shocks. Bilstine VS Rancho. your opinion?

[DZLROKET]

06 2500 dodge 4X4 . adding 2" leving kit. need slightly longer front shocks.



#1. which brand? Bilstine 5100 series VS Rancho 9000 series



#2. can I just replace the fronts?

 

[WUnderwood]

#1- I like my Bilsteins

#2-yes, you can, no worries

 

[buddys06]

Get ready cause you just tossed a Bible in to the Mosque :-{}

 

[AWestbrook]

I just installed the leveling kit from Lorenz. I love the Bilsteins!!! The truck handles great and the mushy feeling is gone. You can just replace the front but you will thank yourself in the morning if you change the rear also. Check with Sean @ Lorenz. I have been super pleased with his service. Super quick. My truck will be on his page this week.

 

[BILLVO]

I like the Rancho I have never tried the 9000 though,just the 5000. I get them through sears pay once and they are free replacement forever. I get them replaced about every 2 years They never question why they just replace them,that is about the limit on them lasting. Back ones always go flat. I have never tried the bilsteins.

 

[NoSeeUm]

Do the Bilsteins have a lifetime warrentee?



I have the 9000's and like them mostly because they are adjustable. Never tried Bilsteins so I can't say one way or the other.



Jim

 

[jeepit]

Can't beat the adjustability of the Ranchos. I have heavy loads in the bed and you just crank the back shocks up to level 9 and truck handles it!:-laf

 

[DZLROKET]

went with the ranchos 4 for the price of three

 

[BGlidewell]

Get ready cause you just tossed a Bible in to the Mosque :-{}

:-laf :-{}



That was funny!

 

[DZLROKET]

got em intalled yesterday. their GREAT! %75 reduction in expansion joint blues! (and I haven't even tried adjusting them yet) Set on five now

 

[JVolpe]

got em intalled yesterday. their GREAT! %75 reduction in expansion joint blues! (and I haven't even tried adjusting them yet) Set on five now

I set my front to 7 and rear to 4 unloaded and adjust the rear based on load. Stiffer front because of the Cummins weight. I have had the Rancho 9000Xs for almost 3 years now. They have performed well. I have not tried the Bilsteins on this truck, but I had them on a number of my chevy 3/4 ton 4x4s and they work fine.

 

[skorski]

shocks

Ok so how long should a set of factory shocks last towing 5th and driving around town

 

[wyosteve]

The factory shocks on my '01 were toast at 22k miles. On the 04. 5, I replaced them at 32k and they were toast as well. Don't know how long they were gone before that.

 

[BElliott]

Bilsteins for 05 vs 06

Called Geno's today to purchase rear bilsteins to go with the

lorenz leveling kit, which i ordered earlier this week.



The guy at Geno's said that the bilstein rep was there recently and told them that there are new bilsteins coming out this summer for the 06 2500 & 3500 rams and that I should NOT buy the ones designed for the 05.



I looked at the bilstein site and didn't see anything about this.



Has anyone else heard about this before?

Any additional info available would be appreciated?



Thanks,

 

[Chasman]

I have run both on my truck. Bilstein's hands down are the better shock IMHO.



Charlie

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Do the Bilsteins have a lifetime warrentee?

Jim

Sort of. Depends on where you get them from. If you get them from Off Road Warehouse the answer is basically NO, but if you get them from a place that exchanges worn out ones no questions asked then the answer is YES. Someone posted that Auto Zone or similar place does trade them out. I made the mistake of getting them from ORW and after I totally wore out a set of blue/yellow shocks I tried to get replacements, but was turned down because they weren't leaking

The Blue/yellow ones work good for about 15-20k on my '96 but by 30k they were soft and bouncy. I replaced them at 370,000 miles and now they're shot again. I did some pretty hard off-roading with the'96 last fall so they haven't had an easy life.

 

[jeffshafer]

:-laf :-{}



That was funny!

^^^^^ gotta agree w/ that Oo. :-laf :-laf :-laf :-laf

- have wonder the same thing- would like to get Lorenz kit just not sure if I want the Bilsteins or not!!!!

 

[FLynes]

I found that, instead of the Rancho 9000's, the 17000 series are better, in my opinion in that they are self-adjusting... . I'm too lazy to crawl underneath and adjust the 9000's (yeah yeah, I know, you can get the in-cab kit to adjust them). My 01 3500 takes the 17031 up front and the 17032 in the rear. I believe these are the same #'s for the 2500. You don't have a whole lot of shock dealers who know about the 17000 series, so do your own homework. My $. 02

 

[Ken Gallaghan]

Ha ha, bilstein all the way, would never consider RANCHERO's again after my trials.

check my post today. CONGRADS BILSTEIN

 

[jleons]

Hello

I was a Rancho fan until I tried to replace a leaky Rancho unit. I had moved from the West to the East coast.

I was ionformed that Rancho would only replace, warrenty my shocks from the location they were purchased.

I know run Bilsteins 5100 and they are running strong @ 12000 miles.

Thanks,

JL