Ranchos Shocks Installed
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All Star
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 813
Likes: 2
From: St. Louis
Ranchos Shocks Installed
'06 4x4 QC V8 39000 miles. I've finally got the front Rancho Shocks installed. The only word I can use to describe the difference is "magical". Everything I hated about the truck is gone. It is tight, no more bounce, no more wicked vibration over bumps. I now have the Ranchos at all four corners.
What have I learned? The stock shocks are ****, and if you still have them, replace them. The Ranchos are much larger, with 5/8" piston shafts, the stockers are like 3/8? The shocks were the reason my tie-rod ends, and sway bar links died so early. Once the stockers were off, I could EASILY compress and rebound by hand....actually the rebound was more like a spring.
Advice on removal.....Even if you own spring compressors, if you don't own an impact gun, don't do this yourself. I don't own a gun, and it was not worth it, now my shoulders ache. Regardless of what the manual says, you will need to separate the upper ball-joint on a 4x4 (rent tool from auto zone). The castilated nut that holds the "strut" assembly together will be rusted. After breaking a wrench and stripping the nut, I had to use a dremel cut off disc to remove the nut. This is the spot where an impact would have come in most handy as I could have just spun the nut off. It does not seem that an alignment is necessary, and the truck actually tracks straighter now than before....however my standard advice is to get an alignment.
Hope this helps.
What have I learned? The stock shocks are ****, and if you still have them, replace them. The Ranchos are much larger, with 5/8" piston shafts, the stockers are like 3/8? The shocks were the reason my tie-rod ends, and sway bar links died so early. Once the stockers were off, I could EASILY compress and rebound by hand....actually the rebound was more like a spring.
Advice on removal.....Even if you own spring compressors, if you don't own an impact gun, don't do this yourself. I don't own a gun, and it was not worth it, now my shoulders ache. Regardless of what the manual says, you will need to separate the upper ball-joint on a 4x4 (rent tool from auto zone). The castilated nut that holds the "strut" assembly together will be rusted. After breaking a wrench and stripping the nut, I had to use a dremel cut off disc to remove the nut. This is the spot where an impact would have come in most handy as I could have just spun the nut off. It does not seem that an alignment is necessary, and the truck actually tracks straighter now than before....however my standard advice is to get an alignment.
Hope this helps.
Great news! I am still holding out in hopes of Bilstein (plus I don't have the money right now anyway 
) but barring that I will probably go with the Ranchos. I also recommend an alignment, when I removed and reinstalled my stock struts before (problems attempting TM kit install, didn't get the kit on then) the truck tracked straight and seemed find but I took it for an alignment anyways. When they gave me the sheet afterwards the front end was out of spec (and I know it wasn't prior to removing the struts) so the alignment wasn't pointless.
) but barring that I will probably go with the Ranchos. I also recommend an alignment, when I removed and reinstalled my stock struts before (problems attempting TM kit install, didn't get the kit on then) the truck tracked straight and seemed find but I took it for an alignment anyways. When they gave me the sheet afterwards the front end was out of spec (and I know it wasn't prior to removing the struts) so the alignment wasn't pointless.
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 29
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mprohr
If you don't mind can you tell me the total cost of all four? Also, I have no way of even trying to do it myself, so does anyone know how much it would cost a shop to do the install at all four corners? Has anyone tried doing just the front and leave the rear stock and if so, was the ride still better than stock?? Maybe tonights lotto ticket will be a winner!
If you don't mind can you tell me the total cost of all four? Also, I have no way of even trying to do it myself, so does anyone know how much it would cost a shop to do the install at all four corners? Has anyone tried doing just the front and leave the rear stock and if so, was the ride still better than stock?? Maybe tonights lotto ticket will be a winner!
Thread Starter
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All Star
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 813
Likes: 2
From: St. Louis
$310+tax for all 4 from shockwarehouse.com. The rears are just as bad as the fronts. A guy at NTB told me they would sell and install the Monroe shocks (didn't show Ranchos listed yet) for $400. I wanted the Rancho's though. Still the Monroes have to be better than the stock POS.