Cuco
Active Member
- Joined
- September 18, 2019
- Messages
- 83
- Reaction score
- 8
- City, State
- Brooklyn , New York City
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 1996 Ford Explorer XLT
I tried them all and I’m gonna tell you about my experience with each shock brand. ( I have 96 Explorer XLT 5.0 ) I live in New York City the city of POT HOLES. Pot holes kill shocks or shorten the lifespan , if I lived in another state which doesn’t have pot holes i’m pretty sure the shocks will live longer and perform better. Monroe shocks SUCKS within 6 months the welds broke & the ride sucks feels like cheap shocks , do not buy Monroe. KYB shocks , I tried the white & gray kyb shocks Ride very firm & stiff takes pot holes very well at the end of the shocks lifecycle It starts to ride very smooth , then dies quickly got proximately 6 months of life. The red KYB ride firm to hard did not like the ride , I have heard of the red KYB ride good on some other explorers but not mines. I change them out within 1 year , the ride never change since day one (ride too hard). Bilstein shocks ride firm and takes potholes well , when vehicle is loaded up with weight rides very smooth , but did not last long within 6 months to 1 year they died. Gabriel MaxControl shocks , WOW made my truck ride like a brand new truck , straight out of ford dealership on day one , very smooth ride takes turns very well and potholes pretty good better than Bilstein shocks , but it doesn’t last long the potholes in my city eats the shocks up quick only got six months of life , if you live in an area that has no potholes I will recommend the shocks , and do not load your vehicle with heavy equipment or stuff all the time.
Ranchos 5000 rides OK only last 6 months ended up with a busted shocks from the pothole. Never tried the Ranchos 7000. But now I have the Rancho 9000 with adjustment knob for a ride control. This time I did things a little different let me explain , I adjusted both my torsion bars just to stiffen them up , not for height & add Timbren rubber springs & in the rear I have coil over shocks this helps with body roll had the rear shocks for already almost 2 years still good . For the front I’m three months in will keep you posted on ride and longevity of the front. Now my truck rides very smooth on flat surface handles turns like a race car and takes potholes stiff but pretty good. CHECK OUT MY POST ON TIMBREN
Ranchos 5000 rides OK only last 6 months ended up with a busted shocks from the pothole. Never tried the Ranchos 7000. But now I have the Rancho 9000 with adjustment knob for a ride control. This time I did things a little different let me explain , I adjusted both my torsion bars just to stiffen them up , not for height & add Timbren rubber springs & in the rear I have coil over shocks this helps with body roll had the rear shocks for already almost 2 years still good . For the front I’m three months in will keep you posted on ride and longevity of the front. Now my truck rides very smooth on flat surface handles turns like a race car and takes potholes stiff but pretty good. CHECK OUT MY POST ON TIMBREN