Rattle'n Rancho 9000's

[FATCAT]

I am having a serious problem with my Rancho 9000's on my truck. Every bump I go over the shocks just rattle around in the front end and I keep thinking some damage is being done. I have tightened the lower bolts on the shocks and adjusted the settings from 4 to 1 on the fronts and the lower the setting the worse the rattle. I've got to say that these Rancho's were the worst investment I have made on this truck. My OEM's lasted 101,000 miles and were very good, nice smooth ride ... and now I wish I just put another set of OEMs on my truck.
Has anyone else experienced this rattle with their Rancho's? What was done to fix it? I'm just about ready to get rid of them and get some Monroe's or go back to the OEM's.
Help please!

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1997 2500 ST 4x4, 5-speed, 4. 10 axle, TST 60lb boost @ EGT gauges, TST #12 230hp/605ftlb plate & AFC Spring kit, limited slip axle, Amsoil air filter.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Here's a few things to check for. If you grab the shock body can you move it fore and aft or up and down at either end? If you can move it up or down then the sleeve in the shock has too big of an i. d. for the bolt going through it. If you can move it fore and aft then the sleeve isn't wide enough for the mount - you could put in some washers to take out the play. When you removed your stock shocks were there any washers at the mount points? If so then you should have reinstalled those same washers in the same location. Just a couple of ideas, I've never had a problem with a Rancho shock and I've been running them for over 10 years now on 4 different trucks.



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-Steve St. Laurent - President of the Great Lakes TDR
'98 QC LB (CMNSPWR), 4x4, ISB, 5sp, 4. 10 LSD, TST Powermax3, 275hp RV injectors, Joe Donnelly modifed Sachs Clutch, SS ladder bars, SW fuel pressure gauge, BD exhaust brake, Isspro turbo temp monitor, front Draw-Tite receiver, rear Draw-Tite class V receiver, BFG 285/75R16 AT KO's, (all the common stuff clipped)

 

[willyslover]

another thought to check out. . the top hole that the shock goes thru v/s urethane bumpers have different size holes looks at the urethane and make sure the correct hole size is matching up. . if they don't match up the shoch will not be stable in the tower hole. . [you can turn the urethane over to get a different size locator riser]. . don't know if this made sence but pull the red urethane off the top and look at the top and bottom of them carefully and you'll see the difference ... there is a right and wrong fitment to the tower size hole

 

[FATCAT]

Thankyou for the info. I'll check these things out this weekend (need neighbor's garage and floor jack). As for the washers, I know there were no washers on the bottom mounts and can not remember about the top mount points.
I would hope thats all it would be, a few washers for the front to back movement.
Thanks again.

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1997 2500 ST 4x4, 5-speed, 4. 10 axle, TST 60lb boost @ EGT gauges, TST #12 230hp/605ftlb plate & AFC Spring kit, limited slip axle, Amsoil air filter.

 

[FDziurda]

When I installed my 9000s, I am pretty sure I had to insert steel sleeves in the lower mounting bolt holes on the front shocks and top & bottoms of the rear shocks. If the bolts don't fit perfectly, I imagine they would make lots of noise.

So far, mine work great and don't make ANY noise. I keep the fronts on "3" and change the rear setting from "2" to "4" when I tow my 26' TT.

Good Luck and hope you find the problem.

Frank


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Frank Dziurda - K7SFN
Carson City, Nevada
'99. 5 2500 4X4 6-Speed Quad Cab LWB 3. 54 LSD

 

[trucknut]

FATCAT; I have been using the rancho 9000"s on two trucks,working the off road. There a great shock for off-road, street and pulling. (Due to there being adjustable and well built)On the other hand here is a site where you can read about a couple of problems-solutions. Good luck. https://www.turbodieselregister.com/ubb//Forum17/HTML/001548.html

 

[Deezal Man]

Fatcat,

In all honestly, it sounds like an installation error. I'd re-check that everything was installed according to the directions with the shocks.

If that doesn't work, I'll gladly send you my OEM's with only 30K miles.

As long as you don't mind that the OEM fronts are alreadly leaking a little oil... You'll love em. #ad
#ad


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98. 5' Emerald Green 24v 2500 Auto/3. 54 4x4 SB QC 285-75-16's on Alcoa's. Everything but leather. PIAA 1200's, AMSOIL dual filter relocation system, Smittybuilt Stainless Steel Nerfs, Rhino Liner(Junk), AMSOIL air filter.

 

[FATCAT]

Trucknut, thankyou for pointing out that previous post. I had seen it before, but could not find it again when doing a search.
I have tightened down on the top bolts on the front shocks an am sure that they are not loose in any way. All the hardware for the shock installation is in the right place but I still get that rattle in the front end (it gets worse when the shocks are set on the softer settings). It must be that there is play between the lower bolts and the sleeves in the shock eyelet. I do not want to have to re-thread the flag nut, but want to continue using the OEM bolt (the shocks should fit the truck and not the other way around), so I will have to get new bolt sleeves. Does anyone know the inside diameter of the front lower shock eyelets and the outside diameter of the shock bolt? I hope that new sleeves can be found at the hardware store or auto parts store. I do 750+ miles a week in the truck and this rattle has gone beyond driving me nuts!

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1997 2500 ST 4x4, 5-speed, 4. 10 axle, TST 60lb boost @ EGT gauges, TST #12 230hp/605ftlb plate & AFC Spring kit, limited slip axle, Amsoil air filter.

 

[icarus33]

Keep in mind that if it is a bad shock, have Rancho replace it since they are lifetime warrenty. You're paying for it in the initial price of these shocks. They may send a bad one out of 10,000 now and then.

icarus

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'98. 5, 2500, 4x4, LB, QC, AUTO, 3. 54 rear, Snugtop, Rhinoliner, ISB, non Cummins enhanced ECM, DDIIIa injectors, Transgo Diesel shift kit, KJones TC, Autometer boost, transmission temp, digital pyro, Mag-Hytec diff/transmission cvrs. , Redline lubed.