Question for Edelbrock Performer IAS owners....

[EMStaxi]

I just purchased and installed my set of Performer IAS'...The ride on the highway is excellent. On city streets are you supposed to feel the bumps alot less? For me, It seems like wheels take the brunt of the bumps and all I hear is the noise. Comments Please. Also I tested my truck off road and when I hit dips, sometimes the rear end bottoms out (hits the bump stops). Is the normal? I do feel like I have better control then with the stock shocks. I mainly travel highways and streets and occaisionally like to go off road. Thanks for the response in advanced.

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Norman B.
97 Mountaineer 5.0 V8 AWD
KKM Tru-Rev with Homemade Ram Air
BOSCH PLATINUM +4's
Prestige Platinum 750a-APS alarm w/ remote start
Edelbrock Performer IAS Shocks
More to Come Before Summer

 

[Ray Lobato]

Hi Norman,
Yes it is normal in off roading to hit the bump stops. The Edlebrocks are a very good shock. The only thing I didn't like about the eddys was they have alittle springy bounce at high speeds and also have a little sway when going over bumps or rocks when 4wheeling. I had Eddys on my 97 until I got a set of new "not yet on the market" Old Man Emu "Nitro Charger" shocks. They are in my opinion slightly better then the Edlebrocks, and I thought that the Edlebrocks were great. Not as much sway and no bounce at high speeds. I just finished a product review on them and it should be on the product review section soon.

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Happy Wheelin'
Ray L.
97 XLT 4X4 4.0L SOHC
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[AgExplorer]

Ray,

When will your review of the "Nitro Charger" shocks be available? I'm looking at the Edelbrocks but your comments about the "Nitro Chargers" have my attention.

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AgExplorer
95 XLT 4X2 4.0L OHV
AMSOIL Synthetic Lubricants & Filters
NGK Platinum Plugs
Jacobs Electronics Wires

 

[Ray Lobato]

AgExplorer,
It's been written up and the pictures sent in. Just waiting for Rick to Edit and post, so hopefully soon. I can tell you that they are not out on the market yet, and I don't know how soon they will be. Wish I could say more, but I don't know any more than that. Dead Link Removed
They are nice shocks.

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Happy Wheelin'
Ray L.
97 XLT 4X4 4.0L SOHC
Dead Link Removed

 

[mav]

I have the IAS shocks and I've noticed the same thing. That's because they are a stiffer shock than stock. About your rear end. The problem that you're experiencing is with the crappy leaf springs Ford installs on all Exploders. I've got four Kicker Comp 12's in the back of mine and the backend used to bottom out all the time. Here's how you fix this. Find a local spring shop and have them replace one of the leafs with a stiffer one. This will fix your problem, and give you better handling around corners.

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Wes Ulmer
'99 Eddie Bauer Explorer 4x4
4.0L SOHC V6
265/75-R16 BFG KO's
Edelbrock IAS Shocks
K&N Open Element Air Filter
Bosch Platinum 4+
Dual 40 Series Flowmasters

 

[EMStaxi]

Thanks for the input. I found a company called Sway-A-Way in a magazine...Todays SUV...June 2000 issue. They have a product called Hydraulic Bump Stops. They are supposed to prevent hard bottoming out in severe off road use. I emailed the company about vehicle applications and they said that they weren't specifically made for the Explorer/Mountaineer but they could be custom mounted.
They nelgleted to tell me the cost or where I could purchase themm from. Therefore I have e-mailed them back with those questions. As soon as I find out, I'll let you guys and gals know. Here is there website(scroll down to the bottom of the page for info about the bump stops.)http://www.swayaway.com/catalog/racerunner.htm....Sorry guys you have to copy and paste, I don't know how to make it a link Dead Link Removed Let me know what some thoughts are on this product.

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Norman B.
97 Mountaineer 5.0 V8 AWD
KKM Tru-Rev with Homemade Ram Air
BOSCH PLATINUM +4's
Prestige Platinum 750a-APS alarm w/ remote start
Edelbrock Performer IAS Shocks
More to Come Before Summer

 

[AgExplorer]

Ray,

Thanks for the reply. Can you tell us who the manufacturer is and their phone number and/or web address? I'd like to contact them to try to get some more info.

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AgExplorer
95 XLT 4X2 4.0L OHV
AMSOIL Synthetic Lubricants & Filters
NGK Platinum Plugs
Jacobs Electronics Wires

 

[ExplorGM]

Anybody know the maximum extended lengths of the IAS or the Rancho RSX shocks for the 95-97 models? Ray- What about the Nitro Charger shocks? I want to go with the Revolver shackles and was hoping not to have to have new shock mounts done.
Thanks
Rick

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Rick
95 Explorer Sport Expedition
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[Ray Lobato]

Hi Rick, AgExplorer,
The Nitro Chargers are made by Old Man Emu, a subsidiary of ARB corp of Australia.
They are the same size as the Edlebrocks. I was hoping that they would be longer, but they aren't. I can get the full extended length for you when I get home tonight and post it for you. I still have my Edlebrocks sitting in the garage to measure. I also put on some rear springs also by the same company that will give you 1.75" of lift.
They are supposed to give 2" but after having them on for awhile they settled down to 1.75". Let me tell you getting rid of the stock springs does make a differance in ride. I tested the shocks out by taking a specific road course and using a discman place on the console. Every time the discman skipped, I counted it as a point against the shock. well as it turned out both shocks skipped 5 times. There will be more detials in the review. When I put the springs on I took the same road course and the discman only skipped once. I could tell the ride was much better. I will be meeting ARB at Moab and find out what I can as to when they are going to be out on the market. As far as I know Arb doesn't have a website. Can you imagine that. I do have a phone number for ARB America (206) 284-5906 I would have to look on the box for the Shock part number. The spring part number is ome-36, at least that's what is on the springs. Hope this helps.

Rick, Good to see you back. Dead Link Removed


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Happy Wheelin'
Ray L.
97 XLT 4X4 4.0L SOHC
Dead Link Removed

 

[Ray Lobato]

Hey Rick,
The total length of the Edlebrock shock is 27" at full extension. The OME Nitro Charger is the same length. Also I would like to recant the measurement I made on the earlier post about the OME springs only givng you 1.75". I don't know what I was measuring when I made that measurement, but I measured again and it is 2" from stock. I do have some good news. I heard that ARB is sending a shipment of shocks and springs to the U.S., so they should be available to purchase in the near future. I don't know how much they will cost though. Dead Link Removed

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Happy Wheelin'
Ray L.
97 XLT 4X4 4.0L SOHC
Dead Link Removed

 

[Andy97XLT]

Ray,
I don't know the date of your last post so I have to ask: When is soon? I would like to replace the shocks on my '97 and those new springs sound enticing as well. So with the Warrior shackles I already have and the new O.M.E. springs, my rear should be lifted a total of about 4.5"? If so, that might be too much (ha, there's never too much!) considering I couldn't get the front to match that height.


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Happy Wheelin,

Andy Statland
'97 XLT
4.0L OHV 4x4 4Dr
4 speed Auto Trans w/OD
Warrior Twist
K&N Drop-in
Bosch +4 Plats

 

[Ray Lobato]

Andy,
It is now 11:15PDT on the 26th of April. I wrote the previous Post today. Soon means that they(ARB) are shipping them to the States now, as to when they will be available to the public, I would think very soon, with in the next month, but I don't know. I will ask the ARB man when I see him in Moab.

The Warrior shackles will only give you 1.5" of lift, so you could have 3.5" if you put the OME springs and shackles on at the same time. Gerald got the extra 1" from the hockey puck body lift.
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Happy Wheelin'
Ray L.
97 XLT 4X4 4.0L SOHC
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[This message has been edited by Ray Lobato (edited 04-27-2000).]

 

[ExplorGM]

Thanks for the measurements Ray!
I've ordered the Rancho RSX shocks. Buy 3, get one free, sold me! I am hoping that they have a little more extension, but if the other two are the same, these probably are as well. They should arrive today, so I'll post their measurements in case any one is interested.
Rick

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Rick
95 Explorer Sport Expedition
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[Rob O]

Ray,

You measured the IAS at 27" full extension, do you know what it is for OE (stock) shocks? And -- I know this has been discussed before -- did tow pkg equipped models have different shocks? If so, I'd like to know the full extension of those.

I have Edelbrocks -- love 'em -- with the torsion twist and haven't experienced any problems with the 1.75" higher-than-stock height, but worry the shocks don't have enough extension or are over worked.
Of course, this will be a moot point when the $@%&*~# Trail Master kit hits the market. Dead Link Removed

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Rob O

'98 EB 4.0 SOHC 4x4
Twisted w/leafs
Edelbrock IAS
WAAG Brush Guard w/FET Landmaster 190 Hi\Lo's
Thule rack & bike trays / Yakima RocketBox
265/75/16 BFG A/T KOs coming soon

'94 XLT 4x4
WAAG * FET * 30x9.5 BFG * Doetsch Tech * Thule * Hella * Kenwood

 

[Paul Gagnon]

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[This message has been edited by Paul Gagnon (edited 04-28-2000).]

 

[Paul Gagnon]

The best thing to do is to actually physically measure for the correct shock length. To do this you have to cycle your suspension and measure, then remove the shocks and do it again. This will show you whether your shocks are the correct length. Once you have this measurement go to a shop and tell them you need a shock with those measurements. Just going by what is listed in the book as the "correct" shock you may end up with something that doesn't fit correctly.

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Paul Gagnon
Calgary, Alberta
"No Brain, No Pain"
Dead Link Removed

Technically Velveeta isn't REALLY cheese... it's a cheese food...
The stuff that other cheeses eat... I guess.

 

[Rob Slade]

Hey, I just put on the Edelbrocks myself and also experienced what you did. I think that it is just because it is a stiffer shock and doesn't give as much on the little bumbs. I still love the new ride though. It handles much tighter around the corners and doesn't jostle the cabin as much on the speedbumps.

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Rob Slade
'95 XLT 4x4
30x9.5 All Terrain KO's
K&N Air Filter System
Manik: Grill Guard
Taillight Guards
Step-Up Bars
Surco Safari Rack
2 Hella Black Magic's
4 Hella 500's
2 Punch DVC 10's
More to come...