2004.5 rides like poo with rancho!

[tobaccogrower]

i took off my stock shocks and replaced with rancho 9000 adjustable shocks for use with a slide in camper(1 time use by the way). they worked great with the camper for sway but now i'm empty i cant stand the ride! i've tried adjusting them but they still suck. i'm thinking about putting the stock shocks back on! any ideas? i paid good money for the shocks and would hate to see them rot on a shelf... . james

 

[macdaddy]

Grower

Man I made the same mistake with my 99, I got five years out of the stockers before the rancho's. I finally trashed the 9K's for the bilstiens (much better shock) and ride.



Put the stockers back on if their not leaking and in good condition. I'll run the stockers on the 05 until there is a problem.



Mac

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

If you go with Bilsteins don't get the blue & yellow ones. I've had 2 sets on the front of my '96 in 30k miles and they don't hold up worth a hoot. Work great for about 5k miles then they wimp out.



Vaughn

 

[nauidvr1]

Rancho offers a lifetime warranty, not sure how they would handle a customer dis-satisfaction complaint, but give them a call. I have been very satisfied with there customer service. They will propably refund your money, or have you send them back to where you got them for a refund.

 

[JAaron]

I would say it is more likely your airbags than your shocks, My 02 had both and empty with ranchos on 1 or 2 setting it rode fine, BUT if I left more than 5 psi in the bags WHOA! you new it right away.

 

[tobaccogrower]

air bags

so you think it's the air bags? load rite says not to allow less then 5 psi at all times. i'd like to leave about a pound or two when empty. think the bags would self distruct? Jaron: when empty, what to you run for a minmum psi in your bags? Happy end of the summer!... ... . james

 

[bighornram]

Can you guys describe what you don't like about the ride? I had an 02' and after about 5 months, I put my slide-in popup and almost got turned over by a truck passing me while I was in a left turn lane waiting to turn! I couldn't get rid of the stock shocks fast enough. I replaced them with Rancho 5000's (I think that was the model #, non adjustable) and loved the ride I got. I was thinking the same thing would happen with my 05 now. Had a comparison starting out in my mind, Bilstein VS. Rancho.

 

[Cummins Cowboy]

I have an '02, it has the factory overload springs, I can't figure out what you guys are putting on your truck to load it so much, I have a 800# ball weight bumper pull trailer with 1500#'s of garbage in the bed and the truck is still not really squating, also another time I had 3500#'s of drywall in the bed truck was sitting level and rode like a cadillac, no sway perfectly stable, If you are having load and stability problems you are putting way TOO much weight on the truck

 

[Bill Stockard]

I would say it is more likely your airbags than your shocks, My 02 had both and empty with ranchos on 1 or 2 setting it rode fine, BUT if I left more than 5 psi in the bags WHOA! you new it right away.

I agree. Even with only 10 PSI in the bags, the empty ride is stiffer than before I installed them. The slide-in camper is on the truck 95% of the time (the truck isn't a "daily driver") so the stiffer ride when empty isn't a big problem.



Bill

 

[JAaron]

James, I don't have airbags on my 04. 5 but on the 02 I had the firestone setup with on board compressor and gauges. That system, I believe, maintained at least 5psi automatically and I didn't notice a worse than stock ride. If you aren't going to haul the camper anymore, maybe try taking the bags off altogether?

 

[geusterman]

James... I have an 04. 5 with Fox and extra overload springs for the camper. Air bags are like bricks... not real suspension when between axle and frame. If on a swing arm they are more like real suspension. My 02 had Rancho 9000 and it was fine on 1st setting. No airbags there but had Kelderman rear air ride. Again... my exta overloads on my new truck (3500) OOOPS... you have a 2500. No overloads. Well... try to empty your air bag when running empty. George

 

[tobaccogrower]

my bag's are between the axel and frame. i'd take them off but they are afully nice when i put somthing heavy back there. in november i'm going to put a set of Dick Cepeck FC11 tires in place of the hard stock ones. maybe that will soften it up. in the meantime, i guess i'll head to the local metal yard and get a piece of 1/2 inch steel plate to slide under the bed mat for that smooth loaded feel :-laf ... james