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

erthmun proclaimed:
> 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.

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.

>
> 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".

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

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.

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:
>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


--
Message posted via http://www.carkb.com

http://www.bilstein.com/



erthmun wrote:
>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


--
Message posted via http://www.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:
>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


--
Message posted via http://www.carkb.com

http://www.bilstein.com/suvs.php

Robb S wrote:
>http://www.bilstein.com/
>
>>Hi all,
>>
>[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>>
>>erthmun


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Message posted via CarKB.com
http://www.carkb.com/Uwe/Forums.aspx/jeep-cars/200506/1

Lon wrote:
>
> 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.
>

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.

--
__________________________________________________ _________
tw

71 Bill Stroppe Baja Bronco
03 TJ Rubicon - Rubicon Express 4.5"
01 XJ Sport

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
-- Dave Barry

Pronunciation: 'jEp
Function: noun
Date: 1940

Etymology: from g. p. (G= 'Government' P= '80 inch wheelbase')
A small general-purpose motor vehicle with 80-inch wheelbase,
1/4-ton capacity, and four-wheel drive used by the U.S. army in
World War II.

(Please remove the OBVIOUS to reply by email)
__________________________________________________ _________

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.

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:

> 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

Bilstein also makes 9 click adjustables just like Rancho and most others do...
..

rgb wrote:
>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.


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