Think I will try the rancho thru my company. I am going to check availabilty tomorrow.... I only have 26k on mine and really think they need to be stiffer. Are the monores performing well......anyone?

 

The Monroe's aren't really stiffer. They control the bouncing much better but the ride is as smooth or smoother than with the stock shocks.

 

QCDAKblue
It's been about 2-3 weeks since I changed to the Monroes. Iagree with rick4dak that the ride is is not much stiffer if any, but there is a tremendous reduction inbouncing. My weekly commute takes meacrossa DIPin the pavement at ~70mph every day.With 35K miles on the OEM struts, previouslythe dipforcedabout 3+ bounces before the truck to stabilize. Now it takes 1 or 1-1/2 bounces.

hlp

 

Christmas is coming early this year. I have ordered a complete set of Rancho RS5000 shocks. Sorry to say that an update will be slow as I'm taking the family to Estes Park Co for vacation next week. Sorry, Dak can't go. Taking 30mpg Mazda5.

 

The rear Ranchos have been installed....and ohhhh what a difference. The 39,000 mile stockers where completely shot. On the old ones, compression force was immense, and re-bound control was non-existant. In fact, after compressed, they shot back up like a spring. The Ranchos were the exact opposite, not to mention it has double the beef. It really helped to point out how bad the fronts are too.

Now onto the fronts. I have good tools, including spring compressors. But I did see in the manual that you need a special wrench to loosen the nut that holds the shock (strut) assembly together...once the assembly has been removed. Any advice? and I did see someone posted their own removal instructions somewhere? But I can't seem to find those. Thanks for the help. Can't wait to post the results.

 

Just had the Rancho RS5757 front shocks installed. (Had the rear Ranchos installed several months ago)

No more bouncy, bouncy, bouncy!!!

THESE ARE THE SHOCKS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSTALLED AT THE FACTORY!

I finally LIKE my Dakota. It rides like a real pickup truck now, not some sissy soccer-mom SUV!

Yeah, the ride is busy and somewhat harsh (heck, it's a TRUCK), but that floaty, out of control feeling like an old Cadillac with bad shocks is gone!

Shocks... $300.

Installation... $325 (got a real good deal).

Finally liking my ride... PRICELESS!

Now here's the real funny part. Driving home from the dealer after the install, heard a rattling sound every time I hit a bump. Thought to myself, Geeze, they screwed up the installation, forgot to tighten something!

Next day driving to work, same rattling sound. Getting real upset now....

Got out of the truck at work and happened to look in the bed. They had thrown the original factory shocks in the bed of the truck and THAT'S what was rattling around!! (breathing sigh of relief!) :-)

 

If you haven't thrown the original shocks out yet I think TurboTbird was trying to find some measurements from them.

 

I'll go fetch them from the can...but so far, it is just the rears. Do you want any measurements from the new Ranchos before they go on?

 

I haven't chucked the old front shocks yet. Let me know what measurements are needed.

 

I don't remember if he said for sure, it was in a thread in here, too tired to find it tonight though I need to go to sleep. I'll look for it tomorrow.

Edit: Welcome to DF Mousefart! Mistook you for another member earlier, I must be more tired than I thought, lol.