The Pathfinder system is Carli’s answer for Super Duty owners seeking premium on-road comfort with off-road confidence. Sitting between the Backcountry and Pintop kits, it delivers a supple, controlled ride that soaks up imperfections on pavement while staying capable for off-road use. Featuring Carli-SPEC 2.5” hard-anodized shocks, black-anodized billet components, and heat-resistant red shock oil, the Pathfinder blends premium looks, daily comfort, and durable performance into an affordable, long-lasting package.
SKU: CS-F45SPKG-CS25RR-A
- Carli-SPEC 2.5", Remote-Reservoir Shocks Front and Rear
- Includes Reservoir Mounts Front and Rear
- 10" Front Wheel Travel, 12.9" Rear
- Fitment: 2020+ F250/350 4x4, Diesel with 5.5" Carli Lift
- Fitment: 2005-19 F250/350 4x4, Diesel with 4.5" Carli Lift
The Carli SPEC 2.5″
Nestled between the Backcountry and Pintop, the Pathfinder system (the system that includes the Carli-SPEC 2.5″ Shocks) is built for those prioritizing on-road comfort and off-road confidence. Akin to a Backcountry on pavement and only slightly off-pace the Pintop’s dirt performance, the Pathfinder removes all strain from your daily drive, while inspiring you to venture beyond the tarmac.
This system delivers a controlled and predictable ride for light to moderate off-road use, though it won’t stay as composed as the Pintop over aggressive, high-speed terrain. On the road, however, the Pathfinder stands out. Small and medium imperfections are absorbed with ease, creating a supple, comfortable ride that doesn’t require an aggressive driving style to feel its benefits. It’s the perfect choice for those who value daily comfort, but want their suspension to come alive when venturing off the pavement.
The value proposition – these shocks are substantially cheaper than our King offerings. To sweeten the deal further, the aesthetic that comes standard on our Carli-SPEC 2.5″ shocks would cost well over $1,000 to add to one of our King offerings. For someone that flexes the skinny pedal in the dirt over unpredictable terrain, there’s no better option that our King offerings – for the other 95%, there’s the Carli-SPEC 2.5″ shocks. The good news, we’ve got you covered either way!
The Construction:
The shock body is a 1-piece, impact extruded 6061 aluminum cylinder. The aluminum boasts better heat dissipation than steel, and 1-peice means there’s no top cap interface as a potential point of failure. The cylinders are anodized for corrosion resistance and finish durability – this aesthetic will stand the test of time. The 7/8″ shafts are a hardened (100ksi), chrome plated steel. These shocks are spec’d with a premium 5WT red oil to balance lubricity, consistent damping and the widest available range in temperature variation.
The stem-top bushings are something we’re excited about. In our vast experience with shocks, we’ve become bushing snobs. In an industry obsessed with poly bushings, we’ve always measured against our benchmark – the original rubber Bilstein bushings. In an eyelet style, poly is fantastic – in a stem-top, we’ve not met a poly bushing we preferred to tried and true rubber. They do not seem to handle the forces of the stem-top as well as a rubber bushing. We’re elated to be able to spec a rubber bushing on these Carli Spec Shocks. Elated may be an exaggeration but we eat, sleep and breath shocks – to eliminate such a frequent point of failure is exciting!
The rod ends are constructed of 6061 billet aluminum; inside you will find a 5/8″ PTFE-Lined Spherical Bearing with misalignment spacers to fit each application’s specific shock mounting interface.
The Reservoir adds the separate canister to carry the dividing piston, and nitrogen charge leaving the entirety of the body available for extended piston travel. Without getting too technical, a Remote Reservoir will have more suspension travel than an IFP with the same mounting dimensions & superior heat management (less shock fade) thanks to the additional oil capacity. The port off the body, flowing to the reservoir, is slightly smaller than the shaft diameter. This creates a restriction as the shock compresses – the shaft enters the body, the fluid fights the valving (through the main piston) and the shaft displaces its volumetric equivalence in oil as it travels into the body. The fluid then moves through the hose to push the dividing piston in the reservoir to account for the increased pressure from both the shaft displacement and heat-expansion of the oil. Having a bottleneck (hose restriction) between the force generation, and mechanism that accommodates it (dividing piston) helps smooth out the “turbulence” in the shock while improving bottom out resistance. In short, remote reservoir shocks are measurable less “chattery” than IFP shocks.
