The great shock debate

Hi all,

After reading through responses to others shock questions as to shocks for a newer model JGC I saw one response with "Bilstein" shocks in it. The Rancho, seems to be the most popular, then OEM ( Old Man Emu ), then Edelbrock IAS, on on down the list.

Is the Bilstein shock not all that good ? I have your basic '99 JGC with 58k miles on it and think it's about time to replace the shocks. I was considering the Bilsteins but now I'm not sure. This jeep sees mainly highway rides and the seldom washboard dirt road when I go shooting. Nothing major. I just want to stiffen up the handling a bit and not "knock my teeth out".

Never heard of the Edelbrock IAS. Where can they be found ?

Any constructive opinions appreciated, thanks y'all......

erthmun

Reply to
erthmun
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erthmun proclaimed:

The Rancho may be the most popular if you are used to classic british sports cars where shocks used bricks for fill fluid. The Rancho adjustable is nice if you want to change your shock valving and can get the remote installed correctly. The shocks are quite stiff if you aren't used to that type of bricklike ride.

I own the Rancho adjustables, but for normal mild offroad and mostly street use, the Edelbrock IAS handles bumps without the kidney belt, having driven ZJ's with both. The Rancho does get rid of the rough pavement jiggles on the street, but the Edelbrock is almost as good and much lighter on your fillings.

The Edelbrock does a pretty good job on washboarding. So does the Rancho, but it is really quite stiff even on the fairly soft ZJ suspension.

4Wheelparts, as can the Rancho series. Plus most online 4wd parts stores.

If you aren't in a hurry, buy them when they go on sale for 4 for the price of 3.

Reply to
Lon

hey again, here's the deal from me I purchased 2 sets of rancho adjustables. one for my 2001 f150 supercrew, and one for my 89 wrangler with a 4 1/2" lift. upon installing the lift, I noticed the ranchos were too short. I called central 4 wheel drive where I bought them, and they said "oops". I talked to several people there and at tc's off road in Kent wa. everyone in both of those shops seemed to be running bilstein's. So....I went with them. I've been extremely happy. the adjustable rancho's on my f150 are good too....by like the other guy said, extremely hard, and I have to set them on one of the most softer settings unless I'm 4 byin hard. I don't know about the edelbrocks. The Rancho RS

5000's are at about a 5 on the 9000's adjustable settings. Really really stiff there.........I like the bilstein's and recomend them, but would go with them or something other than Rancho........ just my 2 cents worth....... If I had to do it again, I'd put the bilstein's on my f 150 supercrew........ or something besides Rancho.....

erthmun wrote:

Reply to
Robb S via CarKB.com

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erthmun wrote:

Reply to
Robb S via CarKB.com

PS, The problem I had with the Rancho's being too short, they didn't even offer a shock for a 4 1/2" lift on a 89 YJ Wrangler. Or even a 4" lift for that matter. I'm completely baffled at that concept. I have no idea how many lifted 87-95 YJ wranglers there are, but I'm sure its plenty. Sooooo, if also figure if they can't or won't make a shock, they either don't want to or can't seem to get it right. Bilstein is one of the main shock names in a multitude of racing environments for shocks.........I've never heard anything bad about bilstein's, but can't say the same for rancho.......

erthmun wrote:

Reply to
Robb S via CarKB.com

Reply to
Robb S via CarKB.com

Yeah, but if they do the "4 for 3" like they do the Procomp tires, they jack up the price of the tires to offset the 'sale'. You only get about

1/2 a tire free. Then, after the sale, they drop the price again.
Reply to
thomas

My 2 cents... adjustable is essential.

I have the rancho 9000s on an 05 wrangler. I tow in the US and drive very bad roads in Baja. And, when I must, city streets and freeways in the US. I change the shock adjustments for each and it makes a big difference.

I read the comments on Ranchos being in the British tradition. Perhaps I like them because so am I. I switched from fixed Bilsteins to adjustable Konis on another (British) car, and again, adjustable was better. I adjust for different tracks, and for rain.

Reply to
rgb

Thanks y'all for the great input. I appreciate the responses ! For 99% of my driving on the highway I kind of hate to think of adjusting and re-adjusting all the time. Guess I'll have to check out those Edelbrock and compare them to the Bilsteins. Many thanks again !! !

erthmun

erthmun wrote:

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erthmun

Reply to
Robb S via CarKB.com

Reply to
Jerry Bransford

The Rancho has an in-cab adjust option. After you play with it for the first few months, you tend to leave it at just a few settings for street/highway, washboards, and rougher stuff. If you have ever loved a British sports car, you can almost feel the kidney belts, but at least they never puke fluid all over your driveway. They are very nice if you like that ride...some do, some don't.

Robb S via CarKB.com proclaimed:

Reply to
Lon

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