Advice on installing shocks? (Rancho RS9000)

[Dixie Dawg]

Just ordered a set from Sam's offroad. Any tips y'all can provide? Tried searching, didn't provide much. 'Preciate it!

 

[fest3er]

Originally posted by Dixie Dawg
Just ordered a set from Sam's offroad. Any tips y'all can provide? Tried searching, didn't provide much. 'Preciate it!

The rear shocks are nearly trivial. Youwill likely have to remove the spare tire to get access to one of the top bolts.

The fronts (on 4x4) can be a pain, but they aren't so bad, either.

• if tossing the old shocks, use a vice grip between the coil spring to hold the shaft, if necessary, so you can remove the top nut.
• Remove the 3 nuts holding the shock tower on the frame; you'll want to do this so that you can get the tower up and off the shock *before* the shock extends!
• Remove the lower mounting bolt.

You can now remove the shock from under the hood. Yes, brake lines almost appear to be in the way, but you can snake the shock past them.

IIRC, I didn't even raise the wheels off the ground. Just rolled under the truck and changed the shocks. But then, I *am* a puny, scrawny 165#; I climbed inside a wall once to do a bit of electrical work.

Pay attention to bolt torque specs. And pay attention to the bolts themselves. If they seem worn or corroded, buy new ones. And lightly coat the bolts with anti-seize; this is mostly to keep the insides from siezing to the shock.

It's really not a hard job. Should take you 1/2 hour to dry-run, i. e. , visually go through the process, 1-1/2 hour to do the change, 1/4 hour for a beer and a smoke, and another half-hour to clean up and put everything away.

Good luck!
Fest3er

 

[Extreme1]

Follow the advise above and...

If a 4x4, grab the top of the shock and wiggle back and fort (far and aft) while pulling up to get the old ones out of the axle bracket.

 

[MoparDave]

Shocks

If you don’t like the vise grip method for holding the shaft of the shock absorber, buy the proper socket to fit the shaft. I got mine in a set of four from the snap-on tool dealer. I hate the idea of holding the shaft of a new shock with vise grips…. IMO

 

[Diesel Freak]

I agree with all the above statements, and I would like to add that I have mine set at 3 on the rear, and 4 on the front... . they suck up the bumps nicely.

 

[LSMITH]

You do not need to hold the shaft of the new Rancho 9K's. They will stay at the length you extend them to. Just a note, set them on level one before you install them or you will have a hard time extending or compressing them to bolt up.

 

[csevers]

AMEN to LSMITH

The only hard part was getting the new shock on the left side compressed and to keep it that way till in stalled and prying it up to bolt on top other than that my install went very well!!





I couldn't beleave the better ride that is gives, my truck always wanted to front end bounce and not stop like riding a wave

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you will like the ride when adjusted to suite you

 

[Dixie Dawg]

Bump... appreciate all the help I can get!

 

[NVR FNSH]

jack the front of the truck up and support it from the frame - lets the front axle hang at full droop and makes it much easier to get the shocks out/in on the driver side.



Brian

 

[Rogue Ram]

Question.....

... ... ... do these in fact get rid of the "charter boat" feeling of the front end??? I've never seen anything so mushy in my life as the front of these rigs... .....



If these get rid of the wavy feeling, and anyone is doing a group order, tell me, I'm in.



Rogue

 

[LSMITH]

Rogue, put them on. You can dial in the charterboat if you start missing it, or you can dial in "have your spare kidneys ready to go in" hardness. There was a couple of threads recently about where to get the best prices. Try a search on them and see what you find.

 

[Rogue Ram]

I recall seeing the post..... but there was some discussion over who had the best prices. Never did hear the end of it. I'll look around tnite after dinner... ... thanks!



R