96_12V

Hello all,

I have owned the truck in my sig for four and a half years, I have now a little over 304k on it, and I have not changed the shocks. I think it would help the ride out a bit, and along with tires (next paragraph) help out a vibration that shakes you pretty well at 70 mph. Any suggestions from our group regaring shocks - it's a 2wd truck.

Also, tires, I have used Goodyear Wrangler AT load range E most recenlty - had to change the fronts about three years ago as the previous owner put on 40 psi [non load range E] tires. This resulted in very uneven wear and two tires that were ready to burst at any time. This time I would like to change all four, my old ones are not too bad, but again I have a vibration I would like to eliminate. I can receive a corporate discount if I but Michelines. Any ideas on this - reccommendations, ones to avoid? Thanks for the help!

John Faughn

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taildragger

Rancho 9000 series. Its a shock designed for four wheel drive vehicles (at least thats all that I have seen them on) but they might be real nice for the rear end on a 3/4 ton. You can adjust the dampening over 5 settings, so running empty you could make your shocks have more give to them and you could also stiffen them up when you have a load in the bed.

PS these are also pricey.

russ300h

For shocks Bilstein or KYB. I have KYB's on my old Chrysler 300 convertible and the car never handled so well.

The absolute best tires you can get than "might" outlast the truck (not the engine :-) ) are the Michelin XPS and in Chicago for the rear XPS Traction. Figure close to $200 each in 235/85/16. I couldn't afford them, so I bought a set of Yokohama Geolander HT-S. They are currently $114 at Discount Tire and they ship free. In the short time I have had them I am VERY satisfied. They look new with 6k on them and have never given me any traction or balance issues.

Good Luck

tenbrooks

Michelin Ltx m/s or a/s are super tires. Great milage and ride. I just had 6 a/s tires put on my dually and I love em The radial X is also available.

dbrick

I really like Bilstein for shocks. Goodyears are good but overpriced. I am currently running Toyos- D range. tire shake can be caused by a variety of things including worn steering joints, uneven tire pressure. I installed the Darrins steering stabilizer also. It only takes about an hour or less to install.

Rare1

Bilstein and KYB are good shocks, I've used them on SPORTS CARS. For a truck which might have a variable gross weight, the only shock that makes sense is an adjustable, such as Rancho 9000. My 9000 have lasted 4 years without loss of damping effectiveness. When buying a non-adjustable shock listed for your truck, how do you know what weight they are designed for? Empty, full load, or a compromise? If they are not matched to your gross weight you have the wrong shock.

For tires on your 2-WHEEL DRIVE truck, you probably don't consider it your primary transportation in really bad Chicago weather. In that case try the BFG Commercial sold at a great price at Costco. Good milage, long wearing road tread, and as good as overpriced Michelins in the snow.

Better investigate that vibration. It is probably neither the tires (unless they are out of balance) nor the shocks. Check alignment, bearings, and ball joints.

dbrick

Or you could go with bilsteins and air bags

Cowhand

Several guys on the boards here running Bilstiens, a few running KYB's and to the best of my knowledge all are very happy with the results. Not so with the Rancho 9000's....
I've had 9000's on two trucks and I'll never run them again. Rancho shocks (and Pro Comp, Skyjacker, Superlift, etc.) are twin tube shocks, and adjustable or not will not perform as well or as consistently as a monotube shock, regardless of weight. Ranchos rust out pretty quick too.....

Save your money...the Bilsteins perform 10 times better on a truck than the 9000's do, and they're $15-20 cheaper per shock.

P.J

I second the Michelin LTX's I had them as the OEM's and Love them. I never had them off road, but I know they wore great with my driving.

I'm in the market for shocks myself, still got the factory jobbers on there at 73K, so I have no good advise on shocks.

TxDiesel007

Hmm

Bilstein shocks, and BFG tires. sounds like a winner to me... My next set when these skyjacker shocks wear are the bilsteins, and i got 60K miles outta my last set of All terrains (PO and my mileage combined)

Tx

pind

A funny thing happened to me a couple months ago. Or not. I put new Gabriel LTV Hydraulic Shocks on my 01. what a great idea. I haul tools and equipment all the time,and the gas shocks just don't hold up, especially in colder weather. The Hydraulics give me a somewhat firmer ride than the gas shock, but give greater control overall, and even when it has gotten "brisk" here, no leaks. YAY!!!!!!!!!

The truck is stock to the bone, except for 285BFG M/T on 058 Eagle Wheels.

I can say, after having used the hydraulic shocks for their intended purpose, I won't be going back to gas shocks any time soon. They were just too bouncy bouncy bouncy bouncy funfunfunfunfun for me . Just my $0.02 ( plus taxes of course )

NAPA carries these shocks under their house name, as I believe Commercial LTV, or something along those lines.

Good luck with the upgrades

Eskimo

x2 on this... a high-pressure monotube shock is the ONLY way to go. The new Edelbrock IAS shocks have been getting good reviews too...

Rancho's, et al, suck. plain and simple. BTDT. Those who love 'em have never had a good shock.

Pa outlaw

put rancho on my truck and took them off they dont have the right size eyelet at the bottom of the front shock and banks and clunks thru the floor pan like the trucks falling apart went back to stock no problem, brother in law bought a set at napa same deal changed to stock now he has no noises

zukgod1

Rancho 9000's on my truck.
I had those "High Pressure Mono Tubes" on mine and I HATED them.

9000's turned way down for crusing and turned up a bit while towing.

dan