BajaNomad

Ram 1500 4wd shocks

BAJACAT - 3-4-2006 at 10:59 PM

Hey guys Im looking for some words of winsdom in need of new shocks for my truck open for sugestions ..getting ready for my trip to the BOLA area.. somenthinf good for Baja:light:

Year 2004

BAJACAT - 3-4-2006 at 11:00 PM

Go with Gas shocks--------

Barry A. - 3-5-2006 at 08:37 AM

Any good brand of gas shocks will improve things a lot off-road, but will slightly "stiffen" your on-pavement ride. Don't try and save money on shocks-----you pretty much get what you pay for, but will also get a life-time guarantee with the good ones.

On the other hand, if you go too high-tech, then the ride does get harsher------

Bilstine and KYB both good brands, but there are others.

(kind of strange that a 2004 truck needs new shocks, already)

Ken Cooke - 3-5-2006 at 08:39 AM

I've been real happy with my Pro-Comp MX-6 adjustable shocks. Compression and rebound are the exact same unlike the Rancho RS9000s which only valve compression - which feel like a pogo stick upon rebound on the dirt...

surfer jim - 3-5-2006 at 08:39 AM

My replacement shocks have always been Bilsteins.....

A-OK - 3-5-2006 at 11:11 AM

How much $ you want to spend?

I run Bilsteins on my Dodge Ram CTD 4x4 and have been happy with Bilsteins on all my past trucks. I am soon to be switching over to a KORE lift on the Dodge and will go with the King shocks...... if youre gonna go... go all out right?!!

So anywho, from past experience and 5 trucks:
Rancho's are junk
KYB are decent for a light truck
Pro Comp (first years at least) were junk
Bilstein have not let me down
Fox were worth every $$$ penny
King's are soon to be tested

Junk?

eetdrt88 - 3-5-2006 at 11:38 AM

expound upon junk,what problems did those particular shocks have that the others did not?

Ken Cooke - 3-5-2006 at 01:21 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by eetdrt88
expound upon junk,what problems did those particular shocks have that the others did not?


When I ran Rancho RS 5000s, I had oil seepage requiring two sets of shocks to be replaced under warranty. I then switched to RS 9000s on my Ford Ranger meant for an F150 pickup or Full Size Bronco. Those problems went away entirely. The ride was not as well controlled as what I feel in my Jeep with the ProComp MX-6 which dampens compression and rebound.

I wouldn't call the Rancho Shocks Junk. They were lower priced, and got the job done IMO.

A-OK - 3-5-2006 at 03:49 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by eetdrt88
expound upon junk,what problems did those particular shocks have that the others did not?

Junk as in two blew the seals and one snaped the upper mount completely off...... all on seperate occasions. I am speaking of Rancho 5000 and 9000. JUNK!!!

A-OK - 3-5-2006 at 03:54 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by whistler
KORE doesn't use King shocks anymore.I believe Carli does though.

Hmmm..... I was unaware of that... Fox are right up there as well though.

[Edited on 3-5-2006 by A-OK]

Barry A

BAJACAT - 3-5-2006 at 06:07 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Barry A.
Any good brand of gas shocks will improve things a lot off-road, but will slightly "stiffen" your on-pavement ride. Don't try and save money on shocks-----you pretty much get what you pay for, but will also get a life-time guarantee with the good ones. ..

On the other hand, if you go too high-tech, then the ride does get harsher------

Bilstine and KYB both good brands, but there are others.

(kind of strange that a 2004 truck needs new shocks, already)
Barry to many trips on washboard roads and about three to G-canyon and all my driving related to my work (construction work equipment operator).. and this are stock shocks I don't know what kind.

[Edited on 3-6-2006 by BAJACAT]

Geronimo - 3-5-2006 at 06:09 PM

You need to break shocks down into three categories, 1. non rebildable application shocks, 2. Rebuildable emulsion shocks, 3. Rebuildiable reservoir shocks.

If you want shocks to bolt on than the first is the only option. Rancho, pro comp, rough country and similar are all basically the same shock, they are a duel piston design. They all share the same qualities; they are very bad at getting rid of heat. On the roads we run on in Baja heat is the first enemy, adjustability of the dampening is secondary concern to heat dissipation. The only shock I will run in this category is the billstein 5100 series. The 5100 are a single piston design and do a much better job of heat dissipation. You need to realize that none of these shocks are sill functing on a trip to Gonzoaga from San Felipe. I have done inferred on many shocks; most OEM shocks will boil the paint on that trip. The two piston gas shocks that I have looked at will reach 200 degrees in less than 10 minutes of washboard, at that temp they are toast; most won?t come back when they cool, the bills do and that makes them worth the money in my opinion.

As for Fox, Bill 7100, 9100, King, Sway a Way and rest, they are in a different league. You need to Make mounts or at least modify your stock mounts and measure for length as they do not make these for specific applications in most cases. My XJ will use Bill 9100 2.5 coil overs in the front and Race Shock 16" remote reservoirs in the rear. That is about $1600 in shocks, the fronts are used. I use 5100?s on my Ranger and they are holding up well.

I have not used any of the reservoir non rebuildable shocks, lot of money for something you can't rebuild.

Anyway just what I have learned........

Geronimo

[Edited on 3-6-2006 by Geronimo]

Thanks guys

BAJACAT - 3-5-2006 at 06:21 PM

I will take in consideration all your comments thanks for the feedback and see you in BOLA>

BAJACAT - 3-5-2006 at 06:23 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by A-OK
How much $ you want to spend?

I run Bilsteins on my Dodge Ram CTD 4x4 and have been happy with Bilsteins on all my past trucks. I am soon to be switching over to a KORE lift on the Dodge and will go with the King shocks...... if youre gonna go... go all out right?!!

So anywho, from past experience and 5 trucks:
Rancho's are junk
KYB are decent for a light truck
Pro Comp (first years at least) were junk
Bilstein have not let me down
Fox were worth every $$$ penny
King's are soon to be tested
No more that $500

[Edited on 3-6-2006 by BAJACAT]

Roberto - 3-5-2006 at 07:51 PM

Unless you want to spend more than $100 per corner, the only choice are Bilstein OEM replacement shocks. And that's only if you want to do more than drive washboard roads at a leisurely pace.

If you want to get into more "esoteric" shocks look at Bilstein 7100 or Fox 2.0. Next up in price are Fox, King and other bypass shocks. It's all a matter of how much you want to spend and what you are going to do with them. You can get some awfully good reservoir shocks for right around $200 per corner that you can hammer on all day long with no worries. Not sure it makes sense to spend more than that unless you are racing or prerunning professionally.

http://www.bilstein.com/offroad_9300.php


[Edited on 3-6-2006 by Roberto]

hmmm...

eetdrt88 - 3-5-2006 at 08:37 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by A-OK
Quote:
Originally posted by eetdrt88
expound upon junk,what problems did those particular shocks have that the others did not?

Junk as in two blew the seals and one snaped the upper mount completely off...... all on seperate occasions. I am speaking of Rancho 5000 and 9000. JUNK!!!
sorry to hear about your bad experiences...i've only ran Rancho 5000's on all my vehicles(a toyota 4-runner,a jeep cherokee,and a ford f-250) for about the last 5 years and have taken numerous off road trips on some pretty tough terrain without a problem yet