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recommendations for front hydraulic shocks?

Vikram

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November 14, 2014
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Year, Model & Trim Level
1995 Ford Explorer XLT 4W
sadly Motorcraft don't make them anymore and most of the front shocks are gas filled which will be a harsher ride

Can't really tell which ones are hydraulic shocks looking online, any recommendations?

thanks
 



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See if you can find new old stock of Rancho 5000 series, I mean with no "X" at the end, not the 5nnnX part #s which is their switch to gas charged. Rock Auto has stock of them for the rear but I don't see any for the front. Even then, I had those on a different SUV and wouldn't call them smoother, rather just a non-(Or less)-variable dampening rate, sort of the worse combination of both trade-offs for on-road driving.

However I don't necessarily agree with gas charged always being a harsher ride. I once had Monroe Sensatracs on my '98 and they were not harsh, were too loosey goosey for the hills and curves around here. Just depends on how they're set up. They did ride great in a straight line on good roads.

I suspect you're looking for something with the ride quality of a KYB Excel-G, not an off-road/heavy-duty oriented larger piston shock... but I could be wrong. :)
 






See if you can find new old stock of Rancho 5000 series, I mean with no "X" at the end, not the 5nnnX part #s which is their switch to gas charged. Rock Auto has stock of them for the rear but I don't see any for the front. Even then, I had those on a different SUV and wouldn't call them smoother, rather just a non-(Or less)-variable dampening rate, sort of the worse combination of both trade-offs for on-road driving.

However I don't necessarily agree with gas charged always being a harsher ride. I once had Monroe Sensatracs on my '98 and they were not harsh, were too loosey goosey for the hills and curves around here. Just depends on how they're set up. They did ride great in a straight line on good roads.

I suspect you're looking for something with the ride quality of a KYB Excel-G, not an off-road/heavy-duty oriented larger piston shock... but I could be wrong. :)

I ended up going with motorcraft shocks in the rear and excel G shocks in the front.

The motorcraft shocks were both made in the US and the kyb ones are made in japan!

Got them installed today and I am extremely happy with how it turned out! Ride feels nice and soft and cloud like!

Though tbh my old shocks were so rusted out that they were completely empty inside - so i've essentially been driving with no shocks xD
 












I ended up going with motorcraft shocks in the rear and excel G shocks in the front.

The motorcraft shocks were both made in the US and the kyb ones are made in japan!

Got them installed today and I am extremely happy with how it turned out! Ride feels nice and soft and cloud like!

Though tbh my old shocks were so rusted out that they were completely empty inside - so i've essentially been driving with no shocks xD
Can you list part numbers for both? ..(Ricks listed Motorcraft shocks are front ones)
I just put on Monroes / front and back and happy but I wouldn't say front ones are cloud-like....but that could be due to my lower ball joints ....have to take a fresh gander at those...
 






^ Which Monroe? Their Reflex are supposed to be a bit firmer than stock, and their Sensatrac softer though those have been discontinued AFAIK.
 






Fronts:
Monroe Gas-Magnum 34804
Rears:
Monroe OESpectrum 37035

Definite improvement from my old beaters....but as mentioned my lower ball joints are pretty old...so.... rainy and wet out now so don't want to be out inspecting them now. I replaced upper ones and sway links / had tie rods replaced...but I go off roading so taxing on everything.
As O.P. mentioned gas ones are more prone to stiffer ride so maybe this model of Monroes behave this way ...?
 






I run OE Spectrums all around, but I don’t off-road. Truck rides pretty much the same as new. Not harsh at all. It’s never going to float down the road…bc these rigs never did. With newish shocks, anyway.

Asking for a soft ride out of a truck is like asking for a good time from a nun.
 






Can you list part numbers for both? .
Rear .....,5U2Z18V125AM, ASHV1047, ASHV874....... >>>>ashv992<<<<

Front.......5U2Z18V124MA.... >>>>ashV875<<<<
 






5U2Z-18V124-MA​


 






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