Shocks....

[MMeier]

What are you people replacing your shocks with? Just put 6 new tires on my rig and am going to replace the shocks also, my rig runs heavy 100 % of the time ( 100 aux. fuel and 65 gallon water tank and lots of extras) and sees lots of road miles at high speed!! Thanks

 

[PatrickCampbell]

BILSTEIN HEAVY DUTIES!!!



I don't have em yet but:

The two part numbers were : BE5-2550 - HD and BE5-2549 - HD.

 

[turbod]

Rancho 9000x's Best money I ever spent on the suspension. Airbags was #2 for the results with a slide in camper on back.

 

[GFritsch]

Turbod,

What pat number Rancho shocks are you running. The current catalog shows nothing for 04 trucks. I asked Rancho what to use, and they told me that the currently do not make any pruducts for 04 Dodge trucks.



I would agree that the 9000's are a great way to go with a camper, I used them on my old truck.

 

[DPelletier]

Rancho has no clue. Use the part numbers listed in the 3rd Gen FAQ and they'll work fine. I e-mailed them several months ago about their lack of listings for Dodge 3rd gen HD trucks and recieved no response. I have the 9000x's on the rear of my dually for better sway control with my slide in. Oh, and they'll fit the 2500, 3500SRW and 3500DRW. The only ones I'm not sure they make is fronts for a 2wd.



Dave

 

[GFritsch]

Rancho has no clue. Use the part numbers listed in the 3rd Gen FAQ and they'll work fine. I e-mailed them several months ago about their lack of listings for Dodge 3rd gen HD trucks and recieved no response. I have the 9000x's on the rear of my dually for better sway control with my slide in. Oh, and they'll fit the 2500, 3500SRW and 3500DRW. The only ones I'm not sure they make is fronts for a 2wd.



Dave

Thanks Dave

 

[Greg Boardman-RIP]

Mark,

I would say that any shock would be fine for street driving. Rancho is owned by Monroe. I am sure of that, I tattooed MR Monroe about 10 years ago. He told me that the 9000's are the same as the top end Monroes but the Monroes are $50 cheaper. The adjustment on a 9000 is a joke for off road. It just makes a stiff shock stiffer. It doesn't add more rebound dampening. Just compression. That means, the shock shaft will move slower on the way down but still scream on the way up. That is how you ruin a shock. For minor trail rides ( desert roads) the non adjustable shocks will be fine. The Bilstiens are great but a little pricey. I can check at my off road supplier for a decent Bilstien ( yellow with blue boots) if you want.



Greg

 

[DPelletier]

Greg,

I would agree that for serious off-roading, the Rancho's aren't the best choice. I melted my RS9000X's in Baja. I bought them for sway control of my heavy slide-in and for that purpose, I have yet to see anything better. I wish there was because Rancho makes me mad with thier out of date catalog and website.

The Monroe/Rancho thing is an urban legend passed down from parts people trying to sell Monroe shocks. Did you know Ford owns Cummins? The same parent company owns both Monroe and Rancho and at one point there was a shock in both brands that was the same. It was an entry level shock (1000 series, I believe) and is no longer made. The 9000 series is designed in house by Rancho and isn't available under any other brand name. More information is available on the Rancho website under the FAQ's should anybody want more detailed information. I sold Monroe products for 4 years.



Dave

 

[Greg Boardman-RIP]

Greg,

I would agree that for serious off-roading, the Rancho's aren't the best choice. I melted my RS9000X's in Baja. I bought them for sway control of my heavy slide-in and for that purpose, I have yet to see anything better. I wish there was because Rancho makes me mad with thier out of date catalog and website.

The Monroe/Rancho thing is an urban legend passed down from parts people trying to sell Monroe shocks. Did you know Ford owns Cummins? The same parent company owns both Monroe and Rancho and at one point there was a shock in both brands that was the same. It was an entry level shock (1000 series, I believe) and is no longer made. The 9000 series is designed in house by Rancho and isn't available under any other brand name. More information is available on the Rancho website under the FAQ's should anybody want more detailed information. I sold Monroe products for 4 years.



Dave

Well Dave,

The Rancho/ Monroe thing is not a legend. I have been to Rancho in Carson a few times over the years. I have a friend, Brett , that woorks and runs the upstairs office. I have Tattooed him and his wife several times. Rancho does not build any shocks in house. None!!! They do not offer any shock that is the same as the Monroe either. The thing I said was that monroe offers a shock that is comperable to the 9000 for half the price. To me it is still a $3 shock. That is what it costs to build a Rancho 9000. $3 !!!!! You get what you pay for I guess.



and Ford doesn't own Cummins!!

:-laf

 

[DPelletier]

I think you've said the same thing as I did. Monroe doesn't offer a rebadged RS9000X. In fact, they don't offer any adjustable shock last time I checked. The RS9000X isn't available from anyone except Rancho and it is designed by Rancho. It may, in fact, be made for them to thier specifications by someone else, I don't know. The "Monroe shocks are the same as Ranchos, but cost less" is an Urban Legend. You can't buy Rancho's rebadged under any other name. Monroe may offer some shocks that can be compared to some Rancho shocks, but the RS9000X isn't one of them. I don't think Rancho's are the best shocks ever made (far from it), but for those of us with heavy slide-ins they remain the best choice for sway control. For offroad, I'd try the Bilstein's or better yet a Fox or equivalent "real" offroad shock. Of course the best are beaucoup dollars!



Cheers,

Dave

 

[Greg Boardman-RIP]

I guess I will just agree to disagree.....



For the heavy slide in, go for a Helwig anti sway bar.