By Ali on Thursday, May 31, 2001 - 04:33 pm: Edit

So far 4wheel parts wholesalers has them for $65/each. Anyone else?

Thanks.

By Peter Matusov on Thursday, May 31, 2001 - 04:52 pm: Edit

buy Bilsteins for good compromise between
on- and off-road performance, OME for off-road
ride and articulation, and screw the Rancho.

FWIW,

Peter

By A. on Thursday, May 31, 2001 - 05:25 pm: Edit

A Rancho hater I see! Here's why I like Ranchos.

Bilsteins - too stiff for off-roading and expensive. But the more expensive ones are rebuildable I think.

OME - still too stiff for off-roading for my taste but a little better. Not much in the articulation dept, I don't think but could be wrong.

Rancho - Made is USA, lifetime warranty, adjustable valving. Loads of choices and a great price. Great for a part time off-roader like myself. I've had great luck with them.

By jman on Thursday, May 31, 2001 - 05:42 pm: Edit

FWIW, check with brian Jackson, he ran the rancho's for a while....needless to say, he got rid of em


joshua

By Discosaurus on Thursday, May 31, 2001 - 06:03 pm: Edit

hehehe
Hey Ali !
Don't know if we let RR owners on this board, Man !

keith
discosaurus

By Discosaurus on Thursday, May 31, 2001 - 06:04 pm: Edit

Dump those Raunch-o's and get real shocks.
Those short body B-steins are looking reaaal good.

k
d

By RVR OVR (Tom) on Thursday, May 31, 2001 - 06:13 pm: Edit

Silly, silly boys. Just because jeeps have them it doesn't make them bad.

Seriously, though, what is the real "data" that says Ranchos are bad, other than "they suck".

Tom

By Peter Matusov on Thursday, May 31, 2001 - 10:09 pm: Edit

now, Bilsteins are not too stiff for off-roading.
I ran them both in slow crawl, and rather fast desert washboard dashes, and have no complaints.
I have Bilsteins both in my big jeep and my disco.
I had OME shocks for a short while, but my wife started complaining about sway on the highway, so I took'em off and put Bilsteins back.

I've had Bilstein shocks in my german ford in RU for four years. not a problem until one shock came loose and bent the rod (but the ford died a few months later anyway). Russia has notoriously bad roads, trust me on that.

Ranchos - 5000 is a cheap stiff shock, only good for looks. 9000 is more expensive than Bilsteins, and from what I hear failure rate on 9k ranchos is noticeable.

I don't have any data in favor of either shock, but my reasoning comes from the fact that Bilstein made shocks for decades, while Rancho jumped on it when the market got hot. Who's the manufacturer of Rancho shocks? Who makes Edelbrock shocks? (E-brock 1400-series carbs are made by Carter, and are nothing else but Carter AFB)
It may well be the tried and true Monroe product, sprayed in some funky colors. Or worse than that, Gabriel.

Peter

By david b. on Thursday, May 31, 2001 - 10:20 pm: Edit

Will the Rovertym(2" lifted) upper shock mount except Bilstein long-travel shocks? If so, what is the model number on that shock? I have had several on-road experiences with Bilstein shocks. I don't doubt their off-road credibility, they are used in all the winning Baja races and rock crawling jeep crap.

By Ho Chung (Ho) on Friday, June 01, 2001 - 01:26 am: Edit

tom brings up a good point. ranchos aren't that bad.

i used to bash on the ranchos for being so generic. i used to bash on bilstein shocks for being way too stiff.

guess what? took me a while, but suspension is very personal matter. some like ranchos, some like others.
you hear all the time bilsteins are too stiff, woodpeckers are mushy, ranchos suck, OME this and that (does it show OME is my favorite?)... just this week a buddy took out a pair of OMEs from the front of his disco and they were shot, but mine are still great after a couple years.

i don't think there's a definitive answer to which
shock is best...

so, let's stop bashing on the crappy piece of shit ranchos.

By Ali on Friday, June 01, 2001 - 11:56 am: Edit

Good point Ho. Shocks really are a personal thing. I've been in OME and Bilstein outfitted rigs and didn't care for the rides. As far as quality, dudes, lifetime warranty is lifetime warranty! Shocks will last you forever if you're not abusing them (bottoming out, etc.). If they break, get another one. So far none of my RS5000 or RS9000 ever broke or faded...knock on burl woood.

Keith, you told me you couldn't drive on washboard roads w/o getting a kidney pounding with your Bilsteins. You liked the ride my Ranchos gave in Moab, no? Hee heee heee....

I can't figure out this phrase though "J**p have them so they suck"???!! They're not bad people or bad rigs. Some of my closest friends are J**P owners and busted ass when I bent my traling arms in Sierra Trek. I'd do the same for them. Of course you have other J**P owners who snub the LRs but hey, it's a free country. I bet quite a few of us were introduced to the off-roading world with a J**P product back in the day when we were knee high!

Enough rambling! I'll keep my posts to a minimal as this is a Disco board!

By Discosaurus on Friday, June 01, 2001 - 12:10 pm: Edit

Ah, contrair, Mon Ami !

I don't have B-steins (yet) - I'm still running
OME and yes, they do beat the crap out of me on
washboard.

I really liked the way your Rancho's worked with
the remote adjustable stuff - I'm just a little
concerned with their reliability.

Anyway, I guess now that you have a lift we can
talk to you. ;)

keith
discosaurus

By RVR OVR (Tom) on Friday, June 01, 2001 - 01:17 pm: Edit

Ali - As long as you help me defend the Ranchos you are welcome here, range rover or not!

Ho - Gee, just when I thought you were a-ok, you had to end with that little dig. Why, I oughta.

All - How much $$$ are bilsteins in comparison to the Rancho 9000's? Does anyone else out there offer 4 shocks including the remote control adjustable unit for under $400? As far as their reliabitliy, they are sitting on my friends beefed up suburban that tows in excess of 10000 lbs regularly and are still working well after years of use and abuse off-road and on. AND, like Ali says, if they fail, you just tell them and get a new one. Shit, for the price you can always carry a couple spares!

I use my truck to help better my home. Loading up 300 landscaping bricks one day and a cord of wood another destroyed by stock units. With the ranchos, I just adjust the back to a firmer setting and enjoy a nice, smooth drive home with the cargo area and hitch cargo extender loaded to the gills. You can't beat that!

Tom

By Ali on Friday, June 01, 2001 - 01:34 pm: Edit

K,

Reliablity? You're driving a LR for heaven's sake!!! (smiley face goes here if I knew how to!) Shocks are the least of your problem Mon Ami. LOL.

By RVR OVR (Tom) on Friday, June 01, 2001 - 01:52 pm: Edit

Ali,

Just do a smiley like you would in an email. It converts it for you.

By Ron on Friday, June 01, 2001 - 01:56 pm: Edit

:-)

test

By Ron on Friday, June 01, 2001 - 01:57 pm: Edit

Test 2

By Ron on Friday, June 01, 2001 - 01:58 pm: Edit

Warn XTs are my favorite shocks,
But now I find out they're made by Fox.



Ron

By RVR OVR (Tom) on Friday, June 01, 2001 - 01:59 pm: Edit

Allright, Dr. Ron.

By Ho Chung (Ho) on Friday, June 01, 2001 - 02:18 pm: Edit

fox? the toothpick shocks?

no wonder they SUCK!

By Ron on Friday, June 01, 2001 - 02:24 pm: Edit

Ho

Warn XTs are the heaviest duty shocks I have seen. No toothpicks. More rugged construction than even my OME LTRs

Ron

By Ali on Friday, June 01, 2001 - 02:27 pm: Edit

:-) testing
:-( testing
:-O testing

By ron on Friday, June 01, 2001 - 02:31 pm: Edit

failed test?

ron

By RVR OVR (Tom) on Friday, June 01, 2001 - 02:39 pm: Edit

this reminds me of when we found out about making our own user id's.

tom

By RVR OVR (Tom) on Friday, June 01, 2001 - 02:41 pm: Edit

Here, dammit.

http://www.discoweb.org/discus/board-formatting.html

By Peter Matusov on Friday, June 01, 2001 - 02:55 pm: Edit

on one LRCSD trail ride, two fellas lost retaining nuts on their Fox shocks within two miles on the washboard. suckers are pretty stiff. ways stiffer than any others, from what i gather.

price comparison - when i was shock-shopping for my jeep, the bilsteins were $50 a pop, and Rancho 9000 - $64 a pop.

outta all newer trucks, GM makes seem to offer the best ride over minor-rough stuff like washboard. and they all come with bilsteins from the line.

FWIW,

peter

By Discosaurus on Friday, June 01, 2001 - 03:02 pm: Edit

The Bilsteins I'm talking about are a lot more
then $50 each. I'm talking about the rebuildable
6100 or 7100 series. Custom valving, all that
happy shit.

You Get What You Pay For.

Besides, aren't Ralf-ho shocks made by Monroe ??

keith
discosaurus

By MTB on Friday, June 01, 2001 - 04:59 pm: Edit

Keith
How true it is I do not know but I heard that OME was made by monroe ?? I think it was the local 4x4 shop guy.
But they drive Cheeps. Sorry don't want to piss any Cheepers out there I may need you to pull me out someday.

Michael B

By Blue Gill (Bluegill) on Friday, June 01, 2001 - 05:37 pm: Edit

OME made by Monroe? Right planet, wrong continent....

By Brett on Saturday, June 02, 2001 - 03:10 pm: Edit

How much are the 7100 series Bilstein's. I am talking about the 12", 14", and reservoired models. I have been unable to find a place giving a complete price guideline. It would be great if one of you guys could help me out.

Thanks,
Brett Gottdener

By John on Sunday, June 03, 2001 - 09:47 am: Edit

$187.50 ea...

By Ron on Monday, June 04, 2001 - 11:13 am: Edit

Ouch!
Dare I ask about the 9100?

Better I guess than 250 a peice for a new OME LTR if I frag one of those bad boys.

Ron

By Discosaurus on Monday, June 04, 2001 - 11:31 am: Edit

If you go with 7100's, get the short body version.
They take care of a lot of the issues with reduced
up-travel when working with long travel shocks.

Remember - the goal is to keep everything balanced
not to have wicked long travel.

keith
discosaurus

By RVR OVR (Tom) on Monday, June 04, 2001 - 11:48 am: Edit

How about balanced wicked long travel?

Tom