 2004-ram-1500-shock-parts.
1. Front axle pair
- Front damper — order ×2 — KYB 344264 (4WD, (Exc. Super Cab))
- Optional firmer front line on this page — Gabriel G63396 (4WD, Quad Suspension) · Gabriel G63398 (4WD, Extended Cab Pickup Exc.)
2. Rear axle pair
- Rear damper — order ×2 — Gabriel G63387 (4WD; Exc. Lift Kit)
- Optional firmer rear line on this page — Gabriel G63447 (4WD; Quad Suspension, Forward) · KYB KG5421 (4WD, (Exc. Super Cab))
3. Air / load-assist (only if this truck uses it)
- HiJackers / air shock row on this page — Gabriel 491787 (4WD; Exc. Lift Kit; load-assist / tow / sag air shock) · Gabriel 430998 (RWD, Standard Cab Pickup; load-assist / tow / sag air shock)
- Not a substitute for broken springs — confirm air vs coil on the 1978 shop notes
Search Amazon for 1978 Ford F-150 shocks · Full Front/Rear lists are below.
1978 Ford F-150 front shocks / struts
- KYB Excel-G: 344272 (2WD)
- KYB Gas-a-Just: KG5406 (2WD)
- KYB Excel-G: 344264 (4WD, (Exc. Super Cab))
- KYB Gas-a-Just: KG5421 (4WD, Super Cab)
- Gabriel Ultra: G63396 (4WD, Quad Suspension)
- Gabriel Ultra: G63398 (4WD, Extended Cab Pickup Exc.)
- Gabriel Guardian / ProGuard Classic: 61551 (4WD; Quad Suspension, Forward)
- Gabriel Ultra: G63511 (4WD; Quad Suspension, Forward)
- Gabriel Ultra: G63445 (4WD; Quad Suspension, Rearward)
- Gabriel Ultra: G63386 (RWD)
- Gabriel Max Control LTV: 58386 (RWD)
- Gabriel Guardian / ProGuard Classic: 81242
- Gabriel Guardian / ProGuard Classic: 61521 (RWD, Quad Suspension)
- Gabriel Guardian / ProGuard Classic: 81394 (Rearward of Front Axle; Non Quad)
- Gabriel Guardian / ProGuard Classic: 81285
1978 Ford F-150 rear shocks / struts
- KYB Excel-G: 344071 (2WD)
- KYB Gas-a-Just: KG5414 (2WD)
- KYB Gas-a-Just: KG5421 (4WD, (Exc. Super Cab))
- KYB Gas-a-Just: KG5429 (4WD, Super Cab)
- Gabriel Ultra: G63447 (4WD; Quad Suspension, Forward)
- Gabriel Ultra: G63350 (RWD)
- Gabriel Guardian / ProGuard Classic: 61518 (RWD)
- Gabriel Max Control LTV: 58350 (RWD)
- Gabriel Ultra: G63387 (4WD; Exc. Lift Kit)
- Gabriel Guardian / ProGuard Classic: 61647 (4WD; Exc. Lift Kit)
- Gabriel HiJackers air shock: 491787 (4WD; Exc. Lift Kit; load-assist / tow / sag air shock)
- Gabriel HiJackers air shock: 430998 (RWD, Standard Cab Pickup; load-assist / tow / sag air shock)
Fitment notes
These KYB and Gabriel numbers come from the U.S. KYB shocks & struts catalog and the Gabriel 2018 application guide (plus Gabriel HD only when a 1500 row appears). Year ranges in those books that cover 1978 are expanded onto this page. Mount/boot kits are omitted unless they rode beside a damper row we kept. Do not use KYB Europe application SKUs here. Gabriel HiJackers (air) shocks are load-assist for tow/sag — pair-pack / hose-kit footnotes in the book; they are not a fix for broken springs.
Related: 1978 Ford F-150 suspension parts. 1978 Ford F-150 brake parts. KYB shocks and struts catalog. Gabriel shocks and struts catalog. F-150 catalog page.
Leave a comment with 2WD vs 4WD, and the symptom if you want a part-number check. #HAPPYMOTORING