shocks.. lets discuss

[Damnyankee]

I'm not talking about high doller blingtanium coilovers.. just regular old shocks
For wheeling.

When i first built my rig,, budget build i might add, i put a set of pro comps in there, cause they are long.. really long and a good price.
they worked fairly well but i don't have much to compare them with (therefore this discussion)

I now need new shocks. They are so bad, and broken that my rig will sit in the garage till its fixed.

I have thought about just putting another set of pro-comps in there and call it a day as they are cheap and functional.

But i'm also considerieng some Rancho's

What are your guys experience with the following

Pro comp Ex 3000 serises
Rancho 5000 series
Rancho 9000 xl series (i'm contemplating these because they are adjustable.


should i spend my money on the 9000 xl or is a complete waste?:beer:

 

[pokey]

I have had real good luck with the adjustable ranchos both on the road and on the trail. With soft springs you can crank them up for roads and logging roads and loosen them up for the trail.

 

[TreeClimber]

I ran Rancho 5000s for YEARS. They work nice. They're cheap. Get them from Bayview 4x in Silverdale, Gene, the owner used to be a rep for Rancho (YEARS ago) and really knows his stuff.

When I built the wife's TJ, I stepped up to Bilsteins 7100s. Hot damn, they're NICE.

So I finally took the Ranchos off my YJ and replaced them with Bilstein 7100s and am really mad. Mad that I didn't spend the money years ago. They're simply that much better. The jeep feels like a completely different rig now. It soaks up bumps that used to jar my teeth. Yeah, at low speeds, the Ranchos were fine. And at highway driving, the Ranchos were fine. But at speed and with bumps... WOW, those Bilsteins feel better than the big hole in my wallet.

 

[Damnyankee]

those are the 5000's not the adjustable 9000's. so the rancho 5000's ride rough.. cool.. i've actually heard that before..

bilsiteins are spendy... ouch

 

[TreeClimber]

those are the 5000's not the adjustable 9000's. so the rancho 5000's ride rough.. cool.. i've actually heard that before..

bilsiteins are spendy... ouch

Rancho 5000s don't ride rough, they ride nice.
The Bilstein 7100 just are that much better.
You should look into the Bilstein 5100s, might be a nice compromise.

 

[pokey]

I had the 5000s on the jeep (duals up front) and found them too soft(for roads and logging roads,dunes). Thats why I went to the 9000s I did put a pair of bilstiens on the back this time due to size constraints but havent had it out yet to give any imput on how they ride.

 

[TrikeKid]

Ran 5125 Bilstiens on my last rig and loved them, but they are still a chunk of change. That said my way too tall Toyota was about as close to car like handling as you're going to get with a solid axle and no sway bars. I have 9000's in the rear of the samurai and 9000xl's in the front, what little I played with it before I cut it apart they worked really well, (and I have them) so they're staying at least for the time being.

 

[CHOP SHOP]

I actually dont care for the ride of the bilstiens. They are gas charged and are like a pogo stick. When coupled with a tall stif yota spring they make it even stiffer. The valving is nice, just not my thing.

I do however stand behind the RS9000s. They can be fine tuned to any rig or driving style. They can be set for the road then dialed in for the dunes if needed. Plus they ride like a normal oil truck shocks, not pogo stick to try and compress when mounting them too.

Oh, by the way if ya had bought rs9000s years ago and they were now wore out, you could just crank them up two clicks and they would feel like new again for years.

 

[CHOP SHOP]

Ran 5125 Bilstiens on my last rig and loved them, but they are still a chunk of change. That said my way too tall Toyota was about as close to car like handling as you're going to get with a solid axle and no sway bars. I have 9000's in the rear of the samurai and 9000xl's in the front, what little I played with it before I cut it apart they worked really well, (and I have them) so they're staying at least for the time being.

speaking of shocks, you awake and kickin?

 

[Damnyankee]

I actually dont care for the ride of the bilstiens. They are gas charged and are like a pogo stick. When coupled with a tall stif yota spring they make it even stiffer. The valving is nice, just not my thing.

I do however stand behind the RS9000s. They can be fine tuned to any rig or driving style. They can be set for the road then dialed in for the dunes if needed. Plus they ride like a normal oil truck shocks, not pogo stick to try and compress when mounting them too.

Oh, by the way if ya had bought rs9000s years ago and they were now wore out, you could just crank them up two clicks and they would feel like new again for years.

I hear that, and is also why i'm contemplaiting spending the coin on the 9000's.

My rig is coil sprung, so its like a pogo stick right now.. I need to get rid of that because its became unpredictable.

The new 9000xl have a limited lifetime warranty. I read the warranty information on them and as long as they are not "broken" if they wear out for the life i have them on the same vehicle.. they are covered. So that something to think about. my rear shocks now are pretty beat up, but my front ones LOOK like new, only a rub mark on the pain from a tire that hit it once apon a time.:beer:

 

[boardbysled]

Thanks for starting this thread. When I do RUF's sometime in the near future, I'm gonna need to get shocks.

Right now, I have Rancho 5000's in the rear and your standard white shock (rancho, doestech, procomp, they're all the same for the cheapies) in the front. While it doesn't ride bad, I can feel that I need more valving for the shocks.

I like to go "fast" on logging roads, so it would be nice to have some stiffer valving on the shocks to help control body roll (will probably also help getting some RUF, little stiffer then my current spring.)

I've been contemplating dropping some coin on some smoothbody FOA's. At like $130 a piece for a smooth body and ~$150 a piece for with resevoir, they aren't "that" spendy. Thats for the front atleast, I think the rear would to excelent with a set of Rancho 9000's (again, might help soak up some of the body roll I have after I removed my swaybar.)

But lets be honest, I'm a poor brokeass college student, I'll probably get some cheap ass standard white shocks.:haha:

Ramble off.:redneck:

Lets talk about travel, you guys that have posted up, whats your rig weigh and what type of suspension are you running and what length of travel are you running.

 

[TrikeKid]

speaking of shocks, you awake and kickin?

Been up since 6 for some reason.

 

[Damnyankee]

Lets talk about travel, you guys that have posted up, whats your rig weigh and what type of suspension are you running and what length of travel are you running.

rig weights aroud 4500 (guestimate) coil sprung, running the es 336000 procomps at the moment
LOTS of travel. i can use all of the 15.5" travel of shocks that have in the rear of my rig.

therefore, the procomps.. they are LONG.

 

[CHOP SHOP]

also most of the guys that go for that rebuildable or tunable shock, never ever dissasemble it to tune or rebuild it.


Shocks are like carbs. People just bolt them on till one works.


I dont want to tear apart shocks and valve them, I just want to turn a knob.:beer:

 

[Damnyankee]

also most of the guys that go for that rebuildable or tunable shock, never ever dissasemble it to tune or rebuild it.


Shocks are like carbs. People just bolt them on till one works.


I dont want to tear apart shocks and valve them, I just want to turn a knob.:beer:

duely noted.

i'm leaning real hard in this direction.

 

[boardbysled]

I've noticed that Amazon is actually a really good place to get shocks, they seem to have em on the cheap. Also, some vendors on Pirate can get ya a really good deal.

Example. Here and Here. I'm sure they aren't long travel, but still...

 

[99redtj]

procomp3000 and rancho5000 are the extact same shock. rancho's cost like $5 more because they come with shock boots and the procomp do not.

i run procomp3000 and they ride ruff. they are cheap far as money goes but i have never broken a shock, have bent both rears when rhinoland eas open,also ripped the lower mount off at the same time.

would like to try blistems 5100, but i still can buy 2 procomp 3000 to one blisten 5100

 

[Damnyankee]

procomp3000 and rancho5000 are the extact same shock. rancho's cost like $5 more because they come with shock boots and the procomp do not.

i run procomp3000 and they ride ruff. they are cheap far as money goes but i have never broken a shock, have bent both rears when rhinoland eas open,also ripped the lower mount off at the same time.

would like to try blistems 5100, but i still can buy 2 procomp 3000 to one blisten 5100

I don't think they are the exact same shock,
I can't get the exact same length as the ones i have..:fawkdancesmiley:

 

[zukkev]

2 people I know have broken the 5100 series' shafts....right at the middle; neither one of them saw more than 3 runs before breaking too...I know several folks who have the 9000's, and they loved 'em! That's the way I am leaning for my next set....just need to buck up the coin, or be patient...:;

 

[99redtj]

I don't think they are the exact same shock,
I can't get the exact same length as the ones i have..:fawkdancesmiley:

that was what i was told or maybe it was they where made by the same company,