Shock install - any suggestions

[VicR]

If the weather holds this weekend, I am going to put my new Rancho 9000's on my 99 2wd. Just wondered if anyone had any tips or words of advice on this. The shop manual makes it look pretty straight forward.



One question - the shop manual says 'raise and support vehicle'. How high to I want to raise it? I assume they mean the full travel of the shock, but I don't understand the advantage of installing it like that? Should I just take weight off of that wheel?



Thanks,



-Vic

 

[Ram4Sam]

Piece of cake

Vic, It is real easy on a 2wd, I'm sure the book make it sound harder than it is. No need to raise the truck. On the front, jack it up on the bottom of the A arm, jackstand for safety under the frame, and remove the wheel and it is real easy to swap out the shock. I did one side,put the wheel back on and then the other side.



On the back, I backed the truck up on a piece of 4x4 lumber under each wheel for a little extra room. No need to remove the wheels, just slide under and change them. I removed the spare for a little more room and used a air gun to get the bolts real tight. You have to loosen up the sway bar on the pass side but it is really a simple changeout.



Sam

 

[KYOUNG]

shocks

keep your receipt so you can get your rancho shocks replaced, when they wear out in a couple months.

 

[Dennis Garrett]

I don't have Ranchos, but have gone through three sets of shocks in 150k miles. Each time, I have trouble with the lower end mounting bolt not being tight enough, & rattling on bumps. You have to make sure it's very tight, to pull the sides of the pressed channel up against the sides of the rubber bushing. I even replaced the bolts with 9/16" grade 8's, that were smooth on the part that goes through the shock bushing for a better fit. The factory bolts haave threads on that portion, and the bushing pounds them flat.

 

[azcummins]

My only suggestion is to get access to an impact wrench if you can. The rear bolts were a real pain when I had to change them on the back of my friend's ram w/out an air tool.



Also, on the passenger side rear shock, turn the bolt on the bottom of the shock around so that next time you don't have to loosen the track bar.



Otherwise, have at it and enjoy the ride after you are done. Make a WORLD of difference.

 

[Lnwing]

Kevin,



How long have you had the Edelbrocks on?

I loved mine for the first 10,000, but they went south after that. I put Rancho 9000's on the rear, which helped a lot. Still have Edelbrocks on front, but it's just because I'm too stuborn to throw them away yet.



Lynn

 

[KYOUNG]

shox

i just put them on about 1ooo miles ago a little bouncy but better than ranchos