Shock Absorbers

[Archive]

Hi,
I ran Skyjacker Nitros on my 1995 Ram CTD. My truck had 15000 miles on it when I replaced the shocks. I noticed major improvement in the body control. Truck road great,a little stiffer w/the gas shocks. At that time I was driving on roads with expansion gaps that bounced me around. Not after I r&r the shocks. These are quality shocks. I ran there leveling kit for close to five years. I just sold the truck in Jan. No Problems.
My 2001. 5 Skyjacker Kit with duel front shocks just came in. Excited to get rid of the stock arms,springs and shocks.
I can not wait to get my new truck, driving like one #ad
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2001 RAM H. O. 6Sp 2500 SLT 4x4 Quad Cab, 4Wheel Disc, 4. 10 Limited Slip, Fog Lights, Muffler removed, Silence Ring Gone,
K&N RE-0880.

 

[Dane]

I changed the stock shocks at 5k. They were terrible new, and the rears had 1/4" rebound play when I removed them. I installed Edelbrocks and they were pretty good, but rebound damping is almost gone at 5,000 miles. I have a set of Bilsteins ready (over 8400 gvw) to go on, and will post as soon as I get a week or two of running with them. I had Rancho 9000s on my Toyota and they were good for 50k miles when I sold the truck. I picked the Bilsteins this time because they make a different set of shocks for different GVWs All the other MFGs use a one size fits all approach which is lame in my opinion. These are very heavy trucks, especially in the front, with completly different compression and rebound requirements than the 1/2 ton trucks. If the Bilsteins don't work, It'll be the RS9000's next. The best change I've made to the suspension was adding Roadmasters in the rear. If I had my way, I'd have dual adjustable shocks on all 4 corners, but I have not come up with a good enough story to convince my better half on funding such a thing #ad


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2001 HO 6 speed Regular Cab SLT 4x4 3. 54 anti spin 2500. Used for the daily grind and sneaking away to some secret Baja beaches toting a cabover

 

[Extreme1]

Dane brought up the reason I bought the 9000s. A suspension (and alot of other things)is a system consisting of a spring (suspension in this case), a mass (the truck) and a damper (the shock). A change in one requires that the values of the others be evaluated. When I looked for shocks (before the Edelbrocks came out) I noticed the same thing: One damping rate fits all. I know my Cummins front end weight is enough different from a 318 that it wouldn't ride right. Or would it? Maybe the guy with the 318 would be sorry? Anyway, I figured if I were going to get it to ride right, I would need an adjustable shock. I usually don't change the settings unless I hit a stretch of road where the expansion joints are close to the wheelbase. Towing doesn't seem to make much difference in shock setting at the rear but I only tow tag trailers and light ones at that.
FWIW, if the 9000s hadn't worked out, I would try the Edelbrocks.

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'94 3500 4x4, 209,000 miles, Never had a cat, Auto w/shift kit (thanks Dave G), 3. 54 Gears, TST #5 plate, 235-85-16s, Rancho 9000s w/remote, Isspro Gauges & Amsoil Air, Oil & Bypass Filters & Lubes, AWOL intake boot.
Punchlist: X-Mount Mirrors, 14 cm Turbo Housing & 215 Injectors.
NRA member.
Blue Ribbon Coalition member.
"Warrantee? We don't need no stinking warrantee!"

 

[larryq]

Bilstiens!!!!!!!!
Accept nothing less!!!

'Nuff Said!!!

LArry

 

[BLACKRAM]

I really want to hear about the Bilsteins. So email me when they go on. Let me know if you use the one on the track bar.

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1999 2500 4x4, auto, 3. 54 LS, HD241, Quad cab SLT, Blk Sport Pkg, 285 Bridgestone AT,Amsoil,80/100w lights, DTT TC/vb, DD2's,DD TTPM,Isspro gauges.
1992 SC400
1978 Mooney 201 IFR

 

[GFoley]

Please share your experience with replacement shocks. I have read several posts about the Ranch RS 9000s. The adjustability feature doesn't seen to be very useful unless you change the loading of your vehicle. Has anyone tried the Bilsteins (?) or the Edelbrock shock? How many miles were on your truck when you changed out the factory units, and would you choose the same shock again? What difference in the ride quality did you notice after the change?
Thanks for your views.

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99 2500 QC 4WD, AT, 3. 54 LSD, Forest Green, Mag-Hytec diff cover, Amsoil 75/90 Series 2000

 

[QRTRHRS]

I put Bilsteins on when I bought my truck with 62k. Naturally, handling improved over factory but I have no baseline to draw from. They are firm however and the empty ride lets you know. I detect no change with 98k on now. I have the Roadmasters to try sometime. I don't have a large enough flat area of concrete to work on and the guy who was supposed to do it had some problems. I am not using a Bilstein for a steering stabilizer.

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97'3500 SLT CC,4x4,5 spd,4. 10,98k,EBY aluminum flatbed,Dee Zee running boards,Dee Zee Platinum drop boxes,Mag-Hytec,BD Brake,Pyscotty,Jardine 4",Geno's monster tip,TST plate,370's,AFC, ATS, Bilstein,Isspro, Tekonsha Sentinel