Marie-Rose
Senior Nomad
Posts: 894
Registered: 10-2-2003
Location: Victoria, B.C. and Todos Santos
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Mood: Worried...
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New shocks for a '99 Explorer
Need to have the shocks replaced on our Explorer when we get to TS. Thought we would buy them here and would like some recommendations on names for
best replacements for those famous Baja roads!!!!  Any suggestions?
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Packoderm
Super Nomad
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Registered: 11-7-2002
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I never heard of anybody regreting buying KYB Gas-a-just shocks.
http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/details/QQFordQQExplorerQQ...
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gnukid
Ultra Nomad
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Registered: 7-2-2006
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Shocks wear out quickly in Mexico between the huge topes and the rust, its normal to replace them every few years so I prefer a reasonably low-priced
shock like Monroe $20-30/per tire installed though I have also used Procomp $35-50/per tire installed which have been fine but overpriced. Either way
its money well spent along with tires and brakes. I also have Rancho on my 4x4 and I think I would be fine with cheaper solution. My friends who spend
more on gas shocks don't seem to fare much better due to the number of parts which can fail.
[Edited on 10-14-2008 by gnukid]
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Bob and Susan
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Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
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wait wait wait...
ford spends millions on engineering suspension 
and a 1999 truck is 10 years old
why not just buy a OEM part from FROD and forget about all the garage mechanics advice
your truck will ride like it was actually made to 
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4baja
Super Nomad
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Location: morro bay ca
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bilstein!!!
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Hook
Elite Nomad
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Location: Sonora
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bob and Susan
wait wait wait...
ford spends millions on engineering suspension
and a 1999 truck is 10 years old
why not just buy a OEM part from FROD and forget about all the garage mechanics advice
your truck will ride like it was actually made to |
Except that Baja is not the roads your truck was made to ride on. And the fact that factory shocks rarely last more than 30k miles.
BILSTEINS !!!!
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gnukid
Ultra Nomad
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Registered: 7-2-2006
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Keep in mind, you can install them yourselves, but in La Paz there are shops and installers on every block-every tire shop installs shocks. $20 for
installation of 4 shocks though in many cases its included in the purchase price so its best to buy on site.
I would stand by ... and check everything personally. I bring a bucket of softdrinks on ice. Its also a good time to grease as much as possible on
joints and check your brakes for wear and clean up those rims too. Nice to have such awesome, patient and friendly mechanics.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65306
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Bilstein 5100 Nitrogen Gas Shocks... oh, yah!
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PabloS
Nomad
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Bilstein for sure
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David K
Honored Nomad
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Location: San Diego County
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and in case you didn't know: http://www.offroadwarehouse.com is one place to get the shocks!
Here are the Bilsteins for FORD page: http://www.offroadwarehouse.com/products/sfID1/12/sfID2/156/...
[Edited on 10-15-2008 by David K]
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comitan
Ultra Nomad
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Location: La Paz
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BILSTEINS !!!!
Strive For The Ideal, But Deal With What\'s Real.
Every day is a new day, better than the day before.(from some song)
Lord, Keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth.
“The sincere pursuit of truth requires you to entertain the possibility that everything you believe to be true may in fact be false”
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Hook
Elite Nomad
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One thing strikes me as odd........why would you buy shocks in the US and have them installed in Mexico? It's not expensive to have them installed at
an independent place in the States. If the shocks currently on the vehicle are already bad, do you really want to drive all the way down from BC to
save maybe 20-30 bucks? Shocks are important on pavement, probably more so than on dirt, for safety's sake.
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Russ
Elite Nomad
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Location: Punta Chivato
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I have KYB shocks on my '92 & '98 Explorers and love them. The Pt. Chivato road is a good testing ground and they haven't gone bad in 6 & 3
years. I did add an additional rear spring to both cars and it made a huge difference in handling. The millions Ford spends on engineering suspensions
are to design the cheapest way to mass produce an inferior product. And that's for grocery getters not for Baja "roads". I swore off Ranchos. But I
still have Rancho 9000's on my '96 F250.
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Marie-Rose
Senior Nomad
Posts: 894
Registered: 10-2-2003
Location: Victoria, B.C. and Todos Santos
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Mood: Worried...
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Hook
One thing strikes me as odd........why would you buy shocks in the US and have them installed in Mexico? It's not expensive to have them installed at
an independent place in the States. If the shocks currently on the vehicle are already bad, do you really want to drive all the way down from BC to
save maybe 20-30 bucks? Shocks are important on pavement, probably more so than on dirt, for safety's sake. |
The vehicle is already in TS and prior to the purchase, we were told it needed new shocks. The vehicle we drove the last couple of years was a '98
Explorer and we just noticed that the ride was extremely "rigid". (sorry can't think of a better way of describing it so early in the morn!)
All for buying anything we can from the locals but wanted to enquire in case the recommendation would be something not available there. Certainly not
because of saving a few bucks.
Thanks for the recommendations. gnukid... great idea.
Remember, when in Mexico, yes may be no and no may be
maybe!
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Russ
Elite Nomad
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Location: Punta Chivato
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I asked the local Auto Parts/Garage in Santa Rosalia about shocks for my 98 Explorer. Monroes and very expensive. Have some one bring down a set of
good shocks and have them installed locally. The local shop could also put on an extra rear spring too.
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
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Great response!
| Quote: | Originally posted by Bob and Susan
wait wait wait...
ford spends millions on engineering suspension
and a 1999 truck is 10 years old
why not just buy a OEM part from FROD and forget about all the garage mechanics advice
your truck will ride like it was actually made to |
I drove a Ford Ranger all over Baja, and if I could have used my stock shock absorbers, I would have.
I did have great results with the Rancho RS5000 shock. That was my favorite shock, plus it was lifetime guaranteed. I liked these shocks better than
the Rancho RS9000 shock for the Ford Ranger.
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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One problem I've found with after market shocks is the length not being long enough. It may exist on the OEM from the factory too I just haven't check
the OEM shocks. Also many shocks have a stop that's actually spec'd by the factory. If you change your own try this. If your old shock isn't broken
apart disconnect one end usually the bottom then jack up your frame and see if you can reattach the shock. If not you need a longer shock and also be
carefull of the compressed length too. Check the shock specs in the manufactures guide. One trick is to weld an additional mount that's a little
longer than needed to mount the shock. Right now I have Rancho 5000s with a two inch added length to the bottom on my 04 GMC Z71. Think of what the
Baja off hwy roads will do to the shock when the wheel and attachments come off the ground multiple times hitting the end stop. If you only drive on
the hwy then I think almost any shock will work OK, just watch the speed bumps and pot holes.
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TMW
Select Nomad
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Location: Bakersfield, CA
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My Z71 was raised 2 inches with what's called a leveling kit by Performance Off Road here in Bakersfield. They changed the torsion bar keys and added
a long add a leaf in the rear. The Rancho shocks they put on are not the OEM model number and they added the extra two inch mounting bracket. I have
found that the front after market shocks ( Monroe, Ranch and Bilstein) for my 1980 chevy, 1991 chevy and my 2004 GMC all were 1/2 to 1 inch short
before any lifting was done. Your right a limiting strap could be used.
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