New Shocks

[mtudb24]

My Mopar 2 inch lift kit with the Fox 2.5 inch shocks need replacement. Got 66K miles out of them. Not sure I want to replace them with the same Fox 2.5's. Thinking about if the Bilstein revisors that come with the new Mopar lift are available for purchase outright? If not are the Bilstein 5160s reservoir shocks decent? Or should I look at Rancho 9000's or other brands? Don't want to break the bank but willing to spend about $1500 on shocks.
Thanks

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[WilldWilly]

Fox shocks used to be rebuildable. I assume most still are. Check your numbers, rebuild yourself, and save.

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

Im In the same boat. Considering the Rancho ones or the Fox 2.5 HTO. I’m kind of steering clear of Bilstien on the truck. The stiffer suspension was good on a Wrangler but on a longer truck I’m not looking to go very stiff. Both should fit into your budget.

 

[Sandman 4x4]

I’m having trouble understanding how the 5100’s are too stiff? I’ve never ran in a Gladiator, but the two Colorados I’ve had before this Gladiator worked like magic compared with the stock Z71 package shocks. I have only 27,000 now and will be replacing shocks sooner rather than later. But still consider the 5100’s a top pick especially for the price.

 

[ChrisNLA]

I’m having trouble understanding how the 5100’s are too stiff? I’ve never ran in a Gladiator, but the two Colorados I’ve had before this Gladiator worked like magic compared with the stock Z71 package shocks. I have only 27,000 now and will be replacing shocks sooner rather than later. But still consider the 5100’s a top pick especially for the price.

It's just that ride quality is extremely subjective from person to person.

I found the overall control the 5100 provided to be great, but they were too stiff on initial impact. The truck was just too damn rough over ridges, cracks, busted asphalt, broken expansion joints, etc. I thought the 5100s were great through dips and smoother, deeper, impacts if that makes sense. But the digressive nature made them awful over small imperfections (in my opinion).

I would never tell anyone to not get 5100s as they are high quality and work well, but I'll say that they are the right shock for some people, and not for others.

My RS9000XL's have been much more comfortable on our roads and I can still crank them up to take out sway and reduce bounce with heavier loads.

I have a sports car - I don't need my truck to ride like one.

 

[Jeep Creep]

I have the 5100s on my TJ and have run them for many years on it.
For what I do, they seem to work quite well, but yes, they do seem a bit stiff at times

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

The vehicle itself has to be considered. The distance between “impact” on a TJ is significantly shorter than on a JT. I feel they were completely acceptable on a TJ/LJ. On a JT where the suspension is going to have a further distance between the axles I’d prefer something a bit cushier. Hope that makes sense. It does in my head. Of course……… lots of things make sense in my head that absolutely wouldn’t in reality.

 

[White Eagle]

I hate Rancho 9000, but I love Rancho RX7-MT’s. Its all I run on everything for my purposes.

I’ve used everything on various rigs on my ranch road and RX7-MT you don’t need a mouth guard. I’m sure they aren’t the best for every application but for street and slow rolling (1-6mph) extremely rough roads paved with bolling ball to basket ball sized stones they ride nice.

 

[ChrisNLA]

I hate Rancho 9000, but I love Rancho RX7-MT’s. Its all I run on everything for my purposes.

I read somewhere the RS7MT is roughly the same ride as the RS9000 set around 7 (imagine that). That came from a fella at Rancho on a forum post. I have also read the 5000 series is similar to a RS9000 set to midway or a little below.

I run my 9000s set to the first click, or roughly 2 depending on how you interpret their settings, lol.

I had them set to midway at first and they were approaching 5100 stiffness, just without as quite an abrupt initial hit - so the setting definitely change. I thought that was cool.

 

[White Eagle]

The Rx7mt is progressive and digressive. The 9000 series adjustments suck for me.

They feel nowhere the same regardless of settings especially street cornering control or hard braking, and rough trails.

 

[White Eagle]

The Rx7mt is progressive and digressive. The 9000 series adjustments suck for me.

They feel nowhere the same regardless of settings especially street cornering control or hard braking.

I’ve used all Rancho shocks and struts, its rx7mt or another brand. The rx7 is the best for soft slow riding and street cornering.

 

[ChrisNLA]

The Rx7mt is progressive and digressive. The 9000 series adjustments suck for me.

They feel nowhere the same regardless of settings especially street cornering control or hard braking.

I’ve used all Rancho shocks and struts, its rx7mt or another brand. The rx7 is the best for soft slow riding and street cornering.

Always nice to find a shock that works for you

 

[mtudb24]

Fox shocks used to be rebuildable. I assume most still are. Check your numbers, rebuild yourself, and save.

Not even sure I would / could rebuilt them and really want a remote reservoir shock. Would like to get the Bilstein shocks that come with the mopar lift now but not sure you can buy them separately without buying the whole lift kit again.?

 

[WilldWilly]

The Fox shocks are great. Probably one of if not the best-off road shock there is. The problem is they are a serviceable shock, and need servicing every 10-20k miles to get them before they started failing. You can do it yourself, but it is easier, and of course more expensive to have someone do it. At least this is what I remember. According to the info from the interwebs this is still a thing even with the 2.5s from the Mopar kit. No matter the shock, look at service intervals an any external reservoir shock, and pretty much any Fox shock. Bilstein shocks are great too. If you don't want to rebuild the ones you have then I would just buy exact replacements. After all, they got you 66k miles, and that is impressive. I would think a rebuild should be no more than $150 per corner for a pro to do it, or $35 ish for you to do it.
If you decide to go new, don't throw your old ones away. You can sell them as needing rebuild if they are still in otherwise good shape. Someone will grab them for a project, buy the rebuild kits, and be good to go.

 

[mtudb24]

The Fox shocks are great. Probably one of if not the best-off road shock there is. The problem is they are a serviceable shock, and need servicing every 10-20k miles to get them before they started failing. You can do it yourself, but it is easier, and of course more expensive to have someone do it. At least this is what I remember. According to the info from the interwebs this is still a thing even with the 2.5s from the Mopar kit. No matter the shock, look at service intervals an any external reservoir shock, and pretty much any Fox shock. Bilstein shocks are great too. If you don't want to rebuild the ones you have then I would just buy exact replacements. After all, they got you 66k miles, and that is impressive. I would think a rebuild should be no more than $150 per corner for a pro to do it, or $35 ish for you to do it.
If you decide to go new, don't throw your old ones away. You can sell them as needing rebuild if they are still in otherwise good shape. Someone will grab them for a project, buy the rebuild kits, and be good to go.

Thank you very much for this info. Very helpful

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