Installing Ranchos on a 91' HELP!! Urgent!!

[MrMatt]

Hey guys,

Well I got my RS5000 shocks I ordered today and proceded to install them, got the rear ones in with limited trouble, went to install the front ones, got the old front shock off finally and I go to put the RS5000 on and it wont go.

I look at the lower mounting stud and it seems it gets about 1/8" to 1/4" bigger around right after about an inch and a half or so of threads, it wont fit thru the bottom mount on the ranchos.

I dont know if this is suppozed to be on there or if its maybe the metal sleve that was in my old shocks? The bottom mounts were really rusty and I had to heat them up to get them loose, but I dont know what to do now, I have my frontend torn apart up on jackstands.

Should I drill out the metal spacer in the Rancho shocks and see if it will fit then? I just am not sure what to do, I was tempted to put the old shock back on and see if I can find a place that will install shocks if I dont buy from them, then let them deal with it, lol, but I would wrather remidy the problem myself.

As for the otherside I didn't even rip the shock off after what happend with the first side.

Edit: And yea I tried removing the metal sleve in the shcok and couldnt get it out, maybe I should try harder or drill it out?

Please help me out.
-Matt

 

[mdrut]

Metal sleeve, remove it from the shock. The offset on the stud is there for a reason, the washer spacer and nut will only thighten so far, that allows the shock to work. If I remembeer right, the sleeves were not installed in my Ranchos. By chance, did you put the top on first, if so undo it..
BYT, the metal sleeve is not needed on the bottom.

 

[96ExplorerV8]

Hey. Sorry to hear your troubles. And I hope that you're overlooking an easy step as I thought the shocks are easy to replace on the Explorers. Or are you guys on this forum very handy and skilled? Hehe, but if you find other trouble in installing the shocks, could you let me know please? I was planning to install new shocks myself but wondering if I'll encounter a similar problem as yourself.

Also, please tell me how you like the 5000's. Ride quality input would be appreciated. Aww, I hope you can have the shocks installed before Memorial Day so you can enjoy the day. Bye.

 

[MrMatt]

Hey guys,

Well here is the deal, I ordered the RS5000s from DesertRat and got them Friday. Installed the rears, no problems aside from how rusted on the old hardware was.

Poped the front shock off, went to put the new rancho on and it wont fit, I look and their is a metal sleve in the rubber bushing on the lower mount of the shock.

I attemt to remove this sleve but can tell its not ment to be removed.

I took the truck to PepBoys and another 4x4 shop and both of them said that its the wrong shock for the truck as it shouldn't have that sleve and if its removed the bushing's opening will just shrink.

Funny thing is the model # matches the application guide on rancho's site.

So far I have only talked to one person and it seems their shocks did not have a metal sleve in the bottom bushing.

So I am going to call up Rancho direct on Tuesday morning and see what they have to say about it, I really hope i can get this taken care of and get the right shock to go up front.

Aside from this problem, the shocks have been easy to install, so long as you have a good socketset and some wrenches you should be good to go, now on my 91 stuff is pretty rusted so additional tools I have used include:

Propane Torch
Sawzall
Liquid Wrench
Pipe Wrench
Crowbar

Anyway Ill update when I find out more, if anyone else has at one time had RS5000s for a 91-94 please post here and let me know if you had a metal sleve in the bushing that is on the bottom of the front shocks.

Thanks
-Matt

 

[Jarrett088]

In mine, there was no metal sleeves for the front. The backs did have 2 different length sleeves, I think I had to use the shorter one. On the front, I do remember that the bushing was a little too small to fit on the bolt, so I had to take a drill to it and make the hole a little bigger. I don't know, maybe you got the ones for 2 wheel drive.

Tim

 

[MrMatt]

Hey,

Well I called Rancho today and it seems they have changed some things and the shock they list in their application guide (RS5019) for the front of a 91-94 Explorer (4x4) is no longer valid. It is now part # RS5039 so I am going to call Deser Rat and see if they will take care of this.

-Matt